Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-09-26

their position before daylight on Monday
morning. A portion of this force moved
up short distance in the fields on both
sides OF the Berryville and Winchester pike
and another portion was sent to the righ
of cur army, on the Charlestown and Win.
chester road. These dispositions were fol
the purpose of giving or receiving direcr
assault, at the same time guarding the
fanks Of our army.
Our line of battle was marked out to be
formed in line extending from north to
south, parallel with Opequan creek, on the
west side of which, and upon numerous
high and abrupt hillsi the enemy had his
field works constructed. The line of bat
to four miles in length.
The troops broke camp at five o'clock on
the morning of the 10Th instant. The Sixth
corps, under Major General Wright, moved
in column by the Winchester and BerryVille
pike; the Nineteenth corps, Gen'l Emory,
marched across the fields and obliquely to
gain the same road, the Army of West Vir-
ginia, under Major General Crook, was
held as a reserve, and marched in the rear
of the other corps. The day was warm,
| the sky was clear, and the army in excel
lent spirits. Here and there Gen'l Sheri-
dan was seen making personal supervision
| of the disposition of troops, and to see that
his men were well in hand.
At daylight the cavalry commenced en-
gaging the enemy, who had heavy infantry
and cavalry skirmishers east of the Ope-
guam. Every inch of the ground was dis.
puted, and for while little or no head
way was made. The infantry columns
moved slowly in the rear of the cavalry
Shortly after sunrise the enemy's infantry
and skirmishers were driven to their main
position west of the Opequsn. The caVal-
ry were then ordered to reconnoitre posi-
tions for the infantry to cross the creek
In the meanwhile General Sheridan form
ed in line of battle to effect crossing. AS
soon as the rebel skirmishers had got to
the west bank of the Opequan the enemy's
batteries opened fire upon the opposite
side, shelling the woods and cornfelds
with great rapidity, This they did to throw
our troops into disorder; but it effectually
failed.
The rebel lines were formed with Gen.
Breckinridge's corps on their right Jour
lefty, opposite our sixth corps, aud Gen.
Rhodes corps on the LETT (our rightly op-
posite the Nineteenth corps.
The Opeeuan creek has an irregular
width. On the front occupied by our troops
it is from thirty to one hundred and fifty
feet deep. At the juncture of the Win
chester und Berryvile pixies the water is
quite shallow. This was the point desig
mated for the main portion of our troops 10
cross. This ford is commanded from the
side the rebels occupied by several declivl
tous hills, the iuclinations facing the creek
being in pasturage, the SUBMITS and back
of them being sparsely wooded-just
enough for shade and protection from
shells. To the rebel right of these fields
are heavy woods, in which were massed
heavy bodies of the enemy's infantry. On
the inclinations of the hills were the enc
my's rifle pits and detached works con-
structed of fence rails. There were also
in some parts of the rebel battle front
natural defences, in the shape of rocks,
hillocks, &c., behind which the rbels Sc
creted themselves, awaiting the onset from
our troops. The rebel artillery occupied
eligible positions on the summit of the
| bills and at points commanding the roads.
Some of these batteries kept up heavy
eaunouade as our troops approached the
creek, while others were carefully masked
with shrubbery and limbs of trees.
Everything being ready, the order was
given to cross the creek. The cavalry,
under the gallant Wilson, moved forward
iu gallant style. AS soon as they discoV-
cred themselves to the enemy it was the
signal tor the opening of the great battle.
| The cavalry went down the road to the
ford in good style, with columns well clio
sed up, and crossed to the enemy's side
amid a CALLING fire; but this did not deter
them from pushing forward, and they sp-
| peared as quiet as on holiday parade. The
| cavalry then moved to our left, so as to
leave front for the infantry, who were
closely in their rear, to cross and take up
line OF battle. They moved until suth'
cient time had been allowed for the in
fantry to form line, when they formed on 8
line nearly parallel with the creek. They
soon commenced to engage the enemy'E
infantry and cavalry.
The fording of the Opequan, near the
Winchester pike, by our infantry, seemed
to call for the enemy's efforts of repulsion
The rebel officers, it is said, told their men
to keep cool and they would annihilate ouI
army; that our troops were one hundred
days men and would not fight. Incitec
nv these falsehoods and the advantage Of
position, they fought with GOODNESS anC
aimed with precision that has never beer
surpassed and seldom equalled. The ont
hundred days men, as they credulouslJ
supposed, turned out to be the veteran
host of the Sixth corps, who, under th'
late gallant Sedgwick and its present lead
er, (Wright,) had so often met them il
battle array. The Nineteenth corps, whose
record is not so victorious, but none thu
less honorable, were also there, and theil
unerring aim and obstinacy of aclion il
demonstrating on the rebel lines soon dis
abused the rank and file Of the rebel arm!
of the mendacity and per6dy of their off
GERS.
The crossing of the Opequan by ou
troops was not made simultaneously. Or
the right of the position occupied by the
Nineteenth corps as they advanced to th'
margin of the creek the troops tount
themselves in boggy soil. The enem!
had artillery stationed in positions to com
maud this;potnt, and they poured grape ant
] I...;-..- 90 dI,: aim intn. the rank