, 1864-11-29

EARLY'S ENTIRE AR1IT ENGAGED FOR SII
H0URS--lIS STRENGTH AND POSI-.
TIQN DISCOVERED.

| HOUHN--ulS STREAGfH and POSI-
TlQN DISCOVERED.
! Correspondents N. 7. Herald.1
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY Conps, !.
ARxE or THE Shenandoah, Nov. 2a {
RooD's HILL.
In order that the reader can more rcadjl
comprehend what I am about to relatc il, RI
gard to the battle then and there fought it
necessary to describe the hill and surfoJndin
neighboFhood. Tbs hill, from the side of nn
approach, is a high ridge Of open land. o
the right is the north fork of the Shenandoa
i TlscE, on tue left Peaked Ridge, a mountain
In front, Of the hill is an open plain, III
plain Is an extensive one. On this side of th
plain the Shenandoah river crosses the pike
There is a ford at the pike crossing. Just o,
this side Of the river Is range of high hiIls
Standing upon the hills on this side Il Is cas-
to observe any and all movements made, no
only upon the open plain, but also upon]th
qntlmbered Rood's Hill opposite. Rood
Hill is considered the next strongest positio1
to Fishers Hill in the valley. The object il
keeping rebel force at this point IL to pre
rent our going through the country along tn
line Of Gap creek, aud thence to LuraY. AMI
also on to Milford and Front Royal. =:
| ; REcoNNo1TERIEG TIE POSITION.
On arriving ut the high hills in front of th'
plain, we hailed to rec0hnoitcr the enemy
position on the opposite side. The rebels
with Il, strong skir1nish line In front. tht
whole principally to the right Of the pike.
DISPOSITION or OUR FORCES.
! General Powell coming ND, General Tibbcf,
was ordered to cross the river and 20 acros:
| the plain. He did so, and while doing thi.
the enemy developed line much stronpcJ
than his OWL. 1ibbitts moved within 81.
hundred yards Of the enemy's first line with
on CIT tI. opening tlre: All these movements and
enemy and BY all our generals. Genera5 i
Early's f1ng was IN plain sight on Rood's HilI.
while General Torhert's flag could ns n1ainiy
ne seen sat In s Place on the hills this Side of
anS pam. Noticing that the enemy was de-
neloping Q heavy line of infantry, General
Powell adyanced to the support Of Generni
Iibbetts with Col. Capharis brigade. while
the Two brtgades were forming on the plain
preparatory to charge. Colonel Penning-
toms brigade Of General Custar's division was
sent to occupy aposition on high hill to the
right OF the pike on this side Of the river. A
section Of Captaln Ransom's Battery G, Third
United States artillery, got into position and
opened lire just as the caralry band com
menced playing, and several distinguished Of.
Ulcers congrcgated close by to view the i'm
pending engagement. Some twenty minutes
were taken by General Powell in forming lis
ul%4oi"A u HIKE Tue c0ATEe.
THE ENEMY DEVELOPS HIS LINES.
By the time he was ready the enemy had
developed two lines Of infantry, with strong
sklrmlsh line in front, and sent his cavalry
across the Shenandoah River, and moved.
right.
PowKL1's CHARGE.
The proper time arriving, and all being
ready, PoWelfs entire division charged. As
It did 50 Tie enemy opened fire from two Sec
tions Of artillery AND lis infantry aud cavalry,
and, besides, commenced advancing. Onr
men were 50 close that several Of the enemy's
sheils burst in our formed lines, but, strange
to relate, did not do my remarkable injury.
THE ENEMY MoyEs-7uE ACTION GENERAL
As the enemy continued to adyancc down
the lill we lind plain view Of at least fifteen
Thousand infantry and division or more of
cavalry. The enemy made several attempts
to Charge our men and turn the right flank of
the troops on the plain but in each ATTEMPT
MAS met and checked with promptitude.
All ot sudden heavy fire wus opened
fn'm the woods By the rebel cavalry on that
side. General Custar at once comprchended
wllat was up, and ordered Col. Pennington to
hold the position at all hazards. which he did.
At this time Gen. Chapman'5 brigade was
held In reserve to support the artillery, and
protected the ambulance and hcadquarter
trims. On the right Of Powelrs line, in the
course OF the general charge, one brigade had
that Major Gibson, Of the 14th Pennsylvania,
while gallantly leading that regiment, re-
ceiyed What may possibly prove to be serious
injury, In consequence Of his horse slipping
ing ditch.
The heaviest part of the fighting was on our
right, where ut one time the enemy on the
vest side Of the Shenandoah got In cross
fire on those on the plain. Quite rapid and
heavy firing on both sides now commenced,
and was continued for long time afterwards.
EARLr's ARMY DISPLAYS no ENTHUSIASM.
Our men repnlscd every charge Of the enc
my's cavalry on our right, on both sides Of the
Eiver. In fact, not only Early's cavalry, but
also lis whole army, acted cowardly on this
whole army to drive off two small divisions
Of cavalry! Had Early remained perfectly
quiet, and let LIS run right into the midst Of
his infantry, he could have gained an immense
advantage but then, again, had VIC gotten
INTO the midst Of his infantry, there is no tell
whole army md guess SO thought Early
fur although he knew our force, he took very
good care that we should not get on speaking
Terms with him.
POSITION AND STRENGTH 1,4GoovE4ED
OCE FORCES RETIRE.
Having now gaincd our point, and deyelop-
ed the cnemy'e strength in full, we COM
OF our line scattering and sklrmishing 1leayi-
y, and then advancing in three lines. At ono
time our position was anything but 4 safe
one; in fact, had the enemy's cavalry not
been driven back by the daring of our men,
we would certainly have lost orer three hun
dred prisoners.
caphart's brigade recrossed theriyer first in
e EXCELLENT order. Iibbetts' brigade followed.
The men Of Ills brigade skir1nishcd to tic yery
Inst minute, and kept the enemy from ap-
them too rapidly for the safety Of
The command.
TIE ENEMY MAKES DASH. -
All our command haying recrossed the
Tlrer, the enemy,s cavalry made dash to the
left, and room afterwards made their appear
lnee well upon our right flank. .,
Gen. Custar now Undertook to check tic
enemy here, which he did most cmphatically.
he was SO successful that the rebel cavalry |
cared to get more than very short distance
rom their advancing and supporting infantry
ines.
A RUNNING FIGHT.
After this quite spirited fighting ensucd, |
from the Shenandoah RiScr where
crosses the pike back almost to Edinburg. |
It times General Rosser's flag and General |
;nstar's colors were within stones throw Of |
ach other.
1nE ORDER OF TIE RETURN MARCH.
In going back General Custar took the right
nd GeneEal; Powell the left Of the pike, willie
;cnernl Torbcrt went on ahead with two
risades, to select a position from which to
harge the encmy's cavalry, should the same
olloW up. The position referred to was IT,
en-, but The enemy, very tulicious1y for him,
id not continue the pursuit.
ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE REBEL FLAG,
In the course Of the retroorade, one Of the |