The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-02-05
PENNSYLVANIA CAMPAIGN OF GEN LEE
ARMY or Noeragas VIRGINIA,

the operations of the Army OF Northern Vir-
enia for the past year to hS~o been able TO
have gone on wIthou, interruptions hut a combina
ton of circumstances, which deefh unnecessary
10 mcniton has heretofore prevented ihat i"gusari
ity aud sequence which had wished TO have pre-
served. o-day | resume the naff.tsstsa, and will
proceed so far as TO include an aeefnint of
TIE MATTE wIScHssTga.
On the 9ih of jane I.ieut.-Gea Il. :. Eweirs
(secondl corps, being encamPed nsStf Gnpeper C.
II Major Gen j f.. u. Stuar reported large
force Of the enemy, made up of cavalry, artillery,
and infantry, to have crossed the Rappahannoek
river, and that they were advancing TO give battle
Kodrs's division being nearest ts the cavalry, WAS
ordered up to support IT, IL necessary, but did not
become engaged. The result Of that fight was a
signal rfrulse 10 the enemy, though not without
severe loss our side. Inasmuch as propose to
devote a chapter 10 the operations Df the cavalry
during the past year VIII not now aaie further
10 this fight.
on the afternoon OF The 10th of Juae the whole
of Ewells corps left Cu pererC. II rn'viug In the
direction of Winchester, via Front Royal, in the
county of v arren aud crossing The Blue Ridge at
| Chester Gap on the night of the 18th, the whole
| corps arrived at ud near Front Royal, and
disposed as follows Johnson's division bivou
acked near CcdarviiIe Eariy's between the no. III
ard south forks OF the Shenandoah river, at Front
| Roygi and Rodess five miles beyond the river,
| on the road leading 10 BeUyyiile
On the 18th Johnson. moving on the Front Royal
| road and Eany. the Valley pike. approached
| Winchester. About IL O'Clock Jnhnson's pick.1s
became engaged with The eneny's piskeis just he
low Wincile ster, and drove them in. Soon there
| after Col. X. Lumden Andrews, with Carpenter :
! battery. opened fire on a battery of the enemy
| which they had advanced out on the Miiiwood
road. driving il into the town, and blow ing up
of their caissous. This achievement drew upon
| i,ttn h..ay bnf
fire from the enemy artillery posted in the forts
and on the heights above and beyond the town.
Carpenter, however, did not respond to this f.e
and the enemy did him but little damage.
Just before sunset Gordon's Georgia and IIayes's
Louisians brsades, of Early's division, became en-
gagged near Kernsiown, about three miles south of
Winchester, on the Valley turnpike, with a brigade
of the enemy and battery OF tlelT artillery. The
enemy, however, made very feeble stand. and
quickly falling back, were pursued by our mcn,
now moving al double quick time, for a distance
of two miles, or until they, the enemy, reach
ed Bartons Mills at the foot Of Bowers's hll-ihe
enemy barely saving their artillery. IL was
dark and operations were suspended for the night
During the night severe rain fell. At daylight
il Was discovered That the enemy had abandoned
ali of his outer works and mad taken up position
| in his inner aud main forts.
Lt-Gcneral Eweil, after consultation with Mai
! General Early, determined upon flank move
mcnt in order 10 reduce the town, preferable To
| All assault in font Gen. Fairly at once began to
| move 10 attack a work of the enemy on the Pngh
| A circuit of some eight miles was necessary,
avoid observation Gen. Gordon : brigade OF tieoT
gianS with the Maryland battalion Of infantry
having been left in the mean time confronting the
enemy at Holdings gswOrth's Mil, near the town,
pushed The enemy's pickets 10 the edge of town,
and would have driven them farther, but for fear
of draWing the enemy n e on The town. The rest
of the division, consisting OF Smiths, Hays's and
Hoke's brigdde-, were now engaged in the eXecu-
lion of the flank movenent Meantime General
Johnston moved IA portion Of his division across
and flrs,S Itr1n
mi Sners So As iii Vert attention from Early : ope
ratlnns These skirmish-r- were commanded by
LIT. Col. II. j. Williams, VINO was severely w0Hud-
ed after a cons piCuOus display 0t gaaHtry. With
a single line oI Skirmishers ie more than once re
pulsed the encmy's heavy line battle, supported
by artillery. This line OF sklmshers unfilnching-
iy maintained their position Until dark.
About an hour before sunset, on the evening of
the iith of June. Gen. Early, without encounter
ing scout or picket, was in easy cannon range
of the cucmy's work, which II Was his purpose IL
Assault. He at once set to work making disposi
ton Gi his forces, preparatory to the attack
Twenty pieces Ot arIiiiery-tWtive from Colonel
Jones'S battalion and eight belonging t0 the lst
Virginia regiment under Capt Dance, Col. Brown
acting Chief OF Artillery OF cOrPs-wcre placed
in position. iiays's Louisiana brigade was no!V
ordered prepare for the charge, and smith : tir
ginians were so disposed as To act as supports
our artillery openCd vigorous and wei directed
fire On The enemy's works and guns. They
Spoudcd with considerable spirit; hut after the ar
tiery duel had been kept up for some thirty min
uigs the pntmy'S guns were CCilVitttiS SlttHctu.
Then Hays gallant and iCatieSS Lohislauiahs-
the same men who drove Sedg~tcis from the
heights al Fredericksburg back To Banks's Ford,
during the chauce!Iursviile fights, and the same
mc n. TOO whose foot tracks have Ucen printed in
blood during this rigorous winter, while standing
picket The banks of the RaPdan, for want OF
shoes moved iOrw ard IN The music of our cannon,
which Were still playing upon the works OF the
enemy. SO iirrce and well directed did our iron
missilG- o. death rain around them tl4d no ! ankeG
dared show his lead above the parapet. When
our men got within two hundred yards of the eEe
mys works. aud being sui unperceiVed, suddenly
our artillery ceased And now Hays mcu charge
over abattiS, capturing the work and taking SIX
pieces of artillery. Lieut.. John Orr, of the 9Th
Louisiana regiment, being the first 10 enter IN"
encmy's works, Tell Woucued III the thigh by
Yar kee bavOnct. The enemy vainiy attempted,
under of the guns of their main fort, 1" form
in the bottom hetWet the hills and retakc the
works, but Hays's men manned and turned iht
eueml's own guns upoI, them a few well di
rected shots quickly broke them in confusion, anu
they retrealed to the inner fort. Just after dark
heavy voileys were heard proceeding from the
fort, and il is surmiSed that the enemy must nave
fired into each other.
That night Gen. Eweli ordered Geds Ed John
SOP, with the Stonewa brigade, Nch0ls's (noN
Statiord's) Louisiana brigade, two regiments oi
Stuart's brigade, with Carpenters battery, and
sections of Dement'S aud Raine's batteries, to
move 10 the MartnsbuTg road and intercept the
expected retreat OF the enemy; or, If they should
hold their ground, to be prepared for ii simuItanc-
nus attack al dawn. Gen. J. thought il better,
from the rnuehness OF the road which he had to
travel, tn 50 To Stfvcnson's Depot BY n mistake
in the delivery OF an order, Gen. Walker, with
the StonewalI brigade, dad not begin move until
after midnight; aud so when Gen. J. met the head
OF the enc emys column, on striking the pike, lit-
lie before day, he had only Stuar's two regiments
and the Louisiana brigade. The pike and the rail
raad here parallel 10 each ether, and not more
than an hundred yards apart. The railroad cut Is
crossed upOn bridge by the road over which Gen.
Johnson came this road striking the pike nearly at
right angles Gen. Johnson posted the infantry
along the cut except the 0h aud I'd La. regiments,
which were held in reserve TO support the arfil-
lrry One of Demerit's Napoleon guns was placed
bv Col Andrews on the bridge. The other Napo-
leon was placed few yards one side, Just bel'Ap
our line of battle. The rest OF the artillery was
on an EN- nence 10 the left of the road by when
Gen. Johnson came and one hun red and fifty
wards In rear of our line of battle These diSposi-
lions had scarcely been made when The ankees
charged with loud yelling, hoping 10 break through
our lines aud escape. The battle ragged tor nearly
an hour our troops fbut litIe over ,200 mem be
ing greatly outnumbeTet. Just, however, aS the
last OF our cartridges gave out Hen walker came
up The enemy had by this time divided into two
columns for the purpose of endeavofiny 10 turn
both of our flanks simultaneously. Gen. walker
charged the party attempting to turn our gt nank
and they surrendered. Gen johnson moved The
two Louisiana regiments, held in reserve, against
the body of the enemy attempting 10 pass our fcit
flank and captured the greater part OF ihein-
Thoueh Miiroy and three hundred cavalry, besides
some struggling infantry, made their escape our
captures here amounted TO some = 5Oo men
Our artillery in this action was served most gar .
Iantly, and did fine execution. Fourteen out OF
sixteen men manning the section OF Demefiits bat
,.,y were killed or wounded, among IN NJ Lieut..
e. Coutec. commanding the section, as also
Lieut. Cot. Andrews. The remaining members OF
his seciinn staid their potts. and, assisted by