Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-25
A FIGHT NEAR CHARLEsTOWN.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY WESTERN VIRGINIA.
Near ChaYiesto,oa, august 2l--il r. M.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY WESTERN VIRGINIA..
Near ChariestoWn, August 2l-ll r. M
An attack made by the enemy early this morning,
about eight O'clock the right OF advanced line OF
cavalry piekets in front OF Summit Point which resulted in
our having to abandon that position
simultaneous attack made on our left Ber-
ryvle but this latter only proved feint and did not
amount to much Gen. Wilson's division held Summit
Pc and only after determined resistance sgsinst
superior force of both infantry and cavalry that tho line
retired and slowly moved back toward The Berryye pike
and then fell back within two mies OF Charlestown
where they formed junction with the Nineteenth Corps
and dism0unHg prppa rough braastw0,k ks the left
OF that corps The of the cavalry maintained their
relative ,sitions until it became evident that faux
movement was likely to be executed and that danger
threatened in their immediate They then fell back
and passed through Cha estown bvouscking the out
skirts Standing the hill heir headq iarters.
could hear the suns slowly work round from left to right
ana ~ last heavy hre broke out IN front OF the bxh
Corps, and quite brisk engagement the Result
But had better first give you idea OF our position
Our gn consisting OF the Sixth Corps Gen. Wright was
formed on the MartDsburg turnpike, two miles out from
Charestown the centre resting the pike and the left
stretching out toward Beryvle, and lying dirt road
leading out to the Winchester and Marnsburg pike The
centre held by the Eighth Corps Gen. Crook and the
line extended from the left the Sixth Corps the right
of the Nineteenth Corps Gen Emory which latter corps
held the extreme left and oveapped the Berryvile pike
The entire line lay about two niles from CharlestOwa and
followed elevated line of country, in the Of seq
ment OF circle
At ten o'clock three heavy columns were observed NOV
ing along the front of the right wing of the army and soon
aer tn. right of the Eight and the left and centre Of the
Sixth Corps engaged Heavy Smelling was resorted
to BY tue enemy, evidently to hide their movements
and tmbarass those of Gen Sherdans troops The Sixth
Corps rapidly thrown into line OF BATTLE and then ad
vaneed steadily drlvSg in the enemys skrmsbers into
their own line of battle Despite the persistent eff Of
the rebels our drove them back miIe and Just
before dark fell back to their original position. The Eighth
Corps were only engaged eighty their right and very
little lighting occurred in that command The Nineteenth
Corps we're not engaged at ALL Kershaws and Rrecknr
ridges divisions, of Early's command, were engaged
The lighting continued nearly the entire day and the
cannonadDg lasted until after dark The musksry 10 the
centre OF the sixth Corps quite heavy the Losses
that command pr0pOrtODately large The second
division bore The brunt of the BATTLE and it lost nearly
three hundred men wounded.
The intention Of the rebel commander was evidently to
gain the road to Martln burg, and it known that
most of his infantry had been marching the direction of
Martnsbug all last night and the attack of the moving
column only considered feint his part to gain Tina
in order to the river At any rate his rear coumns
could be sesn sweeping past off to right aud there
can DC no doubt that Martnsburg their ultimate des-
tnaton
Towards dark the firing ceased and our army was bu,v
employed in throwing up breastwOrks The cavalry pass
ed out OF Charesown by the Marnbug pike and turned
of to the right into the fields where they bvouacked for
the night At this time it evident that Gen Sheridan
proposed falling back Bolivar Heights for the supply
trains and ammunition wagons passing continually IN
the direction of Hatown
At 10 o'clock the troops began to pass through Charles
town, aud the scene the different columns pushed By
the struggling moonlight weird and exciting Infantry
on The patterpg OF many moving feet the gstenng Of
musket barrels the dark and ghostke cannon the white
topped wagons and ambuance the cnkng Of sabres aud
the quick snort of the horses, all combined to all up
picture OF exceeding interest aud grandeur The Eighth
Corps came 10 first, next the Nineteenth and last the
Sixth Corps The army will succeed in getting clear
Of the town until near daylight although they moving
with all due celebrity