Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-02-14

i
two O'clock in the afternoon.
In the meantime there had been heavy
diminishing along the line, and the re-
ports from the front were that the enemy
was massing for another attack. but it was
/ impossible to tell whore II would fall AS
the danger from the enemy's cavalry on.
the right was very great and Lomaxs
force very weak. Wickham's brigade of
IFitz Lees cavalry had been seut from the
/ left to Lomax's assistance When Whar-
toms division arrived Patton's brigade Of
that division was left to aid Fitz Lee IN
guarding the Alartinsburg road, against the
force of cavalry which was advancing on
that road watched by Lomax's two small
.brigades; and the rest of the division was
! formed in rear of Rodes' division in the
centre, in order to be moved to any point
| that might be attacked. Late in the af-
ternoon, two divisions of the enemys cav
airy drove in the small force which had
been watching it on the Martinshurg road,
and Crook s corps, which had not been en-.
gagged, advanced at the same time on that
flank, on the north side Of Red Bud, and,
before this overwhelming force, Cations
brigade Of infantry and Paynes brigade of
cavalry under Fitz Lee were forced back.
A considerable force of the enemys cav
airy then swept along the Martinsburg road
to the very skirts of Winchester, thus get
ting in the rear of our left flank. Whar-
tons two brigades were moved in double
quick time to the left and rear, and, max
ing d gallant charge on the enemy's cav
airy, with the aid of Kings artillery, and
some Of Braxton's guns which were turned
to the rear. succeeded in driving it back
The division was then thrown into line by
Gen. Breckenridge, in rear of our left and
at right angles with the Martinsburg road,
and another charge Of the eneny's cavalry
was handsomely repulsed But many of
the men on our front line, hearing the fire
in the rear, and thinking they were flank
ed and about to be cut off, commenced fall
ling back, thus producing great confusion
At the same time, Crook advanced against
our left, and Gordon threw Evans brigade
into line to meet him, but the disorder in
the front line became SO great, that, after
an obstinate resistance, that brigade was
compelled to retire also. The whole front
line had now given way, but a large por-
ton of the men were rallied and formed be-
hind an Indifferent lisle of breastworks,
which had been made just outside of Win
chester during the first year of the war,
and, with the aid Of the artillery which
was brought back to this position, the pro-
gress of the enemy's infantry was arrested.
Wharton's division maintained its organi-
cation on the left, and Rausuer fell back
in good order on the right Wickham's
brigade of cavalry had been brought from
the right, and was in position on Fort Hill
just outside of Winchester on the west.
Just after the advance Of the enemy's in
fantry was checked by our artillery, it was
reported to me that the enemy had got a
round, our right flank, and as I knew this
was perfectly practicable and was expec-
ting such a movement from the cavalry on
the Front Royal road. [ gave the ordeS to
retire, but instantly discovering that the
supposed force of the enemy was Ramsuer's
division, which had merely moved back to
keep in line with the other troops, gave
the order for the latter to return to the
works before they had moved twenty PAGES.
This order was obeyed by Wharton's divis-
ion, but not so we'll by the Others The
enemys cavalry force however was two
large for us, and having the advantage of
open ground, it again succeeded in getting
around our left, producing great confusion,
for which there was no remedy Nothing
was now left for US but to retire through
Winchester, and Ramsucrs division, which
maintained its organization, was moved on
the east Of town to the south side Of it, and
put in position forming the basis for new
line, while the other troops moved back
through the town. Wickham's brigade,
with SOME pieces of horse artillery on Fort
Hill, covered this movement and checked
the pursuit of the enemys cavalry. When
the new line was formed, the enemy's ad-
vance was checked until nightfall, and we
then retired to Newtown without serious
molestation Lomax had held the enemy's
cavalry on the Front Royal road in check,
and feeble attempt at pursuitwas repuls-
ed by Ramsuer near Kernstown.
MS SUUll DIS UuI FCVGTSc DoSdl, OfueIS liau
been sent for the removal of the trains,
stores. and sick aud wounded in the hos
pitfalls, to Fishers Hill, over the Cedar
Creek Pike and the Back Road This was
done with safety, and ali the wounded. ex-
cept such as were not in condition to be
moved, and those which had not been
brought from the field, were carried to the
rear.
This battle, beginning with the skirmish-
ing in Ramseur's front, had lasted from
daylight until dark, and, at the close Of it,
we had been forced back two miles, after
having rcpulsed the enemy's first attack
with great slaughter to him, and suhse-
quently contested every inch Of ground
with unsurpassed obstinacy. We deserved
the victory, and would have had it, but
for the enemy immense superiority in cav
airy which alone gave it to him.
Three niacas IF Kirr's artillery from