Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-02-14
[ From Last Year the War for Independence.
BY GEN. JUBAL A. EARLY.
Battle Of Winchester.

At light on the morning of the 10Th.
our cavalry pickets at the crossing of the
! Opequon on the Berryville road were. dri
ven ia, and information having been sent
me OF that fact, l Immediately ordered all
the troops at Stepnenson's depot to be in
readiness to move, directions being given
for Gordon, who had arrived at Bunker
Hill, to move at once, but, by some mis-
take on the part of my staff officer, the
latter order was not delivered to General
Breckenridge Or Gordon rode at once
to Ramseur's pos ton. and found his troops
in line across the Berryvile road skirmish-
ing with the enemy. Before reaching this
point, had asccrtained that Gordon was
not moving, and sent back for him, and
now discerning that the enemys advance
was real one and in heavy force, sent
orders for Breckenridge and Rodes to
move up as rapidly as possible The po-
sition occupied by Ramseur, was about
one mile and a half out from Winchester
on an elevated plateau between Abraham's
Greek and Red Bud Run Abraham
Greek crosses the Valley Pike one mile
south of Winchester, and then crosses the
Front Royal road about the same distance
southeast Of the town, and, running east
wardly, on the southern side of the Berry
vile road, to the Opequon Ramseur was
therefore in the obtusc angle formed by
the harrisburg and Front Royal roads.
In front and to the right of him, for some
distance, the country was open Abra-
hams Greek runs through deep valley,
and beyond it, on the right, is high open
ground, at the intersection Of the Front
Royal and Wildwood roads TO Ramseur's
left the country sloped off to the Red Bud,
and there were some patches Of woods
which afforded cover for troops. To the
north of the Red Bud. the country is very
open, afIording facilities for the movement
of any kind Of troops Towards the Ope-
quon, on the front, the BeTyville road
through a ravne with hills and woods on
each side, which enabled the enemy to
move his troops under cover, and mask
them out of range Of artillery Nelson's
artillery was posted on Ramseur's line,
covering the approaches as far as practical
BILE, and Lomax with Jackson's cavalry
and part of Johnson's was on the right
watching the valley of Abrahams Creek
and the Front Royal road beyond, while
Fitz Lee was on the left, across the Red
Bud with his cavalry and battery of
horse artillery, and a detachment of John
sons cavalry watched the interval between
! Ranseur's left and the Red Bud These
troops held the enemy's main force in
check until Gordon's and Rodes' divisions
arrived from Stephcnson's depot. Cor
don's division arrived first, little afte,
ten o'clock, A. M, and was placed under
cover in rear of piece of wood behind the
interval between Ramseur'. line and the
Red Bud, the detachment of Johnson's
cavalry having been removed to the right
Knowing that it would not do for us to a.
wait the shock of the enemys attack,
Gordon was directed to examine the
ground on the left, with view to attack.
ing a force of the enemy which had talSer
position in piece of wood in front of him
and while he was so engaged. Rodes arriy.