New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-25

the vav. The column struck the Virginia
and Tennessee railway on the fourteenth,
and, arriving in the vicinity of Lynchburg-
Crooks c0mmand-On the eighteenth, was
sent to the right on o flanking expedition,
with q view to attacking the city in the
Crook received word from Hunter that the
enemy, reinforced from Richmond, was
about to attack the centre in overwhelming
force. Crook therefore moved with the ut
most speed to the exposed point, ana, by
the timely aid of bis command, the attack
was repelied The troops remained under
arms and under fire the remainder OF the
day, and when night set in began the re-
treat, which the augmented and now over.
wheiming strength of the enemy rendered
necessary Colonel Hayes brigade covered
this retreat, which proved to be one OF the
most arduOus movements Of the war. The
constant marching, fighting and exposure OF
the previous six weeks had worn out the
men, and they had now just passed forty.
eight hours without sleep and almost with.
| out food. The retreating column moved
westward, along thu line of the railway,
| sharply pursued by the enemy. Hayes
brisk fight with the pursuing forces at Lib
erty during the night of the nineteenth,
and on the morning of the twentieth. hav-
| ing skirmished all the way, reached BufOrd
| Gap, and having held the gap during the
| remainder of that day, fastened on to join
| the division. Near Salem the brigade was
| attacked simultaneously in front and rear,
| but cut its way through and pursued its
march, skirmishing heavily during all the
remainder of the DAY and up to ten o'clock
| at night. The troops were now almost
era zed with loss of sleep, fatigue and hunger.
At North mountain the pursuit ended, out
not the sufferings of the soldiers. The
country was poor and thin!y peopled, the
| supplies had long been exhausted, and no
ratiOns were obtained until the command
reached Big Swell mountain, on the TWEEN.
| ty seventh. During the nine days proceed
| ing this date General Crooks division had
marched over 1870 miles, losing many horses
and some men from exhaustion and want
of food The retreat terminated by the ar
rival of the weary column at Meadow Bluff,
and the command reached Charleston on
the FIRST of July.
Early, who commanded the rebel corps
sent from Richmond to the relief Of Lynch
burg, had by this time moved into The val
lev, and thence into Maryland. General
Crooks command was therefore ordered
East. and setting ont on the tenth, arrived
by rail ut Martlnsburg on the fourteenth.
Here Hayes brigade remained until the
eighteenth. when 1t advanced to CObletown,
ten miles beyond Harper's Ferry, and drove
in the enemy's picket. Early, after menac-
ing the detenses OF Washington, now with
drew from Maryland. pursued by Wright's
Sixth Corps, which he turned iercely upon
at Smokers Gap, driving back Wright's
advance with considerable loes. The rebel
commander then pursued his march, and
W as believed to be making his way up
the gap toward Gordonville. Accord
ingly, ON the twenty-second, Colonel
HAYES was sent out with his brigade and
two sections of artillery to reconno'tre,
and while entirely unprotected and
without communication with the main body
on the other side of the Shenandoah, was
completely surrounded by two divisions of
the enemy's cavalry. but fought his way
twenty third at Winchester. Ga the
twenty fourth Crook advanced, easily driv-
ing the enemy's cavalry, supposed to be
covering the rebel retreat up the valley,
when suddenly near KernetOwp, Early's
whole army developed itself in battle array
close upon the left flank, and bouncing
upon Crook, compelled hun to fall back
rapidly on Martinsburg. Colonel Hayes
covered this retreat on the left with his bri-
gade, and stubbornly resisted Early's lm-
peruous advance, saved Crooks forces
from material loss. ana enabled him to
draw O # safely all his trains and artillery.
A series of marches and cOunter-msrches
was now inaugurated. which, though bring
ing on no general engagement. were charac-
terized by many daring exploits.
COLONEL HAYES WITH GENERAL SHERIDAN.
General Sheridan took command Of the
new Middle Department on the seventh of
August and selected the X snawha Division,
including Colonel Hayes brigade, to act
with his cavalry in repeated assaults on
Early's lines. Sheridan was not quite
ready for general advance, and it was in
part the objects of these assaults to keep
the enemy occupied, and prevent him from
detaching any portion OF his force for the
assistance of Lee at Richmond. Several
times Early undertook to do this, and as
often was prevented by Sheridan's vigorous
demonstrations, which sometimes rose to
the proportions Of a serious ba title. Seldom
a week passed without two or three of
these attacks being made, Colonel Hayes
often forcing his way with his brigade not
only through Eirly's formidable picket
lines, but through his main line. compelling
him to develop his full strength, and even
GUS were these raids that it was often q
matter of grave surmise with officers and
men, in setting out, whether the brigade
would ever return again to the main body,
and many times the chances seemed to be
decidedly in favor Of its capture or annihiia-
tim. But 1t always managed To get back III
good fighting trim, and its habitual success
greatly increased the confidence OF the men
10 themselves and their leader. At length
Early was provoked to retaliate, and at day
light on the twenty-third Of August made
a vigorous attack on Sheridan's OutpOsts
at Haltown. The attack was not followed
up, however, and at P. NJ. Hayes brigade
sailed out and drove in the enemy's skir-
mish line, capturing lot OF prisoners from
Kersha VS. division. This was bold and
brilliant charge, the bewildered prisoners
as they were captured exclaiming in aston
ishment: ''Who the h are you 'uns" On
thu twenty fourth the sortie was repeated
still more successfully, and resulted in the
capture of sixty officers and 100 men, all
from Kershaw's division. Things passed
quietly from this time until the evening of
SepteiDber 3, " hen Duvars division, includ-
ing Colonel Hayes brigade, became in
volved in severe engagement at Berry
vile. The fighting was desperate, and, &C.
curing mostly after dark, the flashes of
musketry and exploding OF shells, mingllng
with the fierce roar of conflict, made
scene that was frightfully grand. This
affair was severe test TO the valcr of
the troops, but their lines, though in immi
nent jeopardy OF being overwhelmed. never
wavereG. The battle ceased by mutual
consent about ten o'clock, and the picket
lines were re-established.
Sheridan had by this time pretty thor
oughly organized the mixed forces placed
under bis command, and on the sixteenth
of September was visited by General
Grant, who states in his report that he
eaw that but two words Of instruction
were necessary-"G in" Accordingly
Grant gave them, and Sheridan went in.
The battle of Opequan, or Winchester, as it
is usually called, took place on the nine
teeuth Of September. Early at this time
held the west hank of Onf nnan creek. Oc.