The National tribune., 1896-08-20
BULLET AND SHELL.
How the 9Th Conn. and 46th Pa. Stood UE
at Winchester.

at Winchester.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Referring
to Comrade Bairds letter In 3 recent issue OF
The NATIONAL TRIBUNE, / want to say
that no one who was in the vicinity OF VIM
chester, Va, May 25, 1862, will question our
comrades claim concerning the remarkable
performance of the 5th Conn. on that day.
They could give the Johnnies points when
the Lord wasn't on our side, and they had to
use their legs.
With the rising of the sun came, as q.
Good morning, Yank," several shots from a
battery half mile or so away. One Knocked
down stack of muskets and warned us
that business of pressing nature would
soon call our attention.
The 5th Conn.,, without orders, excepting
those received from aforementioned shells,
rallied on their-muskets, and at the word of
command fell back in column of companies
behind the ridge. Here we lay for an hour or
| so watching the rebel gun practice, and now
| and then pressing our faces deeper into the
| dirt as shot came kissing above our heads.
After awhile orders came for attention.
| Then forward we went in line to the top of
the hill. We found in our front, not 100 feet
away, the 21st N. c. looking for us. We
got in the fist fire, and gave them regular
blizzard. We had plugs in the muzzles OF
| our rifles, and / did not take mine out
| hadn't time then.
1t ratified what was left of the Tarheels,
and their return fire passed over rs, hitting
very few of the 5th. Higgins, of Co. F, was
the only man killed. The 10th Pa, to our
right some distance away, had about the
same luck with the 21st Ga.
1t was a fair, s,and-up fight between two
Union and two Confederate regiments of
about equal numbers; but the boys from
Connecticut and Pennsylvania were the only
ones on deck when the smoke cleared up.
Some 60 of the 21st n. c. We're stretched out
on the ground in our front, and most of them
were very quiet; looking, as an officer Of the
9th expressed it, like bags of guano in a
granfeld.
This second battle of Winchester was be-
| tween Banks's Division of six regiments
actually engaged and % regiments of Stone
wall Jackson's Corps. The 5th Conn. and
10th Pa. defended the Front Royal road
leading into Winchester, and Gen. Gordons
Brigade of four regiments took good care of
the Strasburg pike.
The two positions or roads were about one
mile apart, and the outer road was held by
| Best's Railroad Battery of six brass Napo-
Icons. One section two guns was near
our position; 5000 Union infantry and SIX
guns against 1000 Confederaies and IS guns.
| This is mol guess-2prk, as l have a copy of
the reports of every Colonel commanding
regiments engaged, with Jackson's official
report
The bulk of Jackson's infantry was massed
near the Strasburg pike, with regiments on
| Gordon's flank. This flank movement was
the main cause of or right wing falling
back, as Jackson could not crowd men
enough up in front of our old Second BIZ
gade to make them let go.
The 5tb, through someone's blunder. did
not get orders to tall back until everything
else had gone, and when we did 20 it was
in great haste. As we went scurrying along
| through Winchester the Johnnies were
whoopng it up in parallel street, and we
were going it neck and neck. We got there,
or rather out of Winchester, first, and were
out on the Berryville pike before the,John-
| MES showed up.
The 9th was in considerable disorder,
every man putting and blowing like an en-
CINE. l happened to look back just as our
late friends were unlimbering a section of a
battery, and about halfway between our
regiment and the battery was an old coored
woman with big bundle on her head and
two or three small children clingng to her
hands and dress. She WIS doing the best
she could for freedom and the North, bnt
when The rebel battery opened up the first
she'll struck her, aud the whole family, bum
dies and all, disappeared. The second shot
burst directly over our regiment, doing NO
damage, but certainly having tendency to
encourage the boys to hurry toward Mary
land.
The boys reached the Potomac about II
o'clock, making about 45 miles between
in the morning and IL in the evening".
II. BREWSTER, Derby. Conn