The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-08-18

file which lay between their camp ana
the battle-ground, and, being warned
by Wilson's attack that his foe was
marching on Winchester, he hastily re-
called the divisions of Generals John
b. Gordon and ROdes from a distance
to support the division of General Ram
seur, which lay in the works ut Win
chester alone that morning Thus by a
margin of a couple of hours Sheridan
lost the chance to smash the Winches-
ter defenders.
After getting his infantry on the
field Sheridan formed the Sixth and
Nineteenth corps, under the leadership
of General II. G.. Wright and General
W. II. Emory, in the front line, with
General George Crooks corps of West
Nirginians in reserve. Shortly before
noon the Sixth corps divisions, led by
General J. b. Ricketts, and General G.
w. Getty, and General Growers divi-
sion of the Nineteenth corps dashed
across the open space in front of RAM
seur's batteries, which were screened
by strip of woods. Ricketts, and
Getty drove Ramseur's men at the first
shock, but were soon met by. the col
umn of General RodeS, which had hur-
ried to the support of Ramseur. Gro
ver'S division, which was to have taken
Ramseurs line in the flank, ran into
GordOn's column, Gordon, like Rodes.
field in nick of time to rob Sheridan of
an easy victory.
General Ramseur's division, support
ed by battalion of artillery, was in
position Squarely across the pike along
which Sheridan was getting to the
field. The ground was elevated and
protected on either flank by a creek.
In his first clash with Gordon General
Grover smashed Evans brigade of
Georgians, driving it through the
woods, but this success temporarily
broke up the Federal line The Con
federate batteries concentrated their
fire upon the victorS, and at the crit
ical moment General Battles brigade
of Rodes' division charged pellmell
through the scattered ranks of the
Georgians, penetrating an interval be-
tween the Sixth and Nineteenth corps
lines. Instantly the remainder of
Rodes' division and the whole of Cor
don's rushed forward driving both
Getty and Grover back one mile to the
ground where they had originally
formed for the advance. Rodes was
killed in this attack.
Meanwhile General Russells division
stood in reserve some distance behind
the point Of junction between the Sixth
and Nineteenth corps. Sheridan rode
up, and, calling on the First brigade,
which happened to be that Of the gal
liant Colonel Upton, sent it in, with
fixed bayonets, to recover the lost
ground. General Russell went forward
with UptOn's line, striking the flank of
the enemy, and, aided by the guns of
the Fifth Maine battery, which emf
laded the Confederates with canister.
quickly turned the tide. The remainder
of the division, following up, sent the
enemy flying, and the ground LOST was
completely recovered. After seeing
that the heavy volleys of Uptons men
were checking the Confederate adj
vance, General Russell turned back to
direct the supporting brigadeS He
was already wounded by bullet in the
left breast, but gave no attention to it,
While leading the new line to crest
that commanded the woods and fields
where the enemy were retreating he
was instantly killed by piece of SHE'LL
which tore through his heart, and he
fell from his saddle at the moment
when his troops were cheering for vic
tory. They had saved the day.
After Russell's triumph Early stood
at bay, with his line facing east and
north to cover Winchester Sheridan
brought up the reserve under Crook
and attacked both sides at once. Cor
don disputed the ground bravely north
of the town, but the Federal cavalry
divisions of General W. w. Averell and
General Wesley Merritt swept down
from the north on a mounted charge
and broke through Gordon's line. This
blow disrupted the whole of Early's
line on the north of Winchester, and
at the same time the troops of the
Sixth and Nineteenth corps charged
forward on the east front. At last
Ramseurs line was broken and, with
that Of Rodes, was forced back to
Winchester.
Early said that as soon as the firing
of the cavalry and Crooks West Vir-
ginianS was heard north of the town,
on the Confederate left flank, he could
no longer hold his troops for battle.
Close to the town, however, there was
an old and abandoned line of breast
works, which had been constructed in
1862, where the shattered Confederates
found refuge, with batteries to bear
upon the approaches. But again Sheri-
dams cavalry swept around the Con
federate left, and after a stubborn but
useless fight the entire force poured
through Winchester in wild retreat
toward Cedar creek, twenty miles up
the valley.
Sheridan rode into Winchester and
was piloted by General Crook tc the
iouse of his correspondent Rebecca
Wright. There he wrote the famous
dispatch announcing his first triumph,
saying that he had "sent Early whirl-