The Washington herald., 1907-08-04
The Battle of Winchester.
BY PRIVATE DALZELL.

BY PRIVATE DALZELL.
! was sergeant major OF the 10th Ohio.
and participated with my regiment IN the
battles around Winchester. Va, June 13,
"A. and 15, 1868. really the prelude OF the
battle Of Gettysburg 1t is easy now 10
prove from subsequent movements in
Lees advance that but for the battles
of Winchester and the subsequent delay
OF Ewelrs Corps there for three days, the
battle of Gettysburg would not have oc-
CURED, as it did, but "a battle would
have been fought elsewhere. earlier than
July 4. with uncertain results.
The march Of Lees army toward the
North was commenced June 3. and Ew-
ellis Corps reached Culpeper on the 9Th,
and left there on the 9Th. Of June 1865.
By the 18th Ewen, with 2O,0O0 veterans.
had reached Winchester where MilrOy
was intrenchcd with a little army, of
less than 1000. Fighting occurred in and
around Winchester for three days before
MilrOy, badly defeated. was forced 10 re-
treat with the broken fragments Of his
stubborn little force, amounting to less
than 5000, for in the close and terrible
fighting We had sustained loss of over
1900 killed, wounded, and missing.
On the second day of the battle the
gallant Milroy was forced TO rapidly col
lect all his forces in the Main RDrt,
west Of Winchester. Il was a strong po-
sition on a high hill, and was fiercely
assaulted by The enemy three times on
The 18th. late n the afternoon and once
in the might, but the enemy were re-
pulsed every time, and with frightful
slaughter, and the fighting closed late al
night. the enemy's campfres blazing
close, for We were completely sur
rounded.
Repeatedly Ewell summoned Milroy TO
surrender, and as often that gallant and
White-haired old hero returned defiant
Come and take me If you can" But
late on the night OF the 18th It was seen
that, with the overwhelming odds
against him. Milroy would next morning
be forced TO surrender il he remained
in the fort
His only change was 10 cut through
kweils lines and make his way TO North
Mountain. and crossing II at the PotO-
mac, retire into the mountains OF Mary
land or Pcnnsylvania-the very thing, as
We shall soon see, he accomplished by
one desperate effort.
At midnight, spiking their cannon, fix
ing bayonets. leaving all wagons, stores,
sick, and wounded behind. MHlroys little
army marched down the green slopes
west Of Winchester and out into the Mar
tinsburg road in the darkness. every
moment expecting 10 be fired on by the
enemy, now within easy speaking dis
tance OF our lines.
The expected occurred for once at
Stephenson Station. three miles out
from Winchester, whore a large force of
the enemy were intrenched on each side
OF the road and In front. We were caught
In trap. and just at the dawn Of that
beautiful summer day. when suddenly
cannon and musketry opened on US. tear
ing great gaps IN all our ranks. Some
col0nels threw up their swords and sur
rendered at once. Others kept TO their
regiments and fought like demons against
desperate odds.
our Col Washburp was Of that stripe,
and our regiment, che remnant that was
left OF IT, cut its way through. and. after
a running light OF three or four miles.
safely reached North Mountain. where we
easily eluded the enemy In the darkness.
The same was true Of other commands
so that when. In the night. the men came
In N groups or singly and gathered TO-
gether in the deep shadows of the noun
tain' there were left probably 1,50O men.
Gen. Milroy and his staff. with a few
others. had been driven out in another
direction and safely made their escape To
Harpers Ferry. But he had accomplished
q great thing by delaying the progress of
the very flower of the Confederate army
three or four days in their march into the
North and giving Hooker three or four
days more than he otherwise would have
had TO come up with Lees army. for !;
must be remembered that Hooker did
not know Of Lees departure from the
RappahannOck for three full days after
he left But for Milroy's stubborn resist
ance at Winchester, EweII. with his mag
niicent army, would easily have been on
Pennsylvania soil the day he routed Mil
rOy-JUne l.. Be il remembered that
Hooker did not cross the Potomac until
June q, and the Importance. vital and
timely, Of MilrOy's frmness and valor
will be more clearly seen and appreciated
Besides, it is weH 10 remember the losses
of the enemy at Winchester amounted tc
no iHconsiderable number. for they buried
SEQ bodies in front of our works the next
day after their four fearful charges, all
Of which had been repulsed with awful
slaughter
According to Lees report, the strength
Of his army at Gettysburg was less than
G. coo. so that. with the tremendous odds
against him, he could lily spare the men
he lost at Winchester.
Taking 1t all together, the ebate,e II
Winchester, which J have thus briefly re-
called, had an important bearing on all
the military events which followed. clear
up to the great battle Of Gettysburg. and
no history Of Gettysburg is complete
without reference to the opening prelude
at Winchester.
When Autos Are Common,
From the Chicago Tribune