The Washington herald., 1914-09-19
CIVIL WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
September 49, IS6-Gen Juba Ea Confederate Army Was Defeated
Ba. Near Winchester the Federal Army the Shenandoah Under
Cen Philip H. Sheridan-A Victory that Electrified the North
Written expressly for The Washington HeraId)

he Washington Herald.)
Of infantry that held an earthwork on
the edge OF the rolling plain two miles
wide that lay between the valleys mouth
and Winchester.
Following the cavalry marched the in
fantry. There was but one road for the
whole army, narrow and billy. At this,
as 1t came from its camps, the Nine
teenth Army Corps Gen. William H
Emory halted to give the Sixth Corps
Gen. H. C. Wright the right Of way
Leaving the road to the guns and am
bulance. the men Of the Sixth Corps
marched on either side Of the way.
climber stone fences, pushed their way
through thickets and across brooks and
boys. and by in the morning reached
the mouth OF the ravine.
Here Wilson's troops were found on
guard. They had not been attacked by
the Confederate infantry known TO be
across the road a mile away.
The forenoon was consumed in getting
the Federal infantry into position. As
division after division and brigade after
brigade poured out of the mouth Of the
ravine the blue ranks spread out. fan
like. in the hollows behind a series Of
undulating ridges that hid them from
the enemy.
BY the time the Sixth Corps was in
position. and the head Of the Nineteenth
Corps was pouring out of the ravine
and spreading toward the right OF the
Sixth, the sun was near meridian.
The enemy had not been idle. The
slow movement OF the Federal army
through the ravine had given Early time
to bring up in hot haste his distant d.
visions. That Of Gen. John B. Gordon
arrived between 10 and II. and was
placed on the left OF Ramseur, who
crossed the road. That Of Robert E.
Rodes followed and filled a gap between
the other two.
Charge and CountercharEe,
The drama had been perfectly staged
Sheridan's line began to advance at u:4O
AS the blue regiments moved out OF
their cover. across open fields. to the
edge Of a wood they were met with a
heavy fire from the enemy's artillery, fol-
lowed by his infantry.
The scenes that followed have been
described in many books. The battle
was soon In progress all along the line,
with deadly intensity. Its salient fea-
lures may be summarized as follows:
On the left of the Federal infantry
Wilson's troopers advanced and forced
back portion Of Early's cavalry. under
Gen. l. L. LomaX. while on the right
Gen. Cuvier Growers division Of the Nine
tenth Corps attacked the Confederate
division Of Gen. Gordon with great eff
feet. At the same time the Sixth Corps
pressed steadily forward.
In the advance the two Federal corps
had become disjointed. Checking Grover
with heavy artillery fire. Gen. Early
OPPORTUNITY threw a fresh brigade chat
Of Gen. Cullen A. Battle. of Alabama
into a gap between Growers division
t. u %.
Corps forcing both back.
This success of the Confederates cost
them dear, for in the charge the gallant
Rodes, Gen. Early's best division COM
mander on the field, fell. MORALLY wound
ed.
At this tuncture of the battle the First
division of the Sixth Corps Gen. David
A. Russells), which had been in reserve,
dashed forward to fill the gap In the
Federal line, struck in flank the enemy,
who was now pressing back the Federal
right. and by splendid fighting turned
the tide of battle. With victory in his
grasp the gallant leader Of the division
fell dead among his men.
Swept Back Like Chan.
1t was now past O'Clock There was
a lull in the battle. in which Gen. Sherf-
dan brought forward more troops-the
Army OF West Virginia dts fun strength.
5000 mem, under Gen. George Crook
| This was put in on the shaken right.
By their pertinacious struggle Earlyrs
troops had focused the battle here and
saved themselves from being cut on on
the other end OF the field. for a chance
to retreat was the best they could now
| fight for.
When Crook attacked the division OF
Gen. Gordon was shattered by a charge
from the divisions Of Gen. Joseph Tho
burn and Gen. Isaac H. Duval.
Meanwhile, north OF Winchester, a
cloud Of Federal cavalry-the division
Of Gen. W. W. Averell. who rode down
the Martinsburg pike, and that Of Gen.
| Wesley Merritt. under Sheridans chief
Of cavalry, Gen. A. T. A. Torbert-was
sweeping the enemy's cavalry, under Gen.
Fftz Eugh Lee. back as a gale sweeps
| char. Lee was wounded. An infantry
division Gen. Gabriel c. Wharton's. un-
der Gen. John c. Breckinridge) tried, to
stem the tide, to gain time: but as the
| afternoon shadows heightened the whole
left end of Early's army rushed pell-men
into Winchester, toward which also his
broken center fell back.
Here brief stand was made in some
old works at the edge of the town, long
| enough to cover the stream of retreat
| that was pouring down the valley pike.
Nightfall saw the faded and broken
Confederate army limping rapidly south
ward and a stern rearguard fighting on
the Federal cavalry. Darkness ended the
pursuit. for Sheridan's army, without rest
since a. m, was too near exhaustion to
| follow.
The losses Of the day were heavy. The
total Federal loss was about 5000 men,
of whom $500 were killed and wounded.
Gen. Early's loss was about 1000. OF
\ whom 1000 were prisoners.
That night a courier rode to the tele-
graph line In the rear Of Sheridan's army,
with the message in which the Federal
commander described how he had sent
the enemy ''whirling through Winches-
ter" -
1t brought this response from Presl-
dent Lincoln: Have Just heard of your
| great victory. God bless you all, officers
and men. Strongly inclined to come W
and see you"
TOmorrow-Scenes In Winchester.