Year: 1876




| umn, leaving the turnpike, advanced
to the right by unfrequented path.
along the side of the mountain, hold
ing on by bushes where the men could
scarcely otherwise have kept their feet,
and twice fording the North Fork OF
the Shenandoah. The cavalry, which
Crook fully believed to be in position
OH his flank would, had it really been
there, have covered the principal one


of these fords, and rendered this move


ment impossible. In its absence Early


succeeded in completely passing the


flank without giving serious alarm, and


an hour before dawn his troops stood


in the positions assigned them, wait


ing for the order to attack. Just as


the first gray light of morning began to


appear this order was given, and stimuli


taneously the familiar rebel yell and


a tremendous volley of musketry.


stretching all along the flank and far to


the rear, announced the presence of


the Zoe. In an instant Early's plung-


ing lines swept forward, and striking


Thoburn's division crushed it in n


twlnkllng. All the guns i'm the line of


parapets were of course captured, and


tile broken regiments, utterly unable


To resist such an overwhelming onset,


were swept hurriedly to the rear


Hayes Division, meanwhile, flew to


arms, and changing front advanced in


the direction from which the enc


my was evidently coming. Its whole


strength at this time was but 1, AS ef-
fectives, not enough to make a respect
able skirmish line along the front of
attack. In a moment the enemy, in
spired and impelled by his first success,
burst from the thick woods in front
and was greeted with full vOlley from
Hayes men. But successful resistance
was impossible, and even the attempt
to resist seemed like madness. In a
moment more the force which had
struck Thoburn was closing in upon
Hayes flank and rear, and there was
no alternative but retreat or capture.
In the face OF this imminent peril the
division withdrew with steady lines,
and from this until the close of the
terrible ordeal of surprise and retreat,
maintained its organization unbroken,
not losing so much as TIN plate. Col.
Hayes directed its movements with the
utmost skill and intrepidity, leading it
backward gradually and in good order,
from one hilltop to another, and ma
king energetic resistance at every pos
sible point. His superb coolness and
courage in the midst of the frightful
rout and confusion, acted like magic
upon his men, and the example of his
division, checking each rebel onset
with its firm and steady lines, reani-
mated tie broken regiments, and fired
them with its own determined spirit of
resistance.


Overpowered and driven from its
advanced position, Crooks command
now endeayored to form on the left of
the 9th Corps, which itself, in turn,
was soon obliged to iall back. While
this movement was going on the trains
were all rapidly moving off, though
imminently exposed to capture. Sher-
idan's headquarters train was partieu-
larIy in peril, and u desperate effort to
save it was made, which proved sue
ceSsful. Just as the enemy's triumph
ant lines were swoOping down upon
the train, Col. Hayes brought his di-
vision to halt, and met them with
firm resistance. Some of his regiments
wavering under the terrible fire, Col.
Hayes galloped forward to rally his
men, and mounting a light deelivity,
was confronted ut less than hundred
yards by the enemy's infantry, which
instantly delived II volley of bullets
and yeIls Hayes horse fell dead be-
meath him, pierced by many bullets,
and by the suddeness of its fall, while
at full speed, Hung its rider violently
out of the saddle. Col. Hayes was
terribly bruised, and his foot and ankle
badly wrenched in being disengaged
from the stirrup. For a moment the
soldiers from both sides supposed him
to be killed as he lay upon the ground,
henumbed with pain, and scarcely able
to move. Recovering himself, how
ever. he sprang to his feet, and in the
midst of perfect storm of bullets from
the rebels, who were now almost upon
him, ran back to his division, which
he reioined without further injury
Meanwhile the headquarters train had
escaped, and the division, being no
longer supported on rear or flank. re-
sumed its backward movement.


GREAT UNION VICTORY.


The fighting now grew more and more
stubborn on the Union side. The
enemy, wearied with marching and
fighting, and tempted with camp plum
der, more and more relaxed his pur-
suit, and at last, in position of their
own selection, the retreating forces
were brought to Il dead halt. The
enemy seemed to content himself with
shelling them, and for the time being
made no further demonstration.
Gen. Comfy, then commanding the
23d Ohio, of Hayes division, thus de-
scribes the scene and what followed:


''Gen. Crook lay couple of rods
away from the line in n place which
seemed to be more particularly exposed
than any other part of the line. Col.
Hayes lay close by, badly bruised from
his fall, and bitterly complaining be-
cause the troops did not charge the
enemy's line, instead of waiting to De
charged. Suddenly there was dust
in the rear, on the Winchester pike,
and almost before they were aware "A
young man, in full Major Generals
uniform, and riding furiousIy n mag
nificent black horse, literally CHECKED
with foam, reins up and springs off by
Gen. Crooks side. There is "a perfect
roar as everybody recogDizes-SHERI
EAN He talks with Crook a little
while, cutting away at tile tops Of the
weeds with his riding whip. Gen. Crook
speaks a half dozen sentences that
sound a great deal like the crack of the
whip, and by that time some of the
staff are,up. They are sent flying ir diff
ferent directions Sheridan and Crook
lie down and seem to be talking, and
all is quiet again, except the vicious
shells of the different batteries and
the roar of artillery along the line.
After awhile Col. Forsythe comes down
in front and shouts to the General:
The Nineteenth Corps il closed up,
sir Sheridan jumps up, gives one
more cut with his whip, whirls himsels
around once, jumps on his horse, and
starts up the line. Just as he starts
says to the men: We are going to have
a good thing on them nov, boys, and
50 he rode off, a long wave of yelIs
rolled up to the right with him. The
men took their posts, the line moved
forward, and the balance of the day is
a household word, over the whole Ma
ton"


The advance here described began
at o'clock p. H., the men moved
steadily and confidently forward over
the wooded and broken ground, the
scream of shells and rattle of Inusketry
at the same time swelling into furious
chorus along the whole line. Quickly
the enemy's front line was carried by
n brilliant charge, and his left decide d.
ly turned, Gordon's Division, which
led the attack in the morning, having
been outiianked and broken. Then