Chapter XI

A RECONNOISSANCE TO STRASBURG.--BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.--UTTER DEFEAT AND ROUT OF JACKSON'S ARMY.

Immediately after the occupation of Winchester, the enemy's cavalry advance becoming troublesome, a plan was laid for its capture. Colonel Mason, of the Fourth Ohio, was sent out on the road to Front Royal, with a brigade, composed of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, with instructions to proceed until he arrived at the last road leading to the right before reaching Front Royal; which road he was to take, and by it strike the rear of the enemy at Middletown, a small hamlet equally distant from both Winchester and Strasburg. He was soon after followed by General Shields, with six thousand men, who moved on the direct road to Middletown. Colonel Mason's command, arriving at this place in advance of Shields' column, encountered the enemy's pickets, and drove them to Cedar Creek Bridge, which, having covered with combustibles, they fired. When the troops of Colonel Mason arrived in the vicinity, they were opened upon by a battery, to which they replied; with no effect, however, as the distance was too great. Shields coming up with his division soon after, the entire force bivouacked for the night.

Early the following morning the command crossed the river without opposition; but on arriving at Strasburg, the enemy opened fire from a battery planted on a hill beyond the town. Shields, suspecting that the entire force of Jackson was in the vicinity, made his dispositions for immediate battle. The Seventh being ordered out on the road beyond the town, were fired upon by a masked battery, but none injured. After having been exposed to this fire for half an hour, it was withdrawn. Soon after, our artillery was got into position, and after thirty pieces of cannon had belched forth their fire, the rebels fled in haste. During this fire, Mason's cavalry advanced so far out on the road, that they were mistaken for the enemy by Captain Clark, of a battery of regulars; he therefore sent a shell among them, with such accuracy as to kill a few horses, and slightly wound one man.

An advance being ordered, the pursuit was continued for five miles, when the command returned to Strasburg, and encamped for the night. On the following morning it fell back to its old camp, the Seventh marching twenty-two miles in seven hours, with but one halt.

This reconnoissance to Strasburg leaving no doubt on the minds of both Banks and Shields that the enemy was not in the front in force, the first division of Banks's corps, on the 20th, commenced its movement to Manassas, in accordance with a letter of instruction from General McClellan, of the 16th. General Banks did not follow this division immediately, but remained at Winchester until twelve o'clock on Sunday, the 23d, when he started for Harper's Ferry.

All this time Shields thought he was being trifled with by the rebel General Ashby.

On Saturday, the 22d, there had been a good deal of firing in the early part of the day, but what occasioned it did not seem to be well understood, except to those engaged. But during the afternoon it was thought prudent to make all needful preparation for battle, so as not to be surprised in case it should prove that a greater force than Ashby's was in front. Therefore the whole division was ordered up; the third brigade, however, did not pass through the town. Shields went to the front, followed by the first and second brigades. As these forces emerged from the city, the rebel cavalry made a dash at the pickets, who fled in some confusion through the little hamlet of Kernstown, but rallied soon after, and by a well-directed volley of musketry emptied several rebel saddles. This success enabled them to retire in safety. The rebel cavalry soon after advanced, when a sharp skirmish ensued. Our pickets having been re-enforced by several detached companies, were enabled to maintain their ground. In the mean time the rebels opened on our lines from a battery planted on an eminence; immediately after which a Union battery wheeled into position, when a spirited artillery duel took place. While directing the fire of this battery, Shields was struck on the arm by a fragment of a shell, fracturing the arm, and producing a painful wound. He, however, continued in the field for some time after the accident occurred, but was finally taken to a house close by, and his arm dressed, after which he was taken to town in an ambulance.

The firing having ceased, the first brigade went into camp on the spot, while the second brigade encamped in the rear. The third brigade filed into an open field near where they were stationed during the operations in front.

During Saturday night a strong picket was kept well out to the front, while the remaining troops slept on their arms. Nothing occurred during the night to disturb the several camps.

Morning dawned bright and pleasant. The stillness which rested over the field of the previous day's operations, gave token of the intention of the belligerents to respect the Sabbath-day. In view of the general quiet, the second and third brigades were ordered back to their camp on the Martinsburg pike.

It was nearly noon when the Seventh arrived, and before the men had barely time to eat a hurriedly prepared dinner, it was again ordered forward. This time the march was rapid. The distant booming of cannon, induced many a disturbed reflection as to what lay before us. As we passed through Winchester to the south, we emerged into an open plain. This was crowded with people, as were also the house-tops. They had assembled, apparently, for the purpose of seeing the Union army defeated and crushed, and to welcome the victors into the city.

Arriving on the field, we found our forces occupying a commanding position in rear of a range of hills overlooking Kernstown; while the batteries, posted at intervals on the crest of these hills, were maintaining a heavy fire on the right of the enemy's position, which alone seemed to give evidence of any purpose to advance. The left of our line was held by the Second brigade, Colonel Sullivan; while the centre and right were held by the First brigade. Colonel Kimball, commanding the division, was stationed on a commanding eminence, from which several batteries were pouring their shot and shell into the enemy whenever he showed himself within range.

Up to this time, the main fighting had occurred in front of our left; but soon after a battery opened in front of the right, from a piece of timber, which our batteries were unable to silence. It became evident, from this, that the heavy skirmishing which the enemy had kept up from their right was simply a feint, for the purpose of drawing the greater part of our force to that part of the field, when a spirited onslaught would be made on the other flank, which was expected to turn our right wing, and thus give them the victory. It was a conception worthy the genius of a Jackson, but it was entirely unsuccessful, as no troops were sent to that part of the field beyond what ordinary prudence required; but on the contrary, becoming satisfied of the intention of the enemy, Colonel Kimball resolved to charge this battery. The work was assigned to the Third brigade. Colonel Tyler, calling in the Seventh, which had been supporting a battery from the time it arrived on the field, formed his brigade in column, by divisions, and immediately moved forward; at the same time changing direction to the right, and passing up a ravine, shielded by a piece of timber which skirted it on the side towards the enemy.

After arriving at some distance to the right, the column changed direction to the left; and after a march of nearly a mile, it arrived on the flank, and partly in the rear of the enemy. It had now reached an eminence in a dense wood. In front, the battery which was the object of our movement was playing vigorously upon the First brigade, to which a spirited fire was returned by Robinson's Battery, which had wheeled into position on the extreme right. This acted as a cover to the movements of our brigade. Breathless, and with anxious hearts, we awaited the return of our scouts, which would be the signal for a plunge into the unknown. We were not kept long in suspense, for in a few minutes the order was given to change direction to the left, and the column moved forward, preceded by a line of skirmishers. After marching in silence for some distance, the sharpshooters opened a destructive fire on us from behind trees. We were immediately ordered to charge; and, with a prolonged yell, the command, led by the Seventh Ohio, swept like a torrent down the hill. A ravine now lay in front, and, at a short distance, a slight eminence, and still beyond, a solid stone wall, behind which, in three lines, nine regiments of the enemy lay concealed. It was a fearful moment. The rebel artillery, in the rear of this stone wall, had been turned upon the advancing column. The grape and canister was tearing the bark from the trees over our heads, while the solid shot and shell made great gaps in their trunks. Under our feet the turf was being torn up, and around and about us the air was thick with flying missiles. Not a gun was fired on our side. The head of the column soon reached the ravine, when a deafening discharge of musketry greeted us. A sheet of flame shot along the stone wall, followed by an explosion that shook the earth, and the missiles tore through the solid ranks of the command with a fearful certainty. The brigade staggered--halted. With breathless anxiety we anticipated a counter-charge by the rebels; but it came not. Victory to our arms followed that omission on the part of the enemy. The order being given to fire, the column recovered from the confusion into which it had been temporarily thrown. The Seventh now advanced to the eminence beyond the ravine; and, from a partial cover, maintained the unequal contest till the other regiments could form and come to its support. The One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment was thrown into such confusion, that it was of little service during the remainder of the day.

An order was given to the Seventh to prolong its line to the left. An attempt was made to execute the order, when the left wing, passing over a fence into an open field, received such a well-directed fire as to compel it to fall back to its old position.

During this part of the contest, the rebels endeavored to extend their left, so as to flank us on the right. To meet this movement, Tyler ordered the First Virginia to move to the right. Passing into an open field, it was exposed to a cross-fire, which soon drove it back to the timber.

The roar of musketry was now deafening. The dying and the dead were lying thick upon the hillside, but neither army seemed to waver. The confusion attending the getting of troops into action had ceased. The great "dance of death" seemed to be going forward without a motion. The only evidence of life on that gory field, was the vomiting forth of flame and smoke from thousands of well-aimed muskets. From that blue column, which rolled and tumbled in its ascent from the battle-field, the unerring bullet sped on its errand of death. But other regiments are seen coming to the rescue. The right wing of the gallant Eighth Ohio takes position on the left, followed by the no less gallant Thirteenth and Fourteenth Indiana, Fifth and Sixty-seventh Ohio, and Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania. These regiments opened a heavy fire, which was replied to by the enemy in gallant style.

The battle now raged fiercely until near night, when the enemy began to show signs of giving way. At this the Union forces advanced a little, at the same time delivering their fire with accuracy. As the shades of evening deepened into night, the enemy began to fall back. At this crisis, Colonel Kimball ordered a charge along the whole line, when the retreat became a rout. In their flight, the enemy left in front of the Third brigade two pieces of artillery and four caissons.

That night the Seventh bivouacked on the spot now made historic by its gallantry. The wounded were being brought in all night long, while the dead were lying in heaps around us, their increasing distortions and ghastliness adding new horrors to the battle-field.

At early dawn the next day, we were ready to renew the work of blood and carnage; but there was no occasion; the victory of the day before was complete, the rebels had no desire of renewing the contest. They gave the advancing column a few parting salutes from a battery, and then beat a hasty retreat. We followed them that day to Cedar Run, where just at night a slight skirmish occurred, with some loss to the rebels. The following day the Union forces occupied Strasburg, when the pursuit ceased.