Brigadier-General John D. Stevenson to Edwin M. Stanton, September 20, 1864 – 11:40 a.m.

HARPER'S FERRY, W. VA., September 20, 1864 — 11.40 a.m.

Hon. E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

Just received the following official from General Sheridan, dated 1 o'clock this morning:

GENERAL: We fought Early from daylight until between 6 and 7 p.m. We drove him from Opequon Creek through Winchester and beyond the town. We captured 2,500 to 3,000 prisoners, 5 pieces artillery, 9 battle-flags, all the rebel wounded and dead. Their wounded in Winchester amount to some 3000. We lost in killed General David Russell, commanding division, Sixth Army Corps; wounded, Generals Chapman, Mcintosh, and Upton. The rebels lost in killed the following general officers: General Rodes, General Wharton, General Gordon, and General Ramseur. We just sent them whirling through Winchester', and we are after them to-morrow. This army behaved splendidly.

I am sending forward all medical supplies, subsistence stores, and all ambulances.

JNO. D. STEVENSON,        

Brigadier-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 43, Part 2 (Serial No. 91), p. 124

Lieutenant-Colonel James W. Forsyth to Brigadier-General John D. Stevenson, September 20, 1864 – 1 a.m.

HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION,   

Winchester, September 19 [20], 1864 — 1 a.m.

[Brigadier-General STEVENSON:]

GENERAL: We fought Early from daylight this morning until between 6 and 7 p.m. to-night. We drove Early from the Opequon Creek through Winchester and beyond the town. We captured between 2,500 and 3,000 prisoners, 5 pieces of artillery, and 9 battle flags, all the rebel wounded and dead. Their (the rebels’) wounded in Winchester amounts to some 3.000. We lost in killed, General David Russell, commanding division Sixth Army Corps; wounded, Generals Chapman, Mcintosh, and Upton. The rebels lost in killed the following general officers: General Rodes, General Wharton, General Gordon, and General Ramseur.* We just sent them a whirling through Winchester, and we are after them to-morrow. The army behaved splendidly.

Respectfully,

JAS. W. FORSYTH, 

Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief of Staff.

P. S. — Please hurry up all the medical supplies. We have about 2,000 wounded, and we should have them here as soon as possible.

_______________

* Error as to Wharton, Gordon and Ramseur.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 43, Part 2 (Serial No. 91), p. 124