WINCHESTER, Va., March 25.
It is currently reported to-night that Gen. Banks has overtaken and destroyed 200 of Jackson’s wagons.
Latest from Strasburg says that Gens. Banks and Shields are there, and Jackson is in sight. A battle is expected to-day, and preparations are being made to strengthen our forces.
On Saturday at 2 o’clock p.m. the enemy showed themselves, a mile and a half from Winchester. The enemy consisted of 500 of Ashby’s cavalry, and two guns. They drove in our pickets, and then skirmished with the Michigan cavalry and a portion of the Indiana 1st.
Gen. Shields brought up his forces, and fired a few rounds of shell, driving them back, taking several prisoners. General Shields was wounded in the army by the first fire of the enemy.
Jackson had been informed by the inhabitants that the town was deserted by the Union troops, and he advanced to retake it.
Gen. Shield’s forces slept on their arms Saturday night. Sunday morning at sunrise, Jackson being reinforced attacked Gen. Shields near Kearnstown.
The enemy’s forces consisted of 500 of Ashby’s cavalry, 500 infantry, and 9 pieces of artillery, with a reserve of 18 pieces of artillery. The fight was kept up till noon, when a charge was made by the Ohio infantry. The 1st Mich. And 1st VA cavalry on their right, drove them back half a mile, when the enemy got their guns again in position in a dense wood, flanked by infantry, and drove us back. A short artillery engagement ensued, when Gen. Shields ordered Col. Tyler to turn their flank which was executed by our troops but with considerable loss, the enemy being protected by the stone ledge. The 84th Penn. And the 13th Ind. charged their centre, and the fight became general.
Col. Murray, of the 84th Penna., was killed. The enemy retired slowly, bringing their guns to bear at every opportunity. Our men rushed forward with yells, when a panic ensued among the enemy.
Our troops followed and drove them till dark, capturing 3 guns, 3 caissons, muskets, equipments, &c., innumerable. Our troops bivouacked on the field.
Gen. Williams’ 1st Brigade, Col. Donelly of the 28th N. Y., commanding, reinforced Gen. Shields.
Gen. Banks, who was on the way to Washington, Sunday returned and assumed command. Meantime, Gen. Shields’ division pursued the enemy beyond Newton, shelling them the whole way.
Jackson’s men, were perfectly demoralized and beyond control. They threw overboard the dead and wounded to lighten the wagons.
It is noticeable that nearly all the Confederates wounded were shot in the head or breast, testifying to the superiority of our marksmen.
The losses on our side were chiefly Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana troops. These who conveyed the false intelligence to Gen. Jackson, causing this disaster to the rebels, have a heavy weight of guilt to shoulder. It was evidently known to many in the town that Jackson was approaching, from the holiday attire and buoyancy of spirits among men and women here. Gen. Shields’ command being secreted from observation, on the east side of the town, lead the informants to believe that all our troops were evacuating, and that Jackson could enter unmolested. Good judges say that the enemy’s loss is over 200 killed and 500 wounded, and 300 prisoners, including an aid to Jackson. Our loss is about 65 killed and 125 wounded.
On Sunday morning the rebels received reinforcements under Gen. Garrett, amounting to 500 men. The Union forces did not exceed 1000 men, and with the exception of about 500 were of Gen. Shields’ division exclusively. At half past one the enemy made a feint on our left, commanded by acting Brig. Gen. Sullivan, opening a heavy fire of artillery, while the real attack was directed against our right, with the object of flanking Gen. Kimball’s command on the right, where the heaviest fighting was done. The enemy were strongly posted in the woods and behind a stone wall, and the rebel artillery was posted on an eminence on both sides of their left wing.
Our whole artillery force was engaged consisting of four batteries of 24 pieces in all. The conflict raged furiously till 3 P. M. – The fighting being done chiefly by the artillery and musketry, at a range of not more than 300 or 400 yards, and often much less.
The rebel infantry opposite our right now engaged from the woods and attempted to capture Dowe’s battery by a charge. The first effort was nearly successful, but the heavy discharge of grape compelled them to retire in confusion. A second and weaker attempt likewise failed, and the enemy fell back with heavy loss, behind the stone parapet.
Gen. Taylor now ordered his brigade to charge the enemy’s batteries on the left, and a most deadly encounter followed, twice our men reeled under the storm, but in the third effort they routed the rebels with tremendous slaughter.
Our loss in these struggles was heavy. – Out of 300 men in the 84th Penn., 26 were killed and 83 wounded. Many officers were killed and wounded. The 5th and 8th Ohio shared the glory and the losses with the 84th Penn.
The enemy’s killed and wounded strewed the ground in profusion, and their left wing was totally broken, and their center wavering. On their side the 4th and 5th Va. Regiments suffered most; the former was terribly decimated.
Attempts to rally the right wing failed, and to add to the confusion, the Irish battalion of 150 men, when brought forward and ordered to fire upon the Union troops refused, and a rebel regiment immediately drove this gallant little band forward, but could not compel them to fire upon us. – Forty corpses of the 150 afterwards strewed the field.
Meanwhile, the rebels gave way on the left and center, with a loss of 70 killed and wounded, and 236 prisoners. Besides these, about 160 muskets were taken and many other valuable trophies. Our loss does not exceed 100 killed and 300 wounded.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, March 27, 1862, p. 2
