as 10 o'clock in the night, and thrown forward his picket about a mile in advance of this position.

As we approached Winchester soon after dawn the enemy's skirmishers were occupying the gill to the southwest overlooking the town. An order was given to General Winder to seize that height as speedily as possible. The Fifth Virginia Regiment (Colonel Baylor) was accordingly thrown out in advance as skirmishers, and the Second, Fourth, Twenty-seventh, and Thirty-third Virginia Regiments being placed in order of battle the whole line was ordered to advance, which was done in handsome style, and the position on the crest secured, although the enemy made a resolute but unsuccessful effort to dislodge our troops from so commanding a position. Two Parrott guns from the Rock-bridge Artillery and the batteries of Carpenter and Cutshaw were promptly posted on the height to dislodge a battery of the enemy which was playing from the front with great animation and effect upon the hill.

At this moment a body of the enemy's sharpshooters was seen crossing the ridge to our left between us and a battery, which soon opened an enfilade fire upon out batteries. Poague's guns were promptly turned to the left, which compelled the infantry to seek shelter behind a stone fence, from which their fire upon our cannoneers and horses was for a while very destructive. By the well-directed guns of Carpenter and Cutshaw the Federal battery in front had now become silenced, but the battery upon the left still kept up a brisk and damaging fire. Withdrawing his battery to the left and rear, so as to avoid the exposure under which he was severely suffering, Poague opened his guns upon the enfilading battery of the enemy. He was also directed by General Winder to throw some solid shot against the stone wall, under the shelter of which their sharpshooters were pouring a fatal fire into our ranks.

During these operations valuable officers and privates suffered; among the number Colonel J. A. Campbell, commanding Second Brigade, was wounded.

While the enemy's artillery was playing upon our position his infantry moved to the left, as if designing to get possession of that portion of the hill immediately to the north of us. General Taylor was ordered to advance his brigade to the left and check the movement. Promptly leaving the turnpike, he passed under cover of the hill in rear of Winder, and formed his line of battle in the face of a heavy fire of artillery and musketry from the sharpshooters, the Tenth Virginia Infantry taking position upon the left and the Twenty-third Virginia on the right of his line.

Steadily, and in fine order, mounting the hill, and there fronting the enemy, where he stood in greatest strength, the whole line magnificently swept down the declivity and across the field, driving back the Federal troops and bearing down all opposition before it. In this gallant advance all the troops of General Winder joined except those left as supports to the batteries.

This successful charge being followed by the giving way of the whole Federal army, General Elzey, who had been in reserve on the Valley turnpike, was now ordered to pursue, and eagerly uniting in the general advance soon entered Winchester with the other troops.

On the right the attack, under General Ewell, was executed with skill and spirit. The Twenty-first North Carolina and the Twenty-first Georgia gallantly drove back the advance post of the enemy. The

45 R R - VOL XII