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184 Series I Volume XLIII-I Serial 90 - Shenandoah Valley Campaign Part I

Page 184 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.

country was thoroughly scouted, two of our own dead and one of the enemy's that fell in the engagement were discovered, but no further information as to the whereabouts of the enemy or the further extent of the loss could be ascertained, except that [they] saw a squad cutting their way through and moving int he direction of Harper's Ferry. Mosby is hovering around this vicinity with at least 400 men. Two hundred men o the regiment of cavalry on duty a this post are new recruits, and, I think, with an increase of force he could be probably either captured or used up. I would, therefore, request that the Fourth New York, major Schwartz commanding,be added to the cavalry force at this post. in the house of Mrs. O'Bannon, on Kent street, where Major Gilmor lay wounded until noon the 19th instant, are two ladies who wee employed in the service of the rebel Government as clerks, Miss Fannie Dickens, Fairfax County, Va., and Miss Kate Reily, formerly of this place. These ladies represent that they are without homes or employment, have no means of subsistence, and ask to be sent beyond the lines. I respectfully ask for instructions int he matter. A train of 150 wagons loaded with wounded and large number of empty wagons will leave for Harper's Ferry early to-morrow to return in obedience to orders. Eight hundred and forty-two prisoners, together with the captured artillery and train of wagons loaded with wounded, arrived this p. m. The post-office of the place was fired to-day, probably by men about the hospitals. The fire was, with great difficulty, subdued, and the matter is being investigated.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. EDWARDS,

Colonel, Commanding Post.


HDQRS. THIRD BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION, SIXTH CORPS,
Winchester, Va., September 30, 1864.

MAJOR: In obedience to circular from headquarters First Division, Sixth Army Corps, I have the honor to forward the following details of the part taken by my command in the recent engagement at the Opequon on the 19th instant:

this brigade, with the rest of the corps, left tits camp near Clifton, Va., on the morning of the 19th instant. Shortly after 3 o'clock reached the Opequon and crossed to long after sunrise. The enemy were met in force about two miles southwest of that stream. The brigade was placed in position on the left of the turnpike, in columns of battalions at full distance, at right angles with the line of battle, with instructions to move by the right flank and keep 300 yards in rear of the line and move forward when the first line advanced. In this position the command suffered severely from a hot and continuous fire from the enemy's artillery. At 11.40 the column commenced to move forward, coming into line of battle immediately after passing through the first belt of woods. Thus the brigade continued its forward movement under quite a severe fire until ordered to move double-quick to the right of the road, as the enemy had broken through the line of the Nineteenth Corps. Seeing the enemy had got to the rear and right of us, I ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Montague, commanding the Thirty-seventh massachusetts Volunteers, to attack them at that point. At the same time the enemy came out of the woods in front of us in two lines of battle and charged. I advanced my brigade with bayonets at


Page 184 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.