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

Page 247 Chapter LV. THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY CAMPAIGN.

exposed to a heavy artillery fire from the enemy. The Nineteenth Corps did not move and keep connection with my right, and the turnpike upon which the division was dressing bore to the left, causing a wide interval between the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps. As the lines advanced the interval became greater. The enemy discovering this fact hurled a large body of men toward the interval and threatened to take my right in flank. I at once caused the One hundred and thirty-eighth and Sixty-seventh Pennsylvania and One hundred and tenth Ohio Regiments to break their connection with the right of the remainder of my brigade and move toward the advancing column of the enemy. These three regiments most gallantry met the overwhelming masses of the enemy and held them in check. The Nineteenth Corps soon came up and encountered a very heavy force of the enemy in a woods to the right of the three regiments named. As soon as the Nineteenth Corps engaged the enemy the force in my front commenced slowly retiring. I pushed forward the three regiments until we came upon two batteries (eight guns), silencing them, and compelling the enemy to abandon them. The three regiments had arrived within less than 200 yards of the two batteries when the Nineteenth Corps, after a most gallant resistance, gave way. The enemy at once came upon my right flank in large force; successful resistance was no longer possible; the three regiments had already suffered heavily, and were obliged to fall back in some disorder. The enemy regained a portion of the ground from which they had been driven. In falling back we lost no prisoners. The broken troops of my brigade were halted and reformed in a woods behind troops from the reserve, which had come forward to fill up the interval. As soon as reformed they were moved forward again over the same ground they had advanced the first time. While moving this portion of my brigade forward I received an order from Brigadier-General Ricketts, commanding division, to again unite my brigade near the center of the corps and to the right of the turnpike, near a house. This order was obeyed at once, and my whole brigade was placed in one line immediately confronting the enemy. The four regiments of my brigade that were upon the left kept connection with the First Brigade, Third Division, and fought desperately in the main driving the enemy. They also captured a considerable number of prisoners in their first advance. Heavy firing was kept up along the whole line until about 4 p.m., when a general advance took place. The enemy gave way before the impetuosity of our troops, and were soon completely routed. This brigade pressed forward with the advance line to and into the streets of Winchester. The rout of the enemy was everywhere complete. Night came on, and the pursuit of the enemy was stopped. The troops of my brigade encamped with the corps on the Strasburg and Front Royal roads, south of Winchester.

This brigade los in the battle of Opequon some valiant and superior officers. Lieutenant Colonel A. W. Ebright, commanding One hundred and twenty-sixth Ohio, was killed instantly carly in the action. He was uniformly brave and skillful. He had fought in the many battles of the Sixth Corps during the past summer's campaign. Captain Thomas J. Hyatt and Lieutenant Rufus Ricksecker, One hundred and twenty-sixth Ohio, and Lieutenant William H. Burns, Sixth Maryland, also fell in this action. Each was conspicuous for gallantry on this and other fields upon which they had fought. Colonel John W. Horn, Sixth Maryland, whom none excelled for distinguished bravery, was severely, if not mortally, wounded. Colonel William H. Ball, One hundred and twenty-second Ohio, received a wound from a shell, but did not quit the field.


Page 247 Chapter LV. THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY CAMPAIGN.