Today in History:

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

Page 253 Chapter LV. THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY CAMPAIGN.

farm, near Berryville, and moved with the division, marching in two columns, in a westerly direction across the country to the Winchester and Berryville pike, which we struck three miles from Berryville. At this point we could hear the cavalry engaging the enemy on the west side of the Opequon River. After a short halt on the east bank, we crossed the Opequon at a ford some 500 yards south of the road and marched with all possible speed to the support of the cavalry. We found the cavalry skirmishing with the enemy three miles from Winchester, and we went into position int who lines in the rear and threw forward skirmishers to relieve the cavalry. Our lines were formed on the edge of a woods and on high ground at the head of a ravine running from the Opequon. The troops went into position in the following order, the line being at right angles with and across the Berryville and Winchester pike: The Second Division, Sixth Army Corps, ont he left of pike; the Third division on the right of the same; the First Division in reserve; the Nineteenth Army Corps ont he right of the Sixth Army Corps. In this position we had some artillery practice, and our skirmishers were successful [in reaching] a crest 300 yards in our front, to which our artillery was advanced. This position we held until twenty minutes of 12 m., when the entire line was ordered to move forward on the enemy. This our division id with a like gallantry and success for a distance of one mile and a quarter, under heavy fire of infantry and artillery and with both flanks exposed, as the Second Division did not keep pace with our rapid advance, but at one time halted and lay down, and the Nineteenth Army Corps did not succeed in advancing to the line we occupied until about 3 p. m. We were at one time obliged to fall back some 200 yards from the position we had taken, but the men were soon rallied and reoccupied the same ground, and with he assistance of Colonel Edwards' brigade, of the First Division, were so enabled to extend our lines as to protect our flanks. Our position was a strong one, and though the enemy made repeated efforts to dislodge us, using their artillery with great accuracy, we yet held our position until the Nineteenth Army Corps, re-enforced by the Eighth Army Corps, was successful in driving the enemy in its front, and by 4 p. m. they had turned the enemy's flank, so that his lines were at right angles with the lines in our front. At this time we were again ordered forward, when the enemy were routed and driven in great confusion from the field. Our division moved forward until we held possession of the heights beyond Winchester, the enemy having fled in the direction of Strasburg. We went into camp for the night on the left of the Strasburg road, ont he outskirts of Winchester.

In this action our regiment had 1 officer and 7 enlisted men killed and 5 officers and 26 enlisted men wounded. Three times on this day W. Horn, while encouraging his men to withstand one of the enemy's assaults, was very dangerously wounded. Captain Henry J. Hawkins and John R. Rouzer are supposed to be mortally wounded. Lieutenant Demarest J. Smith, while leading his company gallantly into a charge, was badly wounded, and Lieutenant William H. Bruns, while bearing our colors forward, was struck with a shell, crimsoning our colors with his blood.

At 5 a. m. September 20 we marched via Strasburg pike, keeping on the right of the road; halted for breakfast beyond Newtown, from which we marched to Strasburg, where we found the enemy had taken up a strong position on Fisher's Hill, south and west of the town. Here our troops were massed in a woods on the right of


Page 253 Chapter LV. THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY CAMPAIGN.