M. Balwin throughout the entire engagement; also to the cool bravery of Sergeant Beckhardt, Corps. William H. H. Kennedy, Charles A. Knorr, in fighting their guns to the last moment up to threaten of capture; and to Sergt. Daniel B. Yoder in successfully saving his gun from capture.

The return of casualties,* material, and ammunition expended, also how lost, accompanies this report.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. McKNIGHT,

Captain, Fifth U. S. Artillery, Commanding Battery M.

Lieutenant E. N. WHITTIER,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Artillery Brigade, Sixth Corps.

No. 79. Reports of Brevet Major General William H. Emory, U. S. Army, commanding Detachment Nineteenth Army Corps, of operations September 19-22 and October 19.

HDQRS. DETACHMENT NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Harrisonburg, Va., October 3, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the engagement of the 19th of September, at Winchester, Va.:

In pursuance of orders the Nineteenth Army Corps marched from its camp, near Berryville, Va., at precisely 2 a. m. of the 19th of September, with orders to report to Major-General Wright at the Opequon. When near the Opequon my corps, then in advance of the Sixth Corps, was halted by the general commanding the column, and I was directed to remain where I was until the Sixth Corps had passed with its trains. I then rode forward with my staff and reported in person to General Wright at Spout Spring, where I found a brisk cannonade going on. I sent back my aide-de-camp, Captain Wilkinson, with orders to General Grover, who was leading the head of my column, to hurry forward regardless of the order of march, and, so far as the trains were concerned, to pass them. Accordingly, the head of my column closed on the rear of the Sixth Corps infantry, and got to the field of battle a little in advance of the rear of the Sixth Corps, which it had been ordered to follow; but the defile was long and narrow and the troops did not join me on the field until nearly 11 a. m. My line having been reported formed I was ordered to advance, and did so at 11.45 a. m. My line was formed in the following manner: The First Brigade, Brigadier-General Birge, and Third Brigade, Colonel Sharpe, of the Second Division, General Grover commanding, formed the first line; the Second and Fourth Brigades of the same division, the second line; the First Division, Brigadier-General Dwight commanding (only tow brigades being present), was formed, partly as a reserve and partly to protect my flank on the right, in columns of regiments in echelon. A dense wood was in front of me and on my right. When I received the order to advance we passed through the wood, which was impracticable for artillery, and at the moment of clearing it received a brisk fire of the enemy's artillery and infantry. The pace of Birge's brigade was quickened at once to cross the open space to the woods opposite. This was done in the most gallant manner. He was ordered to halt and

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*Embodied in table, p. 132.

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