Today in History:

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

Page 414 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.

behind a line of entrenchments on a crescent-shaped ridge which rises from the banks of Cedar Creek, with their caissons, horses, and trains in the ravine lying between this ridge and a second parallel one commanding one commanding it somewhat and extending beyond it almost to the pike. On the extreme right of this second ridge, where it stretches beyond the first, encamped near a little work overlooking the ford and bridge across Cedar Creek, was Battery L, First Ohio Artillery (four Napoleon guns), Captain F. C. Bibbs commanding. The two first-named batteries were some 400 yards apart, Battery D, First Pennsylvania Artillery, on the left. Early on the morning of the 19th instant my attention was attracted by some picket-firing. As a matter of precaution I directed the reveille to be sounded at once. No ten minutes after, as I was just starting to the works on the hill, the attack began. I instantly ordered the horses to be harnessed and hitched, and hastened to the batteries. Upon reaching the hill I found that the infantry were falling back in great confusion, the enemy having already carried by works at a point near the front of Battery D, First Pennsylvania Artillery, and captured the guns, after a most gallant resistance on the part of the officers and men, a number of when were bayoneted and struck down with clubbed muskets at their pieces. Lieutenant Brewerton, Commanding Battery B, Fifth U. S. Artillery, reported the battery loaded with canister, but no enemy in his immediate front. I directed him to bring some guns to bear on the point of attack if possible. He succeeded in getting a few shots from his two center pieces. Seeing that the only chance of saving the artillery still left lay in the prompt harnessing and hitching of the teams, I directed Lieutenant Munk to use every exertion to get off as many of them as possible. Thence proceeding to the caissons of Battery L, First Ohio Artillery, and at once ordered Captain Gibbs to open a section on a line of the enemy advancing on the other side of the creek toward the ford, and who were thus about to cut off the other batteries. I also directed him to immediately put his other section in position some 300 yards to the left on the more elevated portion of the flashes of their guns, was very accurate, and caused them to fall back. The other section, on reaching the point designated, found itself without support face to face with another line of the enemy, who were rapidly advancing and had at once had at once to fall back to avoid capture. Captain Gibbs had also to withdraw for the same reason his other section. Lieutenant Brewerton meanwhile turned his guns upon the enemy within the works and continued firing until they had advanced to within twenty-five yards of the battery, when, abandoned by the infantry, he ran his guns by hand down the hill to the caissons, unlimbered them, and proceeded to limber up to the pieces. At this juncture the enemy, now holding the works on the hill to the front and left, as well as the ridge in rear, whence they had forced Battery L, First Ohio Artillery, to withdraw, almost completely enveloped the other two batteries. Fortunately they halted for a few minutes, seemingly to reform their lines, and contented themselves with pouring a heavy musketry fire into the ravine. They also fired some canister from the captured guns of the Pennsylvania battery. In consequence of the mist and the yet uncertain daylight the fire was comparatively harmless, though some casualties occurred and a number of horses


Page 414 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.