Show 11 41 91 baltimore 21 21 f uhe the following from tile the american is is an account bof tile the great battle of tile the fillo kil ill valley fre headquarters a ld quarters military division 1 winchester va 9 P 11 J sherl Sheri dans army tilis tills bay aay dax day fought fought one of the most successful saul and decisive battles of tile the war victory again perched on our banned banner the tilo rebel army has been defeated and literally routed with a loss at least of killed and wounded including 5 generals sunday morning early sent Gor gordana dans division of rebel infantry from buni bunker er hill where it had been stationed abr the past few days to drive averill out of martins burg and destroy the bridge on the tile baltimore and ohio railroad across tile tiie Op Ope quan equall which they erroneously thought had ad been repaired they mccu occupied martinsburg Mart insburg for a short time without doing any damage to the railroad and were eventually driven by averill as far as Dukes Duke ville aville gen sheridan learning their movements ordered his whole command to break camp and prepare to march accordingly at 3 on OC 1 sunday tile the loth all struck the tile different divisions were all under arms and prepared to move at a moments notice at 9 orders were received from sheridan for the ath and corps to be ready to start at 3 and the army of western virginia under cook at 5 the following morning shortly after 6 5 wilsons Wil sons division of cavalry crossed the at berryville Berr on the winchester pike moving his command rapidly along the road and driving in the skirmish line jie lie gallantly charged the ene mys illys field works with his brigade and carried them at the point of his sabre capturing thirty prisoners in this charge col brinton of the pa cavalry was wounded within a few feet of the tile works whilst gallantly leading his regiment these field works were so constructed as to guard the ford at the and prevent our passage at that point our cavalry having secured a safe passage for the infantry tile the ath corps moved across the ope quan and along the pike towards winchester to a point about a mile mlle and a half from the ford where it formed in line of battle and threw out a stron strong skirmish line at the same time t the e artillery opened on the woods into which tile the enem lys infantry had retired and kept up an incessant cannonade tile the enemy replying briskly with parts of two batteries there was a delay of two hours caused by the non arrival of the loth corps which through a miscon caption of orders had failed to come up at the tile proper time sheridan having learned on sunday that the main portion of E arlys earlys forces were encamped in the vicinity of bunker hill steven sons depot resolved to mass his forces on the tile winchester and berryville Berr pike and by a rapid movement to hurl them on earlys rear there is no doubt but that the enemy were completely surl surprised and out outmaneuvered maneuvered by sheridan while tile the different din erent columns were being marched to the appointed place of rendezvous dez a portion of our cavalry under arbett I and averill kept up a strong picket line along the Ope quan and by demonstrating in force at bums bumb ford the they kept a large portion of the enemy at gat zat that part of the field nield which was nearly twelve miles distant from tir point where it was intended our infanta infantry s should h ouid operate and strike a blow whiz which should result in the signal defeat of earlys army the delay in the arrival of the tile corps enabled early to move gordons division civi sion slon at a double quick from froin bunker bunken hill distant ten miles and brink bring it up in time to form a line of battle with Breckinrid Breckin ridges gets gels rammers earners and hokes commands which had already arrived ana and were vere formed in a belt of woods skirting berryville Berr herr and winchester As soon as the corps arrived it was formed in four lines of battle about yards apart on the right of the ath corps and everything being in readiness the advance sounded at noon when the two corps advanced in splendid style and as composedly as though on parade the first line had not advanced more than yards before it became warmly engaged with the enemy who were posted in line about arditi 11 goo yards 1 distant at the tile same timeout time timo our artillery 1 y y opened a furious cannonade chrowl throwing n shells shells sheils and solid shot sho tinto into the opposite woods where the enemy could be distinctly seen ro Loving moving uj up reinforcements our ait dit different lines of battle continued to advance steadily until within nearly yards of the line when the he rebels opened a furious cannonade with grape and cannister from two batteries which they had previously kept secreted and which plowed through our advancing adv advancing ancin lines and mowing down large nu numbers tilters of our men the first line was obliged to give way va y under so murderous a ti nire fire re and in rt retreating r ing behind tile the second line threw it into a momentary confusion and it was also obliged to fall back behind the third line which ilich had in the meantime been ordered tolio bown aown down in order to avoid as much as possible the effects of the tho withering fire which the batt batteries batteria erie eric were directing against our lines lilies the artillery was now brought up ad and posted in lit a commanding position to silence the batteries of the enemy which caused us so much anno annoyance and our lines lilies were re reformed forme d ag again zi and moved forward regaining the advanced position which they had held i when they were obliged to fall back but this tills success was not gained without a most obstinate resistance on the part of the enemy gen sheridan had previously ridden along the lines and was received everywhere by tile the men with the greatest enthusiasm and when they advanced it was with the terrible determination mitia mi nation tion to do or die in the attempt i having regained the advanced position previously occupied the different lines of battle were ordered to lie down and wait for the arrival of crooks corps which was held in reserve on the eastern side of the Ope quani quan they were ordered up to take a position to the extreme right of our line and in order to counteract the movement on the part of the enemy who were massing troops tro opson on their left flank with a view to turning our right precisely at 3 crook forma formed on the right of the corps his division on the extreme right of our line the ad division in the rear and supporting a division of the loth corps gen crook havin having formed his menro dc along 0 the tile lines an and was received by the most vociferous cheering the men promising to go in and wipe out winchester cl gen with and averilla Ave rills divisions of cavalry hav ing crossed the 9 0 clock at burns and knobs fords having been hard at work all day fightlin fighting considerable sid erable bodies of the en infantry infantry and cavalry and arra having been successful in hi steadily driving them before them now arrived on oil our r extreme rh hight right lit ani and were prepared to take part in t the e final struggle which secured us the victory gen oher sheridan idan rode out to where ta tor r bett was stationed and after a consultation with him as to the part the cavalry were to take ordered a final charge which was made with an impetuosity which nothing could resist our line extending three miles in length a advanced amid cheers and yells which could be distinctly heard above the noise of artillery and musketry As our lines advanced closer and closer to those of the enemy the tile battle became more and more fierce the slaughter now was awful at every discharge tiie the men could be distinctly seen croppi dropping ng all around and tile the two contending lines at some points could not have been over yards apart art just at this critical perio perlo dabove M t the e roar of artillery and musketry the tiie cheers and fierce yells of the contending armies could be distinctly heard the alwill sin bin ill lil notes of the cavalry bugle sound ing the charge which was the belth knell to earlys army there could be seen the gallant custar and IN merrett Terrett each with the headquarters head quarters flag in hand band conspicuously amongst advancing squadrons gallantly leading the charge which in connection with the desperate eurage courage of our infantry secured us the victory the columns of earlys command were forced to give way and break before the fierce onslaught which the cavalry made upon them which with sabre in hand rode them down cutting them right and left let capturing privates and non commissioned officers with nine battle flags and two guns gune broken and demoralized the di dl visions composing earlys command now nned fled in hi confusion throwing away everything which could could in any way impede their flight and strewing the ground with their arms some made for the heights beyond winchester but they tiley were speedily dislodged by averill and forced to beat a hasty and ignominious retreat up the valley where such of earlys command as are left him are now scattered our victory is a glorious one and well calculated to thrill the heart of e every ery cry loyal man washington 21 tho the following is the reply kreply of sherman to hoods char chare charge c of cruelty general I 1 tave taye have the honor lionor to ac knowledge the tilo receipt of your letter of this date consenting to hie tiie menta ments I 1 proposed to facilitate the thle removal south of tile people at atlanta who prefer to go in that direction I 1 enclose a copy of my order which will I 1 ain am satisfied accomplish my purpose perfectly you style tile the measures proposed as unprecedented and appeal to the dark history of war for a para parabell lell ieli as an act of studied and ungenerous cruelty it is not unprecedented gen johnston huston Jo wisely and properly rem removed oved families all the way from zalton down I 1 see no reason why wily atlanta should be occupied nor is it necessary to appeal to the dark history of war when 9 v ien ten I 1 recent modern examples are so handy you yourself burned the dwelling houses along your parapet I 1 have seen today to day fifty houses you rendered uninhabitable because they stood in the way of your forts and men you defended atlanta on a line lino so close to town that every cannon and musket shot as showed from our line of ments menta that over shot their mark went into the habitations of women and children cli cil ildren hardee did the same at jonesboro Jone johnson did the same at jackson mississippi sis sippi I 1 have not accused you of heartless cruelty I 1 merely instance these cases of very recent occurrence and could enumerate hundreds of others and challenge any fair man to judge who has at heart pity for the fan families Alles ailes of brave people I 1 sa say it ls is a kindness to the families at atlanta atlanta to remove them now at once from scenes winch which women and children should not be exposed to brave people should scorn to commit their wives and children to the tiie rude barbarities of war and its dark history in the name of common sense I 1 ask you not to appeal to a just god in such a manner you who in the midst of peace and prosperity plunged a nation into a elv il war a dark and cruel war who dared and bagerud us to battle insulted hiir our flag seized our arsenals and forts that were left in honorable custody seized and made prisoners of war the ble very guardians sent to protect your people against indians and negroes long before any overt octvas act was committed to you by the lincoln government you ou tried to force kentucky and Missouri into the rebellion in spite of themselves falsified the vote of louisiana and sent privateers to plunder unarmed ship ships s and expelled elied union families by thousands is turned burned their houses and declared by an act of congress the confiscation of all debts due northern men for goods you mav may may talk this to mari marl marines nes but not to me who wit have seen these things and who wilo will this day make as much sacrifice for the peace and honor lionor of the south as tile best born southerner among you if we must be enemies let lot us be men and fight it out as we propose today to day and not deal in such suell hypocritical appeals to god and humanity gadwill god will judge us in due time and cewill he will pronounce whether it be more humane to fight it with a town full of women and families of brave people at t our back or remove them in time to places of safety among their own friends and people signed W T sili SHERMAN bherman ERMAN euman washington al 23 harpers ferry 23 sheridan has haa again I 1 beaten fa early at fishers hill capturing ailing I 1 16 runs guns uns an and many prisoners signed g ried tied STEVENSON washington 21 24 2 1 the following official dispatch was received from sheridan detailing some of the particulars of the late battle and victory at fishers Fisher 8 hill 1 I cannot as yet give any definite account of the battle our loss is light crook struck the left flank of the enem enemy y doubled it up and advanced down their thein lines ricketts division of the ath army corps gwun in and joined crooks gettys and divisions took up the same movement followed by the whole line attacking beautifully they carried carriea the works of the enemy the rebels threw throw down their arms and fled in the greatest confusion abandoning most of their artillery it was dark before the battle ended I 1 pushed on after the enemy during the tho nigh tto that point with the oth ath and letl corps and have stopped here to rest my men and issue rations if gen has pushed down surrey valle valie valley vailey directions he will achieve for I 1 do not think there was ever an army so badly routed in this valley soldiers are hiding away and going to their homes I 1 cannot at present give any estimate of prisoners I 1 have pushed on regardless of everything the number of pieces of artillery reported captured is sixteen signed SHERIDAN stevenson reports that three thousand prisoners from the field reached winchester last night reinforcements and supplies have veen teen been forwarded to scheri dan signed STANTON washington ton 24 the extra has C the following the government received ders deg patches aiches from stevenson this morning dated at harpers ferry announcing that 2000 prisoners had llad reached winchester last night and also says that 1600 were captured on the ne near a r winchester winchester and arrived at harpers harper ls ferry 1600 in more I 1 re are yet to come A later dispatch says that 1600 prisoners were weve captured at strasburg on oil the and reached winchester this morning when last heard herad from front earlys army was flying down the valley pani panic stricken and sheridan in hot pursuit near woodstock boston 22 A letter from freemont withdrawing withdraw iLg i his name as a candidate is pub published ai shed today to day new york 21 22 gen cochrane has published an ad dress to the war democrats withdrawing his name from fie the lie cleveland ticket av ashington t 20 00 dispatches Di from sheridan to ll 11 ouock saturday night dated six miles south of newmarket are received he had driven the enemy fro from n i mount jack jaek jackson soll soli without being able to bring c on a general engagement the bliem enemy y were moving rapidly and lie he has no cavalry at present to hold them had attacked wye Wyc liams khama iiams ilams force at surrey and ala captured a number of prisoners sheridan found rebel hospitals in all the towns from winchester chesten chester to L twenty pieces of artillery were ca captured tur at fishers hill together with cig TIO lio llo prisoners a large amount of ammunition enis 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