USA > Pennsylvania > The Twenty-second Pennsylvania cavalry and the Ringgold battalion, 1861-1865; > Part 37
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Before receiving this letter, Grant started on the 15th to see Sheridan. We will let Grant tell the story of this visit: " My pur- pose was to have Sheridan attack Early or drive him out of the Valley and destroy that source of supplies for Lee's army. I knew it was impossible for me to get orders through Washington to Sheridan to make a move, because they would be stopped there and such orders as Halleck's caution (and that of the Secretary of War) would suggest, would be given instead, and would, no doubt, be contradictory, to mine. I, therefore, without stopping at Wash- . ington, went directly through to Charlestown, some ten miles above Harper's Ferry, and waited there to see General Sheridan, hav- ing sent a courier in advance to inform him where to meet me.
" When Sheridan arrived, I asked him if he had a map show- ing the position of his army and that of the enemy. He at once drew one out of his side pocket, showing all the roads and streams and camps of the two armies. He said that if he had permission, he would move so, and so (pointing out how) against the Con- federates, and that he could 'whip them.' Before starting I had drawn up a plan of campaign for Sheridan, which I had brought with me; but seeing that he was so clear and so positive in his views, and so confident of success, I said nothing about this and did not take it out of my pocket." (This conversation was on Friday, the 16th of September.) "Knowing that he, in making preparations to move at a given day, would have to bring up wagon- trains from Harper's Ferry, I asked him if he could be.ready to get off by the following Tuesday. 'Oh, yes,' said he, 'could be off be- fore daylight on Monday.' I told him to make the attack at that time and according to his own plan; and I immediately started for Richmond."
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On the evening before Grant's arrival at Charlestown, Sher- idan had received positive information that a large detachment from Early's army had started south. The manner by which this information was obtained makes a very interesting story.
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BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.
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CHAPTER XXVI. BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.
Ever since the 3rd of September, when Anderson's Corps at- tempted to steal away from Early's army and return to Richmond, which Crook discovered-Sheridan had been keeping a vigilant watch for their departure, which he felt sure would soon take place. Unable to get any reliable information on this point, he directed his scouts to try and find some loyal person who had a pass to go back and forth through the enemy's lines to Winchester. The scouts found an old negro who had a pass to go into Winchester twice a . week to sell vegetables and eggs; after satisfying themselves of his loyalty and trustfulness, they brought him to head- quarters. Sheridan had learned from General Crook of a loyal lady, a Miss Miss Rebecca Wright.
· Rebecca Wright, teacher of a private school in Winchester, for whose patriotism, courage and prudence General Crook vouched. The negro had sold produce at Miss Wright's home, and readily agreed to deliver a letter to her.
Sheridan wrote the following letter on tissue paper : " Miss Wright :
" I learn from Major General Crook that you are a loyal lady and still love the old flag. Can you inform me of the position of Early's forces, the number of divisions in his army. the strength of any or all of them, and his probable or reported intentions? Have any troops arrived from Richmond or any coming or re- ported to be coming? You can safely trust the bearer with your answer."
This letter was rolled into a little pellet and covered with tin- foil and given to the negro with instructions to swallow it if he was searched. Accordingly on the following morning, he passed through the lines with his vegetables and in the course of the fore- noon delivered the letter to Miss Wright, promising to return in the afternoon for her answer. Sheridan says: "On reading my note, Miss Wright was much startled by the perils it involved and hesi-
. Jams
36+ TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
tatingly consulted her mother, but her devotion and loyalty soon silenced every other consideration, and the brave girl resolved to comply with my request, notwithstanding it might jeopardize her life. The evening before, a convalescent Confederate officer had visited her mother's house, and in conversation about the war, had disclosed the fact that Kershaw's Infantry and Cutshaw's Ar- tillery had started to join Lee."
Miss Wright heard this conversation carelessly, never think- ing for a moment that it might be of value to the cause she loved, and within three days lead to a terrible battle within a short distance of the place where they now sat; nor did the Confederate officer ever dream that he was giving valuable information to the enemy against whom he was fighting, which would result in the defeat and rout of the Confederate army and send them " whirling up the Valley." Miss Wright now recognized the value of this informa- tion and determined to send it to General Sheridan, whereupon she wrote the following letter :
" I have no communication with the Rebels, but will tell you what I know. The division of General Kershaw and Cutshaw's Artillery, twelve guns and men, General Anderson commanding, have been sent away and no more are expected, as they cannot be spared from Richmond. I do not know how the troops are situated, but the force is much smaller than represented. I will take pleasure hereafter, in learning all I can of their strength and position, and the bearer may call again.
" Very respectfully yours,
Miss Wright's letter settled the question of Anderson's de- parture, and Sheridan determined to give battle just as soon as the departing troops were beyond recall.
" During the inactivity prevailing in my army for the ten days . preceding Miss Wright's communication, the infantry was quiet, with the exception of Getty's Division, which made a reconnaissance to the Opequan and developed a heavy force of the enemy at Edward's Corners. The cavalry was employed a good deal in this interval, skirmishing-heavily at times-to maintain a space about six miles in width between the hostile lines, for I wished to con- trol this ground so that when I was released from the instructions of August 12th. I could move my men into position for attack without the knowledge of Early.
"It was the evening of the 16th of September that I re-
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ceived from Miss Wright the positive information that Kershaw was in march by way of Chester Gap on his way to Richmond. Concluding this was my opportunity, I at once resolved to throw my whole force into Newtown the next day, but a dispatch from General Grant, directing me to meet him at Charlestown, where he was coming to consult with me, caused me to defer action until after I should see him. The interview over, I returned to my army to arrange for its movement toward Newtown, but while busy with these preparations, a report came to me from General Averill, which showed that Early was moving with two divisions toward Martinsburg. This altered the state of affairs considerably, and I decided to change my plan and attack at once the two divisions re- maining about Winchester and Stephenson's Depot, and later, the two sent to Martinsburg, the disjointed state of the enemy giving me an opportunity to take him in detail."
During this time, September 15th, 16th, 17th, our regiment, with Averill's 1st Brigade, was near Martinsburg, picketing, scout- ing and having slight skirmishes with the enemy, but no engage- ments. On the 17th, General Early, with Gordon's and Rodes' di- visions of infantry, Lomax's division of cavalry and Braxton's artillery, moved from Stephenson's Depot down to Bunker Hill. Next morning, our pickets at Big Spring were attacked by the ad- vance of this command. Our brigade (22nd Pennsylvania, 14th Pennsylvania and 8th Ohio) moved out and met them. * We re- sisted their advance stubbornly, but were forced to retire through Martinsburg a short distance to the Opequan, where we made a · stand and held their cavalry in check.
When General Early was in the telegraph office at Martins- burg, this morning, he learned of General Grant's visit to Sheridan
* While our men were falling back on this morning of the 18th, Maicr Work, while looking after one wing of the regiment, found himself some distance away from his command and close to the advancing rebel cavalry, who demanded his surrender. He spurred his horse and made a dash for his own line, hotly pursued by the foe. In crossing a piece of marshy ground, the Major's horse swamped and he would have been captured the next minute, had it not been for the prompt rally of a few of his men who came to his rescue.
At the annual reunion of the regiment in 1891, Major Work presented Private Hamilton, one of his rescuers, with a beautiful Family Bible, on the fly-leaf of which he wrote the following:
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" Presented to Joseph Hamilton, private, Company D, 22d Pennsylvania Cavalry, ai a token of remembrance of service rendered in action near Martinsbug, W. Va., September 18th, 1864, where the giver's horse swamped and he was almost surrounded by the enemy, when Hamilton with a few other brave comrades, charged and drove the rebels back, and thus saved him from certain capture.
" For that brave act, comrade. I present you this 'Book of Books,' not as a reward, but as a mark of gratitude for your gallant service. Hoping that its precepts may guide you through life and cheer the dark hours that come to all. and that in the life to come, von and all yours may realize its brighter hopes in full fruition, I am your sincere friend, "GEO. T. WORK,
" Major, 22nd P. V. C."
366 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
on the previous day, which aroused his suspicion that some move- ment was on foot, so after doing some damage to the railroad, he proceeded to retire. Our brigade at once advanced, driving the enemy's cavalry through Martinsburg and beyond, inflicting upon him some loss in killed and wounded, and in taking some prisoners. Captain John H. Boring, of Company K, while leading in the charge at the head of his battalion, was severely wounded in the shoulder ; Lieutenant Felix Boyle, of Company E, was also wounded, and a number of others.
General Early, anticipating activity by reason of this circum- stance, promptly proceeded to withdraw, so as to get the two di- visions within supporting distance of Ramseur's, which lay across the Berryville Pike about two miles east of Winchester, between Abraham's Creek and Red Bud Run; so by the night of the 18th, Wharton's Division, under Breckenridge, was at Stephenson's Depot, Rodes near there, and Gordon at Bunker Hill. At daylight of the 19th, these positions of the Confederate infantry still obtained, with the cavalry of Lomax, Jackson and Johnson on the right of Ramseur, while to the left and rear of the enemy's general line was Fitzhugh Lee, covering from Stephenson's Depot west across the Valley Pike to Apple-pie Ridge.
* General Sheridan designed that General Torbert, with Mer- ritt's Division of cavalry, which was at Summit Point, should move west, cross the Opequan at Steven's Ford, and advance toward Stephenson's Depot; while Averill, at Martinsburg, should move south, join Merritt and strike the cavalry of Fitzhugh Lee and drive it south. He intended that the cavalry division under Wilson, which was over towards Berryville, should cross the Opequan on the Berryville Turnpike, dash up the gorge and drive the Confed- erate cavalry from their position. The 6th Corps was to follow and then the 19th. He held the 8th Corps in reserve, intending to use it in preventing the retreat of the Confederates from Winches- ter. When he issued orders on the afternoon of the 18th, he in- tended to overwhelm Ramseur, then Breckenridge, and finally Rodes and Gordon.
* As Averill outranked Torbert, he, very naturally, was irritated and humiliated at being compelled to report to him. Averill was an excellent cavalry officer and in the opinion of the officers of our division, superior to Torbert; but Torbert having served under Sheridan in the Army of the Potomac, was preferred by the latter, who thought Averill would be willing to accept the situation and serve under Torbert. When Sheri- dan took command of the troops in the Shenandoah Valley, General Grant advised him that if Torbert were made chief of cavalry, it would likely create trouble, and he thought it would be best to relieve Averill and have him assigned to same other department. Sheridan, knowing Averill to be a good officer, evidently did not want to lose him.
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BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.
Long before daylight on Monday morning, September 19th, Sheridan's army was on the march, moving forward according to instructions ; Averill's Cavalry brigades moved out south toward Winchester by the well known roads its regiments had so often travelled, meeting with little opposition until beyond or above Darkesville.
Torbert, with Merritt's Division of cavalry, met with strong. opposition at the crossing of the Opequan from the enemy's in- fantry in strong position, which was flanked by the brigades of Custer and Lowell and driven back to a second position nearer Stephenson's Depot.
* " McIntosh's Brigade of Wilson's Division drove the enemy's pickets away from Berryville Crossing at dawn, and Wilson, fol- lowing rapidly through the gorge with the rest of his division, debouched from its western extremity with such suddenness as to capture a small earthwork in front of General Ramseur's main line; and notwithstanding the Confederate infantry, on recovering from its astonishment, tried hard to dislodge them, Wilson's troop- ers obstinately held the work until the 6th Corps came up. Sher- idan followed Wilson immediately to select the ground on which to form the infantry.
" The 6th Corps began to arrive about eight o'clock, and taking up the line Wilson had been holding just beyond the head of the narrow ravine, the cavalry was transferred to the south side of Abraham's Creek.
" The Confederate line lay along some elevated ground about two miles east of Winchester, and extended from Abraham's Creek northwardly across the Berryville Pike, the left being hidden in the heavy timber on Red Bud Run. Between this line and ours, especially on our right, clumps of woods and patches of under- brush occurred here and there, but the undulating ground consisted mainly of open fields, many of which were covered with standing corn that had already ripened. Much time was lost in getting all the 6th and 19th Corps through the narrow defile, Grover's Division being greatly delayed there by a train of ammunition wagons, and it was not until late in the forenoon that the troops intended for the attack could be got into line ready to advance. General Early was not slow to avail himself of this advantage, and our chances of striking him in detail were growing less every moment, for he
· Sheridan.
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was hurrying Rodes and Gordon from Stephenson's Depot to complete his line in our front, which he succeeded in doing, placing Gordon in the woods south of Red Bud Run, and Rodes between him and Ramseur.
" When our two corps (6th and 19th) had all gotten through the canon, they were formed with Getty's Division of the 6th to the left of the Berryville Pike, Ricketts' to the right of the Pike, with Russell's in reserve in the rear of the other two. Grover's Division of the 19th Corps came next on the right of Ricketts', with Dwight to its rear in reserve, while Crook was massing near the Opequan crossing.
"Twenty minutes before noon, the line of infantry, Getty, . Ricketts and Grover, moved forward, and as we advanced, the Confederates, covered by some heavy woods on their right, slight underbrush and cornfields along their center, and a large body of timber on their left along the Red Bud, opened fire from their whole front. We gained considerable ground at first, especially on our left, but the desperate resistance which the right met with, demonstrated that the time we had unavoidably lost in the morning, had been of incalculable value to Early, for it was evident that he had been enabled already to so far concentrate his troops as to have the different divisions of his army in a connected line of battle in good shape to resist.
" Getty and Ricketts made some progress toward Winchester in connection with Wilson's Cavalry, which was beyond the Senseny Road, on Getty's left, and as they were pressing back Ramseur's In- fantry and Lomax's Cavalry, Grover attacked from the right with decided effect. Grover, in a few minutes, broke up Evans' Brigade pf Gordon's Division, but his pursuit of Evans destroyed the con- tinuity of our line and increased an interval that had already been made by the deflection of Ricketts to the left in obedience to instructions that had been given him to guide his division on the Berryville Pike. As the line pressed forward, Ricketts observed this widening interval and endeavored to fill it with the small brigade of Colonel Keifer, but, at this juncture, both Gordon and Rodes struck the weak spot where the right of the 6th Corps and left of the 19th should have been in conjunction, and succeeded in checking our advance by driving back a part of Ricketts' Division and most of
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Grover's .* As these troops were retiring, Sheridan ordered Rus- sell's Reserve Division to be put into action, and just as the flank of the enemy's troops in pursuit of Grover was presented, Upton's Brigade, led in person by both Upton and Russell, struck it in a charge so vigorous as to drive the Confederates back, in turn, to their original ground. The success of Russell enabled Sheridan to re-establish the right of his line some little distance in advance of the position from which it started in the morning; behind Russell's Division (now commanded by Upton) the broken regiments of Ricketts' Division were rallied. Dwight's Division was then brought up on the right of Upton, and Grover's men formed behind it. The charge of Russell was most opportune, but it cost many men in killed and wounded. Among the killed was the courageous Russell himself, struck by a piece of shell that passed through his heart, although he had previously been struck by a bullet in the left breast, which wound, from its nature, must have proved mortal, but of which he had not spoken. Sheridan says: "Russell's death op- pressed us all with sadness, and me particularly. In the early days of my army life, he was my captain and friend, and I was deeply indebted to him not only for sound advice and good example, but for the inestimable service he had just performed and sealed with his life."
Sheridan continues : "As my lines were being rearranged, it was suggested to me to put Crook into the battle, but so strongly had I set my heart on using him to take possession of the Valley Pike and cut off the enemy, that I resisted this advice, hoping that the necessity for putting him in would be obviated by the attack which Torbert was to make near Stephenson's Depot, and of which I was momentarily expecting to hear. No news of Torbert's progress came, however, so yielding at last, I directed Crook to take post on the right of the 19th Corps, and, when the action was re- newed, to push his command forward as a turning column in con- junction with Emory. After some delay in the annoying defile, Crook got his men up, and posting Colonel Thoburn's Division on the right of the 19th Corps, he formed Colonel Duval's Division to the right of Thoburn. Here I joined Crook, informing him that I had just got word that Torbert was driving the enemy in confusion
* This was at 1:30 P. M. Early thought he had gained the battle, and sent this message along his lines, " A splendid victory has been won." Sheridan had thus far weil bet two divisions of the 6th Corps and one of the 19th; Russell's division of the (th, Dwight's of the 19th, both held in reserve. Crook's " Army of West Virginia." and the cavalry are yet to be heard from.
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370 TWENTY-SECOND PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY.
along the Martinsburg Pike toward Winchester ; at the same time, I directed Crook to attack the moment all of Duval's men were in line. Wright was instructed to advance in concert with Crook, by swinging Emory and the right of the 6th Corps to the left to- gether in a half wheel. Then leaving Crook, I rode along the 6th and 19th Corps, the open ground over which they were passing according a rare opportunity to witness the precision with which the attack was taken up from right to left. Both Emory and Wright took up the fight as ordered, and as they did so, I sent word to Wilson in the hope that he could partly perform the work laid out for Crook, to push along the Seseny Road and, if possible, gain the Pike south of Winchester. Crook's success began the moment he started to turn the enemy's left; and, assured by the fact that Torbert had stampeded the Confederate cavalry and thrown Breck- enridge's infantry into such disorder that it could do little to prevent the envelopment of Gordon's left, Crook pressed forward without even a halt."
In the meantime, Torbett's Cavalry divisions, under Averill and Merritt, had been pushing forward along the lines mapped out for them. Averill's two brigades, with a battery of artillery, had been moving up the Valley Pike steadily since 5 A. M., driving the enemy's cavalry before them. The 1st Brigade, in command of Colonel Schoonmaker, of the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry, formed the right of the line and moved forward west of the Pike, while the 2nd Brigade, under Colonel Powell, formed the left and moved up on the east side of the Pike. The ?2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry (our regiment) under command of Lieutenant Colonel Greenfield, occupied the extreme right of the line of the 1st Brigade. The enemy's cavalry resisted our advance all the way from Darkes- ville, falling back when pressed; at Bunker Hill, he made a de- termined stand and stubbornly resisted us from there to Stephen- son's Depot. Long before we reached here, we heard heavy firing on our left, where Torbert, with Merritt and his three brigades, under Custer, Devin and Lowell, was fighting Breckenridge's In- fantry. The latter, after falling back from the fords of the Ope- quan, were found posted behind a long line of stone fence and rail barricades, where they had held Merritt in check for several hours, repulsing a charge of his cavalry.
General Torbert says: " In the meantime, General Averill was steadily driving the enemy's cavalry before him in the direction of
Gen. A. T. A. Torbert.
Gen. W. W. Averell.
Gen. P. H. Sheridan.
Gen. Geo. A. Custer.
Gen. Wm. H. Powell.
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Winchester, and getting well in the rear of the force confronting Merritt, the enemy fell back."
Wharton's Division of infantry and King's Battery of Breck- enridge's Corps, which had been opposing Merritt's force, were now in a precarious situation, with Averill in their rear and Merritt in their front, and it was only with difficulty and some hard fighting that Breckenridge was able to extricate them and send them on up to join the line before Winchester.
Merritt now moved forward rapidly and formed a junction with Averill in the vicinity of Stephenson's Depot. Both divisions, now under the eye of General Torbert, were immediately formed to advance on Winchester, General Averill's Division on the right, and General Merritt's Division on the left of the Valley Pike. We were now about four miles from Winchester; both divisions ad- vanced rapidly, driving the enemy's cavalry pell-mell before them, on and behind their infantry. Near Winchester, we came square upon the left flank of the Rebel army, now hotly engaged with the Federal forces. Their infantry lines were at once charged by brigades, resulting in breaking their lines, and capturing a great many prisoners and battle-flags.
General Custer gives a graphic account of the advance on Winchester. After the withdrawal of Breckenridge's forces from his front near Stephenson's Depot, Custer says :
"I then directed my advance toward Stephenson's Depot and met with no enemy until two miles of that point, where I encoun- tered Lomax's Division of cavalry, which at that time was engaged with Averill's Division, advancing on my right on the Martins- burg Pike. Our appearance was unexpected and produced such confusion on the part of the enemy that, though repeatedly charged by inferior numbers, they at no time waited for us to approach within pistol range, but broke and fled. Soon after, a junction was formed with General Averill on my right, which, with the connec- tion on my left, made our line unbroken. At this time, five brigades of cavalry were moving on parallel lines *: most, if not all, the brigades, moved by brigade front, regiments being in parallel col- umns of squadrons. One continuous and heavy fire of skirmishers covered the advance, using only the carbine. while the line of bri- gades, as they advanced across the open country, the bands playing
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