BREVET MAJOR-GENERAL DAVID A. RUSSELL, U. S. V.
Killed at the battle of Winchester, September 19, 1864.
peatedly into Early’s infantry, first striking it in the rear, and afterward face to face as it changed front to repel the attack. These attacks were made by the cavalry without any knowledge of the state of the battle except what was apparent to the eye. First Devin charged with his brigade, returning to rally, with three battle-flags and over three hundred prisoners. Next Lowell charged with his brigade, capturing flags, prisoners, and two guns. After this the entire division was formed and charged to give the final coup.
At the time of this last charge the Union infantry advanced along the entire line and the enemy fled in disorder from the field, and night alone (for it was now dark) saved Early’s army from capture. . . .
Early retreated to Fisher’s Hill, where Sheridan again defeated him in battle on the 22d, pushing him hotly all the way up the valley as far as Staunton.
When the army commenced its return march, the cavalry was deployed across the valley, burning, destroying, or taking away everything of value, or likely to become of value, to the enemy. It was a severe measure, and appears severer now in the lapse of time; but it was necessary as a measure of war. The country was fruitful, and was the paradise of bushwhackers and guerrillas. They had committed numerous murders and wanton acts of cruelty on all parties weaker than themselves. Officers and men had been murdered in cold blood on the roads, while proceeding without a guard through an apparently peaceful country. The thoughtless had been lured to houses only to find, when too late, that a foe was concealed there, ready to take their lives if they did not surrender. It is not wonderful, then, that the cavalry sent to work the destruction contemplated did not at that time shrink from the duty. It is greatly to then-credit that no personal violence on any inhabitant was ever reported, even by their enemies. The valley from Staunton to Winchester was completely devastated, and the armies thereafter oe-cupying that country had to look elsewhere for their supplies. There is little doubt, however, that enough was left in the country for the subsistence
BRADLEY T. JOHNSON, BRIGADIER-GENERAL, C. S. A.
SHERIDAN AND SOME OP HIS GENERALS. Facsimile of a photograph taken in 1864.
sion of Wright’s corps moved into the breach on Emory’s left, and, striking the flank of the Confederate troops who were pursuing Grover, restored the lines and stayed the Confederate advance. The loss to both sides had been heavy. General Russell of the Union army, and Generals Bodes and Godwin of the Confederate, were among the killed.
A lull in the battle now followed, which General Sheridan improved to restore his lines and to bring up Crook, who had not yet been engaged. It had been the original purpose to use Crook on the left to assist Wilson’s cavalry in cutting off Early’s retreat toward Newtown. But the stress of *battle compelled Sheridan to bring his reserve in on the line, and accordingly Crook ־was ordered up on Emory’s right, one brigade extending to the north of Bed Bud Creek. At the same time Emory reformed his lines, placing Breckinridge’s command in reserve. At this time Merritt, who with his cavalry had followed Breckinridge closely to the field, approached on the left rear of the Confederates, driving their flying and broken cavalry through the infantry lines. The cavalry then charged re-
country, and steadily though slowly driving the enemy’s force toward Winchester. Finally Breckinridge, leaving one brigade to assist the cavalry in retarding our advance, moved to the help of Early, arriving on the field about 2 p. m.
It was 11:30 A. M. before Sheridan’s lines were ready to advance. When they moved forward, Early, who had gathered all his available strength, met them with a front of fire, and the battle raged with the greatest fury. The advance was pressed in the most resolute manner, and the resistance by the enemy being equally determined and both sides fighting without cover, the casualties were very great. Wright’s infantry forced Ramseur and Bodes steadily to the rear, while Emory on the right broke the left of the enemy’s line and threw it into confusion. At this time the Confederate artillery opened with canister at short range, doing fearful execution. This, coupled with the weakening of the center at the junction between Emory and Wright, and with a charge delivered on this junction of the lines by a part of Bodes’s command, just arrived on the field, drove back the Union center. At this critical moment Russell’s divi-
across the Opequon, and carried the earthwork which covered the defile and captured part of the force that held it. The infantry followed — Wright’s corps first, with Getty leading, and Emory next. Between two and three miles from the Opequon, Wright came up with Wilson, who was waiting in the earthwork he had captured. There the country was suitable for the deployment of the column, which commenced forming line at once. Ramseur, with the bulk of the Confederate artillery, immediately opened on Wright’s troops, and soon the Union guns were in position to reply. Wilson took position on the left of the Sixth Corps. Then followed a delay that thwarted the part of the plan which contemplated the destruction of Early’s army in detail. Emory’s command was crowded off the road in its march, and so delayed by the guns and trains of the Sixth Corps that it was slow getting on the field, and it was hours before the lines were formed. This delay gave the Confederates time to bring up the infantry of Gordon and Bodes. Gordon, who first arrived, was posted on Ramseur’s left near the Red Bud, and when Rodes arrived with three of his four brigades, he was given the center. This change in the situation, which necessitated fighting Early’s army in his chosen position, did not disconcert the Union commander. He had come out to fight, and though chafing at the unexpected delay, fight he would to the bitter end.
In the mean time the cavalry, which had been ordered to the right, had not been idle. Moving at the same time as did the rest of the army, my division reached the fords of the Opequon near the railroad crossing at early dawn. Here I found a force of cavalry supported by Breckinridge’s infantry. After sharp skirmishing the stream was crossed at three different points, but the enemy contested every foot of the way beyond. The cav-alry, however, hearing Sheridan’s guns, and knowing the battle was in progress, was satisfied with the work it was doing in holding from Early a considerable force of infantry. The battle here continued for some hours, the cavalry making charges on foot or mounted according to the nature of the
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