On the 11th of August a detachment of Federal cavalry encountered the enemy a few miles beyond Winchester, and engaged him for two hours, with a loss to the Unionists of thirty men. Some infantry supports coming up, the contest was continued from eleven o’clock till two, when the rebels were driven from their position, but not until they had inflicted severe loss on the Federals. The enemy were followed the next day to Cedar creek, a few miles from Strasburg, where, from a strong position, they resisted the Union advance throughout the day, but retreated at nightfall, when the Federals pursued, and entered Strasburg.
On the 15th, Colonel Mosby, the noted rebel guerrilla, made a foray through Snicker’s Gap, and succeeded in capturing a Federal supply train, which he carried off in safety, securing seventy-five wagons, two hundred prisoners, six hundred horses, and two hundred beeves.
Not knowing the extent or character of the rebel forces in their rear, the Federals became alarmed, and beat a hasty retreat to Winchester, destroying many of their stores, which they were unable to remove in their flight. Being closely followed by the rebels, the Unionists continued their retreat to Harper’s Ferry, fearful that Longstreet’s army had reinforced Early.
On the 21st of August, General Sheridan had posted his army on an important eminence called Summit Point, two miles out from Charlestown, where he was attacked by General Early on that day, the fight lasting from ten o’clock till dark, when the Federals were defeated, losing three hundred men. They were compelled to retreat to Bolivar Heights.
During all this time, General Sheridan was restrained from inaugurating any decisive movement against the enemy, owing to the important points which it was necessary for him to cover, and which would be jeopardized, should any serious misfortune befall his army. At a conference held on the 15th of September, at Charleston, between Generals Grant and Sheridan, it was determined that an immediate advance should be made on the enemy. General Sheridan, always noted for the celerity of his movements, took the field in less time than General Grant thought it possible for him to be in readiness, and at 3 o’clock on Monday, the 18th, the troops marched to meet the foe.
BATTLE OF OPEQUAN CREEK, VA.
September 19, 1864.
The rebel army was intrenched from the Opequan Creek to Winchester, in the vicinity of Bunker Hill. The Federal troops advanced rapidly up the valley through a narrow defile, designing to deploy beyond the gorge before attacking the rebels, who were stationed in force in a ravine whose sides were thickly wooded and steep, and bordered on the south by a ridge of high hills. Early’s plan was to allow a portion of the Unionists to pass along the ravine, and then attack before the remainder could march through the narrow defile and take part in the conflict.
At ten o’clock in the morning, the Sixth corps emerged through the ravine, and filing to the left in two columns, occupied some rifle-pits and a wood on the enemy’s right, without opposition. A portion of the Nineteenth corps and Rickett’s division now advanced and occupied the centre, where they met a most determined resistance from the enemy, but maintained their position against several furious charges of the rebels, in which severe loss was suffered on both sides. Grover’s division passed through the defile at eleven o’clock, and pressing immediately into action, afforded welcome assistance to their exhausted comrades-in-arms. An immense body of the rebels, hitherto lying concealed, now advanced with loud shouts against the Union columns, and for a time there was great danger that Sheridan would suffer defeat before he could bring the whole of his force into action. The rebel columns bore down on Grover and Ricketts, and poured volley after volley into their unflinching ranks, until finally Rickett’s division wavered, and was driven back along the Berryville and Winchester road towards the mouth of the gorge. Many regiments for the time lost their organization, and Early’s stern veterans pursued vigorously their advantage, already confident of the overthrow of the Federal forces. The patriot commanders exerted themselves to the utmost to stay the retreat of the panic-stricken troops. A section of the First Maine battery availed itself of a favorable position, and finally General Grover, assisted by his officers and others of Emery’s command succeeded in opposing an unbroken front to the advancing Confederates, and very soon the First division of the Nineteenth corps, emerged from the defile, and again the entire army was rallied and valorously contesting the field with their opponents.
The undulating nature of the ground, and the dense woods which obstructed the view on all sides, shut out the scene of conflict from all the participants, who could only take cognizance of what was transpiring in their immediate vicinity, and remained in ignorance of the destiny of the battle in other portions of the field. It was a wild, chaotic scene. The battle was now raging with the greatest fury, and was urged with great desperation by both parties.
One regiment, the One Hundred and Fourteenth New York, suffered a loss of one hundred and eighty-eight men in killed and wounded, more than half their effective force brought into the field. The battle raged over many miles of rugged country—of steep hills and stony ravines, dense groves and tall grass.