The contagion of "Quiet on the Potomac" prevailed at Paw Paw until the 1st of March. The division, consisting of fifteen regiments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and four or five batteries, was put in motion towards Winchester, but the sad death of Gen. Lander caused a return to camp on the next day. On the 3d, all the troops turned out to pay military honors to the departed hero, the Seventh Ohio being detailed to escort his remains to the cars.
Gen. Shields succeeded him, and led the division up and down the Shenandoah Valley until it became a terror to the enemy and was thought almost invincible.
Passing down the railroad to Martinsburg, and taking the stone pike, it reached a point four miles north of Winchester, on the 12th of March. The rebels had evacuated during the previous day, and there was no work to be done until the reconnoissance to Strasburg was made on the 20th. An artillery skirmish took place without loss, and the troops made a hasty return during the drizzling rain of the 21st.
The hasty retreat over the sharp stones, through the rain, and with only one halt in twenty-two miles, made that another of the severe marches which multiplied on that fated division. One poor fellow of the 110th Pa. was so fatigued that he stepped into the corner of the fence to end his military career forever. The next morning only about 100 of this regiment could report for duty.
Battle of Winchester.
On Saturday afternoon, March 22, Ashby's Cavalry—the advance of Jackson's army—made an attack on the town. The troops were called out to repel it. All soon became quiet, and the next morning they returned to their quarters. After an hour the booming of the cannon beyond Winchester, gave the reason for the order to "fall in," which proved the last summons to military duty for many a man of the Seventh Ohio. Inspired by the roar of Artillery, proudly did the regiment tread through the streets of Winchester, keeping step to the singing of "John Brown's body." Jackson's men were drawn up in line in his chosen position at Kernstown, four miles distant. On double quick the Seventh Ohio and Seventh Indiana hastened to the support of Clark's and Robinson's batteries at the right of the Winchester pike. At 3 P. M. Colonel Tyler drew up his brigade and asked the men to go with him to take the enemy's battery on his left. The men responded "yes," and set off around to the right in massed column of divisions to execute the order. In fine, cool style, the 7th Ohio, 7th Indiana, 1st Virginia, 29th Ohio, and 11th Pennsylvania, moved through the long, open field, then, wheeling to the left, through the thick woods, to meet the enemy, also in massed column, behind a stone wall, at the southern extremity of the grove. The thundering of musketry and artillery, the hail storm of bullets that continued for an hour and a half, cannot be described.
In the beginning of the musketry, Col. Tyler ordered the Seventh Ohio to deploy to the left, an order which could not then be executed, and which threw the whole column into confusion. That was the end of order until the close of the action. The success was due to the bravery of the men and their dogged determination not to yield. Col. Creighton found himself unable to command, and very wisely seized a musket to do the work of a private soldier. Each had his own base of operations, and used his own skill and strength to suit his convenience. Both officer and private seemed to do their part well. The prospect of success was, for a long time, in a doubtful balance. The numbers of the enemy in front of this brigade were probably triple its number.
Why these men were kept so long fighting in suspense without reinforcement, no private can tell; but, at last, just as the darkness was setting in, another brigade was brought up to the left, which put the enemy to a disorderly rout.
In the course of the action, Day, Dickson, and Worcester, to secure good shots, made their way around nearly to the rear of the enemy, who were thus between two fires. Here Worcester received his mortal wound. Lieutenant Junkins, of Jackson's Staff, losing his way, Sergeant Day and an Indiana Corporal beckoned to him to come hitherward. Obeying the advice, he was captured by them, and delivered up as their trophy of the battle. Orderly Danforth was killed in the first volley, and was immediately carried back to the rear. His was a beautiful corpse as it lay the next day in full uniform on the leaves of the grove, his own heart's blood staining those delicate, lady-like features. E. G. Sackett received a ball through the arm, but, nothing daunted, he eagerly rushed forward, and another passed through his lungs. He died on the following morning. F. M. Palmer was shot through the neck, while getting over the fence on the left. He lived two weeks. Coburn also received a mortal wound, and lived six days. Walworth, Winsor, and Warner, were each wounded in the arm, so as to unfit them for further military duty. Gardner, D. Kingsbury and Stephen Kellogg, received flesh wounds.
The wounded were removed to Winchester during the night. The next morning the enemy gave a few artillery salutes, as an invitation to pursue, which was accepted by the Union troops. The pursuit was continued to Strasburg, where the division encamped several days.