Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[60] the enemy advanced, and again opened his fire of skirmishers, which was promptly replied to by the rear-guard--the darkness of the night concealing the enemy deployed, while the column, forming a dark mass upon the road, was a fair mark.

I ordered the march to be resumed, which was done in perfect order. The enemy did not pursue. At two o'clock A. M., on the twenty-fifth, the regiment reached Winchester, after a march of twenty-five miles, having sustained firmly and successfully the reiterated attacks of the enemy, made under cover of the darkness of the night.

The conduct of officers and men was most admirable. Major Dwight who was in immediate command of the rear-guard, displayed much courage and skill. Our loss in the affair was three killed and seventeen wounded. I have also to regret the loss of Dr. Leland, who was taken prisoner while attending to our wounded men in a house near Kernstown. The loss of the enemy I have no means of estimating. The regiment bivouacked for the night without fires, with little food, and much exhausted.

The company of Capt. Cogswell was ordered on outpost duty immediately, but rejoined the regiment in the morning, when the outposts were driven in, having fallen back slowly in good order, before the greatly superior force of the advancing enemy.

Very respectfully, your obt. servt.,

sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Second regiment Massachusetts volunteers, on the twenty-fifth inst. After less than two hours rest, following the fatigues of the preceding day, the regiment was again called upon to take part in the action of the twenty-fifth. The outposts were seen to be driven in at an early hour, and the regiment was ordered to take a position on the heights southwest of the town, forming the extreme right of the line, the Third Wisconsin being the next regiment on the left.

While the regiment was marching to its position, a fire of grape was opened upon it from the enemy's battery opposite; nevertheless, it steadily moved on and took its position. The right company, Capt. Savage, was deployed as skirmishers on the right of the regiment. It was soon, however, sent forward to a stone wall a few rods in advance, from which its fire seriously annoyed the enemy's battery.

A movement being observed on the part of the enemy to drive them away, Capt. Carey's company was sent forward in support. Several volleys were also fired by the two right companies, directed at the battery with evident effect. It was observed that one of the enemy's guns was abandoned by the cannoniers. The action had continued about an hour and a half, when the enemy appeared emerging from behind a wood, which had entirely concealed his movements, and advancing in line of battle directly upon our right flank.

This was promptly reported, and the Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania and Twenty-seventh Indiana regiments were ordered up, and formed on the right of the Second Massachusetts regiment. They opened a fire upon the enemy, but failing to check his rapid advance, which was favored by the ground, they fell back. This exposed the right flank of this regiment to the attack of the enemy's line, and I was obliged to withdraw it, the regiment marching down the hill in good order under a heavy fire from the enemy.

Upon entering one of the cross-streets of the town, I halted the regiment, which formed in line with perfect steadiness and regularity, with a view of making a stand to check the advance of the enemy. Finding, however, that our forces were in full retreat, and the regiment becoming exposed to a fire down the street from a large body of the enemy, the retreat was resumed, and we rapidly withdrew from the town, the men preserving their good order admirably. This regiment was the last to leave the town.

The retreat was continued without a halt to Martinsburgh, a distance of twenty-two miles; was resumed after a short rest, and continued to the Potomac, a distance of twelve miles, making in all a march of thirty-four miles, almost without food or rest, from twelve o'clock M. on the twenty-fourth, to eight o'clock in the evening on the twenty-fifth.

The loss of the regiment on the twenty-fifth was seven killed and twenty-eight wounded, including two commissioned officers, and one hundred and thirty-one missing, besides two commissioned officers. Of the missing many are daily coming in, having been compelled to halt from exhaustion, and afterwards found their way in by different routes. The two commissioned officers wounded, both slightly, were Capt. Mudge and Second-Lieut. Crowninshield. Major Dwight and Assistant-Surgeon Stone are missing.

Very respectfully, your obt. serv't,

After the inglorious idleness to which we seemed destined by the withdrawal of so large a portion of this division to join other and more important corps d'armee, a rapid succession of events has transpired, to chronicle which is an unwelcome and melancholy task, not, however, destitute of compensation in many signal instances of bravery and patriotic devotion.

The first scene in this succession of unwelcome events was the slaughter and destruction of the noble boys and brave officers of the Maryland First. They had been sent from Strasburgh to Front Royal, a small village twelve miles distant, just beyond the Massanutten range, which commences its course just at this point, and upon