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

[107] of the engagement. Yesterday we expected would be a more severe struggle than ever. Many thought the rebels to be in force in their old position, while others were of the opinion that they would make a final stand at or near this place. This, in connection with a desire to present you a list of Ohio and Indiana killed and wounded, has induced me to delay writing till to-day.

Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful. The birds were singing their sweet melodies as if in worship of Him who made the Sabbath, and the soft air that came balmily from the South, reminded us that the summer was well-nigh here. A movement had been ordered that morning. They say that history shows that battles begun on Sunday seldom are successes for the attacking party. Whether this will prove an exception to the general rule, I will not say, but leave the sequel to tell.

A reconnoissance made on Saturday by Gen. Milroy, with the Second, Third, Fifth and Eighth Virginia, and Fifty-fifth and Sixtieth Ohio, clearly revealed the fact that Jackson, after having travelled the pike from Winchester, had suddenly turned to the left in the direction of Port Republic, over a miserably bad road, and with the intention of crossing the river. At this place, twelve miles south-east of Harrisonburgh, was a bridge over the Shenandoah. Other bridges had previously been destroyed, and it seemed pretty clear that he intended to use this. Part of Shields's force, as early as Saturday, had a little fight over the bridge, but could not hold it.

Early in the morning the army was in motion, Col. Cluseret having the advance as usual with his brigade. As long as there was an enemy in our rear, this brigade was there. As soon as one appeared in front, then these boys were at the post of danger there. We passed slowly over the bad roads, feeling our way along, and rather expecting the enemy not far distant. About eleven o'clock our advance discovered the rebels, and immediately sent skirmishers forward. Occasional shells were thrown by the enemy at our troops, who gradually advanced, pressing him before them, and compelling him to take more remote positions. Sherman's battery soon came up and began a well-directed fire. This increased the fire of the enemy, which now became pretty brisk. One of the shells thrown about this time fell only a few feet from Gen. Fremont, who was early upon the ground, taking observations and making dispositions of his forces, which now began to arrive rapidly. The country through here is rolling; woods, generally of oak, from the size of a small sapling to that of a man's body. Occasionally, too, a pine is seen. The ground upon which the battle was fought is a succession of hillocks. In front, and to the west where our troops were formed in line of battle, there are several farms stretching two or three miles from north to south. This belt of cleared land is lowest in the centre, gradually rising as you approach the timber in either direction. Our line was formed upon the high lands to the west, where the farms, distant woods, and gentle hills were spread out before us in full view. To the north, as if standing sentinel and gravely looking down upon the scene transpiring, rose a lofty mountain-peak, its top enveloped in a blue haze, and its steep sides bathed in the sunlight of the beautiful morning. Far off to the east, stretching up and down the Shenandoah, the distant peaks of the Blue Ridge formed a background of indescribable beauty.

General Schenck was assigned the right. His forces were disposed as follows: at his left was the Eighty-second Ohio, Col. Cantwell; next came the Fifty-fifth Ohio, Col. Lee; Seventy-third, Col. Smith; Seventy-fifth, Col. McLean, while the Thirty-second Ohio, Col. Ford, held the extreme right. The centre, under the command of the intrepid Milroy, had the Third Virginia, Lieut.-Col. Thompson commanding, on the left; next the Fifth Virginia, Col. Zeigler, the Second Virginia, Major J. D. Owens commanding; while the Twenty-fifth Ohio, under the command of Lieut.-Col. Richardson, formed the right. Between Milroy's right and Schenck's left lay the Sixtieth Ohio, Col. Trimble, and Eighth Virginia, Col. Loeser, commanded by Col. Cluseret, in addition to the Garibaldi Guards, of Blenker's division. Gen. Stahl's brigade, consisting of the Eighth, Forty-first, and Forty-fifth New-York, and Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania, with the invincible band of Bucktails, that survived the slaught<*>r of Friday, formed the left. Gen. Bohlen's brigade was to support Stahl, while the remainder of Blenker's division was a reserve.

Thus formed, the line was probably a mile and a half in length, and moving down the slope, with the old flag floating from every regiment, was a spectacle too grand for description. Now they begin to ascend, and as they approach the woods, the enemy's batteries pour in their shot and shell. But our boys are not to be daunted. On they go. A battery or two take position in a wheat-field that penetrates the woods in the centre, while battery after battery and regiment after regiment disappear in the thick woods in front, Looking across a little to the right of our centre, a battery dashes along, and a company of horse-men follow it hurriedly across the field. They, too, enter the wood. At the head of that band was Gen. Milroy. He never asks his men to go where he will not go himself. Now the cannonading quickens. Our guns are at work, and the enemy are doing all they can. Milroy presses forward at the head of his men. Johnson's battery passes through the wood and over an intervening field, taking position near a barn. Now we hear musketry. The skirmishers of the enemy are lying along the fence near by. Here Capt. Charlesworth, of the Twenty-fifth Ohio, falls mortally wounded. Johnson has lost four horses, but he still deals out the deadly missiles. Gen. Milroy has his horse disabled by a ball, but he exchanges him for another. In the centre, all goes encouragingly. Hyman's and Ewing's batteries are both at work.

To the right, Gen. Schenck, with his characteristic energy, presses on. De Beck is shelling the