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battery, when he fell back after a slight skirmish. General Elliott, on the Strasburg road, advanced a little further, and was halted by observing the enemy in force on his left; that is, on the Front Royal road. Here some cannon balls were exchanged, when the Union forces fell back to Apple-Pie Ridge, next to the city. Skirmishing continued throughout the balance of the day until dark, when a prisoner was taken who rather astonished General Milroy by the information that he belonged to Ewell'sformerly Stonewall Jackson's corps.

On this same day (Saturday, 13th) "General Ewell, who had left Culpeper on Wednesday, June 10th, marched with Early's and Johnson's divisions directly upon Winchester, while he sent his remaining division, Rodes', to Berryville. Owing to the timely warning Colonel McReynolds had received, his brigade had gotten off in time, his rear being covered by Alexander's battery and the Sixth Maryland cavalry. These detained the enemy two hours, and then caught up with the main body. Jenkins' cavalry came upon the retreating force at Opequan Creek, where he made an attack, which was promptly repulsed by the artillery with canister. After this there was no further molestation, and McReynolds' command reached Winchester at 10:00 P. M. after a march of thirty miles. Rodes' division, after taking Berryville, kept on toward Martinsburg, and bivouacked at a place called Summit Point." Doubleday.

General Milroy's course obviously should have been to fall back to Harper's Ferry at once, when he found himself so pressed by the enemy. But he was confronted by this difficulty: McReynolds' brigade, which had just

arrived, was so much exhausted by its long march of that day that it could go no further that night. To move without it would be to sacrifice it. This Milroy was unwilling to do. Besides, he still hoped that Hooker's army was following up Lee, and would come to his relief.

Sunday, June 14. On this day General Hooker moved his head-quarters from Falmouth, and started northward, encamping that night at Dumfries. General Reynolds was put in command of the left wing of the army, which consisted of the First, Third, and Eleventh corps. General Hooker himself accompanied the right wing, which consisted of the Second, Fifth, Sixth, and Twelfth corps. The movements this day were as follows: the First and Third corps marched from Bealeton to Manassas Junction; the Fifth Corps arrived at Morrisville and proceeded thence via Bristersburg to Catlett's Station; Wright's (first) and Newton's (third) divisions of the Sixth Corps, moved from Potomac Creek to Stafford Court - House; the Eleventh Corps from Catlett's Station to Manassas Junction, and thence toward Centreville; the Twelfth Corps reached Dumfries, and the Artillery Reserve moved from Stafford Court - House to Wolf Run Shoals.

During the early part of this day, an ominous silence prevailed about Winchester. The Confederates were pushing forward and working around so as to cut off the retreat of the Federal troops. Early in the morning Milroy sent out a reconnoitering force to ascertain if the enemy had established themselves on the Pughtown or Romney roads. The party returned about 2 o'clock P. M. and reported the roads clear, but soon after the Confederates came in great force from that direction. This completely cut off escape.

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by that route. At 4 o'clock P. M. a charge was made up the Front Royal road to the edge of the town, but the enemy were repulsed. Milroy then ordered a counter charge, which revealed the Confederates in great force just out of range of his works. Shortly after this, fire was opened from two eight-gun batteries on the northwest, scarcely a mile from the town; while at the same time the infantry swept up to and over the Federal breastworks, disregarding the fire of their guns, driving out the 110th Ohio regiment under Colonel Keifer with heavy loss and planting their colors in the defenses. This attack was made by Early's division,-Johnson operating on the eastern side of the town. The garrison retreated successfully, under cover of the guns from the main works above, which were held by Elliott's and McReynolds' brigades. An artillery duel ensued, which was kept up without any marked results until 8 o'clock in the evening.

When night closed upon the scene of this day's eventful struggle, General Johnson, leaving one brigade to cut off Milroy's escape toward the east, went off with the remainder of his division to form across the Martinsburg pike, about three miles north of Winchester, to intercept him in that direction.

General Milroy, at this juncture, found himself to be in a perilous position, and shortly after midnight held a council to decide upon what course to pursue. His cannon ammunition was nearly exhausted, and he had but one day's rations for his men. The foe in overwhelming numbers pressed upon him at every side, and all further attempts to hold his position were abandoned. It was resolved to leave the wagon - train and artillery, and attempt to force

their way out through the hostile lines that night. His guns were accordingly spiked and the ammunition thrown into cisterns. Leaving behind him his sick and wounded, at 1 o'clock A. M., he silently moved out through a ravine, and was not molested until he reached the road leading to Martinsburg, about four miles from the town. At this point the enemy were met in force, barring all retreat in that direction. But one thing could be done,— make an effort to break through this line. For over one hour, amidst the darkness of the night, the heroic defenders of the Union engaged in a desperate encounter with the overwhelming numbers of the foe, who were strongly posted, but could not succeed in forcing their line. To add to their seemingly hopeless condition, a signal gun fired at Winchester, showed that the enemy there were aware of their flight, and were in pursuit. At this critical juncture General Milroy determined to try another expedient: he ordered his troops to fall back a short distance and turn to the right. In the darkness and confusion some misunderstanding occurred, and some of the men escaped in the way directed, while the greater number filed to the left and took the road to Bath. It was impossible to reunite the two columns, and that portion which took to the east, and were not pursued, reached Harper's Ferry by way of Smithfield late in the afternoon. Those who moved westwardly on the Bath road, also made good their escape, and crossed the Potomac at Hancock, rallying at Bloody Run. General Milroy claims that about five thousand of his command reported at the two places, and that the two thousand paroled by General Early consisted principally of the sick and wounded. General Lee claims as the

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capture from Milroy over four thousand prisoners, twentynine guns, two hundred and seventy-seven wagons, and four hundred horses.

The disaster to General Milroy's command was a severe one to the national cause. The General himself was a good soldier, and can hardly be blamed for his mishap. He relied upon his department commander and the authorities at Washington, to inform him of the approach of the enemy in overwhelming force. The latest moment that a communication from either could have reached him, was on Saturday evening, the 13th, when the telegraph wires were cut by the enemy. And as Ewell's corps only left Culpeper for the valley on Wednesday, the 10th, it may be that his moving in that direction was not known in Washington in time to inform Milroy of his approach. If the fact of his going in that direction was known there at any time up to Saturday evening, then the fault was in not forwarding at once this information, and withdrawing him from his perilous position.* General Milroy evidently held on one day too long. Had he fallen back to the Potomac on Saturday night, instead of delaying until Sunday night, he might have escaped with comparatively little loss. But he was deterred from doing this by his

*Captain James H. Stephenson, in an article found in "Annals of the War," pages 634-641, entitled "The First Cavalry," relates the following: "When Milroy found he was surrounded by Lee's army, he sent for a bold officer and fifty men to carry a despatch to Martinsburg, and Major Boyd was detailed with his old company. They knew every cow-path in the valley, and succeeded in flanking the rebel force then between Winchester and Martinsburg, and sent the first intelligence to Baltimore and Washington that Lee's army was at Winchester. That night a despatch arrived at Martinsburg for Milroy, and three men of Boyd's company volunteered to take it through. Their names were Oliver Lumphries, John V. Harvey, and George J. Pitman, all sergeants. After several hair-breadth escapes, they arrived in the beleagured town at midnight, and Milroy called a council of war." The