Strasburg, 20 miles
south of Winchester, Va., March 30th, 1862
My Dear Daughter:
I wrote you last from
Winchester, after I had been put in command of a
division (three brigades) of troops and was on the
point of marching eastward across the Shenandoah. One
of my brigades left on Friday, the 21st, and the
other two and myself on Saturday, the 22nd. We
reached the Shenandoah with our long trains Saturday
night, and the head of the column, including one
brigade and train and part of another brigade, had
passed, when the pontoon bridge gave way. It took
nearly all day to repair it. In the meantime I had
received information that the enemy had returned in
considerable force to Winchester and were threatening
an attack. Gen. Shields was there with his division.
I halted my brigade, which was still on this side,
and sent it back to Berryville to be ready to
reinforce Gen. Shields.
In the meantime, the
river was rising and the bridge bid fair to go away
altogether, leaving my command on two sides. I stood
by the bridge to watch its safety, expecting to cross
the other brigade the next day. At daylight in the
morning, however, a messenger brought the. word that
there had been a fight before Winchester, that Gen.
Bank; had left for Washington the same day, and that
Gen. Shields had been wounded in a skirmish the day
before. I was much wanted. I mounted my horse and
with a small escort of cavalry set out in hot haste
for Winchester. My 1st Brigade was already on the
march for the same place. On reaching Winchester I
found that Gen. Banks had returned and assumed
command and was then following up the retreating
enemy. I stayed long enough to order my brigade to
follow, and to feed myself and horse, and started for
the front.
I overtook Gen. Banks
seven or eight miles out. The enemy was in sight,
with a strong rear guard of infantry, cavalry, and
artillery, but retiring from one strong position to
another. We followed them all day till near sundown.
At their last stand a battery from my brigade was
brought up and they were driven helter-skelter from
their position, leaving behind several killed and
wounded, with tents, etc. The troops of Gen. Shields'
division had been engaged in battle the day before
and had marched fifteen to twenty miles after a
night-watch on the battlefield. My brigade (the old
third that I commanded for so many months, now
commanded by Col. Donnelly, senior colonel) had
marched thirty-six miles since the preceding evening
and with but two hours' rest.
We could follow no
farther, so the whole command bivouacked on the
field, many a poor fellow supperless. My wagons were
thirty miles away with no order to follow, for I did
not expect to follow so far, but I found comfortable
lodgement in a farmhouse and sufficient to eat. I do
not give you any description of the battle or the
battlefield, where at least four to five hundred lay
dead, nor of the wounded which filled the houses of
Winchester and all the little villages on our march
this side. You will see pictures enough, often
greatly exaggerated, in the newspapers. We came and
occupied this place and five miles in advance on
Tuesday last and are waiting certain events for
future operations. Two of my brigades are now here.
The third is over the Shenandoah. Which way we go
next is not decided, but I think you'd better direct
to me, "Comdg. 1st Division 5th Army Corps
(Banks), Winchester."