"...the mayor and council met us and surrendered the city of Winchester, asking protection to private property. We then marched most of the regiments through the town. Many of the people hailed our entrance by waving handkerchiefs and some by showing the Star Spangled Banner."

    The easy capture of Winchester bode well for the Union whose forces made their triumphal entry on March 12, 1862. No one would have predicted that Winchester would exchange hands 54 time in the course of the war.

Winchester, Mar. 13th, 1862.

"Dear Daughter:

      My I have merely time to say that we are in Winchester. I left Bunker Hill day before yesterday, my brigade in advance. I skirmished all the day with my light troops and occasionally shelling the woods with six pieces of artillery, which I held in advance. I have since learned that we killed several of the Rebels. I had but one man wounded. We encamped at night within five miles of this place, the Rebels with their artillery in full view of us. Several earthworks were observable, and we looked forward for a great battle in the morning. My whole brigade was under arms at 4 o'clock yesterday and at daylight we moved for ward, four regiments in advance with nearly 800 skirmishers leading, covering the hills in a line for nearly three miles. The morning was beautifully spring-like and the sky as clear as crystal. We moved with great caution, as all the hills showed entrenchments. It was an exciting sight as our long line of skirmishers moved forward and mounted in a long row of single men towards the batteries, looking in the distance like a swarm of ants crawling up the hillsides.

      We watched with our glasses as they reached the works, and observed several persons advance from them in front as they approached. Presently we saw them all going to the rear and our front line of videttes pouring over the line of entrenchments without opposition. Soon the large fort came in sight and the left line of skirmishers approached and halted and sent back word that the fort was in front and apparently occupied. They were ordered to "feel" them cautiously, and forward went the whole line, and soon we saw them tumbling over the parapets and the bayonets brightly glaring in the morning sun.

      We knew then that the town was ours, and gathering up the whole command, ten regiments, two batteries (ten guns), and four companies of cavalry, we advanced on the town en masse, myself and Gen. Hamilton, who just ranks me, riding in advance. As we reached the out skirts the mayor and council met us and surrendered the city of Winchester, asking protection to private property. We then marched most of the regiments through the town. Many of the people hailed our entrance by waving handkerchiefs and some by showing the Star Spangled Banner. It is nearly a year since it has been shown in Winchester."

      On March 23, 1862 the rebel forces under Stonewall Jackson struck at the Union forces under the command of Gen. Shields at Winchester. It resulted in Jackson's first and only defeat in the Shenandoah. After the battle his forces retired up the Shenandoah harrying the Federal advance with its calvary rearguard. Williams and his division next occupied and fortified the strategic town of Strasburg at the north end of Massanutten Mountain.

"Show of Force" -- Union troops enter Winchester (Kernstown) on March 12, 1862 by Lowell Boileau based on drawing by unknown artist.

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