Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/537

Rh road toward Winchester, and across, the Opequon, at 3 a. m. Ramseur, on the west bank of the Opequon, with Johnson's and Jackson's cavalry on his right, opposed and delayed this advance. Rodes came up from Stephenson's at 10 o'clock and formed on Ramseur's left, and Gordon, arriving about noon from Bunker Hill, formed on Rodes' left. These dispositions placed Early's army facing in a semi-circle to the south, southeast and east of Winchester, along the Opequon and its Red Bud branch, across and in advance of the Winchester and Berryville road. Wharton was formed to the rear and left of Gordon, extending the line northward across the Martinsburg road, on which he drove back several advances of the enemy's cavalry. The Federal infantry, about midday, made a furious attack all along the line; but its advances were all repulsed, with great slaughter, by the Confederate infantry and artillery. At 1 p. m. Sheridan massed his large body of cavalry and attempted to turn the Confederate left, but this attack was also repulsed. At 4 p. m. this attempt was renewed, and this great force, consisting of two divisions of cavalry backed by a fresh corps of infantry, turned and got in the rear of Early's left, when the whole line gave way and the army retreated, near sundown, some of it in confusion and disorder, but most of it in an orderly way, followed by the enemy's cavalry to Kernstown, where they were gallantly repulsed by Ramseur, who brought up the rear. The Confederates fell back to Newtown, with Gordon in advance, where they encamped about midnight, the enemy having been too roughly handled to follow up with vigor the advantages it had gained, mainly through the efforts of its great cavalry corps, of more than 10,000 well mounted and ably led men, which Early had to corresponding force to meet.

On the 20th, at daylight, Early continued his retreat, falling back through Strasburg to Fisher's hill, and there taking the position he had previously occupied. The brave Maj.-Gen. Robert E. Rodes having been killed at Winchester, Ramseur was put in command of his division, and Brig.-Gen. John Pegram took command of Early's old division, which he had hitherto commanded. Fitz Lee's cavalry retired to Front Royal, and one division of the enemy's cavalry came on to near Strasburg. Early spent the 21st in his works on Fisher's hill, the enemy