Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/373

 and five guns were captured. Our loss in killed and wounded was about 3,000. The Twenty-fourth did as good service as any regiment on the field and none contributed more to stay the panic early in the day and turn that disaster into a sweeping victory. It lost seventy-four men, only three of whom were captured. Among the killed were Captain J. R. Gould and Lieutenant S. S. Dillman, while Adjutant D. W. Camp and Lieutenants Edgington and Williams were wounded. Immediately after the battle General Early rallied his retreating army at Fisher’s Hill, a strong position just beyond Strasburg, his line extending across the valley, while his right and left rested on mountains. On the 22d, General Sheridan drew up his men in line of battle before the Confederate army and made his preparations for attack. It was a short but brilliant action as the Union army moved to the assault and swept everything before it. One thousand two hundred prisoners and sixteen cannon were captured. The Twenty-fourth went into battle in support of a Maine battery and took part in the final charge on the enemy’s lines, joining in the pursuit during which Captain McKinley was severely wounded.

The army took up a position on Cedar Creek and proceeded to fortify its lines on the left and center. General Early, having been heavily reënforced, determined to risk another battle. General Sheridan was absent in Winchester on the 19th of October when the attack was made. It was a complete surprise of the Union army as no one suspected the presence of an enemy in the vicinity. Starting early in the evening of the 18th the Confederate army in two columns, made its way over six miles of rough ground on the mountain sides. For a long distance the enemy made its silent march close to General Crook’s line, but so stealthy was the midnight movement that no alarm was given. An hour before daylight all of the divisions of Early’s army had reached the places assigned them. The command was given and a tremendous