Meantime a large force of the Federal army, consisting of the Sixth, Nineteenth, and Crook’s Corps, had concentrated at Harper’s Ferry under General Sheridan. Early had 8,500 infantry fit for duty, nearly 3,000 mounted men, 3 battalions of artillery, and a few pieces of horse-artillery. Sheridan’s force, according to the best information, consisted of 10,000 cavalry, 35,000 infantry, and artillery that greatly outnumbered ours both in men and guns.
On the morning of September 19th, 1864, the enemy began to advance on Ramseur’s position, about a mile and a half from Winchester, on the Berryville road. Nelson’s artillery was posted on Ramseur’s line, covering the approaches as far as practicable; and Lomax, with Jackson’s cavalry and a part of Johnson’s, was on the right, while Fitzhugh Lee was on the left with cavalry. These troops held the enemy’s main force in check until Gordon’s and Rodes’s divisions arrived, a little after 10 A.M. Gordon was placed under cover in rear of a piece of woods. Rodes formed on Gordon’s right, in rear of another piece of woods. We soon discovered very heavy columns, which had been massed under cover, moving to attack Ramseur on the left flank, while another force pressed him in front. Rodes and Gordon were immediately hurled upon the flank of the advancing columns. But Evans’s brigade, of Gordon’s division, on the extreme left of our infantry, was forced back through the woods from behind which it had advanced, by a column which followed to the rear of the woods and within musket range of seven pieces of Braxton’s artillery. Braxton’s guns stood their ground and opened with canister. The fire was so well directed that the column staggered, halted, and commenced falling back. Just then Battle’s brigade moved forward and swept through the woods, driving the enemy before it, while Evans’s brigade was rallied and co-operated. Our advance was resumed, and the enemy’s attacking columns, the Sixth and the Nineteenth Corps, were thrown into great confusion and fled from the field. General Early exclaims:
“It was a grand sight to see this immense body hurled back in utter disorder between my two divisions, numbering very little over 5,000 muskets!”
This affair occurred about 11 A.M., and a splendid victory had been gained. But the enemy had a small corps which had not been engaged, and there remained his heavy force of cavalry. Our lines were now formed across from Abraham’s Creek to Red Bud, and were very attenuated. There were still seen in front a formidable force, and away to the right a division of cavalry massed, with some artillery, overlapping us at least a mile. Late in the afternoon two divisions of the enemy’s cavalry drove in the small force that had been watching on the Martinsburg road; and Crook’s corps, which had not been engaged, advanced at the same time on the north side of the Red Bud and forced back our brigade of infantry and cavalry. A considerable force of cavalry then swept along the Martinsburg road to the skirts of Winchester, thus getting in the rear of our left flank. They were soon driven back by two of Wharton’s brigades, and subsequently another charge of cavalry was also repulsed. But many of the men in the front line, hearing the fire in the rear, and thinking they were flanked and about to be cut off, commenced to fall back. At the same time Crook’s corps advanced against our left, and Evans’s brigade was thrown into line to meet it; but after an obstinate resistance that brigade also retired. The whole front line had now given way, but was rallied and formed behind some old breastworks, and with the aid of artillery the progress of the enemy’s infantry was arrested. Their cavalry afterward succeeded in getting round on our left, producing great confusion, for which there was no remedy.
We now retired through Winchester, a new line was formed, and the hostile advance checked until nightfall. We then retired to Newtown without serious molestation.
This battle had lasted from daylight until dark, and at the close of it we had been forced back two miles, after having repulsed the first attack with great slaughter, and subsequently contested every inch of ground with unsurpassed obstinacy. Our loss was severe for the size of our force, but only a fraction of that ascribed to us by the foe; while his was very heavy.