Summary:
Union Major R. Morris Copeland reports to Brigadier General James Shields on an
engagement in the Valley during the early spring of 1862. Copeland speculates
that in the wake of the battle, probably Kernstown, the Confederate forces
retired to Staunton.
HDQRS. FIFTH ARMY CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Strasburg,
Brig. Gen. JAMES SHIELDS,
Commanding Division.
March 26, 1862.
SIR:
In reply to your communication of to-day I would say that after receiving your orders on the 23rd instant to visit the scene of action and report, I went at once. On my arrival I found we had on our left wing a battery and one of two regiments. The center and right wing were composed of three batteries and about five regiments of infantry, with a considerable force of cavalry. A high and commanding position on our right was occupied by the enemy at about 3 o'clock p.m. and a severe fire opened on our center, which compelled the withdrawal of a portion of our force into a more secure position.
At about 3.30 p.m. Col. Tyler was ordered to attack the enemy's new position on our right and to take their battery. He moved immediately forward with three or four regiments, a battery, and about 400 left wing. In about half an hour after Col. Tyler's movements his skirmishers exchanged shots with the enemy, who were posted behind high stone walls, a rocky hill, and some woods a quarter of a mile in front of his battery. The enemy reserved his fire until our line was very near. They then arose and poured in a very heavy volley. The suddenness and strength of their fire caused our lines to falter, and the extreme left, composed mainly of the One hundred and tenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, broke and ran. The rest of the line soon rallied and maintained a steady fight (falling back on the right and advancing on the left) for at least half an hour, when two regiments came to their assistance up the left flank and through a very severe fire. They advanced steadily, and soon gained a position from which they could flank the enemy, delivering their fire. When they received this new fire the enemy fell back rapidly, but still fighting, to the woods nearest to the hill, from which the battery had been in the mean time withdrawn.
Having in vain attempted to rally the One hundred and tenth Pennsylvania Volunteers (which, with such company officers, as I could see, was in a shameful rout), I joined the advance on the first field which the enemy had held, where there were many dead and wounded. I questioned such as could answer, and learned that Jackson was present with about 6,000 men, having arrived with the largest part of his command at 3 p.m. He had posted about 3,000 in the first field, and had reserved 3,000 more in position behind the offensive battery and in the woods half a mile to the front. Before communicating this to Col. Tyler I took the liberty of ordering the cavalry to advance by a side road toward the near of the enemy's reserve, and then communicated to Col. Tyler, who was advancing his force so as to support Cols. Kimball's and Sullivan's forces, which were nearest the enemy, and moved slowly forward.
The enemy now opened on our line with a heavier fire than before. We maintained our position from the first, and soon drove them in utter confusion down the hill, but the near approach of night forbade farther pursuit, and a halt was ordered. Our troops commenced preparations for bivouacking and for removing our dead. I rode over the field and saw that the enemy could not have lost less than 100 killed and 200 wounded, and judged that our loss was about the same. The wounds of the enemy seemed generally more severe than ours. The cavalry came around the hill at a very good time, and captured about 150 prisoners. On the side of the woods in the rear of the enemy's battery there were one cannon and two overturned caissons. There were large numbers of muskets strewed about in the different fields, which I ordered to be stacked for future removal. Also the enemy seemed to have in many cases thrown aside their equipments to expedite their flight.
As there seemed no further reason to expect attack, I returned to the city and reported myself to your headquarters. I afterward learned that the enemy had twenty-eight pieces of artillery in reserve at Kernstown, which were removed as soon as the day seemed to be unfavorable. The report amongst the people along the road is that Jackson carried back 1,000 less than what went to Winchester.
In regard to the enemy at present, I believe he is near Staunton. Ashby and a considerable amount of cavalry, with two pieces of artillery, are about 3 miles from here. The infantry, it is believed, are entirely worn-out and demoralized, but are too far for us to overtake.
I am, general, with much respect, your most obedient servant,
R. MORRIS COPELAND,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen. and Maj. Volunteers.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 12, Serial No. 15, Pages 347-348, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
