After Union Major General Nathaniel P. Banks’ retreat north from Strasburg, Virginia on
May 24th, 1862, he arrays his forces from the Department of the Shenandoah, consisting
of perhaps no more than 5,000 men, south of Winchester.
His line stretches for about two and a half miles, from Camp Hill on the southeast edge
of the town, to Bowers Hill, southwest of Winchester.
The confidence his men have in him is reassuring, but Major General Banks still faces a difficult
situation on the morning of May 25th.
Not only is he greatly outnumbered, as Confederate Major General “Stonewall” Jackson can
count on probably close to 16,000 soldiers, but the town of Winchester also lies directly
in the Union rear.
And so, any retreat through the town’s streets would potentially be restricted.
Next, his men are exhausted; for example, two regiments that had been part of the rearguard,
the 2nd Massachusetts and 27th Indiana, had marched upwards of thirty miles on May 24th.
Finally, because so many of his supply wagons have been captured or destroyed by the Confederates,
Banks’ men have little to nothing to eat.
Jackson’s army, which he has renamed the Department of the Valley, begins the opening
actions of the Battle of Winchester at first daylight on May 25th, 1862.
Stonewall Jackson divides his command.
He takes part of his force and advances along the paved Valley Turnpike, while Major General
Richard S. Ewell guides his men on the Front Royal Road to strike the Union left atop Camp
Hill.
Brigadier General Isaac Trimble’s Brigade attacks the Union troops atop Camp Hill first,
advancing through a heavy morning fog to be greeted by rifle fire from Colonel Dudley
Donnelly’s 1st Brigade of Brigadier General Alpheus S. Williams’ First Division.
Troops from Donnelly’s brigade, comprised of the 5th Connecticut, 28th New York, and
46th Pennsylvania, have a clear field of fire against Trimble’s Brigade as it advances
up Camp Hill.
Colonel Trimble’s lead units, the 21st North Carolina and 21st Georgia Infantry Regiments,
whom Trimble refers to in reports as “my two 21sts”, bear the brunt of the destructive
Federal volley fire.
Initially, the 28th New York and 46th Pennsylvania deliver a successive series of well-aimed
rifle volleys into their attackers, but as the two 21sts get closer, the 5th Connecticut,
directly in the path of the attackers, rises up from the ground before delivering a destructive
volley.
The Connecticut men then fix bayonets and surge down the hill and send Trimble’s men
fleeing.
With the North Carolinians and Georgians driven from the field, Trimble is unable to offer
support, as his brigade’s other two regiments, the 15th Alabama and 16th Mississippi, are
not prepared to attack.
Shortly after Union troops drive Trimble’s men from Camp Hill, Stonewall Jackson concludes
that if his forces are to win the battle, they would have to strike the western end
of the Union line situated solidly atop Bowers Hill.
Major General Jackson can see Federal troops moving right to the protection of a low stone
wall, where they would be protected and able to fire into Jackson’s left flank.
Stonewall Jackson knows that Bowers Hill has to be taken if victory is to be secured.
At the moment, Bowers Hill seems impenetrable, with nearly a dozen artillery pieces guarding
the high ground while stone and wooden fences protect Colonel George H. Gordon’s 3rd Brigade
of Williams’ division.
To crack the position, Jackson turns to his old command - the Stonewall Brigade - and
orders them to take the ridge.
Brigadier General Charles S. Winder’s Stonewall Brigade, comprised of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 27th,
and 33rd Virginia Infantry Regiments, steps off towards Bowers Hill in nearly perfect
alignment.
The Stonewall Brigade’s attack goes smoothly until the Confederates begin to climb the
slopes.
As the brigade ascends the hill, a hailstorm of lead and iron from Union artillery and
infantry paralyzes the attackers on the slopes of Bowers Hill.
Stonewall Jackson quickly determines to use a flank attack to break the Union position
- a tactic that will soon become his trademark.
To turn Major General Banks’ right flank, Jackson chooses Brigadier General Richard
Taylor’s Louisiana Brigade.
General Taylor marches his men westward along Abrams’ Creek to a point where it emerges
in a hollow depression.
There, he is joined by two regiments from Brigadier General William B. Taliaferro’s
Brigade, currently commanded by Colonel Samuel V. Fulkerson - the 10th Virginia and 23rd
Virginia.
The Confederate force readies itself for the flank attack, all the while exposed to Union
artillery and musket fire.
As bullets and shells rain down, many Confederate soldiers try their best to avoid being struck.
When Taylor notices some men dodging the fire, he yells profanities at them, condemning their
behavior.
Jackson, who is nearby, hears the cursing, glares in a disapproving manner, and tells
Taylor that he is a wicked fellow.
With artillery support, Taylor’s men surge forward.
The attack commences at approximately 7:30 AM, and quickly gathers momentum.
As Taylor’s men bear down on the Union right flank, General Banks’ cavalry strikes Taylor’s
left; however, Lieutenant Colonel Francis T. Nicholls’ 8th Louisiana Infantry Regiment
repulses the Union horsemen.
The Union soldiers fire, the Federal artillery belches canister, but the Louisianans simply
fill in the gaps and stubbornly press on.
Soon other Confederate soldiers join in the attack, forcing Banks’ soldiers to take
to their heels and flee for safety.
While the rout of Union forces developes on Jackson’s left, Ewell finally breaks the
left end of the Union line on Camp Hill.
By 8:30 AM, Jackson has defeated Banks’ army.
As frightened Union soldiers retreat north through the streets of Winchester, some of
the Confederate townspeople, according to Union accounts, take well-aimed shots at the
fleeing soldiers.
Joining the retreat are some of Winchester’s Union sympathizers who do not want to be subjected
to a Confederate occupation.
On the heels of the withdrawing Union troops are Jackson’s men.
As Confederate soldiers stream through the streets, many joyous townspeople come out
to greet them.
At times, the crowds of people cheering Jackson’s command become so large that Confederate soldiers
have to hold their fire to avoid injuring innocent bystanders.
Although defeated, as Jackson later admits, Banks’ force “preserved their organization
remarkably well.”
At one point, Major General Banks appeals to some of his men to rally and make a stand.
“My God, men, don’t you love your country?” he apparently asks.
“Yes,” one Yankee soldier replies, “and I am trying to get to it as fast as I can.”
The commotion in Winchester also holds up Jackson’s men.
They come upon abandoned wagons from Banks’ supply train.
One Confederate officer later remembered, “We found delicacies of every description,
sutlers’ stores crowded with everything we wanted, and we were unable to pursue the
enemy on account of the fatigued condition of our men…”
The looting of the Federal supply wagons by the Confederates would earn Major General
Banks a new derisive nickname by the Rebels - “Commissary” Banks.
Once the Confederate soldiers push through the throngs in Winchester’s streets, they
pursue Banks’ force to Stephenson’s Depot, north of town.
After reaching Stephenson’s, the pursuit halts.
With his infantry and artillery exhausted and an insufficient cavalry pursuit force,
Jackson loses the opportunity to annihilate Banks.
After the Battle of Winchester ends, Jackson’s army sets up camp five miles north of town.
The remnants of Banks’ force marches twenty-two miles north to Martinsburg.
Although able to escape, Banks loses nearly one third of his force - approximately 2,000
casualties.
He also loses a tremendous amount of military stores with the loss of the supply wagons.
Jackson’s losses are considerably less - approximately 400 casualties.
The casualties inflicted on Banks and the supplies captured are little consolation to
Jackson, who had wanted to destroy Banks’ army.
But it is not meant to be.
Three days after the battle, Jackson receives orders from General Robert E. Lee to move
to Harpers Ferry and give the impression that his army might march into Maryland or attack
Washington, D.C.
When Jackson’s army departs, only one regiment - the 21st Virginia - remains to garrison
Winchester and take care of Union prisoners of war.
Three days later, on May 31st, no Confederates occupy Winchester.
On that day, Jackson withdraws south to prevent being captured in the lower Shenandoah Valley
by two Union forces - Brigadier General James Shields advancing from the east, and Major
General John C. Frémont from the west.
Even though Jackson is unable to decisively crush Banks at Winchester and has to abandon
the town less than one week after taking it, Jackson’s victory at the Battle of Winchester
- which would be the first of three major battles fought in the town - greatly benefits
the Confederates under General Joseph E. Johnston, who are defending Richmond from Major General
George B. McClellan’s push on the Confederate capital via the Virginia Peninsula.
After the Battle of Winchester, President Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton
recall Major General Irvin McDowell’s forces from I Corps, which at the moment is beginning
to move on Richmond via Fredericksburg to link with McClellan, so that it can take position
near Manassas to protect Washington.
The Battle of Winchester achieves tactical as well as strategic objectives.
Jackson’s victory in the lower Valley causes celebration among Confederate troops defending
Richmond.
Four days after the battle at Winchester, General Johnston issues General Orders No.
58 celebrating Jackson’s victories at Front Royal and Winchester.
Jackson’s victories are splendid, but his work is not yet done.
Two Federal armies - under Generals Frémont and Shields - still loom on the horizon.
He would deal with these two forces at Cross Keys and Port Republic in early June, capping
off his near mythical Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862.