Brigadier-General Gary to Henry W. Slocum, December 8, 1862
December 8, 1862. Major-General SLocum, Harper’s Ferry:
Your dispatch, detailing result of General Geary’s reconnaissance to Winchester, just received. It is perfectly satisfactory, and the commanding general is much pleased with your success.
Your dispatch of the 6th, transmitting this intelligence, was not received at these headquarters.
Chief of Staff.
Report of Brig. Gen. John W. Geary, U. 8. Army, commanding Second Division.
Hpgrs. SECOND Drvision, TWELFTH ARMY CORPS, Bolivar Heights, Va., December 6, 1862.
COLONEL: In accordance with directions of the evening of December 1, from the commanding general, for me to take the available force of my division and make a reconnaissance ou the following morning in the direction of Winchester, for the purpose of ascertaining the force and location of the enemy in the valley, I started, with about 3,200 infantry from the three brigades, and four guns each from Knap’s, Hampton’s, and McGilvery’s batteries, and about 50 of the First Battalion Maryland Cavalry, at about 6.30 a. m., the troops supplied with one day’s rations in haversacks and five days’ additional in wagons.
We marched by the Harper’s Ferry and Winchester turnpike to Charlestown, which we reached at about 8.30 a. m., coming suddenly upon two companies of the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, who had taken position in vacant houses and in woods about three-fourths of a mile this side of the town. A skirmish here occurred between our advance and this body of the enemy, which latter prosecuted a constant firing for some fifteen minutes, resulting to them in the loss of 4 or 5 wounded and several horses killed, and in their rout. The column was at once pushed on through Charlestown, taking the Berryville road, upon which, from successively assumed positions, we drove another squadton of cavalry to within a mile of Berryville, where we discovered the Seventh and Twelfth Regiments of Virginia Cavalry upon a hill about them in the direction of Winchester. The ground which they occupied being most desirably prominent, I took possession of it by advancing my whole force, and driving them from it. This movement was at once succeeded by the advance of one regiment of infantry and two pieces of artillery, under cover of a skirt of woodland for about 1 mile farther, in the same direction, where I placed them in defensive position, and sent forward my cavalry force about a mile farther on the same road, when they encountered the enemy, the whole of the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, several hundred strong, who charged impetuously upon them. My cavalry retired, pursued by three parallel columns, following closely, the charging regiment cheering vociferously at every step as they advanced, firing upon them, until they came to within about 100 yards of the muzzles of the advanced guns of Knap’s battery, which, in conjunction with the Seventh Ohio Volunteers, opened fire upon them with fine effect, mortally wounding 4, and wounding about 20 others. Those mortally wounded died in the vicinity a short time after. Seven or eight of their horses were killed and mortally wounded, and the whole . party of the enemy was dispersed in the greatest confusion and demoralization.
Being now about dusk, I did not deem it prudent to advance, and ordered a halt, for the double purpose of allowing the men to rest for the night and to gain information of the strength of the enemy before us, regarding whom great uncertainty prevailed. Our troops bivouacked in line of battle upon the site of the skirmish, felling trees as temporary barricades.
On the following morning (Wednesday) rumors were rife that General A. P. Hill was still in the valley, and also that rebel forces were in Millwood. I therefore concluded to thoroughly reconnoiter the country, preparatory to moving my entire force. It was stated by citizens that rebel troops were at Millwood during the night, and also at Newtown, south of Winchester. The bold front assumed by the enemy’s cavalry seemed to corroborate the rumors.
Detaching about 1,000 infantry and four pieces of artillery, and personally taking command of ther * pushed on to Opequon Creek, our passage being occasionally disputed by desultory firing from cavalry secreted in woods. At Opequon we found the camp of General A. P. Hill’s troops, vacated three or four days previously. Hereupon I ordered up the balance of the command, and our whole force again bivouacked in, line of battle, this time upon the rebel Hill’s recent camp ground, _
Early on Thursday morning, 4th instant, we proceeded cautiously in the direction of Winchester, through Ash Hollow, having heavy bodies of flankers on each side of the dense pine woods surrounding it. Detached parties of the enemy’s cavalry posted in it, in fear of being captured, fled precipitately to Winchester. My whole force having gained the rising grounds immediately east of the city, 1 ordered the parking “a wagons and ambulances and the infantry and artillery into order of
A number of persons at this place came to our lines to inform us they had heard that the infantry and artillery of the enemy had evacuated the city on the previous night ; but, deeming the information unreliable, I held them as hostages, and sent the following: message under flag of truce, borne by Dr. A. M. Ball, medical director of the division, accompanied by Capt. R. O. Shannon, assistant adjutant-general of the Second Brigade, and one of his orderlies, to demand the surrender of the place:
To the Hon. Mayor or chief officer of the city of Winchester :
Sir: I am credibly informed by a large number of citizens that your city has been recently evacuated by the military. Unwilling to shed blood or destroy property unnecessarily, I demand an instant and unconditional surrender of the city, pledging you, however, that the persons of non-combatants and private property shail be duly respected. If you decline to accept these terms, I will immediately move upon the city in full force.
I have the honor to be, respectfully, To this I received the following response from Major Myers, of the