P. Daum to NATHAN KIMBALL, Acting Brigadier-General, March 26, 1862

March 26, 1862.

Shields’ Division, Strasburg, Va., March 26, 1862.

On Saturday, March 22, about 4p. m., the enemy made an attack upon our forces near Winchester and on the turnpike leading to Stras. burg. Battery H, First Regiment Ohio Volunteer Artillery, Capt. J. F,. Huntington, was promptly placed in position, and opened fire upon the enemy, when they immediately retreated.

Sunday morning, 23d, about 9 o’clock, the enemy opened fire upon our advance guard. I ordered Captain Jenks to advance four rifled guns of his battery, and placed them in position on a hill commanding the enemy’s batteries and the village of Kernstown. He opened an effective fire upon them. I immediately ordered Captain Clark’s battery to take position on the left of Jenks’ battery and upon the same hill. Both batteries kept up an effective fire until the enemy was compelled to change the position of his batteries.

The enemy then attempted to flank our right wing, which they endeavored to do with a column of about 3,000 men, but a very effective salvo from Daum’s battery (Captain Jenks) scattered their force, and made them seek cover in the adjoining woods. By this time the enemy had succeeded in placing a battery upon a hill to the right of the one occupied by our batteries, and opened a hot and well-directed fire upon us, which was promptly responded to by Clark’s and Jenks’ batteries. By this time I had placed Captain Robinson’s Ohio battery in a position about 500 yards to the right of Captain Jenks, to cover our right wing from any charge which might be made upon it from the opposite woods, 1,500 yards distant, which was occupied by the enemy. I placed one section of Battery B, First Virginia Artillery, upon our left wing to support Colonel Sullivan. This section did good service. Toward evening, when our forces charged upon the left wing of the enemy, I placed Captain Robinson’s battery in such a position as to support the brigade which was to make the charge or cover its retreat if necessary. Our forces having engaged the enemy upon their left wing, I ordered the batteries of Captains Clark, Jenks, and Robinson to cease firing.

The enemy’s battery having been taken, I placed Captain Robinson’s battery in the position which the enemy had occupied. The batteries commanded by Captains Jenks and Clark having Parrott guns, and being placed in a very commanding position, did excellent execution. The Ohio batteries, commanded by Major Israel, on account of the inferiority of their guns, could not be used to good advantage. Captain Huntington’s battery was kept in the rear as a reserve.

The loss sustained by the different batteries is as follows: Captain Clark’s battery, E, Fourth Regiment, U. 8S. Army, Private Bartley Kelley killed and 3 horses disabled; Captain Jenks’ battery, A, First Virginia Artillery, Private Charles Schneider killed and 10 horses disabled ; Captain Robinson’s battery, L, First Ohio Volunteer Artillery, Private Brown killed, Private wounded and missing; on the 22d, Captain Huntington’s battery, H, First Ohio Volunteer Artillery, Privite Jacob Yeager killed and 2 horses disabled.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Tieutenant-Oolonel, Chief of Artillery, Shields’ Division.
Col. NATHAN KIMBALL, Acting Brigadier-General.
360 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., AND MD. ([!Har. XXIV.
No. 12.
Reports of Ool. Nathan Kimball, Fourteenth Indiana Infantry, commanding First Brigade.*