Numbers 12. Reports of Colonel Nathan Kimball, Fourteenth Indiana Infantry, commanding First Brigade.*

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, SHIELD'S DIVISION,
Camp near Strasburg, Va., March 26, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the battle which was fourth near Winchester, Va., on Sunday, the 23rd instant, between the forces composing the division which I had the honor to command and the rebel forces under General Jackson:

Early ion the morning of the 23rd the enemy commenced the attack, advancing from Kernstown and occupying a position with their batteries ion the heights to the right of the road and the woods in the plain to the left of the road with cavalry and infantry and one battery. I at once advanced the Eight Ohio, Colonel Carroll with four companies taking the left and Lieutenant-Colonel Sawyer there companies the right of the turnpike road. Colonel Carroll advanced steadily, coming up with two companies of the Sixty-seventh Ohio, who had been out as pickets. Uniting them with his command, he drove one of the enemy's batteries which had opened a heavy fire upon him, and after a sharp skirmish routing fire companies of the enemy, which were posted behind a stone wall and supported by cavalry, holding his position during the whole day, thus frustrating the attempts of the enemy to turn our left.

The right of the Eighth Ohio remained in front until about 4 o'clock p. m., when they were recalled to support one of our batteries on the heights. The Sixty-seventh Ohio were thrown on a hill to our right to support Jenk's battery, which had been advanced to a position commanding the village of Kernstown and the wood on the right. The Fourteenth Indiana was sent forward to support Clark's battery, which advanced along the road. The Eight-fourth Pennsylvania was thrown over the hills to the right to prevent a flank movement of the enemy.

The Second Brigade, commanded by Colonel Sullivan, Thirteenth Indiana, composed of the Thirteenth Indiana, Fifth Ohio, Sixty-second Ohio, and Thirty-ninth Illinois, was sent to the left, supporting Carroll's skirmishers, a section of Daum's battery, and Robinson's First Ohio Battery, [L], and prevent and attempt which was made to turn that flank. We had succeeded in driving the enemy from both flanks and the front until about 4 o'clock p. m., when Jackson, with the whole of his infantry, supported by artillery and cavalry, took possession of the hill on the right, and planted his batteries in commanding position, and opened a heavy and well directed fire upon our batteries and their support, attracting our attention whilst he attempted to again our right flank with his infantry.

At this juncture I ordered the Third Brigade, Colonel E. B. Tyler, Seventh Ohio, Commanding, composed of the Seventh and Twenty-ninth Ohio, First Virginia, Seventh Indiana, and One hundred and tenth Pennsylvania, to move to the right to gain the flank of the enemy, and charge them through wood to their batteries posted on the hill. They moved forward steadily and gallantry, opening a galling fire on the enemy's infantry. The right wing of the Eighth Ohio, the Fourteenth and Thirteenth Indiana Regiments, Sixty-seventh Ohio, Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania, and Fifth Ohio, were sent forward to support Tyler's brigade,

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* See note, p, 334.

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