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337 Series I Volume XLIII-I Serial 90 - Shenandoah Valley Campaign Part I

Page 337 Chapter LV. THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY CAMPAIGN.

ammunition. The line was again ordered forward, and without much opposition kept advancing until arriving at the ground occupied by us the night previous, where I was ordered to camp for the night.

It is but just to mention, before closing this report, the gallant conduct of every officer and man in my command. Please find inclosed a list of casualties during the day's engagement.*

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

W. W. DARNALL,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Eleventh Indiana Volunteers.

Lieutenant B. F. COPELAND,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 2nd Brigadier, 2nd Div., 19th Army Corps.


No. 95. Reports of Colonel Harvey Graham, Twenty-second Iowa Infantry, of operations September 19-22 and October 19.


HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-SECOND IOWA INFANTRY,
Harrisonburg, Va., September 26, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following brief report of the part taken by the Twenty-second Regiment Iowa Volunteers in the late battles of the Opequon, September 19, and Fisher's Hill, Va., September 22, 1864, and the march to this place:

On the morning of September 19 we took up our line of march from Berryville, Va., and reached the vicinity of Winchester, Va., about 10 p. m. [a. m.] Having formed a line of battle we were ordered to charge the enemy strongly posted in a piece of timber immediately in our front. In doing this we were compelled to advance over an open field about half a mile distant from the enemy's lines, and were subjected to a destructive fire of musketry, grape, and canister. Advancing to the crest of the hill a short distance from their line, we were ordered to lie down to protect ourselves from their terrible fire of musketry, grape, and canister, the latter opening on us at short range and doing terrible execution in our ranks. The protection afforded by the ground upon which we were ordered to lie down was very slight, and the right of our regiment advanced to the ravine occupied by the One hundred and fifty-ninth New York. Having remained in this position about half an hour, we were ordered to retreat and fall back to our original position. This withdrawal was made absolutely imperative from the fact that the brigade on our left broke in confusion as soon as we had gained the crest of the hill, and from the destructive enfilading fire from the enemy, who were advancing in that direction of Winchester. Rallying our men the best we could, we advanced with the brigade through the timber in pursuit of the enemy. In this advance we were subjected to a fire of shot and shell, and had many killed and wounded. By night the enemy had been completely routed and driven from the field, and we were ordered to go into camp and rest until morning.

In this engagement officers and men never fought with more valor. It would be invidious to particularize when all did so bravely. If we were

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*Emodied in table, p. 133.

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22 R R-VOL XLIII, PT I


Page 337 Chapter LV. THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY CAMPAIGN.