I Gave Them All the Bullets I Had: With the 18th Connecticut at Second Winchester

Writing to his mother ten days after the disaster that had befallen his regiment at Second Winchester, Private George W. Cross of the 18th Connecticut counted himself lucky to have escaped unharmed.

It was early in the morning of June 15, 1863, when the regiment, trying to escape from Winchester to Harper’s Ferry, found itself trapped near Stephenson’s Depot. Ordered to charge by General Robert Milroy, the 18th Connecticut turned off the road, formed into line, and went into the fight. It wasn’t long before the line unraveled and was ordered to disperse.

“Just as we had orders to scatter and save our lives, a horse came running out of the woods between me and the Rebels,” Cross recalled. “I put for him and caught him. About the time I go on his back, the bullets flew around my head like hail and plowed the ground all around me. The Rebels sung out to me, “Halt, you damned Yankee, your retreat is cut off!” I put the butt of my gun around the horse’s legs and off I went as fast as he could carry me. I put for the mountains and Lord knows where I went to for I don’t.”

Private Cross’s account of Second Winchester and his escape into Pennsylvania first saw publication in the July 10, 1863, edition of the Willimantic Journal.

 

Captain Frederick A. Palmer and First Lieutenant John T. Maginnis of Co. E, 18th Connecticut Infantry pose with their swords in an image made at Israel and Co. in Baltimore, Maryland. The image was likely made in late 1862-early 1863 at the regiment was stationed at Fort McHenry from the time it mustered into service in August 1862 until it was sent to Winchester on May 22, 1863. Lieutenant Maginnis would be captured June 15, 1863, at Stephenson's Depot and confined at Macon, Georgia until March 1864. He returned to the regiment only to be killed in action June 5, 1864, at the Battle of Piedmont. Captain Palmer had been discharged for disability just a week earlier. 

Bloody Creek, Pennsylvania

June 25, 1863

Dear mother,

          Today is the first chance I have had to write to you since the Battle of Winchester. I went through the whole fight and did not get wounded. How I escaped from being taken prisoner is more than I can see into. I got into a field once where there were over 3,000 Rebels hid in the bushes and grass. The fight commenced Saturday morning. We whipped them till Sunday afternoon then another force came up in our rear and, in fact, on all sides of us. Our force was only 6,000-7,000 men while the Rebels had about 30,000. We had plenty of forts but no cannons to put in them.

          Sunday night by 6 o’clock the Rebels had captured every fort but one and every cannon but four. From that time up to 10 in the evening the fight was terrible. Their cannons were no further off that Mott’s house from you and the way the shells flew was a caution. At 1 o’clock Monday morning, we spiked the four cannons and retreated towards Harper’s Ferry. We left two baggage wagons filled with tents and knapsacks. We did not try to take them with us so I have lost everything except what I have got on. I shall miss the photograph the most of all.

          We got through the Rebel line and had gone four miles when we were surrounded again in a piece of woods and here we had to fight for life. We would charge on them and drive them some ways then they would drive us. We stood our ground for two or three hours and then scattered in every direction. Some men cut their way through, some were taken prisoner, and others were shot. Captain Bowen was shot. They were carrying him off in a litter when he raised his head up and the Rebels shot him dead.

The 18th Connecticut was marching on the road to Harper's Ferry when they discovered themselves trapped north of Winchester near Stephenson's Depot. In the confused fighting that followed, most of the regiment found itself surrounded and was captured. Private Cross was among the few to escape by jumping on a horse and heading west to the mountains, then heading north to Pennsylvania.
(Map courtesy of American Battlefield Trust)

          We hung together till we lost near all of our officers. I saw Colonel Ely’s horse without a rider. One of our lieutenants was shot and taken prisoner and others were taken prisoner. There are not over a dozen men of Co. C now at headquarters. I am the only one from the Falls; there are a great many more scattered over the mountains. We did not scatter until daybreak. The Rebels had several cannons and poured the grapeshot and shells into us so fast that we could not stand it. When it was dark, they fired over us most every time. When men stand up in front of cannons for two or three hours (which are not more than 6 rods off), you may be sure that they are fighting for their lives.

 

“We went about four miles and our skirmishers began to fire. We drew up in line and gave them a volley. They had a battery but we had none with us. We fought three hours when General [Robert] Milroy gave the command to charge and take the battery. We started and as soon as we got by, Milroy ran away. We did not take the battery for they had it across a bridge. We went up that time just to give General Milroy a chance to escape. When we retreated out of the woods, the Rebels were coming in on all side so Colonel Ely had to surrender. He felt so bad, the tears rolled down his cheeks. We stacked our guns, took off our belts, and marched to the fort.” ~Private Jonathan S. Colburn, Co. H, 18th Connecticut 


Just as we had orders to scatter and save our lives, a horse came running out of the woods between me and the Rebels. I put for him and caught him. About the time I go on his back, the bullets flew around my head like hail and plowed the ground all around me. The Rebels sung out to me, “Halt, you damned Yankee, your retreat is cut off!” I put the butt of my gun around the horse’s legs and off I went as fast as he could carry me.

Colonel William G. Ely
18th Connecticut

I put for the mountains and Lord knows where I went to for I don’t. I tried to go northwest but all I had to guide me was the sun. I knew the Rebels were in Martinsburg so I thought I would put up into Pennsylvania. I came out at Bath on the Potomac. Just as I had got over the river, what should I see but the Rebels coming into the town? So I put back over the river again and went up the river as fast as the horse would go. At St. John’s, I met a train of cars just going out, so I jumped off the horse and got into the cars and rode up to Cumberland, Pennsylvania. When I got there, I found several of the 18th Connecticut. I was so tired I could barely stand up.

If you had seen me when on horse you would have smiled. I wore the seats of my pants and drawers through. We went from Cumberland to New Creek and from there we struck off through the mountains to Bedford, Pennsylvania. We walked about 40 miles and brought up within four miles of Cumberland again. This about discouraged us. We jumped into an empty car and rode about 8 miles and now we are at Bloody Creek, about 8 miles from Bedford. About 100 men from my regiment are here.

I hope when we go into another fight we will have a chance to pay the Rebels up. I gave them all the bullets I had. Seven of us fired a Rebel officer on horseback and killed him. Which of us hit him is hard to say. For the last week I have not had anything to eat, only what I have begged from folks.

To learn more about the three-days fighting at Second Winchester, please check out these posts:

Disaster at Second Winchester with the 122nd Ohio

Three Hard Days in June: The 110th Ohio at Second Winchester

Sources:

Letter from Private George W. Cross, Co. C, 18th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, Willimantic Journal (Connecticut), July 10, 1863, pg. 1

Letter from Private Jonathan S. Colburn, Co. H, 18th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, Willimantic Journal (Connecticut), August 14, 1863, pg. 1


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