hat the left of
the skirmishers, at least, should rest upon the river, Grover
shortened his front by moving forward Foster with the 128th and
Lewis with the 176th New York to drive in the enemy's skirmishers
opposite, and to occupy the ground that they had been holding.
This was handsomely done under cover of a brisk shelling from Taft's
and Bradbury's guns. As on the rest of the line, the whole front
of the corps was covered as usual by hasty entrenchments. In the
afternoon Ricketts moved far to the right, and seized a wooded
knoll commanding Ramseur's position on Fisher's Hill. In preparation
for the attack Sheridan gave Emory the ground on the left of the
railway, and Wright that beyond it, and Molineux moved forward to
lead the advance of Grover. The sun was low when the noise of
battle was heard far away on the right. This was Crook, sweeping
everything before him as he charged suddenly out of the forest full
upon the left flank and rear of Lomax and Ramseur, taking the whole
Confederate line completely in reverse. The surprise was absolute.
Instantly Wright and Emory took up the movement, and, inspired by
the presence and the impetuous commands of Sheridan, descended
rapidly the steep and broken sides of the ravine, at the bottom of
which lies Tumbling Run, and then rather scrambling than charging
up the rocky and almost inaccessible sides of Fisher's Hill, swarmed
over the strong entrenchments, line after line, and planting their
colors upon the parapets, saw the whole army of Early in disorderly
flight. Foremost to mount the parapet was Entwistle with his
company of the 176th New York. To them the good fortune fell of
being the first to lay hands on four pieces of artillery in battery,
abandoned in the panic caused by the appearance of Crook, but almost
at the same instant Wilson, gallantly leading the 28th Iowa, planted
the colors of his regiment on the works. That nothing might be
wanting to the completeness of the victory, the Confederates, who,
until that moment had felt their position so secure that they had
even taken the ammunition boxes from the caissons, abandoned sixteen
pieces of artillery where they stood. Early was unable to arrest
the retreat of his army until he found himself near Edenburg, four
miles beyond Woodstock.

Sheridan's loss in this battle was 52 killed, 457 wounded, 19
missing, in all, 528. Of this the Sixth Corps suffered nearly
half, namely, 27 killed, 208 wounded, 3 mis