spot referred to by the rebel
historian, Pollard, when he says, 'Early's artillery was fought to the
muzzle of the guns.' Mackenzie gave the order to move by the left
flank and a start was made, but there was no enduring such a fire, and
the men ran back and lay down. Another attempt was soon made, and
after passing a large oak tree a sheltered position was secured. The
next move was directly into the enemy's breastwork. They had just
been driven from it by a cavalry charge from the right, and were in
full retreat through the streets of Winchester, and some of their
abandoned artillery which had done us so much damage stood yet in
position, hissing hot with action, with their miserable rac-a-bone
horses attached. The brigade, numbering less than half the muskets it
had in the morning, was now got into shape, and after marching to a
field in the eastern edge of the city, bivouacked for the night, while
the pursuit rolled miles away up the valley pike." Night alone, wrote
General Wesley Merritt, saved Early's army from capture.

To the losses of the day the Second Connecticut contributed forty-two
killed and one hundred and eight wounded, the proportion of officers
being very large.

Unlike their previous severe engagement at Cold Harbor, the regiment
had the thrilling consciousness of complete victory to hearten them
after this battle, and, later, when the full history of the day was
learned, the realization that they had played a part of no little
importance in attaining it.

The moment when they were brought into action was a critical one.
General Sheridan, in his report summing up the operations of the
campaign, said: "At Winchester for a moment the contest was uncertain,
but the gallant attack of General Upton's brigade of the Sixth Corps
restored the line of battle," and of this brigade the Second
Connecticut formed fully half. Upton's report gave high praise to
Colonel Mackenzie, and said: "His regiment on the right initiated
nearly every movement of the division, and behaved with great
steadiness and gallantry."

The victory itself, with the sequel which followed so promptly three
days later, had an importance far beyond its purely military value,
through its marked effects upon public sentiment throughout the
country; it brought to one side jubilant satisfaction, and gave a
corresponding depression to the other, and it elevated Sheridan at
once to that high place in popular affection which he always
afterw