The Battle Begins: "I had murder in my heart"

The Battle Begins: "I had murder in my heart". The Second Battle of Winchester (June 13-15, 1863). When Confederate forces approached Winchester late on the morning of June 13, 1863, Confederate Gen. Edward "Allegheny" Johnson's division was marching along the Front Royal Pike (modern-day US-522), just to your right. In front of him were Union troops under Union Col. William Ely, who had been ordered to intercept any Confederate advance on the pike. Ely positioned his force, including two cannon, on the ground around you., The Confederates were led by the famed "Stonewall Brigade," including the 2nd Virginia, which deployed some distance behind you. The Union cannon opened fire, and two Confederate guns under Lt. William Lambie roared back in reply. The Second Battle of Winchester had begun., The opposing cannon exchanged fire from only 400 yards apart, the shells screaming through the air above you. More Confederate guns joined in, overwhelming the Federal artillery and forcing them to withdraw. The southern cannon next turned on the Union foot soldiers. One shell took the head off a Union officer's horse. Another hit the wheel of an ambulance, sending a stretcher bearer sailing 15 feet in the air. As the fire became too intense, Col. Ely ordered his force to pull back., The 2nd Virginia then attacked the 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry, farther west (to your left). The combatants exchanged fire from only 400 feet apart. "How many times I fired... no one will ever know..." a Union soldier recalled. "I had murder in my heart." Despite such determination, the southerners forced the northerners to withdraw., The battle would continue for two more days, climaxing on the morning of June 15 when the Confederates cut off a Union attempt to retreat northeast of the city. Remarkably, many of the same men who clashed here would also take part in that final desperate fighting., (captions) , Confederate Col. J.Q.A. Nadenbousch commander of the 2nd Virginia , Post-war image of Confederate William Lambie. His brother, Edward L. Lambie, fought for the north and commanded a company of U.S. Colored Troops. , Union Col. William Ely Image from Jonathan Noyalas private collection , (map) Johnson's Advance up the Front Royal Road