A GLORIOUS VICTORY.

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flank down to the foot of the mountain, filed over the stone bridge, and marched up the pike through the gorge to the eminence in rear of the heights just held by Early's army.

We had captured more than one-third of all his cannon, besides a large quantity of other arms and material of war.

It was in Sheridan's plan to capture the Rebel army entire ; and, had the movement of our cavalry up the Luray valley been successful, so as to reach the valley at Newmarket ahead of Early, the object would doubtless have been accomplished.

The following order was sent by Secretary Stanton to the commander of every army-corps in the country: "On receipt of this order you will cause a national salute of one hundred guns to be fired in honor of the great victory achieved by Major-Gen. Sheridan, and the United States forces under his command, over the Rebel forces under Gen. Early, on the 22d instant, at Fisher's Hill."

The following is one of Early's characteristic comments: "If Sheridan had not had subordinates of more ability and energy than himself, I should probably have had to write a different history of my Valley campaign."

Can any veteran of the Fourteenth forget the performance which directly followed Fisher's Hill? For an hour after the heights were carried, there was a lull and a rest; although the troops were all the while slowly moving beyond the heights, massing, and waiting for the next move. Never was an army happier. It was the glad re-action from a terrible strain. The whole army was, for an hour, a mighty pack of well-disciplined boys. Ranks were kept, and perfect order preserved; but the boys did shout and yell and strain their throats as soldiers can when each man tries to outdo his neighbor. Every regiment cheered every other regiment that it passed. They roared and bellowed and whooped; and every man of us was away inside the truth when he declared, that he "never yelled so in all his life."

No yawning battle-field graves that night for the Fourteenth Regiment. Not one of our beloved stark and cold, or maimed and dying, and but two wounded; though many had fallen in

other battalions. Yet a great victory was gained, and the army was once more to pursue a beaten foe. It was dark when orders came for the first brigade of Grover's division to take the advance, and chase the enemy all night without giving him time

to rest.

Early declares that "vigorous pursuit was not made;" but the Fourteenth, which was in the very front all that night, would like to have Early give an apple-jack definition of “vigor

." The Rebel general manifested a good deal of vigor in running, and was obliged to burn many of his wagons to keep them from falling into our hands, and then he failed.

Under ordinary circumstances the men would have considered this forced, all-night march as a rough infliction; but never did soldiers set out upon arduous service with more alacrity.

After the first two hours the prevailing hilarity settled down into quiet merriment; and the Fourteenth led the pursuing column at a good smart pace, singing, whistling, and bantering jokes at the expense of the flying Johnnies. The Eighth Corps was well to the rear, having been obliged to march back to Strasburg for their knapsacks.

A little after midnight, as the column was marching down a hill into a hollow, through which and across the pike ran a good-sized stream, and beyond which rose the corresponding hill, suddenly a stream of fire a quarter of a mile long flashed along the opposite hillside, and the rattle of musketry followed. The bullets flew thick about us. The writer cocked his rifle, backed up the hill a couple of rods, and lay down. All was confusion. The Fourteenth behaved well, simply recoiling, not retreating at all, nor firing, save in a few instances, but waiting for orders. It was pitch dark, and no one could determine the strength of the demonstration.

A regiment in the rear of the Fourteenth was bound to do some killing, and didn't seem to be over-nice in the choice of a target. We were in more danger from Union muskets in the rear than from the enemy. As soon as possible a line-of-battle was formed across the pike; Capt. Ripley showing great coolness, and rendering efficient service in restoring order.

A MIDNIGHT AMBUSH.

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The Fourteenth formed in line to the right of the pike, a New-York regiment being about ten rods in front. Just as the line-of-battle was well formed, the enemy opened upon us with two field-pieces from the opposite hill; but they mostly shot wide of the mark, though one shell struck directly in front of the Fourteenth's colors, and just in rear of the New-York boys. But few shells were thrown. A Union skirmish-line was advanced; and the army slowly moved forward in the darkness, in line-of-battle. Early had accomplished his purpose. We were pressing him sore. He threw out a skirmish-line to the rear, planted two guns on a hillock, delayed the pursuing column for two hours, and gained precious time. No further disturbance marked the night's race; the Union troops soon filing from line to flank movement, and jogging on as rapidly as they could be pressed.

Lieut. W. H. Sargent of Company D was captured by the Rebels, at the battle of the Opequan, and in company with about twenty officers and three hundred other prisoners of war, was still under guard just before the battle of Fisher's Hill; the Rebel army being encamped at Tom's Run, about twenty-five miles from Winchester. Late in the afternoon of September 22, couriers came into the camp, announcing the progress of a disastrous fight. In consequence of this information, the prisoners were hastily marched off under guard, stopping only for a short rest shortly before daybreak. Before resuming the march, some of the prisoners, among them Lieut. Sargent, were allowed to go to the bank of the brook beside which they had halted, to drink and wash. Sargent noticed a narrow ditch running at right angles with the brook, and, taking advantage of a momentary inattention of the guard, concealed himself in it, with the assistance of a fellow-prisoner. He was not missed, and his tired and hungry comrades moved on without him. Here he lay until ten o'clock, not daring to change his position; for hundreds of Rebel soldiers were halting to bathe in the stream within a few feet of his hiding-place, and some of them standing so near that they seemed to be looking directly into his face as