From Charlestown we were moved back to Winchester and went into camp for a few days.  So far Early’s demonstration had been a failure.  Either to capture Washington or weaken Grant, for day in and day out, he kept pegging away at Petersburg and the approaches to it and Richmond.  These seemed to be the objective points, and which eventually caused the downfall of the two places.  The enemy in our front had moved up to Berryville, a small hamlet about eight miles from Winchester, and on the 30th of September we were ordered out to attack the plan.  The Federals had fortified across the turn-pike and had batteries placed at every commanding point.  In front of this fortification was a large old field, through which we had to advance.  The Brigade was formed in line of battle in some timber at the edge of the opening and ordered forward.  The frowning redoubts lined with cannon and their formidable breastwork, behind which bristled the bright bayonets, were anything but objects to tempt the men as they advanced to the charge.  As soon as we entered the opening the shells came plunging through our ranks, or digging up the earth in front.  But the Brigade marched in good order, not a shot being fired, the enemy all the while giving us volley after volley.  The men began to clamor for a charge, so much so that when we were about half way through the old field the command came “charge.”  Then a yell and a rush, each man carrying his gun in the most convenient position, and doing all in his power to reach the work first.  The angle in front of the Third was nearer than the line in front of the other Regiments.  Just before we reached the works the enemy fled to a grove in rear under an incline and began firing on our troops, who had now reached the work and began to fire from the opposite side.  The firing in this way became general all along the line.  The Artillery had withdrawn to the heights in rear and opened upon us a tremendous fire at short range.  The enemy could be seen from our elevated position moving around our right through a thicket of pines, and some one called out to the troops immediately on the right of the Third Regiment, “The enemy are flanking us.”  This caused a momentary panic, and some of the Brigade left the captured work and began running to the rear.  Colonel Rutherford ordered some of his officers to go down the line and get the demoralized troops to return to the ranks, which was accomplished without much delay.

The enemy in front began slackening their fire, which caused some of the men to leap over the works and advance to the brow of a hill just in front of us to get a better view.  The enemy rallied and began pouring a heavy fire into the bold spirits who had advanced beyond the lines, wounding quite a number.  General Kershaw, with a brigade of the division, crossed over the turn-pike and began a counter-move on the enemy’s right, which caused such panic, that in a few minutes their whole line withdrew beyond the little town.  Acting Assistant Adjutant General Pope, on the brigade staff, received a painful wound in the cheek, but outside of a sprinkling throughout the brigade of wounded, our loss was slight.