WINCHESTER. The of Fred erick County, Va., SO miles west by north of Washington, D. C., on the Baltimore and (Thin and the Cumberland Valley railroads (Slap: Virginia, F 2). It is the seat of the Valley Female College (Methodist Episcopal, South), opened in 1874, and has Fairfax Hall and the Shenandoah Valley Academy, a public library. and a tine city hall. Also of interest are the National and Confederate cemeteries. Win chester is the commercial centre of a farming, stock-raising, and lumbering section, and is es peciallv noted for its extensive glove and leather interests. Flour, woolen goods, paper. and lum ber products are also manufactured. Under the charter of 1874, the government is vested in a mavor. chosen biennially, and a unicameral coun cil. The water-works are owned and operated by the numicipafity. Population. in 1590, in 1900. 5161.
_\tter Braddock's defeat (1753) Washing ton took command at Winchester of the Brit ish and colonial troops. Fort Loudoun, built by him, still remains, and his headquarters can also he seen in one section of the town. During
the Civil War several engagements were fought at and in the vicinity of Win chester, which by reason of its location was an important strategic point. flu March 23, 1562, the Federal General Shields defeated Gen eral Jackson. with an inferior Confederate force, at Kernstown, four miles south of Winchester. On August 17, 1864, General Early. with a Con federate force, drove a Federal force under Gen eral Torbert from Winchester. on September 19. 1864, in the battle of Winchester or Ope quon Creek General Sheridan. with a Federal force of about 38.000, defeated General Early, with a Confederate force of about 15,000, the Federals losing in killed, wounded, and missing about 5000, and the Confederates about 4000, 'Phis was followed by another engagement at Fisher's Ili11, near this place, on September 22d, in which Sheridan was again victorious. On October 19, 1864, Sheridan started from Win chester on his famous ride to Cedar Creek (F.).