The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-07-08

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expected either TO throw himself in Jack.
sons rear or unite with Fremont, and at
last was within eight miles of Port Re.
public, and tie day before had sent for
ward two brigades under Col. Carroll,
which had taken possession of both town
and bridge. Both these brigades and
Shields himself, with his main column,
were in full sound and almost sight Of
the battle of cross Keys on Sunday, ard
knew that the echoes Of that artillery
could have but one meaning ng-tbat Ere.
mont had overtaken Jackson and forced
him to fight, and that if his retreat could
be cut off now and the Union forces
united, his whole army must be taken
prisoners or cut to pieces. Col. Carroll,
lying with two brigades at Port Repub-
lie, knew that the bridge was Jackson's
only means of retreat, and that, on the
other hand, if any considerable portion
of his force escaped from the battle OF
Sunday, he would still be strong enough
10 fall upon these two isolated brigades
and cut them 10 pieces. Yet in such
circumstances, with every fact of the sit
ua!ion spread broadly before him, and
voice of Fremont's artillery echoing from
the mountains, he lay quietly in the val
ley. denied the earnest entreaties Of his
officers to be allowed to burn the bridge,
threatened to shoot an officer who did set
it on fire, extinguished the flames. and
with undisguised treachery or in redible
folly allowed the whole army of Jackson
to cross unmolested into the valley be-
side him. No sooner was the passage
effected, than Jackson. aware of the in
significant force which Shields had sent
forward under Carroll's command, at.
tackled it, and utterly routed it with
enormous loss. Shields was eight miles
away. Why was he not at Port Repub
lie Allowing the bridge to remain, he
simply opened the door for Jackson's
escape.
Sill, pursuit might have been posi-
bic. Fremont could have been over the
river in a day, and, uniting his forces
with Shields's would have been strong
enough TO have attacked Jackson though
reinforced by Longstreet, and long be-
fore this would have been in possession
of Stsunton. Butat ~ o'clock that af-
ttrnoon of Monday. when Fremont was
hallng on the brink of the Shenandoah,
and with his artillery on the nights was
sending his final salute to the rear guard
of jackson on the other side, and when
the pontoon bridge was already half fin
ished, and before morning could have
transported all the army over the river,
Shields had received orders from Wash
ington, and without an effort 10 commu-
nicate with the General whom he was
ordered TO desert, was marching his whole
column on the road TO Richmond, In
formation of this extraordinary step was
received BY the daring effort of Capt
Haskell, acting as aid TO Gen. Fremont,
and chief Of scouts, who succeeded al
great hazard in crossing the river below
and oyertaking the rear guard Of Shields.
which was marching, its officers knew
not whittier. Shields Adjutant General
was finally found, Shields himself being
too far ahead to be come up with, and
from him the facts were obtained With
them Capt. Haskell returned TO Gen
Fremont, who found himself thus sud
denly deserted by his only hope Of i'm
mediate re endorsements, while his
enemy had been suffered to escape, and
so enlightened at the moment OF cross
ing the river as TO render all further pur-
SUIT hopelessly impossible. His own
army bad endured and accomplished
everything in the hope of finally over,
taking tho flying rebels At the moment
when success was certain, II was snatch
ed from him by the criminal incompet.
ence of an officer not subject to his con
troll, and TO deprive him of all chance OF
retrieving his position, the reinforce.
ments ON which he depended are sudden
~ Withdrawn without word. Relying
on a junction with Shields Gen. Ere
mont would have crossed the Shenando.
all next morning only TO find himself
confronted by four times his own
strength, half of them fresh troops
What a position for a General. But
what can be said oflhe conduct of others
which placed him in that position Ex.
posed TO apparently certain destruction
Of which only Information obtained by
greatest risks informed him, instant re-
treat was the only possible salvation
On Tuesday morning the army reraced
its steps to llarisonburg, pursued by a
storm which completed the discomforts
of the march whose direction was enough
10 break the spirit Of the army which so
long as il was advancing aud pursuing
met every priyaton and hardship with
planning courage and patient and
cheerful resolution From Harrison,
burg 10 New Market, and thence TO
Mount Jackson, which was reached on
the l2Ih. brings its history down to this
date. The position here is strong
enough to forbid successful assault, if
there were any one to attack il. 1t is
known that Harrisonburg is occupied 10y
the enemy, but not in force.
ItTemains only 10 say, lest this sum
mary of facts may seem TO hostile eyes
to bear the air Of explanation, that Ere.
mont alone has done what Fremont, Nc
Dowell and Shields together were expect
ed with difficulty TO accomplish, viz
clear the Shenandoah Valley Of Rebels,
and, as consequence, relieve all alarm