The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1866-02-28
SCRAPS FROM MY HAYERSACK.
BATTLE OF KERNSTOWN.
No. g..

tain that large force had left Bank Com
mand to cross the Blue Ridge, had push
ed his force rapidly forward to strike
blow that would help his cause, and, at the
same time, recall these troops and prevent
their co cooperating with Mcclellan, who
was already embarking for the Peninsula
Banks was satisfied that Jackson had given
him up the Lower Valley, and he proposed
a visit to Harper's Ferry the next day
Ashby with his Cavalry and the Compa-
mics Of Infantry of Captains Nadenbousch
and Moore, who had been acting with him
all this time, pushed forward, by dawn, en-
gagged the enemys pickets beyond Kerns-
town and contended, successfully, for some
time, with two Brigades that came up
through the woods on the right Of the Val
ley Turnpike. Jackson marched forward
his Infantry at daylight, and, moving eau
tiously, brought them quite near tokens
town, unobserved by the enemy though
posted on the commanding hills beyond,
between the Middle Road and the Valley
Turnpike, and there, under cover Of hill,
he massed his 1890 men, about 2 P. NJ.
and waited developments. Shields, from
what he could learn, commanding, though
in bed, supposed until 3 P. NJ. that it
was only Ashby's Cavalry that was triAing
with him." Jackson soon saw how the
ground lay, and having summoned The
Doctor, who knew all about the country
there, found out that Sandy Ridge, which
was about mile to his left ran on beyond
Winchester, he at once started Col. Echols
with the 9th Virginia to move boldly up
to the front Of the enemy on the left of the
road, and then incline across to the ridge
beyond, while his Artillery from the Val
ley Pike and the Middle Road, opened at
that of the enemy on the point of Pritch-
ards Hill in front, and the main body
moved through the woods in the rear, and
gained the summit of Sandy Ridge. The
9th, supported by the 21st, kept the enemy
back and moved unfinchingly, almost
mile, through the marshy meadows in front
Of Pritchard's Hill, under perfect storm
of artillery from the batteries on the hill.
As soon as the head of Jackson's Column
made its appearance, in an open field on
Sandy Ridge, these Batteries opened on
it, and the irstshot killed two horses and
took off the leg Of the driver of piece Of
artillery Jackson soon got his batteries
in position on the Ridge, and the opposing
guns sustainedanot very unequal contest,
for some time, across the intervening val
ley. One Of the guns did not reach the
ono,o,,'c ,,ocit;on With ;+c Hro CO 4bo er,,,,
ner ceased firing; Jackson soon saw that
the gun was silent, instantly riding up he
cnquired the cause, and being told, at once
ordered the gunner to open again and keep
on, telling him to make all the noise he
could, when, with wild hnrrah, the men
heartily responded and all along the line
"far flashed the red artillery" Moving
his infantry under cover ofthe ridge, Jack
son formed line at right angles to the
axis Of it, protected on the right by his
batteries, that lined the front Of the ridge,
and with part Of Ashby's Cavalry, under
Major Funston, along the Opequon that
ran at the western foot of it on the left
Seeing the Regiments of Echols and Pat
ton pass from the meadow into the woods,
beyond the Middle Road, that extended
across Sandy Ridge towards the Opequon,
Col. Kimball, who Commanded for Shields
on the field, saw at once that jackson was
about to turn his right and gain his rear
by this commanding ridge Communica-
ting to Shields, who was at the Midtown
Mills, this information, he ordered him to
mass upon Jackson's left. Kimball obey
ed and sent Tyler's Brigade along the &C.
dar Greek Turnpike to the top of the ridge,
where he filed to the left into the same
body Of woods that the Regiments of Echols
and Patton had entered and they soon met
in deadly combat. The Regiments drove
back the Brigade twice, but seven Regi-
ments were added to Tyler's force and he
advanced again to find Echol's force, now
nnder "The Dauntless Grigsby," (Eehols
being wounded) with Fulkerson's Brigade
of the 23rd and 9th Va. Regiments on
his left, behind stone fence, with mar
row rocky field in front and broken one
in the rear, and having a thicket not far
behind. As Tyler emerged from the woods
he was greeted with such a volley that his
men fed in confusion to the shelter of the
woods behind. In the meantime General
Garnett had led forward the End, 4th and !.
33rd Regiments Of the EStonewalp Bri-
gade and formed them on the right of
Grigsby, behind the. stone fence and up
towards the top Of the hill in front of the
thicket and behind rail fence, with the
21st Va. and two of Caskie's guns lust on
the top Of the ridge and at the corner of
the thicket Tyler again came on and was
again rcpulsed. Nearly all the force of
Col Kimball upon his extreme left had,
by this time joined Tyler, and he extended
his line far tohis left, reaching clear across
the ridge in convex line, the curve be-
ing towards jackson. 1t was now near
shutdown, and jackson, finding that be
had been deceived in regard to the num-
bers Of the enemy, remarked to one of his
Staff that they must fight it out, now they
were in, and could not retire before dark,
and he thought he might win against all
the odds that now so plainly showed them
selves against him.
The left Of his line extended from
the top Of the ridge down its slope, towards
the West, along the stone fence, to the end
of it. where the Irish Battalion CALAMITY
held post of honor; the right was thrown
back, along the crest Of the ridge, and pro.
longed by the Batteries of Waters and Nc
Laughlin. So the line presented the point