The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1866-02-28

he ordered retreat just as the enemy
left came sweeping round the center and
within range, where it found the staunch
sons Of "Old Augusta under their gal
liant leader, Col. VIM II. Hartman of the
9Th Va, where they had recently been sent
by jackson himself, to the post Of honor,
the center of his position, they boldly held
their ground and drove back this fresh adj
vance successfully, SCATTERING the 9th Ohio
that defantly advanced to their immediate
front. But the retreat of the left wing
rendered the line of the right wholly un-
tenable, for the enemy, seeing the line that
had hitherto proved impregnable, rapidly
leaving its strong position, at once moved
forward threatening the rear of the center
and right on the crest Of the hill, and leav-
ing them no alternative but to retire, but
they fell back stubbornly fighting; the
mass Of the Army was now disorganized
and rout seemed inevitable.
jackson attempted to arrest the retreat
and regain the position so unfortunately
left, Selling drummer boy, in tones of
thunder he ordered him to beat the rally,
and stubbornly held his post on the ridge,
until the advancing column was almost
upon him, when, seeing that his men had
all fed the field, and that all his artillery
but two pieces, one upset and the other
without horses, had gotten away, he reluc-
family followed to the edge Of the woods,
where he had first entered the field on the
top of the ridge, where he met the And
Va, which had been in reserve, coming
forward to the field, but still in the woods.
It formed, at once, in the edge of the woods
behind the fence, and in the shadow of the
trees, and, as it was now dark, the Federal
line came on unconscious Of any foe, and
was met by volley that laid hundred of
them weltering in their gore. Recoiling
from this lion in the way, they fell back to
the field Of battle and suffered the weary
Confederates to retire from that part Of the
field unmolested Ashby and Funston COW
cred the retreat upon the roads, and, after
one or two onsets with the Federal Caval-
ry, compelled 1t to retire also, when, un-
pursued, Jackson's disorganized bands, af-
ter suffering aloss Of o0killed, 342 wound
edand 269 missing, found their way through
the 'sStone Lane" and across the Opequon
where they threw themselves, exhausted,
upon the ground and slept the deep sleep
that follows the battle, though the air was
keen and cold. Ashby held the highridge
upon the western bank Of the creek and
guarded the rear. jackson, chagrined at
what he considered an unnecessary loss of
the day: confident that he would have won
it if his men had not been ordered from
the position in which he had placed them,
depressed in spirits, sullenly retired to-
wards Newtown and stopped at camp
fire by the roadside, where he remained
some time, then, mounting his horse, he
rode down the road followed by several of
his Staff, but he soon lost them all in the
darkness, except his faithful Commissary
Major Hawks, when he turned off into a
field, and, finding an orchard, got off and
asked the Major if he could make fire,
saying eve will have to burn rails tonight"
The Major, skilled in all the arts of COM
fort, soon had a roaring fire and rail bed.
jackson wished to know what he was do
ing: aFixing place to sleep" said he's
"You seem determined to make yourself
and those aroundyo comfortable" was the
rejoinder. The Major, knowing the Gen.
had tasted all day, soon found some bread
and meat from the nearest camp, which
eaten, they slept soundly on the rail bed
in the fence corner. Very early in the
morning his Chief Quartermaster, skilled
in finding devious ways, tracked him out
and reused him up, he at once sent the
Commissary to order Captains Waters and
Mclaughlin to go back to the battle field
and get the two guns they had left there,
unconscious of having suffered defeat.
Shields did not sleepsoundly : fearful that
Jackson might renew the fight, he ordered
up all his reserves and sent for Williams,
who with his 10, 900 men was now 20 miles
towards Centreville, to march all night to
reinforce him. jackson had thus accom-
plished the chief object he had in view in
advancing, which was to keep all the for
ces in the Valleyth that were there, and keep
them from following Johnston towards
Richmond. All the troops that had been
at Winchester came back. Shields stated
his loss to have been 103 killed and AL
wounded but says Jackson's loss was not
less that 500 killed and thousand wound
ed. He made mistake, evidently, in the
order of his figures. jackson did not get
his two ''big guns" but they were taken
to Winchester by the Federal troops and
displayed, as trophies, in the public square,
where the "rebel" boys gathered to see
them. One of them, patting the grim
thunderer, that be knew had been served
by Winchester Sboy," exclaimed, Gun
awed by the multitude Of bayonets around
him, cold fellow know you did your
duty and killed many Yankee" When
a stout Blue-Jacket flung him across the
gun, and slapped him soundly for his "se-
cesh" proclivities
Public Meeting Endorsing the President.
At a public meeting Of the citizens of
Augusta Co., held in the Court House on
Monday, Feb, 26th for the purpose of
expressing their views on the policy of
President johnson, on motion of Maj.
H. NJ. Bell, Hon. A. H. Fl. Stuart was
called to the chair. In brief speech he
explained the object Of the meeting. On
MOTION of n nj CooLu,, r.. NT.o.-. D