Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-02-15
before US /; he will find some way to stop that

! troops; at least 1t was correct. "A single
glance showed jackson that the key of The
position was the hill crowned with artillery
! AS long as these swept the field, he was par.
alyzed and every moment counted. Be.
side the foe in his front, there was another
more dangerous Fremont and his fifteen OF
twenty thousand men at Cross Keys. = In
front Of Fremont was only a corporaps
guard Of infantry; he heard the thunder Of
the fight beyond, Port Republic; he knew
that Shields was heavily engaged with Jack
nat all risks he would come to his sue
cor. Then once united, the Federal forces
would humber about 10000 men, against
Jackson's little force of about 10000 It
was easier 20 charge the artillery, drive the
enemy, and gain a victory, when that enemy
numbered only ten Or twelve thousand, than
when he numbered thirty thousand.
Nothing, remained but the courage. If
those guns continued to pour their fire on the
Confederate flank, the battle was lost retreat
through Browns Gap the only course left.
jackson looked at the artillery vomiting she'll
and canister more furiously than before. Gen.
Taylor was near him-his brigade had just
arrived Il
g Can you take than battery, General It
must be taken!' p said Jackson, briefly.
Taylor's sword flashed from the scabbard,
his face glowed Wheeling his horse, he gal
loped back, without word, to his men, and
rising in his stirrups, shouted, pointing with
his sword to the Federal artillery:
Louisianians can you take that bat
terry?
Wild cheers replied, and reaching at a
bound the head Of his column, Taylor ordered
a charge upon the guns.
They we're four Louisiana regiments, one
from Virginia, and Wheat's battalion of
9 Tigers" AS they moved, loud cheers
from the Federal lines on their left resounded
there the enemy was driving everything
before him. They pressed on. The ground
they moved over was terrible-steep, rug
ged, tangled, almost impossible. Still they
proceed on Up the rough ascent, through
the underground, scattering. but reforming
quickly they continued to advance.
They have now reached a wood, beyond
which a narrow valley Of open ground only,
divides them from the artillery they are to
charge. From the left rises a roar of tri-
umph more ferocious than the first; it is the
Federal right wing driving Jackson's line
before it,
An echo to that shout comes back from
the mountain. 1t is the cheer of the Louis
ianinans as they emerge from cover, sweep
down the hill. and crossing the valley, rush
headlong toward the muzzles Of the Federal
artillery.
It is the best charge Of the war. There
will be only one more as desperate that Of
Pickett's Virginians on the last day of Get
tysburg. AS they rush up the hill, the Fed
eral batteries direct upon them their most ia
tai thunders Shell, round shot and grape,
are vomited in their faces-the ranks are
torn asunder, and where line but now ad-
yanced, are seen only bodies. without legs,
without arms, without heads, with breast
torn open-the whole lying still, or welter-
ing in pools Of blood. The Louisianians have
simply dashed into the mouths of the cannon !;
had their bodies torn to pieces and are dead
or dying. Hays, De Choiseul, and 1853 out
Of 300 men Of the Seventh Louisiana have
fallen The other regiments tell the same
story. The command is shattered but
enough men are left to mount the slope, seize
the guns, and bury their bayonets in the
breasts Of the cannoneers as they fly. The
Federal infantry supports recoil like the ar
tillerists /; the cannon are taken; Taylor holds
the crest, every foot Of which he has bought
with blood. sa
But he is not to retain it. A fresh brigade
advances upon his weary handful a deter
mined charge is made; the Louisanians are
driven back by simple weight Of numbers
and theenemy recapture the guns. But they
have hard metallic deal with. No hammer
stroke seems to break or even weaken it,
The Louisianians again advance before the
guns can be turned on them; make furious
countercharge and second time the guns
are taken by them. III. -ad ae si.as
Three times the Federal artillery was thus
lost and won, in spite Of the most desperate
fighting. All honor to courage wherever it
displays itself, under the blue coat or under
the gray and the Federal forces fought that
day with a gallantry that was superb They
died where they stood, like brave men and
true soldiers-an enemy records that, and
salutes them.
Taylors charge won the day at Port Re
public. That battle belongs to Louisiana
and she has right to be proud of it. To
meet the heavy assault thus directed against
his left, General Shields was forced to send
thither large body of fresh troops. These
we're taken from his centre and right-thus
Jackson's left and centre were relieved.
The Federal guns had swept the field
Taylor had silenced them The Federal in
fantry had concentrated in the centre -Tay-
lor drove it off. That was the result of the
great charge.
jackson saw all at glance. The mo-
menu for the great blow had arrived. The
enemy were moving to their left; that en-
abled him to move to his right.
Then the gray masses were seen fastening
toward the mountain, as though driven by
the wind Winder's old brigade formed in
serried phalanx his batteries redoubled their
thunders Conner rushed to the relief Of
Taylor, who thus reinforced, turned liked
tiger upon his foes From that instant the
battle was wild, furious, insensate grapple.
The mountain gorges Numbered; the musk
etry rolled through the woods in one sus-