Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-02-15
spectacle Of one army flying in disorder be-
fore another pressing on with cheers of tri-


spectacle Of one army flying in disorder be-
fore another pressing on with cheers of tri-
umph.
Fremont had been only checked; Shields
was routed. His forces we're pursued by
infantry, artillery and cavalry, uutil they
disappeared beyond bend Of the river, and
Jackson was master of the country.
II. never saw so many dead in such a
small space in all my life before, . he said, as
he rode over the field, bnt never was blood
shed to more advantage
/ It was while Jackson rode thus slowly
across the ground, that roar came sudden
! ly from the opposite bank Of the river. Then
shell began to whistle and these shell burst
right in the midst of the ambulances full of
wounded, and the parties then engaged in
burrying the Federal as well as Confederate
dead. Mr.. Cameron, chaplain Of the First
Maryland, was reading the burial service,
when cannon ball tore through the group,
and the bearers dropped the dead. Now,
whence came that fire, SO opposed, one would
say to the usages of war?
/ It came from General Fremont. Unable
to cross, the river, as jackson had burned
the bridge, and forced thus to witness the de-
feat of his Lieutenant before his very face he
vented his wrath upon the victor by that
firing. a
That roar was a grim sound, but not so
grim as the frown of jackson.
''While the forces Of Shields" he wrote
afterwards s'were in full retreat, and our
troops in pursuit, Fremont appeared on the
opposite bank of the Shenandoah, with his
army and opened his artillery on our ambu-
lances and parties engaged in the humane la
bors Of attending to our dead and wounded,
and the dead and rounded Of the enemy.
Jackson makes no comment; let us imi-
tate him or nearly
1t was natural, perhaps, that Gen. Ere
mont should fire at gray uniforms but did
he know that those gray-clad soldiers were
burying his own dead Those were FEEDER
al dead we were burying, as well as Confed-
crate Federal souls were prayed for as well
as others. It was harsh interruption, that
fire upon the dead men in blue uniforms, and
it was pity. They were brave-never
men fought better.
A few paragraphs will terminate this
sketch of a memorable battle.
Port Republic is landmark It sums
up one epoch-after it, tile war entered upon
a new phase-invasion. 1t may be objected
Cold Harbor terminated this epoch but the
reply is, that Port Republic decided Cold
Harbor. From the moment when jackson
crushed the Federal column operating in the
Valley, General Lee could concentrate the
entire force in Virginia, in front of McClel-
Ian, and that concentration, as events showed
meant victory.
Thus Port Republic was not only the sue
cessful termination of rapid, shifting, and
arduous campaign-it was, besides this, one
Of those peculiar contests which act upon
events around them, as the keystone acts
upon the arch With jackson beaten here,
Richmond, humanity speaking, was lost, and
with it Virginia With Jackson victorious,
Richmond and Virginia were saved, for
Mcclellan was repulsed, and the Southern
Cross moved northward to invade in turn the
territory Of the enemy. .aas3i.
It is seen to have been hard fight. At
Manassas, Cold Harbor, Cedar Run, the
second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericks-
burg, Charlottesville, Gettysburg, Spottsyl-
vania, and Petersburg, the Confederate for
ces were more or less outnumbered.y At one
time the battle was lost; it was only gained
at last by the fire, force, rush, and logged
obstinacy Of the elite Of the Southern troops,
resolved to conquer or die.
'.Through Gods blessing" jackson Wrote
in his despatch, 1.-THE enemy near Port Re-
public was this day routed, with the loss Of
six pieces of his artillery rs
That phrase, through Gods blessing"
probably indicated more in the silent soldier
than Others At the moment when his lines
were reeling, an unseen Hand had seemed to
support him, an invisible Power to fight for
him. And he had triumphed. p
On the morning Of the 10th Of June, jack
son was as free as the wind to move whittier
soever he willed. Shields was beaten Ere
mont retreating splendid prize of the
Virginia Valley, for which the opponents
had been playing SO high a game, had fallen
to the lot of jackson ssWhat would he do
with it? What were his plans?
Six days afterwards cavalier entered the
little village Of Mount Crawford, ON the val
ley turnpike, about midnight In the mid
die of the street, deserted at that hour by
all citizens, solitary figure on horseback
was awaiting the new conner.
ssAh! Colonel here you are," came in
brief tones from the lips of the motionless
figure, "what news from the front p
Cali quiet, General" was the reply of
the other, Colonel Munford, commanding
the cavalry. He had received that day a
note from jackson, directing him to ''meet
him at eleven that night at the head of the
street at Mount Crawford, and not to ask for
him or anybody"
Jackson was punctually at the rendez
vous, as has been seen Colonel Munford
arrived, and they now conversed for some
time in low tones. When they parted, the
Colonel had received his instructions, and
returned to Harrisonburg.
Let us follow the Colonel. At his head
quarters were number Of Federal surgeons,
with ambulances, come to carry off Fremont's
wounded. 10 their request Col. Munford
replied that he must first send to Jackson for
instructions, and messenger was sent at once.
~