Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-05-18

other of the heroic deeGS ana uOple Y l1o'Ai-
ties of their own brothers and sons. a
custom that has lived in all ages and couh-
tries. where virtue and herolsm have peen
admired. Let us emulate this example,
and for ages to come, let fathers point
their sons to this scene and tell them OF
the men and boys who fought and bled and
died upon the field of victory at New Maj
ket. In point Of numbers engaged, II may
not rank among the great battles OF the
late war; but judged with reference TO the
mastery strategy displayed, and the val
liant and desperate fighting exhibited, 1t
must always excite the admiration OF those
versed in the military art, and of those
who admire the display Of true courage
wherever found. Particularly is it inter
esting to US, for it was fought on our side
by Virginia troops in defence of Virginia
homes and soil.
WHAT BROUGHT THE BATTLE ON.
1t was while Grant was pressing Lee in
May 1864, and being held in check every
day, that he determined on combined
movement of all his forces-Gen. Sigel to
come up the Valley with $4,000 men to
Staunton, and Gen. Crook to go up the
KanaWha Valley with an equal force to
strike the Virginia e Tennessee road at
Dublin, IN Pulaski county. Imboden's was
the only Confederate force in the Valley.
Gen. John G.. Breckenridge was in south
western Virginia with two small brlgadess
Of infantry and four skeleton brigades Of,
cavalry, partly dismoHnted, which were
scattered over a line of nearly three hun
dred miles in extent from East Tennessee
to the Greenbrier river. While Brecken-
ridge was preparing on. the 4th OF May to
meet Crook, be got a telegram from Presi-
dent Davis telling him OF the advance OF
Sigel, and on the next day, the day the
great battle of the Wilderness was fought,
Gen Lee telegraphed him to move his
available force to defend Stanton. He
made the march of 12O miles to that city
in five days, and the next day the Virginia
Military Institute cadets, $50 strong in
four companies, Joined him. Besides this,
Breckenridge had sixteen pieces OF artll-
lery. His infantry numbered altogether
5000, and he determined to make the at
tack lower down the Valley On Friday,
| he commenced his march, and on Saturday
night camped at Lacy Springs, about ten
miles from New Market, but receiving
news that the enemy had occupied the
town, broke camp and in q drenching rain
moved forward.
| THE FIGHT OPENED.
Imbodens cavalry was Withdrawn from
the front Of the enemy, and Breckenridge
formed his line Of battle two miles from
the town, his artillerysbelng thrown in adj
vance of the line. The artillery on both
sides opened fire, and Breckenridge finding
| the enemy would not assume the offensive,
moved his troops across the field to attack
under an artillery fire. The enemy fell
back, and took up a strong position be-
yond the town. Then came the final
charge Of the Confederates. The rain was
pouring down, and the ground was heavy.
The right of the Confederates was on the
turnpike, which runs through the town.
There were the 22d Va. infantry, COM
manded by the hero, George Patton, who
was killed a few weeks after at Winches-
ter, then Derrick's battalion, then Edgar's
battalion-all veterans; then came that
| noble band of boys, the Virginia cadets,
who moved steadily forward under the
command of Col. Ship, cheering as they
went, and never finching under the heavy
fire. This was the right wing. This wing
was commanded by Gen. Echols, though
the orator omitted the fact.) The left
wing was commanded by Gen. q. G. Whar-
ton, and was made up Of the cd Virginia
commanded by Col. Smith. 30th Virginia
commanded by Col. Lyle Clarke, and the
51st Virginia commanded by Col. FCSburg.
The artillery was under the immediate
command of Maj VIM. Mclaughlin, now
circuit Judge. The left wing was thrown
slightly forward, and the advance was
made in echelon. The charge was under
The eye OF Breckenridge, and the troops
were elated by his presence. The infantry
was suffering terribly from the enemy's
fire, and Mclaughlin was ordered to move
| ten Of his pieces at full speed through the
streets Of New Market, which he did,
Selling q position on the right of the road
and opening on the enemy. He advanced
his guns as our infantry advanced, keeping
up a destructive fire on Sigel's lines. 1t
was, in short, an artillery charge, the
! Doldness Of which gave courage to our
| men and carried alarm to the ranks of the
I enemy. The right and left wing closed up,
the precision of tie movements Of the
| Cadets, enabling them upon the excited
| field of battle to serve as a guide upon
which the other troops could be properly
aligned. The scene was rare, fOr the spec
tator could see the whole field and the
troops on both sides. They were only
| three hundred yards apart. Sigel ordered
a cavalry charge, but Breckenridge order
| ed his guns to be double-shotted, and the
| charge was broken up, the few horsemen
who got within musket range being de-
sJroyed by the 22d infantry.
TEE FINAL. CHARGE.
The Confederates quickened to trot,
and the enemy threw out a column of at
tack in front of the centre of our line.
The ed Virginia faltered under the deadly
fire; Ship fell, but was up in a moment,
and at the head of his boys; the cd caught
up, and went on. The familiar yell of vic
tory was heard, and the enemy broke and
fell back in disorder, leaving many guns,
their dead, and many of their wounded in
our hands. besides nearly regiment Of
prisoners. Their whole force barely es-
capped, by burning a bridge behind them.
The Valley of Virginia had been saved,
and the left flank of Lees army hi. d been
relieved. That night Breckenridge receiv-
ed message from Gen. Lee, thanking him
and rendering him the thanks of the army
Of Northern Virginia for the brilliant VIC
tory he had gained.
THE DEAD CADETS.
But the victory had been costly. The
cd Virginia alone lost upwards of two
hundred men, and all the commands lost
seriously. But the most interesting recol-
lections connected with this eventful day,
centre around the part borne by the battal-
ion Of boys, who had so promptly respond
ed to the call on them, and by their noble
bearing contributed SO greatly to the vic
tory. They sprang forward at the call of
their State and country in a time of sore
need, anxious to show that the training
which they had received, and the tender
care which had been bestowed Oh them
had not been bestowed in vain, but that
they were willing and ready to repay all
this with their lives. They never doubted.
never faltered, but insisted, when their
prudent and plying general suggested that
they should not be exposed, that they
should be allowed a place in the front Of
the battle, that they too might share the
glories Of the victory, which they We're as