The National tribune., 1882-02-04
BATTLE OF KERNSTOWN.
HOW JACKSON WAS BEATEN.

J. Fl. Simpson, Qate Second Lieutenant Company G,
One Hundred and Twentieth Indiana Regiment,) in
Philadelphia Times.
1t was the privilege of most of us who partic-
pated in the battle of Kernstown to be engaged
in battles of greater magnitude, but l will VEN
ture to say that none of those who bore the
brunt of the Kernstown fight in the final de-
cisive struggle in the evening were ever under a
more deadly fire.
had the honor to serve at that time in the
ranks of the Fourteenth regiment Indiana in
fantry-a regiment which made record on the
fields OF Antietam and Gettysburg and in Viz
ginia, from Cheat Mountains summit, in 1861,
to Cold Harbor, in June, 1864. The three years
service of this regiment expired June 6, 1864,
while at Cold Harbor, and on that day, being
much exposed in some advanced works. they
were compelled to wait until dark before they
could crawl back to be mustered out; and on
that last evening of three years arduous and
bloody service, when home and rest and safety
seemed now a certainty TO the survivors, some
of these veterans-boys in years, but old in
war-received the death-bolt which had so often
before passed them by. At Antietam Gin Sum
ner's Corps our brigade, commanded by our
colonel, the brave Nathan Kimball received the
name of the Gibraltar Brigade" The list of
the dead and wounded of this regiment and
brigade on that day speaks more eloquently than
words of their work. At Fredericksburg, still
commanded by the gallant Kimball afterwards
general the Gibraltar Brigade" led the
assault upon Marye's Heights How far it went
and what it cost is a matter of history. After
the battle some of the Fourteenth Indiana dead
were found at the foot of the confederate works
on the heights. At Charlottesville, commanded
by Carroll {" Old Bricktop ", this same brigade,
lust after the route of the Eleventh Corps,
charged and drove back full half mile large
section Of the enemy's main line. Through lack
of support they were forced to fall back, but
who can estimate the value of this check of the
enemy at such a time? At Gettysburg it fell
to the Fourteenth to retake one of our batteries.
It was promptly done, but at the usual cost. In
May, 1864, when General Grant crossed the
Rapidan, the Fourteenth Indiana was in Han
cocks Corps. At Spottsylvania, at that Bloody
Angle" on May IL, two-thirds of the little band
were killed and wounded, and among the killed
was Colonel Coons, formerly captain of our Com
pany G. All the way down to Cold Harbor
there are many spots made sacred by the blood
OF the r urteentnS men.
To return to Kernstown, and March %, 1862,
the day Shields Division fought Stonewall
Jackson. f
The day of the battle was as fair as a March
day can sometimes be. The buds were swelling,
the robins had returned, and winter had appar-
entity given spring full sway. The sun shone
clearly, while delicate haze covered hill and
valley and softened the distant mountains, until
they seemed to our young eyes the golden and
purple hills Of delight. Around us upon the
hillsides and in the valleys were fertile fields
carpeted with the rich green of wheat, like well
kept lawns between the park-lke woodland pas
lures. No fairer spot in all our beautiful land
did ehe sun smile down upon that lovely Sunday
morning This quiet, so fitting for the day, was
soon to be broken by the roll of musketry and
the thunder of cannon. The field and pastures
were TO be trampled into ruin and Redeemed with
blood. and the lovely landscape was to be covered
by the canopy of battle.
Jackson attacked us about ten or halfpast ten
in the morning. Our lines crossed the pike just
in the edge of Kernstown, which lay in front OF
US. To the left of the pike our lines extended
probably quarter of mile; to the right OF the
pike 1T stretched out for half mile In Large
neia. Just to our right of the road was high
NH, stoplng down to the front, the centre ana
key on our position. All along our front, except
ing Ine village, and on our extreme right was an
open neid' more or less rolling, which was
bounded nearly half mile to our front by large
open woods occupied by the enemy. There was
some sharp fighting in the village and out-lots,