The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-11-08
From the Detroit Free Press.

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While Stonewall Jackson was
retiring upon Harrisonburg, pushed
by Fremont and watching out for
Shields, the rear Of his army was
defended by General Ashby, of
cavalry fame. His immediate COM
mand numbered less than 1000
horsemen, and until the last few
miles Of the march he checked all
assaults with cavalry and artillery.
It was highway admirably laid
out for successful defense by rear
guard. Always narrow-full of
sharp descents and sudden curves
natural ambuscades at every mile
it needed only dozen men at cer-
tain spots to hold regiment at
bay for a quarter Of an hour. Jack
son pushed ahead at a famous
rate, and the roar of the guns
of the rear guard was ever in
his ears. At one point nine dis
mounted cavalrymen held the mar
row road until the federals had ad-
vanced two full regiments and one
hundred men had worked their way
up the sides of the mountain to
flank the little band. These nine
men killed and wounded twenty
three men before they were pushed
back, and though a dozen shells
were fired at them as they retreated
along a straight stretch Of road not
a man was injured.
THE CAPTURE OF wYNDHAM.
During the afternoon of the last
day Of the retreat the Federal Cen
eral Wyndham, who had command
of a full brigade of cavalry, was
pushed to the front to drive through
the confederate rear guard. The
spot chosen was where the highway
stretched across level, this giving
the cavalry room to deploy and
maneuver. Not quite half a mile
beyond the confederate rear guard
was holding the hill over which the
road wound. Two pieces of artil-
lery were posted in the road, and
dismounted cavalry supported them.
When it was seen that Wyndham's
brigade was massing for q charge
Ashby hastily collected about 700
of his men and massed them in the
highway. The guns were then
drawn aside and the cavalry, car
bines slung and depending upon
the sabre alone, rushed down the
highway in mighty mass. Wynd-
ham was struck in the center
and the confederates passed clear
through his lines, wheeled at the
call of the bugle, and, dividing to
the right and left, they fell upon the
two wings with such fury as to
route both. 1t was sabre work al
most entirely, and in that Is min
utes' fight $50 men were killed or
wounded, Wyndham and six officers
captured, and two flags, 30 horses
and 40 prisoners taken. Ashby
led the charge and men who fol-
lowed close after him aver that he
struck as many as six different
men with his sabre. In that fight
a confederate, now living on farm
near Glendale, Va, had his right
ear sliced off close to his head, and
the sabre sunk into his shoulder in
a way to forever disable his arm.
The wound in his shoulder was
felt at once, but the loss of his ear
was not noticed until the fight was
over. Wyndham sought to excuse
his disaster by talking of the cow
ardice of his troopers, but his own
sabre was without a stain, and men
who hear no orders of command
cannot be blamed for falling into
panic. The confederates rode right
at solid lines and the shock of
meeting knocked down numerous
horses and disabled number of
men.
CHARGING INFANTRY.
Half an hour later Fremont's adj
vance of infantry was pressing so
closely that infantry had to be
sent back to oppose them. Ewell
ambushed three or four regiments
in the woods and fields at turn of
the road, but the advance scented
the trap and deployed right and
left, and advanced to the attack in
two lines Of battle, most ofthe force
being composed of Pennsylvania
Bucktails. To reach the confed-
crates the blue lines had to cross
wide. open fields, and as they left
their shelter they received such a
fire that all further advance was
checked. The men were seeking
the cover of rocks and bitches, and
holding their ground well, when
Ashby thundered down, upon them
with his cavalry There was no
time to form squares, and the charge