The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-04-24
SAVING THE NATION.
lConfinned from LIST pdae

Continued from LIST page.
District of Columbia volunteers. General Cor
don's brigade-2d Massachusetts,, 9th Indiana,
Sd Wisconsin, and company of New York
souaves-is held in reserve half mile in rear
of Crawford.
The ground is a gentle slope rising toward
the mountain. There are cornfeids. wheat
field, clumps of trees, and out on the right,
where Crawford forms his line, there are woods.
The wheat has been cut and is standing in
shocks. Out In the woods, in the pastures
down the road. and far out on both TANKS, Gen.
eral Bayard has his cavalry slSirinishers keep
ing watch, for it is well known that Jackson is
advancing
JAcKsoN's ADVANCE.
Through the forenoon jackson has been
marching north. with General Ewells division
in advance, Winder's division next. and A. z.
Eili's last.
1t is IL o'clock when General Jubal Early,
commanding the LIST brigade, comes out npon
the north slope OF the mountain and behOlds
Bayards cavalry. lie brings up four guns
lie is on much higher ground than Bayard
The cavalrymcn see white puffs of smoke amid
the ceiars and their shells scream through the
air. Bayard places Knapp's battery in position
coEne into position. and from one till half-past
three o'clock the thunder echoes along the
mountain sides
1t is bola front which Banks prescnts-so
bold and audacious that Jackson thinks that
the whole OF Popes army is before him, and
hesitates about making an attack. lie has
twenty-five Thousand men, bat supposes that
Pope las double the number, not for moment
imagining that there is bat one small division
of less than eight thousand He places Ewell
on the east side of the road and Winder on the
west. with A. p. Hill in the rear OF Ninder
The last-named officer is struck by she'll and
killed at $780, and General TaliafeEro takes
command OF the division
THE BATTLE.
What shall General Banks do? Jackson has
deployed his line; the artillery is laundering
If the enemy advances he is to attack Has
Jackson adganced2 Certainly he has advanced
from where he was in the morning. General
Roberts has selected the ground which Banks
is 10 hold, but 10 attack he must necessarily
advance. lie. therefore. resolves to advance
and bring on battle. 1t is great mistake
His nearest support is Ricketts, division, which
is nearly four miles in his rear. He does not
know, perhaps, that with less than eight thous-
and he is 20 attack twenty-five Thousand.
lit is $50, sultry summer afternoon, when
Geary and Prince, east Of the road, and Craw-
march with quick steps, firing rapidly. 1t is
like the sudden outbreak of storm. Jackson
has not expected TO be attacked, but has been
getting ready TO sweep down upon Banks like
hound upon its prey. Crawfords men rush
through the woods aud fail suddenly upon the
left flank of Calnpbelfs brigade. The lst Nir-
ginia battalion is the first to feel the stroke.
1t gives way in confusion.
Change front I" is the order to the 42d Vir-
Init off ffai
falls mortaily wounded and the reg ment
breaks General Garrett is wounded and Lieu
tenant-CoiOnel Cunningham killed.
The 2lst Virginia breaks, and the whole
brigade is driven in confusion. Crawford's
men, with a cheer rush upon Taliaferro's bri
gade, striking it IN flank, while Geary and
Prince are attacking in front, driving it in
disorder.
"All the troops" says Early, chad fallen
back, and the enemy was advancing up the
slope Of the HILL" There is CONSERVATION in the
Confederate lines. A great stream of fugitives
Is pouring down the road. The artilierymen
Of Winder's battalion are flashing their horses
TO run to the rear TO take new positions.
Officers are riding with orders TO Branch, PEN
der and Archer, commanding the brigades of
Hills division. Ronaid's brigade rushes up to
confront Crawford and Geary.
Now is Banks opportunity. If he were to
order Gordon in at this moment, in the panic
and confusion. the victory would be complete;
but he does not see that the supreme moment
has come. The fresh Confederate troops come
into line, bear down upon Crawford and Geary,
and drive them back. The 10th Maine makes
heroic charge 10 roll hack the advancing
ConfedeTates. In few minutes I73 out of 461
officers and men are killed and wounded. A
half hour too late, Banks orders Gordon to at
tack. His troops 90 upon the run across the
little creek and through the wheatfelds. 1t
is brave assault. but useless sacrifice Of men.
They are compelled 10 retreat.
1t is a haTd-fought bloedy conflict. In an
hour and half l,661 Union troops were killed
and wounded. and 1.3i4 Confederates. 1t was
SO audacious stand on the part Of the Union
troops that jackson, who had expected 10
march on to Culpeper, turned back and re-
treated across the kapidan. At Kearnstown,
near Winchester in the Shenandoah in 1861.
he had been defeated by General Shields and
General Kimball aud, here at Cedar Mountain
he had come very near being defeated by an
army not q third the size of his own. 1t was
notifying. He saw that he could not go on
70 Culpeper, for Pope's entire army would con-
front him. So he retreated 10 wait for the
csming of re-enforcements.
To be continued