The National tribune., 1889-04-25

back upon jackson, trembling, depleted and /
demoralized, with the assistance we would
have given him on the other side of the river, |
which will be seen. there would in all proba- |
bility have been an end Of Stonewall jackson !
there, with the realization Of Fremonts wild i
est ambition-fame, higher command, the /
Presidency. all that grateful Nation would /
have bestowed and Grant perhaps would /
never have attained his glory and immortali- I
ty. He, however, was wanting IN nerve; the |
occasion required a man of sterner stuff, and |
his amiable mild, undecided character was
ill-fitted to cope with the stern duties and re-
sp0nsibilities of war He let the moment and |
hour slip and sank into comparative obscuri-
ty. He weakly Judged it best to re-establish !
his whole line in conformity with Blenker's" |
gone TO the rear, preparatory to renewal of /
the battle" he says, and gave the orders ac- |
cordingly. Schenck 9 believing that the mo- |
ment for attacking and pressing the rebels had |
arrived" had got his troops into position, and
was on the point of ordering charge. Never |
were troopsin better temper" he says, for such
work" When he received Fremont order, being
reluctant to obey, because he was satisfied that
the advantageous and promising position and
condition Of his brigade could not have been
known at headquarters, he held his place, and
sent back instantly to ascertain whether the
emergency was such as to require him with all
haste to retire. The order came back repeat
ed, when he retired having no option, infiict-
ing some loss upon the enemy with his artil
leTy as he proceeded. In consequence of
Fremonts course some unpleasant words seem
TO have followed, resulting in q GOODNESS be-
tween the two Generals. Milroy doubtless
swore and stammered protest at the order TO
retrograde, both being habitual.
The attack was decided by about 4 o'clock,
Ewell not following up his success over Blenker,
but claims to have had possession of the field
when night closed. He puts his losses at 42
killed and 245 wounded and missing, among
the wounded being Gems. Steuart and ElZey. If
what Fremont states is correct that upward
of 200 of his dead were counted in one field"
Ewell must have grossly understated his loss.
Fremont also claims that his picl1ets held dur
ing the night the points temporarily relin-
quished by the main line" The returns show
a Union loss of III killed, 422 wounded and
127 missing -Stahel's Brigade losing 39S, Boh
lens 70, Milroys 159, Cluseret's 16, Schenck's
l6.
On account of McDowell's peeularities and
circumstances beyond his CONTROL Shields had
been unavoidably delayed at Luray, about 40
miles north of Port Republic. Pending his
preparations for a renewal of the battle, Ere
mont received dispatch, written that morn
ing, from him, in which he said " l hope to
have two brigades at Port Republic to-day.
follow with two other brigades to-day from this
place, If the enemy attempts to force pas
sage, as my force is not large there yet hope
you viii thunder down on his rear. think
Jackson is caught this time" Neither General
was aware of our repulse at Port Republic.
As the troops fell back they were rallied by
Col. Daum near Gen. Lewiss house, about two
miles down. Daum had just arrived with the
artillery,-14 guns,-and learning of the aban-
Conment of the guns in the retreat, he became
violent in his language, and swore by all his
gods that if such thing was possible he would
recover them, aud called for volunteers to aid
him. James N. Lamberton, N. Williams, Will
liam Merrill, William Ripkin, N. G. Conley, ].
Clark, William Davis and John Henderson, of
the 7th Ind; Thomas E. Smith and Stephen
Slain, of Robinson's battery, stepped forward.
With these brave fellows and the help of Capt.
Kelly, of Shields's staff, two of the pieces were
recovered under the concentrated fire of jack
sons is guns, Col. - sent off dispatch to
Shields advising him of the repulse and stating
that he should retreat, and would consider
himself fortunate if he could effect it respecta-
bly,. About ? o'clock Gen. Tyler (the same
who commanded the reserve to the reserve at
KesnstOwn) arrived with his brigade and as
sumed command. Jackson's train was still
passing Port Republic for the Blue Ridge and
heavy fire could be heard across the Snenan-
dOah, which was supposed to be from an en-
gagement between Fremont and Jackson.
Daum proposed to Gen. Tyler and Col. - to
attempt the destruction of the bridge at all
hazards while the main part of Jackson's forces,
as he supposed, were engaged, and plan was
agreed upon, but abandoned by order of Tyler.
/ Then retreat was considered. which could have
been effected without the slightest difficulty,
1 Col. - favoring, Tyler neutral; but, at
| Daum's instigaton, backed by Coils. Creighton,
t Gavin, Dunning. Buckley, Thoburn and Can
/ dy, and Capt. Kelly, it was decided to hold
the ground and fight should Jackson cross the
river to attack or move in retreat following
his train; in the belief, too, that Fremont
4 would be close on his heels,
THUNDER DOWN on HIS REAR"
striking hard blows at him retreating, and at
a great disadvantage while crossing by the
narrow passage of the bridge; and that between
our two forces Jackson could not escape serious
/ disaster 1t has been said Tyler should have
retreated; he was not there to retreat SO long
as there was a prospect of success and dam
/ aging blow at the enemy, and officers and men
1 were animated by an earnest desire to put
/ down the rebellion at the earliest possible mo-
ment, and all, with few exceptions, were per-
yaded with an aggressive spirit. Besides,
/ Shields had given stimulating orders to fight if
1 favorable opportunity and position Offered
In dispatch TO Colonel - of the day be-
fore lthe 7th) at o'clock in the morning, con-
cerning the projected movement, now put an
| end TO, beyond Port Republic TO Waynesboro,
| he said: "The enemy passed New Market
on the 5th. He has flung away everything !;
/ knapsacks and their stragglers fill the mount
ain. You are within 80 miles of a broken re-
treating enemy, who still hangs together.
| They only need a movement on the flank to
panic-strike them and break them into frag-
ments. No man has had such a chance since
the war commenced. You have only to throw
yourself down on Waynesboro and you will
capture them by thousands, and yet | am pes
tered about shoes and stockings and clothing.
Why, if the clothing was here, there is no time
to get it. Take 5000 of the enemy prisoners
then there Will be time to clothe you. If an
officer hesitates, send him back Go on with
the men. Any officer or man who takes bag
gage along VIII never take it back Daums
artillery viii start at this morning; Tyler's
Brigade at 6. The cavalry will push Oh at
once. ] viii start the whole, and go myself as
soon as ! can communicate with Mcdowell.
Tyler is directed not to take command of your
brigade. command you both. You ought to
push on with Gavin's regiment of cavalry and