, 1891-01-17

pretty severely punished, if not stunned, in
the action at Cross Keys. His next move
would therefore be cautious, and a light
Confederate force on the admirable ground
selected to receive Fremont's attack would
be able TO check him indefinitely. Two bri.
gades were ordered to hold the position at
Cross Keys, and Jackson led the remainder
OF his troops across the bridge TO Port Re
public. Shields advance had retired down
the valley upon its supports, ana jackson
put his troops across North river on an i'm
p%rovised bridge and went out to meet the
new enemy. Such tactics would ruin the
fame Of any general the moment the effort
failed. He had divided his force in the
presence Of two adversaries, had separated
ms wings by many miles, and two streams
flowed between them.
One of the streams had but a single
crossing, and the other a swollen ford and
an imperfect foot bridge. Once more fort
une favored the Confederates. Shields
column was not all up. After the en-.
counter in Port Republic. on the previous
day the leader Of Shields advance, Gen.
Z. h. Tyler, had halted his troops about
three miles below Port Republic and
placed them in position for defense. He
had two briEades at hand-his own and
Gen. Carrol's-and Shields with the re-
mainder wa Il days march away. stone
WALL was confident of winning a victory
over Shields men, and he meant it to be a
perfect one.
The attack on Shields began at daylight
on June and was stoutly resisted. Jack.
son was compelled to call up the two bri.
gades that had been left in front of Ere
mont to hold him in check. These troops
crossed North river at Port Republic and
burned the bridge behind them, so that the
last chance of junction between the two
Union columns was destroyed. About the
time these re-enforcements reached him
on the battlefield jackson saw his own
'Stonewall" brigade giving way before
Shields men. Though accustomed to leave
the immediate direction of his troops to the
b~rigadiers, Jackson saw that a crisis was
at hand, and galloped forward into the
ranks of his old command. A ringing cheer
showed the feelings of the men for their
leader, and without a halt he dashed
through the mass to the front, shouting,
"The 'StonewalP Brigade never retreats.
Follow mep'
The aid OF the re-enforcements brought
up in the nick of time saved the day Tor the
Confederates. The Union troops in front
of the "StonewalP' brigade, seeing the lat
ter repulsed and forced back in confusion,
could not resist the temptation to change
their tactics from the defensive to the Of
fensive and made a counter charge. The
quick rally of the Confederates under
Jackson's magnetic call, and an attack on
either flank by fresh troops, turned the
tide instantly, and the battle ended at 10
o'clock in the defeat Of Shields men.
From Port Republic jackson hastened
up the valley and placed his army within
the shelter Of Browns Gap, a deep mount
ain pass, where n regiment could with,
stand an army with ease.
Fremont and Shields were promptly or.
dered by the government to retire from
the valley by taking the back track. and
jackson rested securely under cover OF
Browns Gap until he was called to Rich
mond himself in the campaign before that
city which he had so ably supported from
a distance. Only one division of the $1,000
Union soldiers in northern Virginia, when
jackson was "maneuvering there, reached
Richmond to aid Mcclellan. But jackson
got there with his whole army to aid Lee.
GEnpGE !. KILMER