Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-12

and retreated around the corner B TO;
wards A, which was the bridge, bevond
which at l. Jackson's whole army was ~;
ing. As soon as G b was cleared we hAd
hitched up our ether four guns, anu raI
them down the little road U and srounu
DIR. Kemper's house and placed them ~
position at r. sweeping the Main street OF
the town from Is to A, the mouth OK .ue
bridge. We filed the guns nearly to the
muzzle with canister, and swept the street
like broom. The enemy left their TWO
Howitzers in the street and passed into the
road @ F. We soon saw infantry pourlnS
down the road l. A. As soon as the heaa
OF this column reached the bridge we
ceased firing, and General Tallaferro came
across with his brigade. The enemy
passed over TO r. We then shelled around
there very loosely everywhere where
we thought Federal soldier might pe
lurking. As the enemy passed over the
South Fork TO Captain Weddings Dan
Vile battery. think, and some, others
formed on kemper's Hill ut and sheilea
the ground leading up to south-fork iord,
Thus we held Shields's advance IN checN
all day Sunday. while General jackson
was belaboring Fremont at Cross heyS
SCOUTS ERROR.
In talking with our chief OF artillery,
Colonel Crutchfeld, in Richmond after
81
jackson and his staff rode away so
hurriedly from DR.. Kemper's house tnat
SUNDAY morning that Jackson and Pendie-
ton, OF hls staff. had passed the point Y
lust before the enemy came in,' Out tna'
he (Crutchfeld) aud Douglas were. cap
tured at that point. DR.. Dabney being
still further behind turned back TO our
battery at ". Crutchfeld was immediate
ly brought into the presence OF the feneral
IL. a vxTn
in the middle of the street near q. While
they were talking Crutchfeld SAYS scout
rode up In the most excited manner
and told the General; The whole rebel
baggage train, General. Is at our
mercy. We can capture II with
gqnadron of cavalry" The General turned
20 Colonel Crutchfeld and said: IS
that So, Colonel?" The Colonel said:
" You must find that out for yoursel,
General. ~ but the Colonel added that ne
knew it TO De so. and trembled In his very
boots. lie had forgotten that our battery
was on that side of the river and thought
the twelve soldiers under Captain Camp
bell at headquarters were all the soldiers
on the Port Republic side OF the river.
TWELVE MEN IN THE CORNERS.
Tho Federal General Immediately order
ed forward the squadron for the. capture
of the train. When 1t rode forward Crutch-
field thought all was lost. and when ne
heard the thunder Of the guns NJ g he sald
he was astounded. The squadron hastily
rotreated and the Major rode up to the
Federal General and IN Crutchfeld's pres
ence said: " General the scout was mis-
taken. There is whole park Of artillery
up there supported by infantry."t
The whole force of infantry was Captain
Campbell and about twelve meni the fence
corners. While the Major and General
were speaking our guns opened again at
+ and swept the street where tho General
was standing. They passed immediately
into the side street Q-P and entered
house. Crutchfeld and Douglas were or
dered in first. The General and Others
stopped moment at the door. Crutchneld
and Douglas took advantage OF the contu-
sion and went out the back OF the house
and made their escape.
There is no doubt of the fact that the
Charlottesville Artillery saved the bridge
and the Confederate train that day: Had
we not been where we were no human
power could have saved the train or the
bridge. General Jackson had TO ride from
o over TO the army at l. and send Ia!later-
ro's brigade back to the bridge for its de-
fence. The bridge could have been tie
stroycd easily before the heights at X were
crowned with artillery.
THE RAW AET1LLKB1STS.
There was a plank fence back of DR..
Kemper's house at Il, through which We
had TO fire. The fence was made of about
four blanks nailed on horizontally to the
posts. | was sitting on this fence when
Jackson passed the place late IN the day
after Fremont's retreat. He looked at the
riddled fence and said: That may have
been raw battery, but they knew how to
fire at the right height. and they did grand
work to-day" At that time this company
had Just received their guns and had never
been drilled. Lieutenant John Timberlake
and myself were the only two in the CON-
pany who had ever been on battlefield
before. so far as can remember. Captain
CarringtOn at that time hardly knew how
to load a cannon; but he was brave and
thoughtful. / was ordered TO collect the
four guns on the field while he and Lieu
tenant John Undertake managed the guns
at G. | planted the other guns at + and
was Joined there Immediately by Lieuten-
ant Timherlake and soon afterwards by
Captain Darlington. The other two lieu
tenants, Cochran and Bib, were with their
guns at +. While this battle on the part
Of this battery was fought ont with
main strength and no science, | do not be-
lieve any other BODY Of men could have
done better under such circumstances. !
think when we were ordered to Join Jack
sons army we had been n possession OF our