Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-06-13
copyright, 1903, by G. L. Kilmer.1

EES advance guard, consisting
of 1000 cavalry under General
A. G. Jenkins, rode into Cham
bersburg the 10th Of June, 1868
and seemed very much at home on
Pennsylvania soil. The troopers in
gray had galloped from the Potomac
during the night and their sudden
swoop into the heart of the keystone
State was like bolt from a clear sky
The last that the people Of the north
and the authorities in Washington
knew the enemy was beyond the Rap
pahannock with HOoker's army master
of the situation.
Jenkins soldiers levied on the citi-
1ens for horses, cattle and store sup
plies, paying for all values in Confel-
crate scrip, worth nothing except as a
souvenir. Having some of his own
horses stolen, by way of retalia ton
Jenkins demanded pay Of the author-
ties, and it was promptly handed over
In Confederate money.
There had been Confederate raids
across the border before, even as far as
Chambersburg. but Jenkins GOODNESS
Tor 10000 militia to defend the cities
OF the north, and it soon transpifed
that the raiders had good backing. The
same day division of Ewelrs infan-
try crossed the Potomac at Williams
port, and there was fighting in the
shenandoah valley near the Potomac
with the rest of Ewells corps.
Ewell marched his corps from the
Rappahannock, following the route
west of the Blue Ridge to keep it's
movement from the eyes Of the FEEDER
ais. At the same time Longstreet's
corps slowly advanced east of the Blue
Ridge to control the gaps leading
through it and guard Ewell from sur
prise. Longstreet also had his move
ments guarded by Jeb Stuart's cavalry,
which secuted farther east along the
slopes of Bull Run mountains. Thus
there were three columns of Confed-
crates forging their way to the north
while Hooker was still facing south
ward and even planning to cross the
Rappahannock and dash for Richmond.
The great highway to the Potomac
through the Shenandoah valley had
not been left unguarded by the FEEDER
ais. but an invasion by Lees whole
army had not been provided for Gen
"eral Milroy lay at Winchester with a
large force intrenched. The neighbour
ing post of Martinsburg also held a Fed
eral garrison. In order to cut off. Mil
roy from help General Imboden's Con-
federate cavalry passed around and de-
sstroyed the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road in his rear. Milroy was ordered
by his superiors to retreat to Harpers
Ferry, but he preferred to stand his
ground. Ewell first threatened Mar
dnsburg, and the Federal garrison
there marched to Winchester. Learn
Ing from scouts that he was confront
ed by Ewells whole corps, Milroy de-
cided, when too late, to retreat One
division of Ewell's attacked him on
the 18th, and after desperate fight
Ing, in which both sides made gal
liant charges, the Confederates broke
through the intrenchments and could
not be driven out.
Leaving one brigade to hold Milroy
In the net, Ewell struck out for the
BY skillful marching Milroy got away
with 5000 men and left about 1000
prisoners. The road was open for
Lees trains and artillery Meanwhile
LOngstreet passed on from gap to gap,
drawing nearer the Potomac and saw
ing EWell from attack in the rear
while Stuart, acting as a foil for
Longstreet, kept the Federal cavalry
at arms length.
When Hooker discovered that Lees
troops were shifting camp and drawing
away from Fredericksburg, he sent his
own cavalry under Pleasonton on the
back track toward Washington to
guard his rear and cover the capital
Thus while Stuart marched along Bull
Run mountains Pleasonton was tied
fast by his orders to the line just east
OF the mountains. But cavalry is never
literally idle, and some Federal scouts
riding past Aide gap on the 18th took
q notion Of seeing what lay the other
side of the mountaip. Fitz Lees Con-
9federate brigade happened to have the
same curiosity on the other side of the
barrier at the same time. A fight was
opened almost on the run between the
Harris Light cavalry of Kilpatrick's
brigade and the Fifth Virginia under
Colonel T. L. Rosser On nearing the
town of Aide, which lies in front Of
the gap on the east. Fitzpatrick saw the
gray troopers in the distance and sent
the Harris Light on a gallop through
the town to seize the low ridge over
which the road runs, close to the gap.
Rosser's line charged with drawn sa-
bers, driving the Harris Light back to
the town. Rosser then posted sharp
shooters along the main road behind
some llaystacks protected by rail barri-
"cades These sharpshooters chung to
the haystacks, pouring a terrible fire
upon Kilpatrick's squadrons as they
rode past on the flank to attack the
main Confederate position, farther
down the road
ROsser's line was soon REINFORCED by
"A full brigade, and Fitzpatrick called