The National tribune., 1907-08-22

In garrison and in front of Wash
1ngton ..-..... '............ .1S,OoV
AT Warrenton ............. i'loO
At Manassas 10, S59
In the Shenandoah Valley. 5,467
On the lower Potomac. ......... 1850
In all. ..73.456
This statement is not wholly frank. as
| the troops in the Shenandoah Valley
| had quite as much as they could attend
| to without looking out for Washing
| ton, and there were other necessary de-
ductions. Mcclellan makes much of
the detachment of Blenker's Division,
which was sent to Gen. Fremont in the
Shenandoah Valley, and he says that
the President distinctly promised him
that no more troops should be taken
away from him, notwithstanding which
McDowellS Corps. upon which McClel-
Ian had relied to turn Yorktown, was
withdrawn and made part of the new
Department of the RappahaDnock.
These two detachments are the subjects
of the bitterest complaint made by Nc
Clellan's partisans.
The Battle of Kernsfown.
McClellan's plan for covering Wash
ington was to leave that duty in charge
| of Gen Banks and the short-lived Fifth
Corps. Banks was to put the bulk of
his troops into strong intrenchments at
Manassas Junction, repairing the Man
assas Gap Railroad to StraSburg. and
form there another strongly intrenched
camp to hold possession Of the Shenan-
doah Valley. At the time of the re-
treat from Manassas Stonewal Jackson,
with about 5000 men. was at Winches-
ter, but retired south of Strasburg. pur-
sued by Lander's Division, now COM
manded by Shields. Shields then fell
back in turn to Winchester, and jack
son, mistaking the reason of the move
ment, and believing that the Valley was
being stripped to reinforce Mcclellan,
attacked Shields with his usual i'm
Detuosity at kernstOwn. or the morning
of March %. The fight was opened by
Ashby with his redoubtable cavalry. and
! Jackson confidently expected to set the
! small force In front of him hurrying
| back across the Potomac, to the great
distress of the North and terror as to
the safety of Washington. Brig Gen.
| Nathan Kimball. a fine, natural soldier,
but without military education other
| than a years experience as Captain in
| the Mexican War. had stopped with his
brigade at the little village of Kerns-
| town, some three miles south of VIM
chester. where three principal roads
met In the preliminary skirmish Gen.
Shields. who was driving up from VIM
chester in buggy. was struck by II
piece of shell. which broke his arm and
so injured him otherwise that he was
compelled to keep his bed, and the
| command of the force devolved upon
Gen. Kimball. Jackson had 10 regi-
ments of infantry of Virgi'iians, with 81
guns and 290 cavalry. His reports of
his strength vary greatly. At one time
he says ne had about 5000 and at an
other only 3.057, but this Is manifestly
far. below the reality, and we are war
ranted in believing that his strength was
much nearer 5000 than 5000.
shieIds's Division.
Shields's Division was about 5000
strong, with $50 cavalry and "a guns.
| 1t was a first-class command in every
| respect, because the original material
was excellent. and it had been brought
to the highest development of efficiency
by the capable leadership of Gen. F. w.
Lander. who had died only few weeks
before from the effect of hardships, ex-
posure and anxiety. Gen. Shields had
only been in command a few days.
Jackson supposed that there were only
four regiments in front of him, and was
disposed to push them vigorously. Ash
| by'S cavalry was sent back by the sharp
fire of Kfmbalrs infantry, and then en-
sued a noisy but rather harmless artil-
lery duel. Jackson put his three bri-
gade sin line, with Burks on his right,
| Garnett commanding the Stonewall Bri-
gade of Bull Run fame. in the center,
and FullSerstone's Brigade on the left to
flank the Union right thru the open
fields. Ashby's cavalry was sent to the
right to turn the Union left.
| Kimball had his artillery-Rattery E.
fth U. s. Art; Battery A. 1st W. Va
Art, and Batteries H and L, 1st Ohio
L. Art-under the able management of
Lieut.. Philip Daum, an experienced
Prussian artillerisr, who handled them
| with great skill and effect
1 Jackson opened the attack savageIy,
lhoping to carry everything by swift
dash. Kimball manifested no signs of
disconeertment at this, and the Sth
Ohio. which received the first blow,
showed disturbing disposition to come
to close quarters. II drove off a bat
terry. and routed Jackson's advance.
which had taken position behind one of
the heavy stone walls so common I'm the
ineighborhood. The 67th Ohio, 14th Ind.
and saith Pa. moved up promptly to
take their share in the fight.
i Jackson tried to relieve the pressure
on his center by pushing forward Burks
; to turn our left, but Burks encountered
Sullivan's Brisade-13th Ind, 5th and
62d Ohio and 39th Ill which pushed
him back.
Then Jackson tried the right wing,
with Fulkerstone's Brigade, but Tyler's
Brigade-7th and goth Ohio, 1st W.
Va. 7th Ind. and 10th Pa-were sent
to attend to that flank. They encoun-
tered the enemy strongly posted behind
g. stone wall, and fierce fight at close
range opened.
JacksOn's Last Effort.
It was now o'clock. and Jackson
Z made a supreme effort to win the fight
at once, to have some daylight in which
to complete his victory. He brought up
every man and every gun, and ordered
a general advance. He found that his
enemy's fighting blood was up, too and
Z Kimbalps men were quite as eager for
an advance. Garnett rushed out from
} the woods for a stone wall in 'front.' and
Kimbalrs men also ran for the wall.
!, Garnetts men got there first. and pour
ed savage volley from 1t into the 84th