The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-06-18

heavy infantry force-part of the
Fifth Corps under Gen. Vincen--to his
support, and its advance was already
engaged in conjunction with the cav
airy.
II therefore directed Gen Hampton
TO withdraw to the next hight when
| ever his position was hard pressed, and
sent orders at once to Col. Chambliss
] and Gen. Jones-the former having in
| formed me that the enemy was ad-
vancing in heavy force in his front-to
afford all the resistance possible. and
Gen. Jones to join to his left, and, re-
| firing apace with the main body, to
effect a junction with it at Upperville,
where j proposed to make a more de-
| termined stand than was compatible
with our forces divided. The COM
! ulands were from four to six miles
apart.
In retiring from the first position
| before Middleburg one of the pieces OF
| Capt. q. F.) Harris Battery of horse
artillery had the axle broken BY one
of the enemy,s shot, and the piece had
| TO be abandoned, which is the first
piece of my horse artillery which has
ever fallen into the enemy's hands. It's
full value was paid in the slaughter 1t
made in the enemy's ranks, and it was
well sold.
The next position was on the west
! side Of Goose Creek, whence, after re-
ceiving the enemy's attack, and after
repulsinS him with slaughter, / again
| withdrew en- echelon of regiments in
! plain view and under fire of the enc
my's guns. Nothing could exceed the
! coclness and self-possession of officers
and men in these movements, perform
! ing evolutions with a precision under
/ fire that must have wrung the tribute
of admiration from the enemy, even,
who dared not trust his cavalry unsup-
| ported to the saberS of such men.
Tn the meantime Jones's and w. II.
! +. Lees BrigadeS were holly engaged
with another column of the enemy
moving parallel to this. and were gra.- :
ualiy retiring toward Upperville, before
reaching which point. however, the
enemy had pressed closely up, so as to
! render an attempt to effect junction
at Upperville hazardous to those bril-
gades, and also made it necessary for
Hampton's and Robertson's Brigades to
move at once to the west side of Up
J peryille on account of the numbert of
roads concentrating at that point, so as
| to favor the enemyS flank movements.
Il was anxious on account of the
women and children to avoid a con-
| flict in the village, but the enemy. true
to those reckless and inhuman instincts,
sought to take advantage of this dis
inclination on our part by attacking
| furiously our rear guard. In an instant
the same men who had with so much
GOODNESS retired before the enemy
wheeled about, and with admirable
spirit drove back the enemy, killing,
wounding and capturing a large num-
Der In this Gen. Hampton's Brigade
participated largely and in brilliant
manner. His report, not yet sent in,
will no doubt give full particulars
after this repulse, which was not
followed up, as the enemy's infantry
was known TO be in close supporting
distance. / withdrew the command leis-
urely to the mountain gap west of Up
peryille."
Lee Crosses the Potomac.
While Stuart was having such a hard
| time and indifferent success in holding
back the rampant Yankee cavalry,
| I.ongstreet was hurrying up to join Lee
on the banks of the Potomac for raid
! into loyal soil. June 10 he passed thru
| Upperville, leaving temporarily a por-
ton of his men to hold the gaps against
or cavalry. McLaws was at Ashby's
! Gap to stiffen up Stuart, Hood was at
Smokers Gap, the nearest one To the
| Potomac and the most important ap-
proach to Washington, while Pickett's
! Division was stationed on top of the
Blue Ridge to give them assistance in
| the event of Hooker throwing forward
; his infantry to strike Lees flank. June
/ 20 Longstreet. seeing no intention of
this on Hooker's part, left the Blue
Ridge, and placed himself behind the
| Shenandoah. He was little prema-
ture. for galloping couriers informed
! him that Stuart was being pushed back
and needed assistance McLaws was
| rushed back to Ashby's Gap, and for
| some hours watched for the advance
which they dreaded against their TANKS
and rear. Hooker had no such inten-
| ton, however. He did not propose to
| carry out Lincoln's suggestion and hunt