The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-03-22
A Stone Wall Rampant.

occupy the ground that Jackson was
aiming to seize.
A Stone Wall Rampant.
The field toward which Jackson's three
Confederate brigades and Tyler's Fed
eral command were fastening from op-
posite directions was a plateau pre-
senting on its northern edge Il line
obliquing southeast and northwest to
Kimballs position. Along this line
was a stone wall, with broad, open
fields south of it. where Jackson was
advancing, and having on the north
strip of wood obscuring the view to-
ward Winchester. When the Confed-
crate line reached the stone wall and
sent skirmishers into the wood Tylers
skirmishers were advancing to seize
the vantage ground. Jacksons in
fantry and artillery combined now held
of Tyler, and his batteries were also
playing havoc with Kimbalps line
along the opposite side of the valley
Kimball's tactics were at this juncture
unique. He had fought three inferior
actions in order to hold the ground he
then occupied and with Ashby and
he knew not how much besides stand
ing ready to pounce upon him there,
was loath to leave it undefended. His
force was divided into eight regiments,
and one by one these regiments were
moved out by the right flank to the
front Of the Confederates to assist Ty-
Ter in maintaining his ground in front
Of the stone wall. The effect that this
style of fighting had on the southern
ers is told in Jackson's report. He says
that the repulsed Federal regiments
with which he fought at the stone wall
were replaced by fresh ones drawn
from a large reserve.
The Stone Wall Captured.
The Confederate General Garnett,
whose brigade was in the center at the
stone wall, believed that he was large
ly outnumbered because he saw six diff
ferent Federal flags on his front. He
also saw Federal cavalry moving
around on his left flank, and this bug
aboo was simply a few weak deta"h
ments sent out by Kimball as danKers.
However, Garnett abandoned the stone
wall, and every effort put forth by the
Confederate commander and his lieu
tenants to ward off disaster was una
vailing. The Confederate troops on the
left of Garnett, Fulkerson's brigade,
were isolated by Garnett's withdrawal
from the line, and the relentless activi-
ty Of Kimbalrs men allowed no respite
for the recovery Of lost ground. The
stone wall became the prize Of the Fed
era men, as did also two Of Jackson's
cannon.
1t was row nearing night, and kim
balls line was very much confused.
On his new front there was a wide
stretch of open ground with a wood on
the hither side offering a good rallying
point for Jackson. But his troops re-
reated to their trains, and Ashby's
cavalry was drawn upon to do picket
duty along Kimball's front.
In his formal official report Jackson
wrote that though Winchester was not
recovered and though the contested
field remained in possession Of the enc
my, 'yet the most essential fruits of
the battle are ours" In dispatch to
General Johnston, dated March "a, he
appealed for 5000 more infantry,
doubling up Of his force to aid him
against Kimball alone should the lat
ter advance. He was himself at that
moment retreating south and in the
same dispatch to Johnston added, Il
will try and remain on this side Stras-
burg" Evidently "Stonewall' met his
peer when accident threw him afoul of
Colonel Kimball in his first Shenandoah
campaign.
Other Events of the Week.
On March 1s the Confederate gun
boat feet on the Mississippi river at
tackled the Federals at New Madrid,
Mo. They were repulsed by General
Pope's land batteries and Flag Officer
Foote's ironclads. This sally of the