The Tupelo journal., 1913-05-16
earned.

Banks columns. Banks falls back to
Winchester. From there Jackson
makes him beat a heavy retreat. A
fine opportunity is offered to capture
the remnant of his army. but where is
the cavalry? 1t is humiliating to re-
late that Ashby's men are diverted and
demoralized by the tempting Suffers,
and other stores left along the turnpike
by Banks. Probably hunger prevents
them from needing their beloved Com
mander's voice. So our faithful hero
with only a few followers rides to Ber-
ryyille to prevent the enemy's escape
that way. Jackson sternly rebukes
him for the indignity of his cavalry.
This causes a break between the two
devoted men. However. Ashby's bril-
liant work as leader of the Confederate
rear.guard in the retreat from Stras-
burg to Harrisburg, wins back for him
his old place in Jackson's heart.
Sunday, June 1st, Jackson's army is
resting at S%trasburg. He is hemmed
in by Fremont and Mcdowell and in
tends to beat a hasty retreat. June
Bird, after the army had crossed the
North fork of the Shenandoah, Ashby
remains to burn the bridge. He per-
ceives Fremont's men pursuing him,
and calmly waits until they are nearly
upon him. Then he spurs his horse and
gallops away at full speed. All the
Federals except two give up all hope
of ever capturing him. A bullet pierces
the side of his magnificent horse.
Ashby, enraged, reins his steed, and
as the two men drew near him, shoots
one dead and coolly draws his sword
and cuts the other down. His horses
wound is mortal and ~dismounting he
caresses the beautiful steed, and sigh
ing hastily leaves the animal.
Reaching his army he 10Y on
through Harrisburg eve skirmishing
with Fremont's advance guard under
Wyndham. That officer had declared
that he would ''bag" our brave soldier.
Concealing most of his men in "a grain
field on June the 9th, Ashby turns the
tables and succeeds in capturing Wynd-
ham and sixty-three other prisoners.
He rightly divines that this attack
will be followed up by Fremont's men
the same day. so asks for a small in
fantry force. Given this, he conceals
the First Maryland in a wood near
Harrisburg and intends to make cir
cult with the Fifty eighth Virginia.
The enemy plan a similar attack and
the two forces meet. Ashbv, seeing
the enemy's advantage, urges his men
to press them with the bayonet. His
horse, the one that Jackson rode at
Manassas and the same n on which
he was later killed, is disabled. Leap
ing to the ground, his swarthy face
fiery with i~mpatience, he 1ourishes his
sword in the air and cries: charge
menl For Gods sake charged" Hardly
had he done so when a bullet pierces
his heart. He is speedily avenged, for
his men sweep the enemy in front and
drive them back to Harrisburg.
Thus fell Turner Ashby, one of the
bravest and most beloved men of Vir-
ginia. His remains were carried with
the army to Fort Republic and were
buried at the State University, while
the thunder of the distant battle tolled
a fighting knell for the great soldier.
Later, in October 1866, his body was
r~e-interred with impressive ceremony
in the Stonewall Cemetery at Winches-
ter.
AS Lee was to loose his right hand in
Jackson, so Jackson lost his right hand
in Turner Ashby. When Jackson wrote
his official report he said: "An official
report IS not an appropriate place for
more than a:passing word of the dis
tinguished dead, but the close relation
which Gen. Ashby bore to my command
for the most of the previous twelve
months will justify me in saying that
as a partisan leader, | never knew his
superior. His daring vas proverbial,
his powers of endurance incredible, his
tone of character heroic, and his sa-
gacity almost intuitive in divining the
purposes and movements of the
enemy" Many brave men succeeded
him but none Drawer. He was eyes
and ears for Jackson, and no man
missed or mourned him more than that
General.
Though his candle of military fame
was blown out in its first ray, the ray
was brilliant and pierced the darkness.
Why should we mourn that his career
should have been so short? Did he not
live in life's fullest measure? Yet how