June 9, 1862. |
June 12. |
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of whom then crossed over and joined the regiments of General Winder, of Ewell's division, which was on Tyler's right, and where a battle had begun that soon became heavy.
General Dick Taylor's Louisiana brigade, which had flanked and attacked General Tyler's left, but was driven back, now made a sudden dash through the woods that completely masked it, upon a battery of seven guns under Lieutenant-colonel Hayward, and captured it. With his Own regiment (Sixty-sixth Ohio), and the Fifth and Seventh Ohio, Colonel Candy, who was in the rear of the battery, made a spirited counter-charge, and re-captured it with one of the Confederate guns, but the artillery horses having been killed, he was unable to take it off. Instead of the guns, he took with him, in falling back, sixty-seven of Taylor's men as prisoners.
So overwhelming was the number of Jackson's troops that Tyler was compelled to retreat.
This was done in good order, “save the stampede of those who ran before the fight was fairly opened.”
1 He was pursued about five miles, gallantly covered by Carroll and his cavalry.
“Upon him I relied,” said Tyler, “and was not disappointed.”
2 In the engagement and retreat the Confederates captured four hundred and fifty prisoners, and eight hundred muskets.
So ended the battle of Port Republic;3 and Jackson telegraphed to Richmond, saying--“Through God's blessing the enemy near Port Republic was this day routed, with the loss of six pieces of his artillery.”
The battle was disastrous in its results, but glorious for the officers and men of the National army engaged in it. It was one of the brilliant battles of the war.4
Jackson kept Tyler in check until his main body crossed the bridge, when his rear-guard set it on fire.
The sounds of battle and the sight of columns of smoke had hastened the march of Fremont.
When he came near Port Republic he found the bridge in flames, the Shenandoah too deep to be forded anywhere, and his enemy beyond his immediate grasp.
Here ended the pursuit — here ended the famous race of Fremont, Shields, and Jackson up the Shenandoah Valley, which was skillfully won by the latter.
On the following morning
the National army began to retrace its steps, and, in the midst of a drenching rain, it reached Harrisonburg toward evening.
Fremont fell back to Mount Jackson and Shields to New Market, when both commanders were called to Washington.
Jackson re-crossed the Shenandoah and encamped at Weyer's Cave,
two miles from Port Republic, and on the 17th he was summoned, with a greater portion of his army, to assist in the defense of Richmond.
The writer, accompanied by two friends ( S. M. Buckingham and H. L.
1 Tyler's Report to Shields, June 12, 1862.
2 Report of General Tyler to General Shields, June 12, 1862. The National troops employed in third struggle were the Seventh Indiana; Fifth, Seventh, and Twenty-ninth Ohio; and the First Virginia, with sections of Captains Clarke and Huntington's batteries, on the right; and the Eighty-fourth and One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania; Sixty-sixth Ohio, and sections of Captains Clarke, Huntington, and Robinson's batteries, and a company each of the Fifth and Sixty-sixth Ohio, as skirmishers, on the left, which was the key of the position.
3 Port Republic is a small village on the eastern bank of the south fork of the Shenandoah River, pleasantly situated on a plain. It is a post village of Rockingham County.
4 General Ewell declared to the writer, that in that engagement the Confederate troops were three to one of the Nationals in number, and that it was a most gallant fight on the part of the latter.
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