Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

In the saddle again at seven o'clock on Tuesday morning. The troops have been on the march for hours. From Woodstock, which is rather a pleasant village, and, like all the hamlets of this valley, picturesquely planted among the hills, to Edinburgh the advance was without incident. A military bridge, constructed by Banks, crossing Stony Creek — a swift,, wide stream — is half burned by the flying rebels; but they are now so closely pressed that they have no time to do thoroughly even the work essential to their safety. In half an hour it is so far repaired that the infantry cross. The cavalry have already passed through a ford above, which is so deep as to be sufficiently unpleasant for artillery. All the ammunition is taken out and carried over the bridge by hand; then the caissons and guns go through without disaster, aided in their passage by that extraordinary profusion of oaths which is deemed essential to such efforts. Four miles beyond, the rebels have again halted with artillery, and as our guns have been delayed in crossing, the cavalry can only wait for their arrival.

At Mount Jackson there is known to be a long bridge over the Shenandoah, a river too swift and deep to be forded. If they mean to fight on this side they must either lose their guns, or leave the bridge unharmed, and if they do the latter, their further retreat is impossible, for their rearguard will be cut to pieces unless supported. Jackson is too good a general to accept either alternative. His artillery remained in position just long enough to delay the advance of Gen. Bayard's cavalry, then crossed the bridge before our guns could be brought up, and burned it in the face of the cavalry, which Gen. Bayard permitted to remain spectators on the hill. When the smoke was seen, they were ordered forward, but arrived too late to save it. Under fire from the opposite side, the First Pennsylvania cavalry lost one man killed.

As soon as Col. Pilsen could bring up his guns, they were unlimbered on either side of the road, and opened on the rebel batteries. Beyond the river stretches a broad plain, the further end of which slopes gradually up into an irregular eminence, along which the enemy had placed his artillery. On its further side, and in the neighboring woods, his troops were quietly encamped out of range, and, the Shenandoah River in their rear, were safe for the night, as they supposed, and at any rate too tired to go much further. It was soon found that the distance was too great for our guns. Col. Albert, chief of staff; was in advance, and reconnoitring the position with a soldier's eye, saw that the river bends suddenly half a mile beyond the bridge, and sent Schirmer's battery to a hill on this side, which flanked the rebel camp, and at once forced them to withdraw to a more secure position. Nothing more could be done till the bridge was rebuilt, and the army was, therefore, halted for the night.

Twenty prisoners taken by Jackson at Front Royal escaped to-day, and met our troops as they and advanced on the road. They are all of the First Maryland regiment, said to have been cut to pieces in the unequal fight at Front Royal, and report that not more than forty of their regiment were killed, and that all the rest were captured. Jackson had with him two thousand prisoners, taken at different times from Gen. Banks's command. They have been treated with great severity, half-starved, and forced to follow the retreat of his army, whether sick or well. Officers fell by the roadside from exhaustion and illness, and were forced on at the point of the bayonet. They were not allowed to stop on the road even for a swallow of the water which it crosses in frequent streams. I annex a complete list of casualties:

wounded in Col. Cluseret's brigade, in skirmish, Sunday, June 1.

Eighth Virginia regiment--Rufus Boyer, company A, slightly; Peter Wards, company B, do.; George W. Douglas, company B, do.; Thomas Skelton, company B; Clark W. Card, company E, severely.

Sixtieth Ohio--C. Bennington, company A, slightly; Stephen Parris, company B, slightly.

June 2, in pursuit.

First New-Jersey cavalry--Corporal Charles G. Morsayles, slightly; George Jones, company D, severely; Sergeant George H. Fowler, company E, killed.

First Pennsylvania cavalry--George Tegarleir, company F, killed.