[136] Marylanders, was killed, almost in touch with right file of the Maryland Regiment. This regiment did the fighting, losing some of its best officers and men. Major Goldsborough wrote: ‘The commander of the Bucktails, Lieutenant-Colonel Kane, with several of his officers and many of the men were wounded and prisoners in our hands, and, to use Kane's own words, “Hardly a dozen of the command escaped.” ’ General Ewell issued an order complimenting the First Maryland and Colonel Bradley T. Johnson, and authorized a captured bucktail to be appended to the color staff. Ashby's last words were: ‘Charge men; for God's sake charge!’ Waving his sword, a bullet pierced his breast and he fell dead. When killed he was afoot,1 his horse having been killed just before. Private M. Warner Hewes of Ashby's Cavalry cut the saddle girth and secured the saddle. Jackson visited the room where Ashby's body lay and asked to be left alone in silent communion with his dead cavalry chief. Within one year the corpse of the illustrous chieftian himself likewise ‘received the homage of all the good and the brave.’ Stonewall Jackson, in his official report, said of Ashby:
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1 As a member of ‘Jackson's Foot Cavalry’ and in sound of the battle in which the beau sabreur Ashby fell, I was cognizant, somewhat, of attendant circumstances. My information was that Ashby went into the action afoot, and against the remonstrance of General Ewell, in the lead of their troops. It was an accepted fact that getting between the enemy and our own troops he fell under fire of our own men.
His body was placed in an ambulance in the rear of which followed his horse, a magnificent black stallion, who, in his subdued mien, seemed almost as if humanly conscious of the loss which had befallen him, as the body of his gallant master was constantly and fully in his view. Upon the bosom of the gallant dead, whom all loved and admired (and who was the impersonation and ideal of chivalry and fearlessness), some one had placed a beautiful wreath of flowers, which concealed the gaping hole torn by the cruel bullet. He was not only the ‘eye of Jackson,’ but he was felt, as the avant-courier (being always with the advancing column), to be the protecting Aegis of our army, and thus, his death was to our cause and to all an incalculable loss. The newspapers have recently given us a tribute from a foe, from whom much was expected by the Federals—Colonel Sir Percy Wyndham, that it was a cruel calamity that one so brave as Ashby should fall. I viewed the remains about the same time at Waynesboro that the doughty Englishman did, although the tribute was not uttered in my hearing.—Editor.
Richmond, VA. 1901.
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