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Chapter 47: the March up the Valley.
On the morning of the 23rd, I moved back to
Mount Jackson, where I halted to enable the sick and wounded, and the hospital stores at that place to be carried off. In the afternoon
Averill's division of cavalry came up in pursuit, and after some heavy skirmishing was driven back.
I then moved to
Rude's Hill between
Mount Jackson and
New Market.
On the morning of the 24th, a body of the enemy's cavalry crossed the
North Fork below
Mount Jackson, and attempted to get around my right flank, but was held in check.
The enemy's infantry soon appeared at
Mount Jackson, and commenced moving around my left flank, on the opposite side of the river from that on which my left rested.
As the country was entirely open, and
Rude's Hill an elevated position, I could see the whole movement of the enemy, and as soon as it was fully developed, I commenced retiring in line of battle, and in that manner retired through
New Market to a point at which the road to
Port Republic leaves the
Valley Pike, nine miles from
Rude's Hill.
This movement was made through an entirely open country, and at every mile or two a halt was made, and artillery opened on the enemy, who was pursuing, which compelled him to commence deploying into line, when the retreat would be resumed.
In this retreat, under fire in line, which is so trying to a retiring force, and tests the best qualities of the soldier, the conduct of my troops was most admirable, and they preserved perfect order and their line intact, notwithstanding their diminished numbers, and the fact that the enemy was pursuing in full force, and every now and then dashing up with horse artillery under the support of cavalry, and opening on the retiring lines.
At the last halt, which was at a place
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called “Tenth Legion,” near where the
Port Republic road leaves the
Pike, and was a little before sunset, I determined to resist any further advance so as to enable my trains to get on the
Port Republic road; and skirmishers were sent out and artillery opened on the advancing enemy, but after some skirmishing, he went into camp in our view, and beyond the reach of our guns.
At this point a gallant officer of artillery,
Captain Massie, was killed by a shell.
As soon as it was dark, we retired five miles on the
Port Republic road and bivouacked.
In the morning
Lomax's cavalry had been posted to our left, on the
Middle and Back Roads from
Mount Jackson to
Harrisonburg, but it was forced back by a superior force of the enemy's cavalry, and retired to the latter place in considerable disorder.
Wickham's brigade had been sent for from the
Luray Valley to join me through the
New Market Gap, but it arrived at that gap just as we were retiring through
New Market, and orders were sent for it to return to the
Luray Valley, and join me at
Port Republic.
In the meantime,
Payne's small brigade had been driven from
Millford by two divisions of cavalry under
Torbert, which had moved up the
Luray Valley, and subsequently joined
Sheridan through the
New Market Gap.
This cavalry had been detained by
Wickham with his and
Payne's brigades, at
Millford, a sufficient time to enable us to pass
New Market in safety.
If, however, it had moved up the
Luray Valley by
Conrad's store, we would have been in a critical condition.
On the morning of the 25th, we moved towards
Port Republic,--which is in the fork of the
South Fork and
South River, and where the road through Brown's Gap in the
Blue Ridge crosses those rivers,--in order to unite with
Kershaw's division which had been ordered to join me from Culpeper Court-House.
We crossed the river below the junction, and took position between
Port Republic and Brown's Gap.
Fitz. Lee's and
Lomax's cavalry joined us here, and on the 26th,
Kershaw's division with
Cutshaw's battalion of artillery came up, after
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having crossed through Swift Run Gap, and encountered and repulsed, below
Port Republic, a body of the enemy's cavalry.
There was likewise heavy skirmishing on my front on the 26th with the enemy's cavalry, which made two efforts to advance towards Brown's Gap, both of which were repulsed after brisk fighting in which artillery was used.
Having ascertained that the enemy's infantry had halted at
Harrisonburg, on the morning of the 27th, I moved out and drove a division of his cavalry from
Port Republic, and then encamped in the fork of the rivers.
I here learned that two divisions of cavalry under
Torbert had been sent through
Staunton to
Waynesboro, and were engaged in destroying the railroad bridge in the latter place, and the tunnel through the
Blue Ridge at Rock-fish Gap, and on the 28th I moved for those points.
In making this movement I had the whole of the enemy's infantry on my right, while one division of cavalry was in my rear and two in my front, and on the left was the
Blue Ridge.
I had therefore to move with great circumspection.
Wickham's brigade of cavalry was sent up
South River, near the mountain, to get between the enemy and Rock-fish Gap, while the infantry moved in two columns, one up
South River, with the trains guarded in front by
Pegram's and
Wharton's divisions, and in rear by
Ramseur's division, and the other, composed of
Kershaw's and
Gordon's divisions with the artillery, on the right through
Mount Meridian,
Piedmont and New Hope.
McCausland's cavalry, under
Colonel Ferguson, was left to blockade and hold Brown's Gap, while
Lomax, with the rest of his cavalry and
Payne's brigade, watched the right flank and rear.
Wickham's brigade, having got between Rock-fish Gap and
Waynesboro, drove the enemy's working parties from the latter place, and took position on a ridge in front of it, when a sharp artillery fight ensued.
Pegram's division, driving a small body of cavalry before it, arrived just at night and advanced upon
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the enemy, when he retired in great haste, taking the roads through
Staunton and west of the
Valley Pike, back to the main body.
A company of reserves, composed of boys under 18 years of age, which had been employed on special duty at
Staunton, had gone to Rockfish Gap, and another company of reserves from
Charlottesville, with two pieces of artillery, had moved to the same point, and when the enemy advanced towards the tunnel and before he got in range of the guns, they were opened and he retired to
Waynesboro.
On the 29th and 30th, we rested at
Waynesboro, and an engineer party was put to work repairing the bridge, which had been but partially destroyed.
On the 1st of October, I moved my whole force across the country to
Mount Sidney on the
Valley Pike, and took position between that place and
North River, the enemy's forces having been concentrated around
Harrisonburg, and on the north bank of the river.
In this position we remained until the 6th, awaiting the arrival of
Rosser's brigade of cavalry, which was on its way from
General Lee's army.
In the meantime there was some skirmishing with the enemy's cavalry on the
North River, at the bridge near
Mount Crawford and at
Bridgewater above.
On the 5th,
Rosser's brigade arrived and was temporarily attached to
Fitz. Lee's division, of which
Rosser was given the command, as
Brigadier General Wickham had resigned.
The horses of
Rosser's brigade had been so much reduced by previous hard service and the long march from
Richmond, that the brigade did not exceed six hundred mounted men for duty, when it joined me.
Kershaw's division numbered 2,700 muskets for duty and he had brought with him
Cutshaw's battalion of artillery.
These reinforcements about made up my losses at
Winchester and
Fisher's Hill, and I determined to attack the enemy in his position at
Harrisonburg, and for that purpose made a reconnaissance on the 5th, but on the morning of the 6th it was discovered that he had retired during the night down the
Valley.
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When it was discovered that the enemy was retiring, I moved forward at once and arrived at
New Market with my infantry on the 7th.
Rosser pushed forward on the
Back and Middle roads in pursuit of the enemy's cavalry, which was engaged in burning houses, mills, barns, and stacks of wheat and hay, and had several skirmishes with it, while
Lomax also moved down the
Valley in pursuit, and skirmished successfully with the enemy's cavalry on the 8th; but on the 9th they encountered his whole cavalry force at
Tom's Brook, in rear of
Fisher's Hill, and both of their commands were driven back in considerable confusion, with a loss of some pieces of artillery,--nine were reported to me as the number lost, but
Grant claims eleven.
Rosser rallied his command on the
Back Road, at
Columbia furnace opposite
Edinburg, but a part of the enemy's cavalry swept along the
Pike to
Mount Jackson, and then retired on the approach of a part of my infantry.
On the 10th,
Rosser established his line of pickets across the
Valley from
Columbia Furnace to
Edinburg, and on the 11th
Lomax was sent to the
Luray Valley to take position at
Millford.
