Battle of Waynesboro

Custer

In February, 1865, Union Major General Philip Sheridan began moving up Shenadoah Valley towards Staunton, Virginia. Opposing him were the Confederate troops under Jubal Early, who had had badly defeated the year before at the Battle of Cedar Creek. 150 years ago today Sheridan's lead division of cavalry, 2,500 men under Brig. Gen. George Custer, approached Early just outside Waynesboro. The Confederates had a little more than 1,000 men behind earthworks which covered their entire front. Custer sent his first brigade around the Confederates left flank, while his second made a diversion in the front.

The Federals horse artillery came into action at around 3:30 pm, and several minutes later the rebels were shocked by the flank attack. They were thrown into a panic, and fled after a feeble resistance. Jedediah Hotchkiss, a Confederate staff officer, called it “one of the most terrible panics and stampedes I have ever seen. There was a perfect rout along the road up the mountain, and the enemy ... dashed rapidly forward into the swarm of flying men, wagons, &c....” Many Confederates were captured and the rest were widely scattered. The Army of the Valley no longer existed as an organized force, and Early himself escaped with only a handful of staff. He returned to Lee at Richmond having lost an entire corps of the army since he had left the year before. Although Lee valued Early's skills as a general, he had no choice but to remove him from command. It says much to the character of both men, that after the war Jubal Early was one of Lee's staunchest defenders, even though he had removed him from command.

Early later in life

Battle of Cedar Creek

Sheridan

After defeating Early at the Battles of Opequon and Fisher's Hill, Sheridan's Union army moved down the Shenandoah Valley, leaving destruction in their wake. This was in line with the Federal policy in other areas of the war – to break the Confederate will to fight by destroying homes, crops and barns as they marched through the countryside. Unlike Sherman in his march through Georgia, Sheridan's men pillaged and burned under his orders. The valley was sometimes called the Breadbasket of the Confederacy, and Sheridan was determined that when he was finished, it would not be able to provide any assistance to the Confederate cause. As one Union soldier wrote, “The Valley is all ablaze in our rear.”

Early was not content to remain passive while the Yankees wrought this work of destruction. Major General John Gordon and staff officer Jedidiah Hotchkiss scouted a route that would take the army along a narrow path on the northern slope of Massanutten Mountain and across the Shenandoah River, so that they could strike the left flank of the Union army, which was positioned along Cedar Creek. The march went off without a hitch. Leaving on the evening of October 18, the Confederates were in position to strike early the next morning.

The Confederate attack

At 5 am, 150 years ago today, the Rebels charged toward the Union positions. The Federals were completely surprised. Some units had not set out adequate pickets, and many troops were caught unprepared in their camps. The Army of West Virginia, the southernmost part of Sheridan's force, was broken. Next up the line, Emory's XIX Corps, got in line to resist the Confederate attack. They stood firm for some minutes, but they were able to do little more than delay the Southern waves while other units fell back. Soon they too were retreating, falling back north of Middletown. They had, however, held long enough for Wright's VI Corps to get in line. They too were driven back, though Getty's division held a position in a cemetery for an hour. At that point the Federals had established a main line to the north.

Early

Early did not continue to press. His men were hungry and tired after their all-night march and morning of fighting. They believed the victory was already won, and they had the spoils to prove it. They had captured 1,300 prisoners and 24 cannon. Sheridan had actually been absent from the army when it was broken by this Confederate attack. He was in Winchester, returning from a meeting in Washington. When he heard the sounds of a major battle, he set out to join the army, making what would become a famous ride on his horse, Rienzi. When he reached his men he found them rallying, but dispirited after their defeat. His arrival was just the inspiration they needed. Although it is doubtful that if Sheridan had been on the battlefield that morning he would have prevented the disaster, it gave the Yankee soldiers a way to rationalize their reverse. Now that Sheridan was on the field, they thought, their troubles would be over. He rode along the lines, rallying and encouraging his men. “Come on back, boys!” he shouted, “Give 'em h—l! … We'll make coffee out of Cedar Creek tonight!”

Sheridan rallies the Union troops

Sheridan soon launched a counterattack. He placed the VI Corps on his left and the XIX on his right, with the Army of West Virginia in reserve and divisions of cavalry on both flanks. At 4 pm this line advanced, and drove back Early's men toward Middletown. Soon the superior Federal numbers drove the Confederates back. Some Confederates put up a good fight, including Stephen Dodson Ramseur's division. He gathered a few hundred men and resisted Sheridan's advance. Finally he fell mortally wounded, with two horses shot from under him and balls through his arm and both lungs.

The Union counterattack

Under Sheridan's orders, George Custer's cavalry division charged to try to cut off the Confederate line of retreat to the river. He failed to do so, but his charge inspired panic in the Confederate troops. In their hurry to get away, a bridge collapsed on the small “No Name Creek.” Unable to repair this in the face of the enemy, Early had to abandon and captured guns or wagons north of the creek. The army was also thrown into confusion as they hurried through the difficult crossings.

Sheridan leads the charge

The Federals lost 5,764 in this battle, including 1,770 captured; the Confederates 2,910, with 1,050 captured. The Battle of Cedar Creek was a major blow to the Confederate cause. Sheridan was free to continue up the valley, burning and pillaging at will. The Confederates began by willing a glorious victory, but the attacks were halted and the men turned to plundering. They gave the Federals time to rally, and Sheridan's counterattack turned the balance of the day. As Early told Hotchkiss, “The Yankees got whipped and we got scared.”

Battle of Opequon

Early

After Jubal Early's 1864 invasion of Maryland, Union cavalry general Philip Sheridan, one of Grant's favorite commanders, was detached to command the Army of the Shenandoah to deal with that threat. For several weeks the armies of Sheridan and Early skirmished in the Shenandoah Valley without any major fighting. Sheridan had 39,000 men, Early only 14,000. Early decided that Sheridan did not plan to fight him, so he did not concentrate his army and left it spread out over many miles. Sheridan, however, was looking for an opportunity just like this to attack. He set his troops moving out to strike Stephen Ramseur's division around Winchester. When Early heard of this movement he ordered all of his troops to concentrate on Ramseur's isolated force.

Rodes

Sheridan's men were awakened at 1 am on September 19th, 150 years ago today, to begin their march on Winchester. Their progressed was slowed by a canyon, which became clogged by the Union columns and supply wagons. By noon the Federals arrived in position and attacked Early's line, which had now been reinforced by John B. Gordon's division on the left. Two corps advanced, the VI Corps under Horatio Wright on the left, and and XIX Corps under William Emory on the right. Both made some progress against the rebels, slowly driving them back. Where the Confederates were driven back they counterattacked. In one of these Confederate Major General Robert Rhodes was wounded as he led his men forward, shouting, “Charge them boys! Charge them!.”

Sheridan

As the Federals pressed forward a gap opened between them. Reinforcements were rushed close it, but before they arrived the Confederates took advantage of the opportunity. The Federal division of David Russell counterattacked, and stunted the Confederate attack. In the attack, Russell was hit with fragments of a shell, and fell mortally wounded. Emory Upton, known for his attacks at Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor, took over the division.

With his attacked stalled Sheridan brought up his reserves, the VII Corps under George Crook, and sent them to strike the Confederate left flank, while the other two corps advanced in support. The advance encountered difficulty. Crook's men had to move through a swamp, and the XIX Corps did not get moving at all. A shell tore off a piece of Emory Upton's thigh, but he continued to command his division from a stretcher. Future president Rutherford B. Hayes, commanding a division with Crook, wrote of crossing the swamp:

[T]o stop was death. To go on was probably the same; but on we started again ... the rear and front lines and different regiments of the same line mingled together and reached the rebel side of the creek with lines and organizations broken; but all seemed inspired by the right spirit, and charged the rebel works pell-mell in the most determined manner."

Finally the Federals began to drive back the Southern lines. Early pulled back his lines, but the Federals drove them back closer and closer to Winchester. Sheridan was riding along his lines, waving his hat and encouraging his men. His cavalry was moving around Early's flank, threatening to surround his entire force. Finally as the sun set, the Confederate army was in full retreat.

Sheridan leads the charge

Many call this battle the turning point for the Union in the Shenandoah Valley. This victory began the tide of Union victories. Both sides had suffered heavy casualties. The Federals lost more than 5,000, the Confederates over 3,500. Early had lost a quarter of his army. More men fell at the Battle of Opequon, or Third Winchester as it is also known, than in Stonewall Jackson's entire 1862 Valley Campaign.

Second Battle of Kernstown

After his invasion of the north in which he marched to the very gates of Washington, Jubal Early fell back with his army to the Shenandoah Valley. The Federals were soon after him. With the Union troops pressing on his flanks, Early retreated from Winchester, abandoning some supplies. The Yankees were convinced that the Confederates were retreating in earnest up the Valley because of the victories they won in skirmishing. Therefore two corps were withdrawn from the theater and sent back to join Grant at Petersburg, leaving only three Union divisions in the Valley. This left about 10,000 Federals to face 13,000 – 14,000 Confederates. When Jubal Early learned this news from prisoners, he realized the opportunity he had to strike a successful blow and lure those two corps back from the war's main front.

George Crook

On July 24^th, 150 years ago, Early moved north towards the Federal Army of the Valley, under the command of George Crook, a West Point Graduate and an Indian fighter. The two forces met at Kernstown, the sight of Stonewall Jackson's first independent battle back in 1862. As the Confederates arrived on the battlefield, Early sent in his cavalry first, deploying the infantry under the cover of woods. This confirmed Crook's belief that the main Confederate army had left the valley, and he ordered his troops to attack what he assumed to be a small party.

Pritchard House, around which the battle was fought

At 1 PM Mulligan's division advanced, supported by the brigade of Rutherford B. Hayes, future president of the United States. As Hayes command marched down a road towards the Confederate position, they were surprised by a sudden attack on their flank. Rebels came streaming out of a ravine, catching Hayes' men off guard and throwing them into retreat. A gap had opened up on Mulligan's other flank, which John B. Gordon's division exploited. With Mulligan caught between two Confederate commands, he ordered his division to retreat. He himself fell as he fruitlessly tried to stop the retreat from turning into a rout. The Federal cavalry attempted to stop the Confederate column, but the southern troopers halted and broke them, adding to the Federal confusion. Soon the entire Union army was scattered and retreating before Early's victorious men.

Rutherford B. Hayes

Crook retreated quickly with his battered army, crossing the Potomac into Maryland on July 26^th. With the Federals again cleared from the Valley, Early took the opportunity again raid the north, sending cavalry into Federal territory which burned Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. 

Battle of Lynchburg

Early

After defeating the Confederates which stood up to him at the Battle of Piedmont earlier in the month, David Hunter continued his advance into the Shenandoah Valley. After capturing Staunton, the first time it had been occupied during the war, he turned his attention to Lynchburg. On the way, when he passed through Lexington, he burned the Virginia Military Institute, where Stonewall Jackson taught before the war. Robert E. Lee sent Jubal Early and the Second Corps to defend Lynchburg. Around 14,000 men were assembled in the entrenchments around the town to meet Hunter's 16,500.

Hunter

The Federals attacked on June 18, 150 years ago today. Hunter did not realize that reinforcements had arrived from Lee. An attempt by the Federals to find Early's flank was unsuccessful. The Confederates attacked the Federals, and although they were driven back into their earthworks, Hunter retreated that night. Hunter did not stop retreating. He left the Shenandoah Valley and moved into West Virginia. Early's path north was open, and he setout to implement the second part of his mission from Lee – the last Confederate invasion of the North. 

Battle of Piedmont

Jones

Part of Grant's plan in Virginia for the 1864 campaign was for Federal troops to move down the Shenandoah Valley. This was tried first by Franz Sigel, but he was defeated and thrown back at the Battle of New Market. Grant removed him from command and gave the army to Major General David Hunter on May 21, for him to try again. In less than a week Hunter had the Army of the Shenandoah moving, driving back light Confederate opposition under Brigadier General John Imboden. After New Market most of the Confederates had been withdrawn from the area to reinforce Lee in his struggle with Grant. As Hunter moved quickly towards Staunton, the Southerners scrambled to assemble an army to stand up with him. Lee sent Brig. Gen. William “Grumble” Jones and his 4,000 from southwest Virginia to the Valley. On June 4 Jones joined with Imboden, who had positioned himself in Hunter's path.

On the morrow Imboden skirmished with the Federal advance guard until they reached the good position chosen by Jones at the village of Piedmont. The Union infantry deployed and attacked. Their first advance was forced to halt after driving in the Confederate's advance positions, but the Union artillery were able to silence most of their enemy's pieces. The Federals again attacked and were driven back and the Confederate hastily counterattacked, but were forced back behind their works. Grumble Jones believed there was still an opportunity, so he began concentrating his troops to hit the Union brigade which had been assaulting the Confederate position. But in doing so a gap opened up on the Confederate right. Hunter ordered in troops to take advantage of this, and the Confederate flank was smashed. All along the line the Federals advanced, driving back the rebels. Jones hurried up his reserves, but they were unable to stem the Union advance. As he tried to rally his men, he was struck in the head by a Union bullet, and fell to the ground, dead. The Union lines continued to press forward, driving the Confederates against the Shenandoah Middle River and dividing them in half. The Federal cavalry were able to round up 1,000 prisoners. Altogether the Confederates lost 1,5000 men, the Federals 900.

Battle of New Market

Several other columns in the eastern theater were advancing around this time in 1864, in connection with Grant's main attack in the Overland Campaign. One of these was an army of 10,000 men under Major General Franz Sigel who was moving down the Shenandoah Valley. His movement was to threaten Lee's flank and strike the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad, and important supply line. When the Confederates received word of this advance, Major General John C. Breckinridge, former vice president of the United States, hurried to assemble forces to meet Sigel. He even called up the 247 young cadets from the Virginia Military Institute to join his army. With his forces gathered, Breckinridge headed north to meet the advancing Federal army.

The two armies met just south of the village of New Market mid morning on May 15, 150 years ago today. On both sides troops gradually arrived and deployed in line of battle. Breckinridge placed Imboden's brigade of cavalry on his right. He sent them forward to try to lure the Federals into an attack, but Colonel Augustus Moore, commanding the Union force until Sigel arrive, did not take the bait. Finally around noon the Confederates attacked. They successfully pushed the Federals back, and after halting to reorganize their line, resumed the attack. In the area of the Bushong farm the Confederate regiments, hit by heavy Union fire, broke and retreated. Breckinridge sent in the VMI cadets to fill this gap in the line.

At 3 pm the Confederates again surged forward and charged the Union position. Although they had been repulsed several times, this time the attack went home. The infantry broke under the Confederate pressure, and the artillery was left to retreat as best it could. Five guns fell into Confederate hands, including one captured by the cadets, after a now famous charge across the “Field of Lost Shoes,” where several of them lost their shoes in the mud. With this success, the battle was won for the Confederates. Breckinridge resupplied his men, but by the time he brushed away a rearguard he found the Federals had burned the bridge across the Shenandoah River, foiling his attempts at a pursuit.

Field of Lost Shoes. Source.

In this fight the Union lost 91 killed, 520 wounded and 225 captured. The Southerners suffered 43 killed, 474 wounded and 3 missing. This defeat was the end of this advance for the Federals. Sigel retreated in haste up the Valley, and Grant soon replaced him with David Hunter. The Confederates, after considering an invasion into Maryland, instead transferred Breckinridge's army to join Lee at the Battle of Cold Harbor.

Second Battle of Winchester – Day 2

150 years ago yesterday Richard Ewell had attacked Union troops in Winchester, Virginia under Robert Milroy. Ewell guessed that Milroy would try to escape, and so he sent Johnston's division, the old Stonewall Division, to get in the enemy's rear. Ewell guessed correctly, and the Union commanders agreed to try to cut their way out that night. At about dawn on June 15th they encountered the Confederate forces as they were making their retreat. The Federals tried to cut their way through Johnston's line, but their attacks were uncoordinated and unsuccessful. More and more Confederate reinforcements reached Johnston until finally the Yankees who had not scattered raised the white flag, realizing that further attempts at defense would be useless.

In this battle the Confederates captured 4,000 prisoners, 23 cannon, many supplies as well as clearing the Shenandoah Valley for Lee's advance north. The Union flight didn't stop until they reached Pennsylvania, and their arrival sent fear through the North. Ewell had proven to the south that he could fill the shoes of Jackson, having gained a victory worthy of his old commander on the very same ground. Confederates had lost 269 – 47 killed, 219 wounded and 3 missing; the Union 4,443 – 95 killed, 348 wounded and 4000 captured.

Second Battle of Winchester

As Robert E. Lee was preparing to invade the north with his Army of Northern Virginia, he decided to move through the Shenandoah Valley, as the Blue Ridge mountains would shade him from prying Union scouts. But standing in his way were Union troops under Robert H. Milroy. He was one of the generals who fought Stonewall Jackson in the famous Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862. Now the same Confederates would attack him again, but under a new and untested commander, Richard S. Ewell. Milroy had major garrisons in Winchester and Harper's Ferry. Henry Halleck wished him to fall back from Winchester because his forward position was too advanced. Milroy, however, did not agree with this order, and delayed obeying it as far as possible. He did not know the forces opposing him and thought he could hold out in the formidable forts that had been built in Winchester.

Map of 2nd Winchester

Ewell entered the valley on June 12th and the next day he was in position to strike Milroy. Ewell was well acquainted with the area's terrain and planned to secure a complete victory by cutting off Milroy's retreat. He was able to capture the high ground which Milroy had not seriously defended. However Milroy still did not realize the situation he was in, thinking he had beat off whatever attack the Confederates would make. 

He found out how wrong he was at 6 pm on June 14th, 150 years ago today, when 20 Confederate guns began pounding his forts. The bombardment continued for 45 minutes, and then the Louisiana brigade charged 300 yards toward the fort. It had been this very brigade that had won the day at 1st Battle of Winchester in 1862. The result was much the same on this day. They rushed into the fort and after a brief hand to hand fight drove off the Federal defenders. During this attack Ewell was struck by a spent bullet, but was only bruised and was able to remain in command. As night fell, the Confederate artillery directed its fire at the main fort which remained in Milroy's hands. Ewell expected that Milroy would retreat that night, and so he sent troops around Winchester to intercept him. The dramatic conclusion to the 2nd Battle of Winchester would be fought early the next morning.

Battle of Port Republic

After defeating Fremont yesterday at the battle of Cross Keys, Ewell's men set out at dawn to join Jackson. During the night a group of Confederate pioneers had built a bridge out of wagons and boards across the south river at Port Republic. They began crossing this bridge and moving out northwest from Port Republic towards Shields. Along the left side of the road were fields stretching to the south fork of the Shenandoah River. On the right of the road were the forested foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A few miles from town the Stonewall Brigade encountered three Union batteries on a 70 foot high hill called the Coaling. It was called that because they burned the hill's wood to make charcoal. It was a good artillery position, overlooking much of the area. Jackson realized that the Coaling was the key to the entire field. He sent two regiments of the Stonewall Brigade to move through the woods to flank the Coaling, while the Confederate artillery would engage the batteries on the Coaling as support. The Union cannon were in a much better position, and inflicted many casualties on the Southerners. One battery went in with 150 men and 6 guns and ended the battle with only 50 men and one working gun. Edward Moore, one of the cannoneers later wrote,

"Having gone about a mile, the enemy opened on us with artillery, their shells tearing by us with a most venomous whistle. Halted on the sides of the road, as we moved by, were the infantry of our brigade. ... Again our two Parrott guns were ordered forward. Turning out of the road to the left, we unlimbered and commenced firing. ... We were hotly engaged, shells bursting close around and pelting us with soft dirt as they struck the ground. ... The constant recoiling of our gun cut great furrows in the earth, which made it necessary to move several times to more solid ground. In these different positions which we occupied three of the enemy's shells passed between the wheels and under the axle of our gun, bursting at the trail."

However, the flanking troops encountered serious difficulties. The terrain was very difficult, and it took a long time for them to get into position. When they finally reached their goal, they opened a scattered firing on the Union batteries, driving away the gunners. But the Federals rallied and returned to the pieces, and poured round after round of canister into the woods. The Virginians, unable to stand up to the artillery fire, fell back and reported their reverse. Jackson would need more troops to capture the Coaling. He ordered Richard Taylor's Louisiana Brigade, which had won the day at Winchester, to move on the Coaling. The Confederate troops were very slow in coming up, as they were having trouble with the new bridge. It became unsteady after hundreds of men had crossed, and one many fell into the fast river. After seeing that, the soldiers would only cross one man at a time for fear of getting wet. Robert Lewis Dabney, Jackson's chief of staff, tried to get the column halted so that he could have the bridge repaired, but the troops' commanders refused to halt and pushed forward, one man at a time.

Erastus B. Tyler

Meanwhile the Federal commander on the field, Erastus B. Tyler, was making a grievous mistake. He was commanding Shield's vanguard, but in deploying his troops he put them between the Coaling and the road, opposite the Confederate batteries and the majority of the Stonewall Brigade. He left the Coaling, which Jackson had recognized as the key position, weakly defended and open to being attacked on the flank.

Richard Taylor

While Taylor was moving around the Union left flank, the Stonewall Brigade had to hold out on the plan. General Winder ordered his men to charge Tyler's line to gain as much time as possible. They set off with a cheer across a wheat field, and halting at a fence, opened fire on the Union infantry. They fought well and held their own against twice their number for half an hour. Finally the Federals charged and drove back the Confederates, who were running out of ammunition. The Confederates fled across the plain, pursued by cheering Northerners. Ewell, who had arrived with his first brigade, threw it in and was able to stop the Federal pursuit for the moment, but it could not hold for long.

Taylor was in position to attack the Coaling. He heard the cheers of the advancing Federals on the plain below, and realized that if he did not attack, a disaster might be coming with the army divided by a river crossed only by a rickety bridge. Therefore he ordered his men forward, and they charged the Coaling, giving out the Rebel yell. “On the Louisianians dashed,” one of them later wrote,

regardless of the terrific fire of the canister poured into their ranks by the battery.... its only effect is the accelerated the speed of the men in their impetuous charge. The nearer they approached the given point, of which the battery was the center, the less regard seemed paid to the preservation of the line, until finally the regiments became so intermingled as to present a disorganized, but formidable mass.

Taylor's men finally made it up the hill, and, after a brief hand to hand fight, drove back the Yankee gunners, capturing the hill and guns. But this success would not last long. The Federal infantry units in the area came forward and charged, driving back the victorious rebels. The Louisianians charged again and captured the position, but were driven back again by yet another counterattack. For the third time the Confederates came on again.

Panting like dogs-faces begrimed - nine-tenths of them bareheaded - the Federal wave rolls back over the guns, and now there is a grapple such as no other battle ever furnished. Men beat each other's brains out with muskets which they have no time to load. Those who go down to die think only of revenge, and they clutch the nearest foe with a grasp which death renders stronger. The hill was won, and this time Taylor would hold it. They retained five of the six guns that were on the hill. The rest of the Union line soon crumbled with the key to the position lost and their cannon turned on themselves. The rest of Jackson's forces advanced with cheers, driving back Tyler's force for several miles.

Hearing of the defeat, Shield sent forward reinforcements, but they were too late. Fremont also failed to arrive in time to be of any use. He was delayed by Trimble, who was able to make it safely across the bridge, burning it behind him. Fremont was stranded on the other side, and could do nothing but shell the ambulances as they took the wounded off the field. Jackson had won a great victory. It was not just through his troops fighting on the battlefield, but his brilliant maneuvering, which had allowed him to strike two superior armies in turn, prevent them from uniting, and defeat them both. He was assisted in this by the failures of the Federal commanders, who were themselves scared of Jackson and had moved too slowly and cautiously to make use of their greatly superior numbers.

In these two battles, of Cross Keys and Port Republic, the Confederates lost 240 killed, 930 wounded and 100 missing or captured. The Federals lost 270 killed, 850 wounded and 780 captured.

Battle of Cross Keys

 On the morning of June 8th at 8:30 Fremont began moving cautiously against Ewell, who was near Cross Keys. He outnumbered Ewell two to run, but did not know it. He encountered the Confederates in a strong position along Mill Creek, with Steuart’s brigade on the left, Elzy in the center and Trimble on the right. Fremont had his line of battle formed by 10:00, and an artillery duel began. On the Confederate side, Trimble decided to advance his brigade ¼ mile forward to a better defensive position. Trimble was a sixty year old West Pointer and had turned his brigade of troops from four different states into a well trained fighting unit. Trimble's advance could have been dangerous because it opened up his flank, but it actually was safe because he was covered by artillery posted on the ridge he had left.

Cross Keys battlefield via CWT

Trimble placed his troops along a fence on the edge of a rolling field. They hoped to catch a Federal unit by surprise, and that is just what happened. As Julius Stahel's brigade advanced toward Trimble it was making a serious mistake. Although he had served in the Austrian army and on the staffs of several European generals, he made the elementary mistake of advancing without skirmishers out in front. Skirmishers are a thin line of troops ahead of the main body. Their is to detect threats, fire a few shots, and fall back to the main body. Without those skirmishers, Stahel walked right into a trap. The 8th New York came over the hill toward the Confederate line completely ignorant of its position. At 40 yards Trimble's men stood up and fired a volley. The New Yorker's lines melted before the Confederate bullets. The Southerners continued to pour in volleys, and the Federals had no choice but to run in retreat. The 8th suffered terrific casualties. They lost 180 killed and wounded and 80 prisoners, making these volleys some of the most deadly of the war. These were about half of the Union casualties for the entire battle.

The aggressive Trimble was not content with his victory over the 8th New York. Reinforced by two of Elzy's Virginia regiments under Colonel Walker, he moved forward to attack the position from which the 8th had attacked. He moved troops around the Federal's left flank and after several attacks broke the Union line. Moving on, he next encountered William Bohlen's brigade. He attacked those four regiments, and after a fight Bohlen retreated. Trimble, forming his brigade on top of the hill, sent back to Ewell for orders. In the center and left of the Confederate line, the artillery duel had continued fiercely all this time. The men laid down to avoid getting hit, until finally the barrage came to an end when the ammunition ran out. Both Steuart and Elzy were wounded by the Union artillery fire. Milroy and Schenck's brigades moved forward toward Ewell's line when the barage ceased. There were several charges and counter charges, but no progress was made against the Confederate position. Fremont finally ordered his men to retreat. This lack of success was because Schenck had not fully engaged Ewell, and he had only done some light skirmishing. He only had one tenth of Milroy's casualties. The Confederate position was too strong to be taken by the Union commanders unless they had real initiative in making their attacks.

Issac R. Trimble

Fremont, however, did not have that initiative. This was his first real battle. He decided to retreat, even though he had no real reason to. He had not tried a real attack, and his left had only been pushed back by Trimble, not completely broken. He still greatly outnumbered Ewell. But he was cautious, which overwhelmed all other considerations. Trimble requested permission from Ewell to continue his attacks, but Ewell refused. He had met with Jackson and it was decided that the two divisions would unite the next day and turn on Shields, leaving Trimble as a rear guard to hold off Fremont until the bridge at Port Republic was burnt. However, Trimble was so persistent that Ewell sent him on to Jackson. Jackson told him that he had to get Ewell to agree, so Trimble's attack was never made. The Confederates gathered up their dead and wounded and went to sleep to prepare for the next day.

Port Republic Raid

Port Republic House. Photo via CWT

As Jackson's army arrived in the Port Republic area, he divided to face both armies. Dick Ewell and his division were placed at Cross Keys facing Fremont, while Jackson's division in Port Republic faced Shield's force. On the morning of June 8th, 150 years ago today, a very embarrassing event occurred for the Confederates. The Southern cavalry under Ashby's leadership was not a model of discipline, and with his death they fell apart. This allowed a Union raiding party to penetrate the Confederate lines. They were nearly upon the Confederate headquarters before they were discovered, and Jackson and his staff had to leap to their horses in order to avoid being captured. Although Jackson escaped safely, several of his staff were in fact captured, although they were later able to make their escape. The raid was soon turned back with a last ditch defense by the small Confederate force and the arrival of troops from Jackson's main body, who were able to cross the river and brush away the Union forces. This was one of Jackson's closest shaves of the war.

Jackson Retreats up the Valley

After defeating Nathaniel Bank's army at the battles of Front Royal and Winchester, Stonewall Jackson moved north threatening to capture Harper's Ferry, at the foot of the Shenandoah Valley. His mission was to threaten a movement on Washington, and it worked wonderfully. Abraham Lincoln, fearing that Jackson would make a quick swoop on the capitol with a large army, diverted troops from McClellan's attack on Richmond to converge on Jackson. He planned to have three armies to trap Jackson. The army of John C. Fremont in West Virginia would move into the valley from the west, capturing Harrisonburg and cutting Jackson's supply line. Bank's regrouped army would move south toward Jackson again on the front, and troops moving west from McDowell's corps in Fredericksburg would be ready to pounce on Jackson as he retreated. He thought these columns converging from three directions were sure to capture Jackson, but he was wrong.

Jackson

Jackson received word on May 30th of the movements being made against him, but he did not retreat in disorder. He made sure all the prisoners and supplies he had captured were gotten to safety. He was even thinking of moving on the offensive. He sent his friend, colonel Alexander Boteler, a member of the Confederate Congress in Richmond, telling him:

"McDowell and Fremont are probably aiming to effect a junction at Strasburg, so as to cut us off from the upper Valley, and are both nearer to it than we are. Consequently, no time is to be lost. You can say to them in Richmond that I'll send on the prisoners, secure most if not all of the captured property, and with God's blessing will be able to baffle the enemy's plans here with my present force, but that it will have to be increased as soon thereafter as possible. You may tell them, too, that if my command can be gotten up to 40,000 men a movement may be made ... which will soon raise the siege of Richmond and transfer this campaign from the banks of the Potomac to those of the Susquehanna."

None the less, Jackson needed to avoid being destroyed, so he began pulling back. However, a disaster struck. He received news that the 12th Georgia, one of his best regiments which had been left to guard supplies at Front Royal, had been surprised and driven back. He continued to move his troops south up the valley as quickly as possible. Fremont and McDowell were very close by. But when they were only a few miles from Jackson they stopped pressing to close the trap. Jackson was allowed to move by while they sat idle. After the inept Northern commanders allowed Jackson to slip by they finally resumed the pursuit. They had a long hard march after Stonewall Jackson. One of Bank's staff officers put it this way:

"From what I can learn here, Jackson is gone beyond pursuit. Thus culminates this disgraceful affair, the most disgraceful to the Federal armies that has occurred during the whole war. I am utterly humiliated to have been mixed up in it."

As Jackson was retreating, his cavalry rearguard under Turner Ashby skirmished with the Union forces. In one of these small fights, 150 years ago today, Ashby was killed on Chesnut Ridge near Harrisonburg, Virginia. He was shot at the head of his men, who pushed on beyond their fallen leader and won the skirmish. Ashby, who was known as the Black Knight of the Confederacy, was very good in combat, although his men's discipline off the field was not ideal. "As a partisan officer I never knew his superior;" Jackson said, "his daring was proverbial; his powers of endurance almost incredible; his tone of character heroic, and his sagacity almost intuitive in divining the purposes and movements of the enemy."

Turner Ashby

Jackson did not just rejoice that he had avoided destruction, he looked for a way to turn back and strike at his pursuers. Studying the maps that Jedediah Hotchkiss had made for him, he determined that he would halt at Port Republic, where the North and South Rivers combined to form the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. If he burnt the few bridges across the rain swollen rivers he could prevent the Federal forces from combining on him, and instead he could defeat them in detail. That is just what he planned to do.

Battle of Winchester

via Shenandoah at War

In the Shenandoah Valley, Jackson and Ewell had flanked Banks at the Battle of Front Royal, and pursued him the next day and night. Now they were south of Winchester on either side of the pike, opposite the army of Banks. Jackson had his tired men moving at 4:30 am. He sent the Stonewall Brigade forward to occupy Bower's Hill, a strong artillery position just south of the town. They encountered a Union brigade under George Gordon. He positioned his four regiments along a stone fence on a ridge, his right flank on Bower's Hill and his left on the Valley Turnpike. His position was supported by 6 cannon. As Winder deployed the Stonewall Brigade at the foot of the hill, the Union artillery opened a heavy fire on him. On the other side of the Valley Pike, Ewell's artillery was opening fire. Opposing him was a brigade under Dudley Donnelly, who also had six guns which responded to the Confederate cannon. Ewell ordered three regiments forward, but there was a Union regiment hidden on their flank, which stood up and fired on them. After a brief fight the Confederates fell back. In his portion of the line, Jackson deployed more troops to support Winder. A thick fog settled over the battlefield, but Jackson brought up cannon and silenced many of the Union gun. At 7:30 Jackson ordered Richard Taylor's Louisiana brigade forward. Taylor's brigade, led by the Louisiana Tigers, would move far to the left of Winder and hit Gordon's left flank.

"The proper ground gained, the column faced to the front and began the ascent. ... As we mounted we came in full view of both armies, whose efforts in other quarters had been slackened to await the result of our movement. I felt an anxiety amounting to pain for the brigade to acquit itself handsomely; and this feeling was shared by every man in it. About half-way up, the enemy's horse from his right charged; and to meet it, I directed Lieutenant-Colonel Nicholls, whose regiment, the 8th, was on the left, to withhold slightly his two flank companies. By one volley, which emptied some saddles, Nicholls drove off the horse, but was soon after severely wounded. Progress was not stayed by this incident. Closing the many gaps made by the fierce fire, steadied the rather by it, and preserving an alignment that would have been creditable on the parade, the brigade, with cadenced step and eyes on the foe, swept grandly over copse and ledge and fence, to crown the heights from which the enemy had melted. Loud cheers went up from our army, prolonged to the east, where warmhearted Ewell cheered himself hoarse, and led forward his men with renewed energy."

As Taylor hit the Union line, Winder advanced as well, and the Union line crumpled. Donnelly, seeing his rear was threatened, retreated as well. The Federals streamed through the town, the Confederates staying close on their backs. Banks was completely beaten. However, the Confederates were very tired from their night march. They slowed down quickly. They were worn out from marching and fighting for three days with little food and sleep. Jackson needed cavalry to continue the pursuit of Banks. He could not find Turner Ashby's men, who although they were often effective, were undisciplined and were not present at the critical time. So he ordered George Steuart, commander of Ewell's cavalry. to pursue. However, Steuart would not move. He had spent many years in the army, and refused to move because officially the order had to come through Ewell. He finally went forward after Ewell authorized the other. By that time it was too late and the pursuit was ineffective.

Richard Taylor

The first part of Jackson's Shenandoah Valley campaign was over. At Front Royal and Winchester Jackson had lost a total of about 400 killed and wounded, while Banks lost 2769, most of which were captured.

"Within four weeks this army has made long and rapid marches, fought six combats and two battles — signally defeating the enemy in each one — capturing several stands of colors and pieces of artillery, with numerous prisoners, and vast medical, ordnance, and army stores; and, finally, driving the boastful host which was ravaging our beautiful country into utter rout. The general commanding would warmly express to the officers and men under his command his joy in their achievements, and his thanks for their brilliant gallantry in action and their patient obedience under the hardships of forced marches, often more painful to the brave soldier than the dangers of battle. The explanation of the severe exertions to which the commanding general called the army, which were endured by them with such cheerful confidence in him, is now given in the victory of yesterday. He receives this proof of their confidence in the past with pride and gratitude, and asks only a similar confidence in the future. But his chief duty to-day, and that of the army, is to recognize devoutly the hand of a protecting Providence in the brilliant successes of the last three days — which have given us the results of a great victory without great losses — and to make the oblation of our thanks to God for His mercies to us and our country in heartfelt acts of religious worship."

Jackson had conducted a campaign that would go down in military history. He had become a national hero in a time which some would call the Confederacy's darkest hour. Militarily, Jackson's true victory was not in men or materials. The real results he achieved were given him by Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln feared that Jackson would move on Washington. He decided on May 24th that McDowell would not join McClellan as had been planned. Instead he ordered McDowell to attack Jackson in the Valley. However, these troops might have made the difference between victory and defeat for McClellan's attack on Richmond.

Jackson Pursues Banks

Pursuit of Banks

150 years ago yesterday Jackson defeated the small garrison of Front Royal, so today he began his pursuit. His position was very good. He was very close to Bank's line of retreat, and if he moved quickly he could catch him while on his retreat to Winchester. Banks did not receive news of Jackson's strike until this morning, and he decided to retreat at once, leaving half of his 5000 wagons which made up his supply depot, he marched for Winchester. Jackson marched at 6:00 am, but he moved cautiously, as he did not know how many men were stationed in Winchester. There were actually only 900 men. As Jackson moved north, he was only 5 miles away from a huge prize, Bank's 15 mile long wagon train. A force finally reached the Valley Pike along which Banks was moving, encountering the tail of the wagon train. As Jackson said,

In a few moments the turnpike, which just before had teemed with life, presented a most appalling spectacle of carnage and destruction. The road was literally obstructed with the mingled and confused mass of struggling and dying horses and riders.

Before Jackson could move on, he needed to determine whether he had hit the head or tail of the column. Valuable time was wasted finding out the answer, but he set his men off to pursue Bank's force, which had apparently avoided the worst danger they could have feared from Jackson.

The armies continued to march north through the night. At the head of the Confederate force was the Stonewall Brigade, under Charles Winder, which was subjected to constant skirmishing with the Federal rearguard. With this fighting at the front, it was a long slow march for the army. One cannoneer wrote after the war,

Night soon set in, and a long, weary night it was; the most trying I ever passed, in the war or out of it. From dark till daylight we did not advance more than four miles. Step by step we moved along, halting for about five minutes; then on a few steps and halt again. ... Sometimes, when a longer halt was made, we would endeavor to steal a few moments' sleep, for want of which it was hard to stand up. By the time a blanket was unrolled, the column was astir again, and so it was continued throughout the long, dreary hours of the night.

Making only six miles in as many hours, Jackson's men finally arrived south of Winchester at around 1:00 in the morning. One of Jackson's brigade commanders asked if he could let the men rest. “Colonel," Jackson replied, “I yield to no man in sympathy for the gallant men under my command; but I am obliged to sweat them tonight, that I may save their blood tomorrow. The line of hills southwest of Winchester must not be occupied by the enemy's artillery. My own must be there and in position by daylight. You shall, however, have two hours' rest.” The Confederate army was in position, with Jackson on the left of the turnpike and Ewell on the right, ready to attack the next morning.

Battle of Front Royal

After entering Luray Gap two days before, Jackson and Ewell continued their march towards the outlying Federal post in Front Royal. They began their march at 5 am on the morning of May 23rd. Jackson had learned that there was only one regiment in Front Royal, along with a few other detachments, to resist his entire army. The one regiment in the town was the 1st Maryland. The Confederates had their own 1st Maryland, as the state's loyalties were divided. So Jackson ordered the 1st Maryland to the front to lead the attack. Jackson did not know, however, that the 1st Confederate Maryland was in a state of revolt because they thought their term of service had expired. A full half of the regiment was under arrest. Receiving Jackson's order, Colonel Bradley Johnston stood before them, and said:

“You have heard this personal order from General Jackson. You are in a pretty condition to obey it. You are the sole hope of Maryland. ... Shame on you-shame on you. I shall return this order to General Jackson with the endorsement, 'The First Maryland refuses to face the enemy,' for I will not trust the honor of the glorious old state to discontented, dissatisfied men. ... If I can get ten good men, I'll take the Maryland colors with them and will stand for home and honor; but never again call yourselves Marylanders! Nor Marylander ever threw down his arms and deserted his colors in the presence of the enemy...! Go!”

After this rousing speech the Marylanders agreed to go, and began their 12 mile march to the front of the column. They were positioned to lead the attack supported by Richard Taylor's Louisiana Brigade containing the famous Louisiana Tigers.

Colonel Bradley Johnson

When the Confederates reached their positions and charged into the town, they caught the Federals completely by surprise. The Rebels drove them through the town in house-to-house fighting, and the Federals finally made a stand north of the town on Richardson's hill. Colonel John Kenly, the Union commander, had 700 men and several cannon. He decided to hold out as long as possible, not knowing he was being attacked by a force 20 times his number. He mistakenly thought it was only a small raid.

Meanwhile, Bradley Johnson ordered the 1st Confederate Maryland to charge. Entering a flat meadow north of the town, the Federal cannon opened on them. The Marylanders could not oppose this heavy fire, so they halted and took cover behind a stone wall at the base of the hill. Jackson needed artillery to support an infantry attack. His chief of artillery, Colonel Stapleton Crutchfield, was not a very good officer. He did not know what guns Ewell had. He did not know where the rifled artillery was, and he would need rifled artillery to reach the Union position. There was a long delay in getting the right guns into position. Jackson was also not bringing up infantry to join the Marylanders in their attack on the hill. Two hours into the battle the Federals still had more men than Jackson actually engaged in combat.

Field North of Front Royal, Massenhutten Mountain in the background

At 4:15 however, the situation completely changed. Kenly saw a force of cavalry riding up in his rear. At first he thought that they were reinforcements, but then he realized they were Confederates. It was a raiding party Jackson had sent behind Front Royal to cut the telegraph line to prevent news of the attack from reaching Banks at Strasburg. After doing that they rode to the north side of Front Royal. Kenly realized that he would have to retreat fast before he was trapped in the forks of the Shenandoah River, just north of the town. He retreated quickly abandoning his supplies, set the bridges on fire, and positioned himself on Guard Hill, right across the river. But then he continued to retreat when he saw the infantry had put out the bridges, and the cavalry were fording the river. He set out north as fast as possible, pursued by the Confederate cavalry under the eye of Jackson himself. The mounted Confederates soon caught up at a place called Cedarville. The Confederate cavalry charged, and although outnumbered, they beat down the Union defense in hand to hand combat, capturing those who tried to flee. The battle of Front Royal was over. Of Kenly's 975 men 800 were captured and 75 were killed or wounded. Only 100 escaped. The Confederates only had 36 killed and wounded. As at McDowell, Jackson had brilliantly maneuvered his troops into position. But once on the fiield things slowed down. He was only able to capture most of the Union force because of the Providential arrival of the cavalry.

Jackson Moves to Luray Gap

A few days before, in the Shenandoah Valley, Stonewall Jackson had defeated part of Fremont's army in the battle of McDowell. He attempted to pursue, but rains set in and he could not catch up. So he turned his men around and headed back to the Shenandoah Valley. Richard Ewell's division was there, and Jackson wished to join with him to destroy the army of Nathaniel Banks. Bank's army was in Strasburg, towards the north part of the valley. He was entrenched there with superior forces, so Jackson did not want to hazard an attack. Instead he would move on Front Royal, to the east of Strasburg. Using Massanutten Mountain as a shield to hide his movements from the Federals, he would cross through Luray Gap and strike the smaller garrison of Front Royal.

However, it would not be that easy. The Confederate high command would get involved. Joseph E. Johnston sent a letter to Ewell saying, "If Banks is fortifying near Strasburg the attack would be too hazardous. In such an event we must leave him in his works. General Jackson can observe him and you come eastward. .... We want troops here; none, therefore, must keep away, unless employing a greatly superior force of the enemy." Since Banks was in Strasburg, this would mean that Ewell was ordered to go east to join Johnston. Both Ewell and Jackson knew they needed to obey orders, but they also did not want the plans to be derailed. So they took a bold course. Ewell was officially part of Johnston's army, but was operating under Jackson's command. So Jackson sent a message to Johnston protesting the move, and Ewell agreed to ignore the order until a response would arrive. In the meanwhile they would strike, hoping that victory would vindicate the decision.

Battle of McDowell

Johnston

On the morning of May 8th, 1862, Jackson's Army of the Valley resumed its march at an early hour with Allegheny Johnson's troops in front. They were advancing towards the small town of McDowell, where Union general Milroy was positioned. Milroy was greatly out numbered, but a another brigade under Schenck was on the way which would even out the odds. At 10:00 AM, the Confederates reached Bull Pasture Mountain, and Johnson ordered his men to climb up a ravine to the top of Sitlington's Hill which overlooked the enemy camp in McDowell. Sitlington's Hill was a rocky hill covered in forest and boulders at the top of which was an open field.

Milroy

When Milroy spotting the Confederates he ordered 4 companies of his troops to climb the hill and engage them. He ordered the artillery to open as well, but that was impossible because they could not elevate sufficiently to reach the top of the hill. The Union troops failed to drive off the Confederates in the ensuing skirmish, and Johnson's division continued to deploy, regiment by regiment, as they reached the crest of the hill. The center of the line was held by the 12th Georgia, Johnson's old regiment. The Confederates tried to bring cannon up the hill, but that was a difficult chore, so Stonewall Jackson decided not to drag them up because they would not do much damage, and they could easily be captured. Neither side was able to use its artillery in this battle.At 10:30, Schenck arrived at McDowell. He outranked Milroy, but allowed him to remain in command since he was familiar with the situation. The Union artillery on an adjoining hill opened on the Confederates, who laid down to find cover behind rocks and trees. Milroy decided to attack when he was told that the Confederates were putting cannon on Sitlington's Hill. This was not true, but if it was it would have meant the Federals would have to immediately retreat. Milroy decided to launch an attack to stun Jackson so that they could safely retreat.

Picture via Civil War Trust

Sitlington's Hill was a very strong position. It was very unlikely to be captured by a frontal attack, especially since Milroy was outnumbered by the Confederates. Nonetheless between 4 and 5 pm, two regiments from Ohio, totaling 900 men, went forward. They crossed Bull Pasture River at the foot of the mountain then climbed up a ravine. When the troops reached the top, tired from their long climb, the Confederates opened a musketry fire on them. Suddenly the outnumbered Northerners charged, surprising the Confederates, and pushing all of the first line of regiments back except the 12th Georgia. They stayed in position, and even when the officers ordered them to the men refused to go, saying,"We did not come all this way to Virginia to run before Yankees." This one regiment in front of all the others soon was flanked on both sides. The Confederate line formed into a V, and the 12th Georgia at the point was being fired on from three sides. When the Federal troops moved past the 12th Georgia and hit the 2nd Confederate line, their success did not continue. The line consisted of three of Johnson's regiments under Col W. C. Scott. Scott rode along his line, keeping his men in position. The Confederates had a strong position. They had built breastworks out of trees and brush, so that they could fire at the Unions without showing anything more than their heads. The Federals held their ground under a heavy fire by superior numbers for 90 minutes.

Although Milroy had originally intended to only launch one attack and then retreat, the two Ohio regiments had made more progress than he had expected. He decided to reinforce them with two more Ohio regiments and another from West Virginia. He sent them to try to hit the Confederate right flank. They marched along the turnpike to the North of Sitlington's Hill. The Ohio regiments found a ravine and climbed to the top of the hill. The Confederates were surprised to see the Federals coming up through the woods on the their flank, as they came forward with a sudden bayonet charge. The line was bent back, but then the Confederates counterattacked, and after heavy back and forth fighting the Unions were driven back. A Confederate captain later wrote this about the battle:

"The whole scene is yet vivid in my mind as I saw it. There was a kind of horrible grandeur about it all that allured and inspired some, and struck others with trepidation. ... Reinforcements are now entering on the Federal side with battle shouts and huzzahs, which are answered in grim defiance by the Confederates. ... On we go up the Ridge, take our position in line and open fire on the enemy. The battle now rages ten times fiercer than before, men fall on every side, some never to rise, while others are wounded and helped to the rear. The smoke of battle settles upon us so dense and dark that we cannot see happenings around us. Begrimed, drinking and tasting the smoke of battle seemed to increase courage and determination, and thus with defiant war cries the battle goes on for some hours. Nightfall came upon us, yet the battle still went on in unabated fury."

By this time the sun was beginning to set, and the Confederate line on the top of the hill held firm, anchored by the 12th Georgia. One of the problems for the Confederates was their high position. It accentuated the propensity of new troops to shoot high, and so most of their shot went through the trees above the heads of the Federals, or hit them in the head. After the battle the Northerners remembered being covered with bark and branches falling from above cut by Southern bullets. At this time, Allegheny Johnson was wounded while commanding his troops. He was shot in the ankle around 8 pm and Taliaferro, Jackson's third brigade commander took over. The fighting continued until at 8:30. Then, the Federals fell back having used up all of the 60 founds of ammunition they had been issued, and not being able to be supplied as the wagons could not come up the hill. Milroy authorized a retreat, saying that the purpose for the attack had been fulfilled. He had been told by deserters that Jackson had 20 cannon and was expecting reinforcements. However, throughout the war many deserters exaggerated or bluntly lied. Sometime false deserters were sent, but many times although they were tired of fighting, they still wanted their country to win, so would give false information.

Picture via Civil War Trust

The Confederates suffered 116 killed, 300 wounded and 4 missing. Most of these were from Johnson's troops, and the 12th Georgia had the most casualties because of their refusal to retreat, leaving them at the frontmost point. the federals had 34 killed, 220 wounded and 5 missing. The Confederates had more than twice as many casualties as their opponents. This was because most of their bullets went over their targets. The Unions were lower and tended to shoot more accurately, and the setting sun silhouetted the Southerners on the ridge.

During the night, Milroy retreated, and the Confederates captured the supplies that they had left. Jackson a simple message to Richmond saying, "God blessed our arms with victory at McDowell yesterday." A few days later he issued this congratulatory order to his men: "Soldiers of the Army of the Valley and Northwest:

I congratulate you on your recent victory at McDowell. I request you to unite with me this morning in thanksgiving to Almighty God for thus having crowned your arms with success, and in praying that He will continue to lead you on from victory to victory, until our independence shall be established, and make us that people whose God is the Lord. The chaplains will hold divine service at ten o'clock A.M. this day in their respective regiments."