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VIEW OE THE HATTLE OF CROSS KEYS, FROM THE UNION POSITION. LOOKING EAST.FROM A SKETCH MADE AT TIIE TIME. |
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. . . I know you will join with me in mourning the loss of our friend,
one of the noblest men and soldiers in the Confederate army.” I carriedthat slip of paper till it was literally worn to tatters.
It was early, Sunday, June 8th, when Jackson and his staff reached thebridge at Port Republic. General E. B. Tyler, who, with two brigades ofShields’s division, was near by on the east side of the river, had sent two
| General Ewell, the Confederate commander onthe field, in his report says of the Union advance:
“ The general features of the ground were a valley anda rivulet in my front, woods on both flanks, and a heldof some hundreds of acres where the road crossed thecenter of my line, my side of the valley being more de-fined and commanding the other. . . . About 10 o’clockthe enemy felt along my front with skirmishers, andshortly after posted hie artillery, chiefly opposite mine.He advanced under cover on General Trimble, with aforce, according to his own statement, of two brigades,which were repulsed with such signal loss that they didnot make another determined effort. General Trimbleliad been reenforced by the 13th and 25th Virginia Regi-ments, Colonel J. A. Walker and Lieutenant-Colonel P.B. Duffy, of General Elzey’s brigade. These regimentsassisted in the repulse of the enemy. General Trimble inturn advanced and drove the enemy more than a mile,and remained on his flank ready to make the final attack.. . . The enemy’s attack was decided by 4 p. M., it be-ing principally directed against General Trimble, and,though from their own statement they outnumbered uson that flank two to one, it had signally failed. GeneralTrimble’s . . . brigade captured one of their colors.”
General Fremont in his report describes the des-perate fighting as follows:
“ Urging vigorously forward liis brigade, GeneralStahel encountered in the first belt of woods a strongline of skirmishers, which with hard fighting was drivenout of the timber and pushed by the 8th and 45th NewYork over the open ground beyond the edge of the woods,where these regiments suddenly came upon the right ofthe enemy’s main line. . . . Two of General Btaliel’sbest regiments, the 27th Pennsylvania and the 41st NewYork, liad been diverted to the right in the timber, andthe shock of the entire force here was sustained by the8th and 45th New York; and principally by the 8th,ATliich was attacked in front and flank by four regiments.. . . The enemy now brought up additional artillery intothe open ground on my extreme left, and General Tay-lor’s reserve brigade [Confederate] entering the woods,the fighting continued with great severity continuouslyalong the timber in front of our position. A Mississippi regiment, charging with yells upon Buell’s battery, wasgallantly met with a bayonet charge by the 27tli Pennsyl-vania , under cover of which the battery was withdrawn.A Louisiana regiment of Taylor’s brigade, undertaking acharge upon Dilgor’s battery, was received with a lireof canister and grape, delivered with such precision andrapidity as nearly destroyed it. Every attempt of the en-emy to emerge from the cover of the woods was repulsedby artillery and counter-attacks of infantry.” . . .
Editors.