Page 167 - History of Rockingham Co
P. 167
A HISTORY OF
added to the centre and left, then supposed to be threatened. General
Ewell having been informed by Lieutenant Heinrichs, of the engineer
corps, who had been sent out to reconnoitre, that the enemy was moving
a large column on his left, did not advance at once; but subsequently
ascertaining that no attack was designed by the force referred to, he
advanced, drove in the enemy's skirmishers and, when night closed, was
in position on ground previously held by the enemy. During this fight
Brigadier Generals Elzey and Stewart were wounded, and disabled from
command.
This engagement with Fremont has generally been known as the
battle of Cross Keys, in which our troops were commanded by General
Ewell. I had remained at Port Republic during the principal part of the
8th, expecting a renewal of the attack. As no movement was made by
General Shields to renew the action that day, I determined to take the
initiative and attack him the following morning.
Accordingly, General Ewell was directed to move his position at an
early hour, on the morning of the 9th, towards Port Republic, leaving
General Trimble with his brigade, supported by Colonel Patton with the
forty-second Virginia infantry and the first battalion of Virginia regulars,
to hold Fremont in check, with instructions if hard pressed to retire
across the North river, and burn the bridge in their rear. Soon after ten
o'clock, General Trimble with the last of our forces had crossed the North
river, and the bridge was destroyed. 8 In the meantime, before five in
the morning, General Winder's brigade was in Port Republic, and having
crossed the South Fork, by a temporary wagon bridge, placed there for
the purpose, was moving down the River road to attack the forces of
General Shields. Advancing a mile and a half, he encountered the
Federal pickets and drove them in.
The enemy had judiciously selected his position for defence. Upon a
rising ground near the Lewis House, he had planted six guns which com-
manded the road from Port Republic, and swept the plateau for a consid-
erable distance in front. As General Winder moved forward his brigade, a
rapid and severe fire of shell was opened upon it. Capt. Poague, with two
Parrott guns, was promptly placed in position on the left of the road to
engage, and if possible to dislodge the Federal battery. Captain Car-
penter was sent to the right to select a position for his battery, but
finding it impracticable to drag it through the dense undergrowth, it was
brought back, and part of it placed near Poague. The artillery fire was
well sustained by our batteries, but found unequal to that of the enemy.
8. The squad that burned the bridge was in charge of Courier Geo. H.
Hulvey, a native of Rockingham, born at Cross Keys, April 19, 1844. He
lost his left arm in the Wilderness, May 6, 1864. For the past 25 years
or more he has been superintendent of schools for Rockingham County,
and is one of the best known educators in the State.
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added to the centre and left, then supposed to be threatened. General
Ewell having been informed by Lieutenant Heinrichs, of the engineer
corps, who had been sent out to reconnoitre, that the enemy was moving
a large column on his left, did not advance at once; but subsequently
ascertaining that no attack was designed by the force referred to, he
advanced, drove in the enemy's skirmishers and, when night closed, was
in position on ground previously held by the enemy. During this fight
Brigadier Generals Elzey and Stewart were wounded, and disabled from
command.
This engagement with Fremont has generally been known as the
battle of Cross Keys, in which our troops were commanded by General
Ewell. I had remained at Port Republic during the principal part of the
8th, expecting a renewal of the attack. As no movement was made by
General Shields to renew the action that day, I determined to take the
initiative and attack him the following morning.
Accordingly, General Ewell was directed to move his position at an
early hour, on the morning of the 9th, towards Port Republic, leaving
General Trimble with his brigade, supported by Colonel Patton with the
forty-second Virginia infantry and the first battalion of Virginia regulars,
to hold Fremont in check, with instructions if hard pressed to retire
across the North river, and burn the bridge in their rear. Soon after ten
o'clock, General Trimble with the last of our forces had crossed the North
river, and the bridge was destroyed. 8 In the meantime, before five in
the morning, General Winder's brigade was in Port Republic, and having
crossed the South Fork, by a temporary wagon bridge, placed there for
the purpose, was moving down the River road to attack the forces of
General Shields. Advancing a mile and a half, he encountered the
Federal pickets and drove them in.
The enemy had judiciously selected his position for defence. Upon a
rising ground near the Lewis House, he had planted six guns which com-
manded the road from Port Republic, and swept the plateau for a consid-
erable distance in front. As General Winder moved forward his brigade, a
rapid and severe fire of shell was opened upon it. Capt. Poague, with two
Parrott guns, was promptly placed in position on the left of the road to
engage, and if possible to dislodge the Federal battery. Captain Car-
penter was sent to the right to select a position for his battery, but
finding it impracticable to drag it through the dense undergrowth, it was
brought back, and part of it placed near Poague. The artillery fire was
well sustained by our batteries, but found unequal to that of the enemy.
8. The squad that burned the bridge was in charge of Courier Geo. H.
Hulvey, a native of Rockingham, born at Cross Keys, April 19, 1844. He
lost his left arm in the Wilderness, May 6, 1864. For the past 25 years
or more he has been superintendent of schools for Rockingham County,
and is one of the best known educators in the State.
-144-
