his brother's death, a sad smile was the habitual expression of his countenance, and his life was little worth to him, for he was "devoted" to death and to glory. That death soon came, when his pulses were most fiery; and in a mean, unknown skirmish Virginia lost one of the greatest of her defenders. The bold rider, the brave partisan, the great soldier, the gentleman, the patriot, the Christian, the knight without fear and without reproach-such was Ashby.

He fell on the field, with the war-cry on his lips, and fighting for his native soil; the wave of death rolled over him, and the figure of the partisan disappeared in its depths. But that figure is not lost. It has passed from earth and the eyes of the flesh, but will live immortal on the pages of history, in the memories of the aged, and in the hearts of the people who saw his great faculties, and loved him as the flower of chivalry and honor.

CHAPTER XV.

JACKSON NARROWLY ESCAPES CAPTURE.

To clearly comprehend the strategy of Jackson from this moment, it is necessary that the reader should have a correct knowledge of the situation of the opposing forces, and the ground upon which the adversaries were about to manœuvre their columns.

Port Republic is a village situated in the angle formed by the junction of the North and South Rivers, tributaries of the south fork of the Shenandoah, running, as we have seen, between the Blue Ridge and the Massinutton, and uniting its waters with the north fork in the vicinity of Front Royal. The village is about fifteen miles southeast of Harrisonburg, and is connected with that place by a county road which crosses a bridge over the North River at the town. Another road passes through a ford in the South River, runs northeast from Port Republic, and

down the right bank of the Shenandoah, to Conrad's Store and Luray. A third, crossing at the same ford, east of the town, runs southeast, passes the Blue Ridge at Brown's Gap, and leads to Charlottesville. The ground around Port Republic is rolling, and broken into hills and spurs, crowned with forests; the fields, at the time of the battle, were waving with corn and wheat. North of the town the ground is elevated, and this was the position which Jackson occupied with his main body, Ewell remaining in the rear, about four miles distant, on the road to Harrisonburg, and at a point to which the intersection of several roads had given the name of Cross Keys.

Port Republic, occupied by Jackson; Conrad's Store, occupied by Shields; and Harrisonburg, occupied by Fremont, formed very nearly the angles of an equilateral triangle, the sides fifteen miles in length. Brown's Gap was nearly in Jackson's rear, as he faced both his adversaries: thus his avenue of retreat was completely open, and it was entirely at his option whether he would fight, or fall back. Entirely out of the net which the enemy had thrown to entrap him at New Market, he was master of his own destiny, and it remained for him to decide whether he would abandon the Valley and unite his forces with those of Johnston at Richmond, or advance to attack the armies which had so persistently followed and offered him battle.

The odds against him were still such as would have discouraged a less resolute commander. General Fremont's army at Harrisonburg is said to have numbered about 20,000 men, and the force of General Shields, at Conrad's Store, between 10,000 and 15,000-probably about 12,000; making the whole force opposed to Jackson somewhat more than 30,000 troops. His own force had approached 20,000 when he marched down the Valley to attack General Banks; but such had been the rapidity of the march, both in advancing and retreating, and so many of his troops were laid up, detailed, and absent from other causes, that his entire force amounted, probably, at this moment, to not more than, if as much as 12,000 men.

These estimates are made upon reliable data, and, though

not official, are probably very near the truth. It will thus be seen that Jackson had in front of him an adversary more than twice as strong in numbers as himself.

It was the relative position of the two columns of the enemy, however, which now induced him not to retreat further, but to act on the offensive. Fremont and Shields were only ten or fifteen miles apart; but Jackson had destroyed the bridge over the Shenandoah at Conrad's Store, and they were thus no nearer a junction of their two columns than before. To attack him, General Fremont must assail him by the Harrisonburg road in his front, and General Shields by the road running down on his right flank; and, if he could strike these adversaries in detail, before their forces were united at Port Republic, he might count with some certainty upon defeating them.

His plans were rapidly resolved on, and he hastened to carry them into execution. General Ewell had fallen back from the ground where Ashby fell, and now occupied a strong position on the Harrisonburg road; and the defence of that avenue of approach could be left with confidence to this trusty soldier, while Jackson went with the main column to meet General Shields.

Jackson's plans were simple. He intended to crush General Shields at one blow, and then return to the assistance of Ewell, unite their forces, and fall upon the main body under Fremont. The rest he left to Providence.

The great series of manœuvres now commenced with energy. Jackson's main body arrived opposite Port Republic on the night of the 7th of June, and a small force of cavalry was at once sent out on the road toward Conrad's Store to verify the report of the rapid advance of General Shields, and reconnoitre the strength of his column. On the next morning the cavalry came galloping back, with discreditable precipitancy, and announced that the enemy were then marching on Port Republic, and were nearly in sight of the place. Jackson, who had crossed into the town on the night before, accompanied by some members of his staff, saw that not a moment was to be lost. The

enemy's design was evidently to make a sudden attack upon the town, destroy the bridge over the Shenandoah, and thus cut off the army, and get in its rear. To defeat this design, Jackson sent hurried orders to Taliaferro and Winder to get their men under arms for the defence of the bridge, and occupy the ground on the north side, immediately opposite to it, with their batteries. Before these orders could be executed, the Federal advance guard appeared, their batteries opened fire, and their cavalry, crossing the South River, dashed into the town, followed by the artillery, which thundered forward, and took position at the southern entrance of the bridge.

Jackson and his staff had not recrossed the river, and were completely cut off. His army was on the north side of the Shenandoah, its general with his staff on the south side, with the enemy's cavalry and artillery holding the only avenue of re-, turn to the northern bank. The emergency served to display Jackson's nerve and presence of mind. He rode toward the bridge, and, rising in his stirrups, called sternly to the Federal officer commanding the artillery placed to sweep it: "Who ordered you to post that gun there, sir? Bring it over here!"

The tone of these words was so assured and commanding, that the officer did not imagine they could be uttered by any other than one of the Federal generals, and, bowing, he limbered up the piece, and prepared to move. Jackson lost no time in taking advantage of the opportunity. He put spurs to his horse, and, followed by his staff, crossed the bridge at full gallop, followed by three hasty shots from the artillery, which had been hastily unlimbered and turned on him. It was too late. The shots flew harmless over the heads of the general and his staff, and they reached the northern bank in safety.*

*This incident has been variously related. It is here given accurately. The correspondent of a Northern journal published the following statement soon afterwards, which we extract for the amusement of the reader: "Yesterday I met Captain Robinson, of Robinson's battery, on his way home to Portsmouth, Ohio, to recruit. He was at the battle of Port Republic, where his brother lost three guns, and was wounded and made prisoner. Captain

No time was now lost in placing the Confederate batteries in position, and preparing for an assault with infantry on the force occupying the bridge. The guns of Wooding, Poague, and Carpenter were hurried forward, and Poague opened with one of his pieces on the Federal artillery, from which Jackson had just escaped. This was followed by a rapid advance of the infantry. Taliaferro's brigade having reached the point first, was ordered forward, and the 37th Virginia, Colonel Fulkerson, charged across the bridge in face of the enemy's artillery fire, and captured the gun which was playing upon them. The rest of the brigade followed; the Federal cavalry was dispersed and driven back; another gun captured, and the town was in Jackson's possession.

The enemy determined, however, not to give up the place without a struggle; and their 4th brigade, under General Carroll, now advanced to the attack. The effort failed in its inception. They were met by the fire of the Confederate batteries, which sent a storm of shell into the advancing infantry and retreating cavalry, and the Federal forces recoiled. In a short time they were observed to retreat, and they continued to fall back until they had reached Lewis', three miles down the river, where they turned a bend in the road, and were lost sight of by the artillery, which had continued to follow them on the opposite bank of the

Robinson, who appears to be a very modest and veracious man, relates that while he was working one of his guns, Stonewall Jackson, whose form was familiar to him, came within easy hailing distance, and, standing erect in his stirrups, beckoned with his hand, and actually ordered him to bring that gun over here.'

"Captain Robinson replied by eagerly firing three shots at the ubiquitous Presbyterian, but without even the effect of scaring him. 'I might have known,' said he, that I could not hit him.'

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"Captain Robinson is utterly at a loss to explain this extraordinary personal demonstration of the redoubtable 'Stonewall.' Whether he mistook him for one of his own men, or that some incomprehensible ruse was involved in the act, he does not pretend to guess. But one thing he does know that Stonewall Jackson is the great man of the war, and that our troops in the Valley believe him to be as humane as he is rapid and daring."