THE MARCH ON WAYNESBORO'.--TWO BRIGADES ENCOUNTER JACKSON AT PORT
REPUBLIC, AND AFTER FIVE HOURS' FIGHTING ARE COMPELLED TO FALL
BACK.
Nearly the entire corps of General McDowell followed the division of
General Shields. The latter took the direction of Manassas Junction,
and from there passed down the railroad, through Manassas Gap, arriving
at Front Royal on Friday noon, after a sharp engagement with a small
force of rebels.
Soon after, Shields stationed one brigade on the Luray road, another to
watch the fords of the Shenandoah, another was sent out on the
Strasburg road, while the remaining one occupied the town. On
McDowell's arrival, Shields, with his entire division, was ordered out
on the road to Strasburg, for the purpose of intercepting the retreat
of the enemy. But, instead of taking the road which he was ordered to
take, he crossed over the north branch of the Shenandoah River on the
road to Winchester. It then being too late to repair the mischief, and
get ahead of Jackson, Shields was permitted to go in the direction of
Luray, and follow up Jackson as far as he thought advisable, with the
single instruction, that, in no event, should his division be
separated; so that each brigade would be in supporting distance of all
the others.
On the second day we arrived in the vicinity of Columbia Bridge, and
pitched our tents for the purpose, as we supposed, of enjoying a
night's rest; but towards evening an order was received to fall back
six miles. Arriving at this new camp, we again pitched our tents; but
just at dark we received an order to move forward to the camp we had
but just left. We arrived about midnight, and slept on the ground; thus
wasting the strength of the command in a needless march of twelve
miles.
On the following morning, June 7th, the Third brigade, by an order to
move on Waynesboro', took up the line of march, arriving in early
evening on the banks of Naked Creek, where it went into camp. Colonel
Carroll's Second brigade had passed over the road some time before.
The command had nothing but flour and beef for supper, and nothing for
breakfast on the following morning; but being assured that some hard
bread was in waiting, some six miles ahead, it cheerfully pressed
forward at four o'clock A.M., and at about two o'clock the same day,
reached the vicinity of Port Republic, where Colonel Carroll's brigade
had met with a repulse the day before.
Port Republic is situated at the junction of two forks of the south
branch of the Shenandoah River. Jackson's whole army was in the
vicinity of the place, the most of it occupying the west bank of the
river. In rear of Jackson's position, at Cross Keys, were General
Fremont's forces. At the latter place, on the previous day, Fremont had
defeated Jackson, with heavy loss to the latter.
Jackson having thus failed to beat back Fremont, was compelled to cross
the river at Port Republic, and, defeating Shields' command, pass
through a gap in the mountain to Gordonsville.
When General Tyler's command arrived on the field, Lieutenant-Colonel
Daum, chief of artillery, advised an immediate attack; but the general
wisely concluded to await the order of General Shields. Selecting a
good position for defence, the command bivouacked for the night.
Early in the morning of June 9th, the enemy was seen to debouch into
the plain in our front, when our artillery, under Captains Clark,
Robinson, and Huntington, opened a heavy fire upon him. This force
moved into the woods on our left, and passing up a spur of the Blue
Ridge, threw themselves rapidly forward, with a view of turning that
wing of the army. Two companies of skirmishers and two regiments of
infantry were sent into the woods to counteract this movement. The
skirmishers having become warmly engaged, two more regiments were sent
forward to their support. The enemy now abandoned his intention, and
coming out of the woods, swept across the field to our right, uniting
with a column which was advancing to the attack.
During this time, the Seventh was supporting a section of Huntington's
Battery. This new movement was directed against the position occupied
by it. When arriving within range of the guns, the enemy charged. The
regiment reserved its fire until the rebel column approached within
easy range, when, by order of Colonel Creighton, the regiment, which
had hitherto been concealed by the tall spires of wheat, rose to its
feet, and delivered its fire. This shower of lead made a fearful gap in
the lines of the advancing column. It staggered, and finally halted.
The Seventh now plunged into the midst of the foe, when an awful scene
of carnage followed. After a short struggle, the enemy was pressed
back, followed by the exultant victors. The Fifth and Twenty-ninth Ohio
regiments did gallant service in this charge. When the enemy had been
pressed back for half a mile, the column halted, reformed, and then
fell back to its old position.
The enemy now made a furious attack on the extreme right of the
division, to meet which the Seventh changed front on the Fourth
company. The enemy was soon driven back in great confusion, and with
heavy loss. Immediately recovering from this temporary check, he made
an onslaught on the centre, which resulted in his repulse, with greater
loss than in any previous attack; the Fifth Ohio alone capturing a
piece of artillery and many prisoners.
During these operations, the enemy sent a heavy column against our
left; and debouching from the timber, came down with such rapidity as
to overwhelm the small force of infantry supporting four guns of
Clark's Battery. This force, endeavoring to make a defence, came near
being captured. The guns, of course, fell into the hands of the enemy.
The Seventh and Fifth Ohio regiments were now directed to regain the
position. Moving by the left flank to the rear of the position under a
heavy fire, these two regiments dashed up the hill and over the guns,
into the midst of the terrified rebels. Five color-bearers had now been
shot down, while advancing as many rods. Lieutenant King seized the
colors and pressed forward, followed by the regiment, which sent volley
after volley after the fugitives, the firing ceasing only when the
rebels were covered by a friendly hill. We were soon ordered to drive
them from this position, which was done in gallant style, the command
charging up the steep sides of the hill, in the face of the foe.
A large column of the enemy was now seen advancing from the bridge to
the scene of action. It was therefore thought advisable by General
Tyler to withdraw from the field during this check of the enemy, and
before these re-enforcements could be brought into the contest.
This movement was executed under the direction of Colonel Carroll; and,
with few exceptions, the retreat was as orderly as the advance.
After falling back some miles, we met the balance of the command under
General Shields, who assumed the direction of the forces. Eighteen
miles from the battle-field, the command halted for the night; and, on
the third day, reached the vicinity of Luray, where it went into camp.
The importance of this engagement has been underrated. Great and
beneficial results to the Union army would have followed a victory; as
it was, a great disaster succeeded. The impetuous Jackson having thus
prevented McDowell's forces from uniting with the grand army, dashed
down in front of Richmond, and hurling his army against the right wing
of McClellan, gave the Federal army its first check, which finally
resulted in its overthrow. McClellan expecting McDowell, received
Jackson. Had the former formed a junction with him, the grand army
would have entered Richmond; but receiving Jackson, it entered
Washington. This failure to intercept Jackson was due to General
Shields' disobedience of orders. His entire division should have been
on the ground on Sunday, or none of it; and on its arrival, he should
have burned the bridge: then the capture of Jackson would have been
rendered probable, but, as events occurred, it was impossible. A part
of the division not being in supporting distance, rendered the burning
of the bridge a necessity; but Shields regarded it differently. His
order to save the bridge was the extreme of folly. To make himself a
name, he came near sacrificing his command. On Sunday, Colonel
Carroll's forces were in a position to have burned the bridge. Soon
after, the enemy commanded it, with eighteen pieces of cannon. Early in
the day it was safe to approach it--afterwards, madness.
This bridge in his possession, gave the enemy an opportunity to debouch
on to the open plain. When there, the advance of Shields' division was
liable to be crushed. The preservation of the bridge rendered it
certain that he would be there, because this plain lay between him and
safety. To avoid entering it, was to surrender. The shrewd Jackson
chose to enter it. When there, he turned upon Tyler, and overwhelmed
him; then moved off at his leisure. The defeat of Tyler was certain;
his escape, marvellous. Jackson anticipated an easy victory, but met
with a stubborn resistance. This mistake of Jackson saved Tyler.
When McDowell saw that the pursuit of Jackson was a failure, he
endeavored to collect his forces at Fredericksburg, for the purpose of
carrying out his original intention of joining McClellan; but Jackson
was there before him, and the grand army had been beaten back.
Had the forces of Generals Banks and Fremont been left to take care of
Jackson, and thus left McDowell with his 41,000 men free to go down to
Richmond, the labor of historians would have been lessened.
Soon after the battle of Port Republic, General Shields was relieved of
his command. This order received the approbation of both officers and
men.
The following is a list of killed and wounded:
_Killed._--Sergeant William Voges; corporals, Geo. R. Magary, Julius
Ruoff, L. R. Gates, John H. Woodward; privates, Adolf Snyder, Romaine
J. Kingsbury, John Mulligan, John Reber.
_Wounded._--Captain Geo. L. Wood; First-lieutenant A. H. Day; sergeants,
Virgil E. Smalley, Samuel Whaler, James R. Loucks (mortally), Chas. L.
King, Wm. Lanterwasser (mortally); corporals, Townley Gillett
(mortally), Holland B. Fry, Mark V. Burt, A. C. Lovett, Cyrus H.
DeLong, A. C. Trimmer, Charles Knox; privates, J. H. Burton, S. E.
Buchanan, Isaac Maxfield, Charles Keller, F. Keller, Edwin B. Atwater,
M. N. Hamilton (mortally), Daniel S. Judson (mortally), Wm. H. Pelton,
Benjamin F. Hawkins, Lawson Hibbard, James L. Vancise, John Atwater,
Jay Haskins, Leroy Chapman, Sylvester B. Matthews, Alfred W. Morley,
Lawrence Remmel, George K. Carl, Franklin Eldridge, George Geyelin,
John T. Geary, Ira Herrick, Marion Hoover, W. W. Rogers (mortally),
Edwin Woods, Morris Osborn, G. W. Parker, M. Eckenrode, D. L. Hunt,
William Frasher, Anthony Williams, John Smith, James Decker, Michael
Campbell, Philip Anthony, John Colburn, John Hummel, John Luetke, John
Schoembs, Conrad Sommer, John Voelker, Herman Fetzer.