Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 9.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[314] them about eight miles, capturing about one hundred and fifty prisoners, six or seven wagons filled with plunder, and bringing off the field two pieces of artillery abandoned by the enemy, and about eight hundred muskets. Also recaptured one of General Jackson's staff. We encamped about midnight near the top of the mountains, having been without rations for either man or horse for twenty-four hours. June tenth, we were engaged most of the delay, picking up straglers, and sending off prisoners to Lynchburgh, by the dismounted men of my command. June eleventh, we started again for the Valley, crossed the south and middle branches of the Shenandoah, camped near Mount Crawford, and captured two of the enemy's pickets. Next morning, June twelfth, we occupied Harrisonburgh, captured about two hundred prisoners, many of them severely wounded in the Cross-Keys fight. We also captured medicines, wagons, camp equipage, and about two hundred Belgian guns. Here we again had evidence of precipitate retreat by the enemy. I advanced my picket to New-Market, and then to Mount Jackson, and held that position until relieved by Brigadier-General Robertson. On the thirteenth, a Yankee major and surgeon came up with twenty-eight ambulances, under a flag of truce, asking the privilege of carrying off their wounded. For military reasons, it was declined by General Jackson. (They having enough surgeons within our lines to attend to them.) Having received orders from General Jackson to move back within my regiment to Port Republic, and await further orders, I there learned that he was en route for Richmond, and that I was to follow. His command having had three days start of me, I did not overtake him until he arrived at Hanover Court-House.

The weather had been extremely hot during our campaign in the Valley, the roads macadamized, and the cavalry unprovided with horseshoes, and being compelled to subsist them mostly on young grass without salt, I found my command in a most deplorable condition. Our work had been eternal, day and night. We were under fire twenty-six days out of thirty; having gone in with more than one hundred men unarmed, we returned generally well equipped. History bears no record of the same amount of service performed by the same number of cavalry horses in the same time.

I am, General, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

P. S.--I have failed to mention any special marks of gallantry exhibited by any of my men, supposing that it has been done by those under whose orders they were acting. I shall omit in the rest of my report our Richmond campaign, and begin at Waterloo Bridge, where I was ordered again to report to General Jackson, in advance of his army, moving on Manassas.

sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the different batteries of the army in the actions of June eighth and ninth, 1862, at Cross-Keys and Port Republic:

On Sunday morning, eighth instant, about nine A. M., the advance of General Shields's division approached Port Republic, on the Swift-Run Gap road, and while a part of their cavalry dashed into the village, they opened fire from a section of artillery on the bridge across North River. Soon two pieces (a six-pounder and twelve-pounder howitzer) were brought across South-River, and planted in the village. As soon as their firing had disclosed their approach, Captain G. W. Wooding brought out his battery on the bluffs across North-River, and opened on their infantry, which, to the amount of four regiments, was then near the town. The enemy's advance was soon driven out of Port Republic by the Thirty-seventh Virginia infantry, and their six-pounder gun captured. About this time, the batteries of Captains Carpenter and Poague were brought out by Brigadier-General Winder, and posted on the heights on the west bank of the south fork, and their fire directed on the retreating cavalry, and still advancing infantry, of the enemy. Just then I came up, and, encountering the Major-General commanding, he directed me to remain there in charge of these batteries, and also for the purpose of forwarding to him, about Cross-Keys, any despatch sent to him by Colonel Munford, commanding Second Virginia cavalry. The fire of our batteries was capital. The enemy's infantry soon broke and fled down the river, followed up by our guns on the opposite bank, for nearly a mile, when they disappeared in the woods around a bend in the road. I waited till about half-past 2 P. M., and there being no signs of any intention on the enemy's part to return, I rode over toward Cross-Keys, where the battle had been raging between the forces of Major-General Ewell and Major-General Fremont since about ten A. M. I found our batteries posted in good positions, on a commanding ridge, to the left of the road. Their fire had been directed by Brigadier-General Elzey, up to the time he was wounded; and I found them holding their ground well, and delivering their fire with accuracy and spirit. Those engaged were the batteries of Captains Courtnay, Lusk, Brockenbrough, Rice, and Raines, while those of Cutshaw and Caskie were held in reserve. As I got up, I found Captain Courtnay's battery withdrawing from the field, as also a part of Captain Brockenbrough's, having exhausted their ammunition. Upon inquiry, I found the other batteries getting short of ammunition, and as the ordnance train had taken a different road from the one intended, and was a considerable distance away, I slackened their fire to correspond with that of the enemy.