Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 1.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[623] the richest in the valley of Virginia. In the absence of Shields, who was kept in Winchester by his wound, Colonel Kimball had assumed command of the three brigades. His own was drawn up in front across the turnpike road, his right wing extending opposite a wooded hill among the recesses of which the ravine buried itself; still more to the right there were several large stubble-fields. The brigade of Sullivan was drawn up on the left, a little in rear, and Tyler's was massed on the Winchester road. A reconnaissance made in the morning had demonstrated to the Federals that they had only some cavalry and a few pieces of artillery before them; and Banks, convinced that Jackson, when better informed, would not dare to attack his seven or eight thousand men, had just left for Washington when Ashby's artillery opened the fight along the Strasburg road. The latter, having been informed of the near approach of Jackson, and wishing to test the strength of his adversaries, began the attack upon the left wing of the Federals, and soon compelled them to bring a portion of Sullivan's brigade into line. But the remainder of their forces being concealed by a rise in the ground, Ashby still believed that there were only four or five regiments before him, and forwarded this false information to Jackson when the latter reached the village of Kernstown, about two o'clock in the afternoon. The Confederate foot-soldiers were worn out by their long and rapid march, but their commander was in the habit of not considering their fatigue. Believing he has a chance of crushing a detachment of fifteen hundred or two thousand of the enemy's troops, he allows his soldiers but a few moments' rest, and immediately after leads them into action. Fulkerstone, on the left, Garnett, in the centre, and Burks, on the right, are all deployed in a single line of battle, which Jackson leads against the position occupied by Kimball's brigade, leaving to Ashby the care of holding the left wing of the Federals in check. His batteries occupy the wooded hill we have mentioned, and open a murderous fire, to which the Federal artillery, being more exposed, replies with difficulty. Fulkerstone stretches out into the fields which open on his left, and threatens to flank the extremity of the Union line. It is four o'clock. Kimball, in order to parry this danger, summons Tyler's brigade, some of whose regiments take position