Page:Civil War The 42nd Infantry Division of Bedford County Virginia.djvu/11

 All the fighting in the Valley was not this simple, near Kernstown just out of Winchester, Virginia the Stonewall Brigade under the command of General Richard B. Barnett was in serious trouble when they engaged the entire Union Division of General Kimball after three hours of heavy fighting. They ran out of ammunition and were in danger of being totally overwhelmed. General Garnett issues the order to retreat back to their wagon trains at Newton, four miles south.

This is what the author had to say about this engagement and I quote, "the 5th and 42nd Virginia divisions made a gallant stand againt [sic] hordes of oncoming Federal troops but were too exhausted and out of ammunition to continue the fight".

General Jackson was furious when he found out the Stonewall Brigade had been withdrawn from the field of battle prematurely. Jackson snorted at Garnett, "the men could have held their position by using the bayonet"—an instrument that no one but Jackson admired.

The Confederates camped out in the hills near Weyer's Cave until June 17th, they left swiftly to join Lee at Richmond.

The Federal troops were ordered back to Washington to return to Fredericksburg.

So ended the Valley campaign, Jackson had denied the Army of the Potomac the use of 40,000 troops, yet he never had more than 17,000 men. He had defeated three armies, one at a time, had marched his "foot calvarycavalry [sic]" over 550 miles in just twelve weeks.