Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/261

Rh and Forty-eighth Virginia, First battalion, and Marye's battery—and Gen. S. R. Anderson's Tennessee brigade. After Loring's arrival, though Jackson had the general direction of the projected operations against Bath, Hancock and Romney, Loring retained command of his army by the orders of the war department. The leader of the cavalry was the brave Lieut.-Col. Turner Ashby, whose fame was already foretokened by chivalrous exploits in the campaigns of the summer.

The army under Jackson and Loring, including about 8,000 infantry, besides Ashby 's cavalry, moved away from Winchester, January ist, under a bright, clear sky, with the temperature of the air like that of a crisp, invigorating April morning. The troops, though ignorant of their destination, marched out of quarters with buoyant spirits and springy step, and all went well for the first day, but with unexpected suddenness the sleet and snow fell upon them with increasing severity, the frozen roads became slippery, the wagons were delayed, and the men forced to bivouac without their tents for a dreary night. The severe storm continued for two days, during which the true and tried soldiery braved adversity and struggled on with the leaders who shared with them the hardships of the march. Many were compelled by sickness to return, and some whose courage failed them dropped out of line and straggled to shelter, while the larger number pressed on until after the third day they entered Bath, which the Federals had hastily abandoned, leaving a considerable part of their stores. After only a temporary halt Jackson pushed on after the retreating foe, and driving them into Hancock he sent Ashby under a flag to demand their surrender. Colonel Ashby, on reaching the Federal front, was received and blindfolded, then led into the town, hearing his name often mentioned by the Northern troops as "The famous Ashby." Many of them had heard that name called out in the charge of Ashby's men as they rode into Bath, and were now eager