Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/296

82 James B. Gordon. This repulse was soon afterward converted into a rout by Colonel Lomax's regiment, the Eleventh Virginia cavalry, which now took the road with drawn sabers, and charged down the turnpike under a fearful fire of artillery. Without this attack it is certain that our trains would have fallen into the hands of the enemy." In the fight of the 10th, "Lieutenant-Colonel Witcher's cavalry, on foot, behind a stone fence on the Boonsboro road, performed a very gallant part in the repulse of the enemy, standing their ground with unflinching tenacity."

On July 21st, General Imboden was assigned to command of the Shenandoah Valley district. Gen. Sam Jones was in chief command of the department of Western Virginia and East Tennessee, with headquarters at Dublin, with an army of about 10,000 at the various posts. Echols' brigade, under Col. George S. Patton, occupied Lewisburg, and Col. William L. Jackson was in command on the Huntersville line with his regiment, the Nineteenth cavalry, under Lieut. -Col. W. P. Thompson, and the Twentieth cavalry, under Col. W. W. Arnett. On August 2ist, Jackson received information from Colonel Arnett that Averell, with a large force, was in Monterey. Averell had crossed to that point from Huttonsville under orders to drive Patton and Jackson from Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties, destroy the saltpeter works in Pendleton county, and carry the law library of the Virginia court of appeals to Beverly. Before reaching Beverly a detachment against Moorefield had been severely handled by the partisans there. Colonel Jackson, believing Averell's objective was Staunton, called for aid from Patton, but was soon convinced of the real purpose of Averell. Arnett fell back skirmishing, and Jackson moved to Gatewood. Averell occupied Huntersville and Camp Northwest, burning the stores, while Jackson, whom Arnett had joined, skillfully extricated himself from a dangerous position and retreated beyond Warm