Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/285

Rh in pursuit for over three miles, when Munford took it up with his cavalry, recaptured the piece of artillery that had been taken away, picked up many prisoners and followed the Federal retreat until dark overtook him.

Tyler made a brave and gallant fight, hotly contesting the possession of the field, on which he had so skillfully posted his men and guns, and stubbornly resisting every effort to drive him from it until Jackson's superior tactics made it no longer tenable. His loss was 66 killed, 382 wounded, and 382 missing, a total of 830; or, as stated by another Federal authority, 67 killed, 361 wounded and 574 missing, a total of 1,002, or fully one-third of his command—figures which tell the story of his courageous fight in which brothers and kindred from western Virginia met in opposing regiments on the bloodiest part of this decisive field of carnage.

Late in the forenoon, Fremont advanced against Trimble near Cross Keys, and was driving him slowly back, when Jackson thought it prudent to call him to the Lewiston, or Port Republic, battlefield, when he, with Taliaferro, withdrew as rapidly as possible, and without loss crossed the bridge at Port Republic, which he burned behind him and moved down toward the battlefield. Fremont arrived on the bluffs, overlooking the field of combat across the river, just in time to witness the retreat of Tyler and engage in the safe but shameful business of shelling the ambulances and the relief parties who were engaged on the field in looking after the wounded of both armies. Jackson quickly withdrew his men from the range of Fremont's guns, by byways leading from Lewiston through the woods directly to the mouth of Brown's gap, where he established his headquarters, and within which he gathered all his men in bivouac, but some of them not until midnight. His losses in the Port Republic battle were 816, killed, wounded and missing; 290 of these from Taylor's brigade, 199 from Winder's, 190 from Steuart's, and 128 from Elzey's. During the day all of Jackson's trains were removed to the cove, or amphitheatral basin, within Brown's gap, so that by the morning of the 10th, he was there concentrated and ready to either take the offensive or to retire toward Richmond.

Jackson rested his wearied and well-nigh exhausted men in their camps on the loth. Tyler met Shields coming to reinforce him, at Conrad's store, and Fremont,