Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/540

500 Pegram in advance, and occupied Jackson's old camp within the western entrance to Brown's gap, the cavalry encamping between the South and the Middle rivers, covering the infantry position. The enemy advanced to Harrisonburg.

On the 26th, Kershaw's division, which had been ordered back to Early from Culpeper Court House, on its way back to Lee, and had crossed the Blue ridge at Swift Run gap, came up the South Fork of the Shenandoah, and turning off from the River road to Lewiston, joined the rest of the army, in Brown's gap, after having had an encounter with the enemy's cavalry and artillery, on the old battlefield of Port Republic, as he was about to turn off from the river road. This attack was from Fremont's old position, across the river, but was repulsed by Kershaw's artillery. In the early morning of the same day, the Federal cavalry came on from Harrisonburg and drove the Confederate cavalry across South river. Pegram's division, with artillery, was advanced into the plain in front and east of Weyer's cave, and engaged the enemy, repulsing several charges of cavalry. Ramseur, with his skirmishers, repelled an advance of the enemy on the Port Republic and Brown's Gap turnpike at about the same time that Kershaw's line of march was attacked at Lewiston. Wharton and Gordon were moved out and put in position to support the other divisions, if necessary. Wickham's cavalry brigade (which had come up the Luray valley and joined Early at Port Republic) was moved to the left, to Patterson's ford, or South river, in the afternoon, to meet a reported move of the enemy. The Federal cavalry went into camp between Weyer's cave and Mt. Meridian, and also between the South and the North rivers, with skirmishers on the eastern side of South river.

The Weyer's cave attack was made on information by Engineer Hotchkiss in reference to the position of the enemy's camp, and that it could be readily reached by roads concealed by forests, by way of Patterson's ford. Wickham's cavalry led the advance, followed by Gordon with artillery, and by Ramseur, Wharton guarding the right flank of the movement while Pegram engaged the enemy's attention in front, and Kershaw guarded, on the right, the approaches to Brown's gap from the northeast. The movement was a success and the troops were