Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/340

316 movement upon the enemy, General Rodes declared: &quot;You have saved Ewell’s corps, and shall be promoted, and your commission shall bear date from this day.&quot; This promise was fulfilled early in June, and soon after ward he took his men to the Shenandoah valley, and joined in the movement through Maryland to Washington. In the fall campaign in the valley, though in impaired health, he did his duty gallantly and desperately against the overwhelming numbers of the Federals, and had many remarkable escapes from death or capture. When Ramseur fell at Cedar Creek, he took command of the division, which he held until the end, being promoted major-general in February, 1865. In spite of their terrible reverses, he infused such spirit in his men that they were able to rout 4,000 Federal cavalry at Rude’s hill, November 226.. In the spring of 1865 he fought in the Petersburg trenches, and participated with great gallantry in the fight at Fort Stedman, in which he rode, a captured horse, and was a conspicuous target to the enemy, but still seemed to bear a charmed life. When his line was broken April 2d, he rushed down his line on foot, and seizing a musket joined in the fire upon the enemy, until his troops, encouraged by his coolness, were able to recover the greater part of their lines. During the retreat from Petersburg he was almost constantly in battle; at Sailor s Creek saved himself by riding his horse through the stream and up the precipitous banks amid a shower of bullets, and on the next day led his division in a splendid charge which captured the guns taken from Mahone and many Federal prisoners, winning the compliments of General Lee. Bushrod Johnson’s division was now added to his command, and on April 9th the other two divisions of the corps, Evans and Walker’s, were put under his command, he having volunteered to make the attack to clear the road toward Lynchburg. He was successful in driving the enemy from his front, but after receiving repeated orders to