Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 07.djvu/538

530 step, the men were in a swing. This really impeded the march, and caused our troops to go into the fight in detail, instead of in compact body.

The next day was a rough one for our army. Shields had secured a splendid position, well described by General Taylor. There was no field for the cavalry to operate in. When the enemy retired, it was through a piney country, with a single wagon road. We could only follow in a column of "twos." We followed them to near Conrad's store, securing many stragglers, wagons and several pieces of artillery. That night I returned to Ewell's quarters and took supper with him. Sitting in front of his tent, he turned to me, in his nervous way, and said: "Look here, Munford, do you remember a conversation we had one day at Conrad's store?" I laughed and asked, "To what do you allude?" "Why, to old Trimble, to General Jackson and that other fellow, Colonel Kirkland, of North Carolina?" I replied, "Very well." "I take it all back, and will never prejudge another man. Old Jackson is no fool; he knows how to keep his own counsel, and does curious things: but he has method in his madness; he has disappointed me entirely. And old Trimble is a real trump; instead of being over cautious, he is as bold as any man, and, in fact, is the hero of yesterday's fight. Jackson was not on the field. They will call it mine, but Trimble won the fight; and I believe now if I had followed his views we would have destroyed Fremont's army. And Colonel Kirkland, of North Carolina, behaved as handsomely near Winchester as any man in our army, leading his regiment, and taking a stone wall from the Yankees; he is a splendid fellow."

That night I addressed a letter to General Jackson, telling him of the difficulties which surrounded me, and of what Ashby had said to me of his troubles from the want of organization in his command, in response to which I have the following communication: