Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/136

 130 Southern Historical Society Papers.

As the company did a good deal of marching along this Valley pike, the following statement of places and distances is given: From Winchester to Newtown, eight miles; Newtown to Strasburg, ten miles; Strasburg to Edinburgh, eighteen miles; Edinburgh to Mount Jackson, six and a half miles; Mount Jackson to New Market, seven miles; New Market to Rude's Hill, four miles; Rude's Hill to Har- risonburg, fourteen miles. Cedar creek is three miles north of Stras- burg.

BATTLE OF KERNSTOWN.

On Saturday, March 22, 1862, the company left Camp Buchanan, and marched along the Valley pike northward about twenty-six miles, and spent the night at Cedar creek. The next morning the march was resumed, and we left the pike about four miles north of Win- chester and turned westward. We were halted near a piece of woods, and there waited probably an hour for orders, hearing in front of us a pretty brisk firing from a few guns which were with General Ashby's cavalry, and from a battery of the enemy which seemed to be about a mile from us. It being evident that we would soon be engaged, w r e could see some of the tricks which the men's consciences were playing. Several well-worn packs of cards were thrown away, and men who had not been credited with a scrupulous knowledge of the difference between meum and tuitm, where cook- ing utensils, &c. , were involved, were seen to draw out their pocket- " Testaments," and go to reading diligently.

At last we moved along the east side of this tract of woodland northward, thence through it westward, and came out into a meadow, in full view of some of the enemy's guns. Our battery was marched deliberately in column across this meadow, under fire from several guns most of the way at least a quarter of a mile, though it seemed to be longer. The guns which were playing at us were considerably above us, and they failed to get the range. Only one shot took effect, and this struck one of our Tredegar iron guns and broke a trunnion, though the damage was not discovered till it was put into position afterwards and was unlimbered.

Just before we left the meadow a hill on our right hid us from view from the enemy, and we crossed what was known as the old Valley road, and went up a steep hill through the woods. When we passed the summit of the hill we turned again northward, parallel with the main road to Winchester, and kept below the crest of the hill so as to be protected from the enemy's guns till we were ready to run all