Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/16

 4 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Dabney says, " this temporary eclipse of Jackson's genius was pro- bably to be explained by physical causes ;" the whole story of the White Oak Swamp is told in a few words. I wish to emphasize the fact that Colonel T. T. Munford performed well and satisfac- torily the part assigned him that day, for on a little slip of paper General Jackson wrote to him: " I congratulate you on getting out. ' '

Had Munford' s suggestion been followed, Franklin would have been forced back to where Heintzelman and McCall were barely holding their own against Longstreet and A. P. Hill.

The Federal forces, disputing the passage of Fisher's Run by Armistead and Mahone, would have been forced to fall back, and Huger's whole division would have reinforced Longstreet ; while Magruder at Timberlake's store, on the Darby town Road, at two o'clock, the 3Oth, was within two hours' march of Glendale. To one who understands the topography of this country it looks as if the very stars in their courses fought against us on the fateful 3Oth of June, 1862. A month of inactivity succeeded the seven days' battles and then followed the second Manassas campaign.

THE SECOND MANASSAS CAMPAIGN.

The 2d Virginia cavalry was assigned to duty as the advance guard of Jackson's corps. McClellan, in his life of Stuart, says : "Colonel Munford had seen much service in the Valley under Jackson, and had performed the same duty for him during the bat- tles around Richmond."

At Bristoe Station Jackson sent Colonel Munford to surprise and capture the place ; this he succeeded in doing, dispersing a cavalry company, capturing forty-three of an infantry regiment, and- killing and wounding a goodly number. He participated in the move- ments that culminated in the capture of Manassas Junction with a large quantity of stores, and when Ewell had to withdraw from Bristoe Station, the 2d and 5th regiments, under Munford and Ros- ser, covered his rear. On the 28th, 2gth and 3Oth of July, 1862, the fights at Grovetown and Manassas occurred. There were nu- merous engagements of the cavalry, with only a few reports. In one of these, near the Lewis House, Robertson's brigade, to which the 2d regiment had been attached, met Buford's cavalry brigade in one of the most brilliant fights of the war. Every account I have met with, accords to Munford and the 2d Virginia the honors