64. LXIV.
FREMONT CHECKED.
This incident immediately preceded the battles of Cross Keys
and Port Republic.
I am not writing a history, my dear reader, and I refer you to
the “official reports” of these great occurrences for the movements
of the various bodies, the names of the regiments and
brigades, and the exploits of this or that commander.
I write from memory—and memory is so treacherous! You
forget almost all that is “important,” and recall only some trifle
which chanced to attract your attention. I picked up a black
lace veil when we captured McClellan's dépõt at the “White
House,” and I remember it perfectly, though I have nearly forgotten
that great conflagration. At Fredericksburg, a girl's
slipper, dropped in the street as she ran from the enemy's shell,
interested me more than the long rows of bullet-riddled houses
and the bloody action!
The advance force of General Shields had hardly been driven
from Port Republic before General Ewell became hotly engaged
with Fremont at “Cross Keys.”
Cross Keys is a locality about four or five miles from Port
Republic, where a tavern with such a sign used to stand, I am
informed. I could only see a stream, woods, and a red hill,
upon which our artillery was in position. On both flanks were
woods—in front the road approached through open fields.
The enemy advanced and opened a hot artillery fire about ten
in the morning, and kept it up for some hours. Then, as though
this had grown tedious, their infantry was marshalled in heavy
lines, and a furious attack was made upon General Trimble, who
held Ewell's right.
He waited until the Federal line had mounted the crest of a
hill within close range, and then a blaze ran along the Southern
lines, and the crash of musketry followed.
This sudden and determined fire produced a decisive effect.
The Federal line gave way, fell back rapidly; and seeing a battery
coming into position in his front, Trimble charged it, and
chased the whole force more than a mile.
Ewell now threw forward his whole line, attacked with
vigor, and the enemy retired before him. They largely outnumbered
him, as was ascertained from caputred documents, and
I could never account for this easy victory until I discovered the
composition of the troops. They were nearly all Dutch.
At nightfall, Ewell had driven the enemy some distance, established
his lines considerably in advance, and then awaited
further orders.
