from the west and opened upon Major-General Ewell's division. After several hours' fighting Fremont was also driven back.

Early on Monday morning, the 9th, I attacked the Federals on the east side of the river, and after about four and a half hours' hard fighting the same kind Providence which had so blessed us on Sunday completely routed the enemy. He lost six pieces of artillery. Shields' command also lost two pieces on Sunday, making his artillery loss eight pieces. Many small-arms were also captured.

The Federal troops engaged on Monday appear to have been three brigades of Shields' division, under Brigadier-General Tyler.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. J. JACKSON,

Major-General.

Major THOMAS G. RHETT,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Dept. of Northern Virginia.

HDQRS. SECOND CORPS, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
April 14, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor herewith to submit to you a report of the battle of Port Republic, fought on June 8 and 9, 1862:

Having through the blessing of an ever-kind Providence passed Strasburg before the Federal armies under Generals Shields and Fremont effected the contemplated junction in my rear, as referred to in the report of the battle of Winchester, I continued to move up the Valley turnpike, leaving Strasburg on the evening of June 1. The cavalry under Brigadier General George H. Steuart brought up the rear.

Fremont's advance, which had been near us during the day, soon ascertained that our retreat had been resumed, and, pursuing after dark, succeeded, when challenged by replying "Ashby's cavalry," in approaching so near our rear guard as to attack it. The Sixth Virginia Cavalry, being nearest the enemy, was thrown into confusion and suffered some loss. Disorder was also to some extent communicated to the Second Virginia Cavalry, but its commander, Colonel Munford, soon reformed it, and gallantly drove back the Federals and captured some of their number.

From information received respecting Shields' movements, and from the fact that he had been in possession of Front Royal for over forty-eight hours and had not succeeded in effecting a junction with Fremont, as originally designed, I became apprehensive that he was moving via Luray for the purpose of reaching New Market, on my line of retreat, before my command should arrive there. To avoid such a result I caused White House Bridge, which was upon his assumed line of march, over the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, to New Market, to be burned, and also Columbia Bridge, which was a few miles farther up the river.

On June 2 the enemy's advance came within artillery-range of and commenced shelling our rear guard, which caused most of the cavalry and that part of its artillery nearest the enemy to retreat in disorder. This led General Ashby to one of those acts of personal heroism and prompt resource which strikingly marked his character. Dismounting from his horse, he collected from the road a small body of infantry from those who from fatigue were straggling behind their commands, and posting them in a piece of wood near the turnpike he awaited the advance of the Federal cavalry, now pushing forward to reap the fruits of the panic produced by the shells. As they approached within easy