Today in History:

781 Series I Volume XII-I Serial 15 - Second Manassas Part I

Page 781 Chapter XXIV. OPERATIONS IN SHENANDOAH VALLEY.

SUMMARY.

Killed Wounded Missing Total

Officers 3 10 ...... 13

Non-commissioned 36 162 3 201

officers and privates

Total 39 172 3 214

R. S. EWELL, Major-General.

HDQRS. THIRD DIV., VALLEY DIST., June 16, 1862.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the action of the 8th instant at Cross Keys between the division commanded by me and the forces under Major-General Fremont:

I was ordered on the 7th by the general commanding to occupy the advance, and my division encamped for that night near Union Church. The enemy made a reconnaissance in the afternoon, and going forward I found General Elzey drawing up his own and General Taylor's brigades in position. I at once determined to meet the enemy on the ground selected by General Elzey.

On the morning of the 8th the enemy advanced, driving in the Fifteenth Alabama, Colonel Cantey, from their post on picket. The regiment made a gallant resistance, enabling me to take position at leisure. The camp-fires left by the regiment-no tents or anything else-were the camps from which the enemy report to have driven us. At this time I had present Elzey's, Trimble's, and Steuart's brigades, short of 5,000 men, Taylor's having been ordered to Port Republic. The general features of the ground were a valley and rivulet in my front, woods on both flanks, and a field of some hundreds of acres where the road crossed the center of my line, my side of the valley being more defined and commanding the other. General Trimble's brigade was posted a little in advance of my center on the right, General Elzey in rear of the center, and General Steuart on the left; the artillery was in the center. Both wings were in woods. The center was weak, having open ground in front, where the enemy was not expected. General Elzey was in position to strengthen either wing.

About 10 o'clock the enemy felt along my front with skirmishers, and shortly after posted his artillery, chiefly opposite mine. He advanced under cover on General Trimble with a force, according to his own statement, of two brigades, which were repulsed with such signal loss that they did not make another determined effort. General Trimble had been re-enforced by the Thirteenth and Twenty-fifth Virginia Regiments, Colonel Walker and Lieutenant-Colonel Duffy, of General Elzey's brigade. These regiments assisted in the repulse of the enemy. General Trimble in turn advanced and drove the enemy more than a mile, and remained on his flank ready to make the final attack.

General Taylor, with the Eighth Brigade, composed of Louisiana troops, reported about 2 p. m., and was placed in rear. Colonel Patton, with the Forty-second and Forty-eighth Regiments and Irish Battalion, Virginia Volunteers, also joined, and with the remainder of General Elzey's brigade was added to the center and left, then threatened. I did not push my successes at once, because I had no cavalry, and it was reported, and reaffirmed by Lieutenant Hinrichs, topographical engineer, sent to reconnoiter, that the enemy was moving a


Page 781 Chapter XXIV. OPERATIONS IN SHENANDOAH VALLEY.