and
virtuous as deacons at a funeral. Prisoners and spoil were promptly
secured. The horse was from New England, a section in which horsemanship
was an unknown art, and some of the riders were strapped to their
steeds. Ordered to dismount, they explained their condition, and were
given time to unbuckle. Many breastplates and other protective devices
were seen here, and later at Winchester. We did not know whether the
Federals had organized cuirassiers, or were recurring to the customs of
Gustavus Adolphus. I saw a poor fellow lying dead on the pike, pierced
through breastplate and body by a rifle ball. Iron-clad men are of small
account before modern weapons.

A part of the Federal column had passed north before Jackson reached the
pike, and this, with his mounted men, he pursued. Something more than a
mile to the south a road left the pike and led directly west, where the
Federal General Fremont, of whom we shall hear more, commanded "the
Mountain Department." Attacked in front, as described, a body of
Federals, horse, artillery, and infantry, with some wagons, took this
road, and, after moving a short distance, drew up on a crest, with
unlimbered guns. Their number was unknown, and for a moment they looked
threatening. The brigade was rapidly formed and marched straight upon
them, when their guns opened. A shell knocked over several men of the
7th regiment, and a second, as I rode forward to an eminence to get a
view, struck the ground under my horse and exploded. The saddle cloth on
both sides was torn away, and I and Adjutant Surget, who was just behind
me, were nearly smothered with earth; but neither man nor horse received
a scratch. The enemy soon limbered up and fled west. By some
well-directed shots, as they crossed a hill, our guns sent wagons flying
in the air, with which "P.P.C." we left them and marched north.

At dusk we overtook Jackson, pushing the enemy with his little mounted
force, himself in advance of all. I rode with him, and we kept on
through the darkness. There was not resistance enough to deploy
infantry. A flash, a report, and a whistling bullet from some covert met
us, but there were few casualties. I quite remember thinking at the time
that Jackson was invulnerable, and that persons near him shared that
quality. An officer, riding hard, overtook us, who proved to be the
chief quartermaster of the army. He reported the wagon trains far
behind, impeded by a bad road in Luray Valley. "The amm