own
that the Army of the Valley and not the Virginia Military Institute was
to have Major-General T. J. Jackson's services. He was cheered when, at
short intervals, in the month or two there in camp, he reviewed his
army. He was cheered when, a month ago, the army left Winchester, left
the whole-hearted, loving, and loved town to be occupied by the enemy,
left it and moved southward to New Market! He was cheered loudly when,
two days before, had come the order to march--to march northward, back
along the pike, back toward Winchester.

He was cheered now as he rode quietly to and fro, forming his line of
battle--Fulkerson's 23d and 37th Virginia on the left, then the 27th
supported by the 21st, in the second line the 4th, the 33d, the 2d, the
65th, a little back the Irish Battalion, and at the bottom of the ridge
the 5th, keeping touch with Ashby toward the pike. It was two of the
afternoon, beautiful and bright. A brigadier, meeting him, said, "We
were not sure, general, that you would fight to-day! It is Sunday."

The other fastened upon him his steady grey-blue eyes. "The God of
Battles, sir, as a great general, will understand. I trust that every
regiment may have service to-morrow in Winchester. Advance your
skirmishers, and send a regiment to support Carpenter's battery."

The 27th Virginia, target for a withering artillery fire, crossed the
open and disappeared in a strip of March wood, high and keen and brown
against the fleckless sky. Behind it two long grey lines moved slowly
forward, out now in the old field. The men talked as they went. "Wish
there was nice ripe blackberries on these bushes! Wish I was a little
boy again with a straw hat and a tin bucket, gathering blackberries and
listenin' to the June bugs! _Zoon--Zoon--Zoon!_ O Lord! listen to that
shell!--Sho! that wasn't much. I'm getting to kind of like the fuss.
There ain't so many of them screeching now, anyhow!"

A lieutenant raised his voice. "Their fire is slackening.--Don't reckon
they're tired of it, sir? Hope their ammunition's out!"

From the rear galloped a courier. "Where's General Jackson?--They're
drawing off!--a big body, horse and foot, is backing toward
Winchester--"

"Glory hallelujah!" said the men. "Maybe we won't have to fight on
Sunday after all!"

Out of the March woods ahead broke a thunderclap of sound, settling into
a roar of musketry. It endured for some minutes, then forth from the
thickets and shadow of the forest, ba