section of a battery, kept for some hours at Middletown, found itself
addressed by a courier, jaded, hoarse as a raven of the night. "General
Jackson says, 'Bring up these guns.' He says, 'Make haste.'" The battery
limbered up and came with a heavy noise down the pike, through the
night. Before it was the rearguard; the artillery heard the changed
sound as the men crossed the wooden bridge. The rearguard went on; the
guns arrived also at the ditch and the overtaxed bridge. The Tredegar
iron gun went over and on, gaining on the foot, with intent to pass. The
howitzer, following, proved the last straw. The bridge broke. A gun
wheel went down, and amid the oaths of the drivers a frightened screech
came from below. "O Gawd! lemme get out of this!"

Pulled out, he gave an account of his cut foot, piteous enough. The
lieutenant listened. "The 65th? Scamp, I reckon, but flesh is weak!
Hasn't been exactly a circus parade for any of us. Let him ride, men--if
ever we get this damned wheel out! Keep an eye on him, Fleming!--Now,
all together!--Pull, White Star!--Pull, Red Star!"

The column came to Kernstown about three o'clock in the morning. Dead as
were the troops the field roused them. "Kernstown! Kernstown! We're back
again."

"Here was where we crossed the pike--there's the old ridge. Griffin
tearing up his cards--and Griffin's dead at McDowell."

"That was Fulkerson's wall--that shadow over there! There's the bank
where the 65th fought.--Kernstown! I'm mighty tired, boys, but I've got
a peaceful certainty that that was the only battle Old Jack's ever going
to lose!"

"Old Jack didn't lose it. Garnett lost it."

"That ain't a Stonewall man said that! General Garnett's in trouble. I
reckon didn't anybody lose it. Shields had nine thousand men, and he
just gained it!--Shields the best man they've had in the Valley.
Kernstown!--Heard what the boys at Middletown called Banks? _Mr.
Commissary Banks._ Oh, law! that pesky rearguard again!"

The skirmish proved short and sharp. The Federal rearguard gave way,
fell back on Winchester; the Confederate column, advance, main and rear,
heard in the cold and hollow of the night the order: _Halt. Stack arms!
Break ranks!_ From regiment to regiment ran a further word. "One hour.
You are to rest one hour, men. Lie down."

In the first grey streak of dawn a battery which had passed in turn each
segment of the column, came up with the van, beyond Kernstown
battlefield, and halted upon