h calm.
Farmhouse and village, mill, smithy, tavern, cross-roads store, held
their breath--Stonewall Jackson coming up the pike, holding Fremont off
with one hand while he passes Shields.

Sunset came, a splendid flare of colour behind the Great North Mountain.
The army halted for the night. The Louisiana Brigade still formed the
rear guard. Drawn upon high ground to either side of the pike, it
lighted no fires and rested on its arms. Next it to the south lay
Winder. The night was clear and dark, the pike a pale limestone gleam
between the shadowy hills. Hour by hour there sounded a clattering of
hoofs, squads of cavalry, reports, couriers, staff. There was, too, a
sense of Stonewall Jackson somewhere on the pike, alert with grey-blue
eyes piercing the dark. Toward one o'clock firing burst out on the
north. It proved an affair of outposts. Later, shots rang out close at
hand, Fremont having ordered a cavalry reconnoissance. The grey met it
with clangour and pushed it back. Wheat's battalion was ordered
northward and went swinging down the pike. The blue cavalry swarmed
again, whereupon the Louisianians deployed, knelt first rank, fired rear
rank, rose and went forward, knelt, fired and dispersed the swarm. From
a ridge to the west opened a Federal gun. It had intent to rake the
pike, but was trained too high. The shells hurtled overhead, exploding
high in air. The cannonade ceased as suddenly as it had begun. Day
began to break in violet and daffodil.

As the hours went on they became fiery hot and dry. The dust cloud was
high again over advance with great wagon train, over main column and
rear. Water was scarce, the men horribly weary; all suffered. Suffering
or ease, pain or pleasure, there was no resting this day. Fremont, using
parallel roads, hung upon the right; he must be pushed back to the
mountains as they passed up the Valley pike. All morning blue cavalry
menaced the Stonewall; to the north a dense southward moving cloud
proclaimed a larger force. Mid-day found Winder deployed on both sides
of the pike, with four guns in position. The Louisianians sent back to
know if they could help. "No--we'll manage." A minute later Jackson
appeared. Wherever matters drew suddenly to a point, there he was
miraculously found. He looked at the guns and jerked his hand in the
air. "General Winder, I do not wish an engagement here. Withdraw your
brigade, sir, regiment by regiment. General Ashby is here. He will keep
the rear