A Soldier's Story of His Regiment (61st Georgia): And Incidentally of the Lawton-Gordon-Evans Brigade Army of Northern Virginia

Chapter 16

193 The commanders, who were the real perpetrators of such horrible deeds as this, are all dead, and I have been made to wonder if they met the great Judge up yonder in peace. CHAPTER XVI. BA'r'l'Ln OF CEDAR CREEK AND 'tHE CLOSING OF 'tHn VALLEY CAMPAIGN. About the 5th of October Early was reinforced by General Kershaw's division, from Richmond, consisting of about 3,000 infantry and a brigade of cavalry. This made our command about as strong as it was before the disasters at Winchester and Fisher's Hill. On the 12th of October we advanced to Fisher's Hill, and on the 13th we moved out in line to Hupps' Hill, and had a small engagement with some of the Yankees' cavalry and drove them across Cedar creek, and found that their infantry was well posted in a good fortified position, and we returned 1:0 Fi~her's Hill and went into camps near our works. We stayed here and rested until the evening of the 18th. About 3 or 4 o'clock all of our regimental and company officers were called for. They assembled at Generals Gordon's and Evans' headquarters. Here the plans of a great battle were madE' known to them and they made it known to us. We were commanded to cook two days' rations and be ready to leave at dark, which we did. We were not allowed to carry anything that would make a noise, so we had to leave our canteens and the officers had to leave their swords. We marched and crossed the Shenandoah river and went around the Yankees through a trail in the Three Tops mountains. We got within 300 yards 194 of their pickets, and got around to another ford in the Shenandoah river, which Wf;lS almost in the rear of the enemy_ Our division (Gordon's) had gotten there and was massed by 3 o'clock in the morning and all ready to cross the river at the proper time. We had not made enough noise to cause the enemy's pickets to notice us, and it was reported to us private soldiers that General Gordon managed to capture one of the Yankee pickets, and that he gave General Gordon the countersign correctly, and that Gordon had all of their pickets relieved near the ford and had Confederates put in their places, and had all of the Yankee pickets captured. I do not yet know whether this report was true or not. [Since writing the above I have learned, through Major J. L. Crider, who was raised and lived six miles from Winchester, and who was one of Stonewall Jackson's scouts, that a private soldier by the name of Billings, of the Twelfth Virginia Regiment of cavalry, captured the Yankee picket that gave General Gordon the countersign.] Just at the break of day we marched across the river in four lines. Evans' brigade started up the road at double quick step ahead of all the rest, but the rest were following immediately in the rear. There was a big frost on the ground, and as we had to wade the river and were wet up to our waists, the run up the hill did us good, for it warmed us up. We advanced up the road at double quick to a certain place and stopped. We faced the Yankees' camp and advanced through the woods in fine order. The enemy was not aware of our being anywhere near them till a few of their camp guards began to shoot at us. It was then light enough for us to see their camps. We advanced in a run and raised the Rebel yell. At 195 this signal Kershaw advanced from a different place and raised a terrible yell. The Yankees fired a few cannon shot at Kershaw's men and then fled. We were soon in their camp. The most of them were still in bed when we raised the yell and began firing at them. They jumped up running, and did not take time to put on their clothing, but fled in their night clothes, without their guns, hats or shoes. We were shooting them as fast as we could, and yelling ;\s loud as we could to see them run. It was the worst stampede I ever saw. We captured about twenty stands of colors...