Camp near Orange C.H. Va
10th Feb’y 1864

Capt. John Esten Cooke
Dear Sir,

The skirmish in which Gen. Ashby was killed took place June 6th 1862. My Division, acting as rear-guard, had encamped on the evening of the 5th, two and a half miles from Harrisonburg on the road to Port Republic, and Ashby’s Cav. as I understood, had stopped just below the town. Next morning Gen. Geo. H. Steuart’s Brigade was my rear-guard, & the road being bad, had hardly left camp by noon. Gen. Ash by became engaged with the enemy’s Cav. during the morning & about 3 or 4 P.M. had a very successful affair, with a superior force, capturing Sir Percy Eyndham, Col. 1st New Jersey Cav. & thirty or forty & driving their Cav. from the field.

Continue reading →