Lee had
foreseen that fact, and had given himself small anxiety. His three
corps were already in full motion toward the Potomac; and suddenly the
thunder of artillery came on the winds of the mountains.
Ewell, the head of the Southern spear, was driving at Milroy, holding
Winchester. The struggle was brief. General Milroy had put the iron
heel on the poor valley; had oppressed the unfortunate people beyond
the power of words--and suddenly the hand of Fate clutched and shook
him to death. Ewell stormed his "Star Fort" near Winchester, with the
bayonet; drove him to headlong flight; got in rear of him, capturing
nearly all his command; and poor Milroy scarce managed to escape, with
a small body-guard, beyond the Potomac.
"In my opinion Milroy's men will fight better _under a soldier!_"
It was his commanding officer, Hooker, who wrote those words a few days
afterward. From the hands of his own general came that unkindest cut!
Exit Milroy, thus amid hisses and laughter--the hornet's nest at
Winchester was swept away--and Ewell headed straight for Pennsylvania.
Longstreet came up rapidly to fill the gap in the line--Hill followed
Longstreet--and then the world beheld the singular spectacle of an army
extended in a long skirmish line over a hundred miles, with another
army massed not daring to assail it.
Pages:
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61