THE BATTLE OF CROSS-KEYS.
June 8, 1862.
At six o’clock on the morning of the 8th of June, the Virginia forces, under General Fremont, commanding the mountain department in West Virginia, left Harrisonburgh, and advanced about seven miles, attacking the rebels near a place called Union Church. The advance was led by General Cluseret, his brigade consisting of the Sixtieth Ohio and Eighth Virginia, afterwards supported by the Garibaldi Guard. The battle commenced at about nine o’clock, and was prosecuted with great fury on both sides. The rebels, consisting of Stonewall Jackson’s command, had the advantage of position.
General Fremont was early on the ground, and was often exposed to the fire of the enemy. On one occasion, a shell from a rebel battery struck the ground within a few feet of the spot on which he stood. The Union line of battle was a mile and a half in length. General Schenck led the right wing. His forces were disposed as follows: at his left was the Eighty-second Ohio, Colonel Cantwell; next came the Fifty-fifth Ohio, Colonel Lee; Seventy-third, Colonel Smith; Seventy-fifth, Colonel McLean, while the Thirty-second Ohio, Colonel Ford, held the extreme right. The centre, under the command of the intrepid Milroy, had the Third Virginia, Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson commanding, on the left; next the Fifth Virginia, Colonel Zeigler; the Second Virginia, Major J. D. Owens commanding; while the Twenty-fifth Ohio, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Richardson, formed the right. Between Milroy’s right and Schenck’s left lay the Sixtieth Ohio, Colonel Trimble, and Eighth Virginia, Colonel Loeser, commanded by Colonel Cluseret, in addition to the Garibaldi Guards, of Blenker’s division. General Stahl’s brigade, consisting of the Eighth, Forty-first, and Forty-fifth New York, and Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania, with the invincible band of Bucktails, that survived the slaughter of Friday previous, formed the left. General Bohlen’s brigade was to support Stahl, while the remainder of Blenker’s division was a reserve.
The battle lasted until about three o’clock in the afternoon, when, by the misinterpretation of an order, the left wing of the Union forces fell back, exposing the centre, and necessitating a retrograde movement along the whole line. The enemy, intent only upon getting off, made no further advance; and the worn and wasted ranks of the patriots reposed at night upon the field of combat. Early next morning the Union line of battle was reformed, Schenck taking the centre, and Milroy the right, and an advance was commenced, in the direction of Port Republic. As the National forces approached this point, which is on the Shenandoah river, a dense smoke was seen rising ahead, and it was soon found that the rebels had retired across the river, and burned the only bridge by which it was possible to pursue them. Thus did Stonewall Jackson, after a successful raid up the Valley, slip through the fingers of the Union commanders, and make good his escape—though not without severe loss. The Union losses were upwards of six hundred in killed, wounded, and missing. The men behaved with great gallantry in this fight. Generals Milroy and Cluseret especially distinguished themselves.