[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]
ous fears for the safety of Jackson’s army. A number
of cavalrymen have come in, stating
that Shields’ (Fed) army [diagram came down on the East
side of the She- inserted nandoah river this
morning. Jack- here] son’s army being at c and
his headquarters at b. That a Regiment of
the enemy’s cavalry forded South River at Port Repub-
lic (a) and captured our ordnance train at b— that
Jackson crossed North River and got to his army, and,
according to our report, shelled the enemy out of Port Re-
public. It would appear, however, that Jackson is now
between Shields and Fremont, who is doubtless pressing
from Harrisonburg. His escape seems almost impossi-
ble, especially as his ordnance stores are lost. The Fed-
eral prisoners, at Waynesboro’ still this morning, may be
recaptured. Some persons (Alick + Legh included) went
down to North River, on the McAdamized road, this morning,
to reinforce Imboden, who is guarding the ford there
with several pieces of cannon. Yesterday we heard the
sad news that Ashby had been killed near Harris-
onburg. I was very sick all day yesterday, and not
well yet. Rumors that large reinforcements are
coming to Jackson — too late : Cannonading heard all
morning, up to 2 o’clock P.M. The cavalry men
were arrested upon their arrival here, and put in
the guard house, for running off from the battle.
Later. — Several persons have come up from the
army. They say there was a brilliant skirmish,
that our cavalry pickets ran off, that a portion
of the enemy made a bold attempt to flank
Jackson, but were easily repulsed, and that we
lost nothing whatever. Passengers by the cars, from
Waynesboro’, report that the portion of the enemy
who made the attempt were captured with their
cannon. This is doubted. It is stated that Jackson
and his staff crossed the bridge, to get to the army, un-
der fire of the enemy. In the skirmish near Har-
risonburg, day before yesterday, it is said we lost
40 in killed and wounded, but did great ex[illeg.] tion up-
on the enemy and captured from 20 to 75, according
to the various rumors. As I was going down Street
to hear the news, after I had heard the first reports, I stopped
Dr. Hamilton and Sam Baskin near Judge Thompson’s
gate, to inquire what the former had learned — he was just
coming up. He had heard only what I had. While we were
ta[l]king Miss Nancy Clark came up the ally by the
Catholic Church, and called to them that John Bas
was not going, that Jackson had whipped them and
taken cannon and ever so many prisoners. It seemed that
John Bakin Mr. Craig and others had told her so, as
they passed her house. It seemed that John Baskin,
who is a soldier in the 5th Regiment, and at home
on the sick list, was about leaving[?] with other sick sol-
diers, and his friends were to escape from the enemy, and
his friends were in the act of assisting him off.
Sunday night— Going to church this evening Va + I went
to see Aunt Sally, who is not well. As the street near the
Railroad, was full of wagons I went down to get the news. —
The wagons were bringing the sick and wounded from the
Hospital to the Depot — a train was filling up for Green-
wood and Charlottesville. A courier had arrived from Jack-
son’s army, having left at 4 o’clock, P.M. Ewell’s division
had been fighting with Fremont, at Cross Keys, all day. So
far the enemy had been repulsed. A prisoner was brought in
this evening by a negro man. The negro delivered the man,
a little German unable to speak English, to one of our
officers here, saying, “Mass Mason told me to bring him
here dead or alive, and here he is.” Mason caught the
fellow near Mt. Crawford. After church Kate + I walked
up to Mrs. Skinner’s with Betty Lyle. Thought we heard
cannonading, and saw several persons going out to listen
— they said they had heard it. Jimmy Tate is down street
to get the last news (past 10 o’clock) — he has just
come in. Says another cousin has arrived — Jackson
whipped the Yankees under Fremont and is pursuing them!
[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow project. See their website for diagram]
MSS 38-258
