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of Fremont and Shields, the battery was detailed to support the cavalry under
Ashby and Steuart, which was bringing up the rear of the army. Here it was
daily engaged with the enemy. At Fisher's Hill a section under Griffin was
entirely surrounded and cut off owing to the bad behavior of Steuart's cavalry,
which was supporting it, but the gallant fellow drove his pieces through the ranks
of the enemy, and reached the main body in safety.

At the battle of Harrisonburg it supported Ashby in his fight with the Penn-
sylvania Bucktails, and did good service.

On the 8th of June the division of Ewell was drawn up in line of battle at
Cross Keys to dispute the enemy's advance, whilst Jackson crossed his prisoners
and wagon trains over the Shenandoah at Fort Republic. The ground for the
battle had been selected by General Elzey, by order of General Ewell, and a most
judicious selection it was, as the result of the fight proved, and for which General
Elzey received the thanks of Ewell in his official report.

The Baltimore Light Artillery held the extreme left, supported by the First
Maryland Infantry. Theirs was a most exposed position, and upon which was
concentrated the fire of several of the enemy's batteries. All day long the battle
lasted, and all day long the little battery continued to hurl its shot and shell into the
ranl*s of the enemy. It was a most unequal contest, but stubbornly they held their
ground. Generals Elzey and Steuart, who had remained by and watched the bat-
tery with painful interest, were both borne wounded from the field. Upon the
behavior of that battery perhaps hung the fate of the day, for we were but a
handful holding at bay a mighty army. But calmly the officers and men stood to
their guns, and although 'the enemy essayed more than once to drive them from
the position, there they remained until night closed upon the combatants, and
Jackson's army was saved from the destruction that seemed so imminent.

As a reward for the gallantry displayed in this fight, General Dick Taylor
presented the battery with two of the splendid brass Napoleons which his brigade
captured next day at Port Republic. " I want you to have them," he said, " for
from what I saw of yon yesterday, I know they will be in good hands."

After the battle of Port Republic, which closed Jackson's great Valley cam-
paign, the army moved up the mountain, where, upon its summit, it remained two
or three days, when it returned and went into camp near Weir's Cave, about five
miles from Port Republic. Here the Baltimore Light Artillery was supplied with
new harness and fresh horses, and was in a splendid condition for the dreadful
fighting: about to commence around Richmond, but of which we had not then the
slightest conception.

On the 19th of June, 1862, Jackson put his troops in motion for Richmond,
and on the afternoon of the 26th the First Maryland Infantry, which had the
advance, encountered the enemy in force about ten miles from Gaines' Mills, and