46

Even then the army of Banks should have been destroyed or captured had
there been any cavalry to pursue the panic-stricken enemy. Where was Jackson's
cavalry? Ashby's troopers were in the vicinity of Middletown and all the cavalry
was disorganized by the victory or were out of place. It was left, then, for the
infantry to pursue the fleeing Federals, which they did for some miles on the
Martinsburg turnpike, when they were halted from sheer exhaustion. About an
hour after the infantry had been halted General Steuart with his cavalry came up
and renewed the pursuit in a highly creditable manner, but the main body of
Banks' army was now beyond the reach of successful pursuit and effected its
escape across the Potomac. General Jackson in his official report said : "There
is good reason for believing that had the cavalry played its part in this pursuit,
but a small portion of Banks' army would have made its escape to the Potomac."

Four miles beyond Winchester Colonel Johnson halted the First Maryland
to await further orders. In the pursuit they had captured many prisoners, com-
missary stores, etc., but the most remarkable of their captures was a wagon
partially filled with breastplates, one of which, taken from the person of an officer
of the First New York Cavalry by Colonel Johnson himself, can be seen in the
relic room at the Confederate Soldiers' Home at Pikesville. Federal officers
wearing breastplates! Had these doughty soldiers on this occasion reversed the
use for which they were intended and worn them on their backs many of them
would have escaped what soldiers consider to be mortifying wounds. But, then,
these breastplates served to amuse the Maryland boys exceedingly, and many
of them were tied to trees and made targets of.

In this Winchester affair Lieutenant-Colonel E. R. Dorsey of the First
Maryland was wounded, and never returned to the command. Two days after the
battle of Winchester the First Maryland entered Martinsburg, and on May 29 the
First Maryland, with Company A, Maryland Cavalry, and Cutshaw's Battery
marched from Martinsburg to beyond Charlestown. On the 30th the enemy was
found at Bolivar Heights, and an artillery duel ensued between Cutshaw's Battery
and a battery on the Heights, but although of some hours' duration no damage
was inflicted upon Steuart's command, and it is questionable whether the enemy
suffered any loss, save the killing of a horse. After a time the fire from the
Federal batten ceased, but it was not known that he had withdrawn. However,
that question was soon settled by Private Richard Knox, of D Company, First
Maryland Infantry, who, rifle in hand, boldly traversed the intervening space,
ascended the steep, and stood in proud possession of the enemy's camp.

By order of General Stetiart. Colonel Johnson then occupied Bolivar Heights
with the First Maryland and Company A of the Maryland Cavalry. The enemy
was seen in great numbers at some distance, gazing upon the invaders in mute
astonishment. But this did not endure long:, for soon a puff of smoke from a