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spirits and eager to encounter the enemy, who were believed to be in their
immediate front. Beyond Newtown a body of Federal cavalry was observed at
some distance on the turnpike. Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert ordered Captain
Griffin to bring up a piece of his artillery, and, masked by a half dozen horsemen,
it was deliberately sighted and fired. The shot was a good one, whether it did
any execution or not, and had a magical effect, for the cavalry disappeared like
the mist. The enemy was evidently taken by surprise, for the Maryland troops
were then not more than five miles from Winchester, and still had met with no
opposition. How long it would be, though, before a large force would present
itself to confront this handful of men was becoming a serious problem, when,
much to their relief, a cloud of dust in the distance heralded the approach of
General Early with his division. But the enemy by this time had become thor-
oughly alarmed, and before General Early could come up Carlin's Federal
battery, posted on Pritchard's Hill, was raining shell upon the little Maryland
command. But the gallant Griffin, of the Baltimore Lights, soon got to work,
and then occurred one of the prettiest artillery duels of the war.

Upon the arrival of General Early, he immediately ordered Lieutenant-
Colonel Herbert to throw forward three companies of the Second Maryland,
under Major W. W. Goldsborough, as skirmishers and develop the enemy's
infantry. This movement was beautifully executed, and on the outskirts of
Kernstown the skirmish line of the Second encountered that of the enemy, who
were quickly driven back. But Carlin's battery still paid attention to them, and
for half an hour they were compelled to remain under a heavy fire of artillery. In
the midst of this pandemonium the glorious Early put in an appearance, when
Major Goldsborough pointed out the fact that he had accomplished what he had
been sent out to do, and as the enemy had an accurate range, he asked permis-
sion to withdraw his men a short distance to the rear, as he did not wish to
sacrifice them needlessly. General Early said:

"You have done your work thoroughly. You have a splendid body of
men in your Maryland command, and I wish there were more of them. I have
just placed Gordon in position, and he will drive the enemy into Winchester.
When you hear them 'yell' you will be relieved, but remain where you are
until then."

The "'yell " soon came, and the Maryland skirmishers were relieved from
their perilous position.

That evening the skirmishers were moved forward to Hollingsworth's Mill,
on the outskirts of Winchester. The rain had begun to fall in torrents, and the
darkness was impenetrable. To shelter his men from the pitiless elements Major
Goldsborough called them in and placed them under shelter of a deserted barn.
Before morning the rain ceased, and at daylight the men were in position, and