DuPont and the Union Retreat

DuPont and the Union Retreat. "It seemed necessary to risk the loss of some of my guns.". , Time: Late Afternoon , As the Union line collapsed late in the day, Union Capt. Henry DuPont and his guns, who had been in the rear of the Federal force, were just arriving near this spot. "The whole Federal line was found to be retreating in the greatest disorder," DuPont recalled, "Save a few regiments [the 54th Pennsylvania and 34th Massachusetts] to the west of the turnpike which were keeping up their formation as they fell back.", DuPont was immediately "pounced upon" by young staff officers who gave him "the most absurd and contradictory orders." He ignored them, acting instead, as he said, "upon my own judgment.", He decided to buy time for the retreating Federals with the six cannon under his command. With no infantry support, he put his guns in danger of capture, but he felt "It seemed necessary to risk the loss of some of my guns in order to cover and protect the retreat of the Union troops.", With a "thick curtain of smoke" hanging over the field, DuPont split his artillery into three two-gun sections. Positioned along the Valley Turnpike, they blasted away at the pursuing Confederates, then leapfrogged backwards along the pike behind you., As one Confederate remembered, "The audacity of this battery caused us to think that it had a strong infantry support, and we paused to form line before advancing further." DuPont's actions bought enough time for Union Gen. Franz Sigel to build a new position with late-arriving troops on Rude's Hill, 1,000 yards to your right. Convinced - in part by DuPont's stiff resistance - that Sigel would try to make a stand, Confederate Gen. John C. Breckinridge paused for nearly an hour to rest and rearm his men., (Caption):, Union Capt. Henry DuPont. , DuPont distinguished himself throughout the 1864 campaigns in the Shenandoah Villey, and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Cedar Creek.