The Union Retreat

The Union Retreat. "Into a Hornet's Nest". , Late Morning, When the Federal defenses collapsed, the disorganized mass of Union troops streamed north (to your right) on the single narrow road to Luray, directly in front of you. The Confederates fired into the fleeing mass of bluecoats, many of whom fled in panic. The southerners on the Coaling joined in, using the captured Union cannons to unleash shredding blasts of canister into the retreating Federals, leaving the fields and road covered with dead, dying, and wounded., Many Federals tried to bolt cross country to the safety of the mountains. Some were captured; "we simply jumped into a hornet's nest," one remembered, "In every direction all around us were Johnnies, who shouted, "Halt there. Surrender you damned Yankee." Others managed to escape, including the sword-waving Col. Lewis Buckley, commander of the 29th Ohio, who led a group into the hills, "cutting their way through the cordon of gray devils.", The exhausted Confederate infantry gave up the chase after 5 miles, and Confederate cavalry took up the pursuit, whooping as they raced forward. Although they were constricted by the narrow, forest-lined road, some cut through the Union ranks and seized prisoners. One small group of Federals formed a Napoleonic anti-cavalry square to hold off the slashing attacks., Some Union soldiers resisted stubbornly. The chaplain of the 66th Ohio divided "his time between shooting secesh cavalry and comforting the wounded." Others were less resolute; a panicked cavalry captain galloped through the troops, shouting the "The enemy are upon us!" - prompting an enraged fellow officer to try (unsuccessfully) to shoot him down., After several more miles, the Confederate cavalry also broke off pursuit, and the flight of the Federals ended when they reached fresh reinforcements under their division commander, Gen. James Shields, near Conrad's Store (modern-day Elkton), some 14 miles north... bringing an end to their retreat and the battle., (Caption):, Union Col. Lewis Buckley. , Image from Journal History of the 29th Ohio.