Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/723

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CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY.
677

he was promoted to captain, and continued in the United States service, on duty in New Mexico, until the spring of 1861, when he resigned his commission in order to tender his sword to Virginia. With the rank of lieutenant-colonel, corps of cavalry, he commanded the camp of instruction at Ashland, and was promoted brigadier-general June 17th. In command of the second brigade of the army of the Potomac under Beauregard he held the extreme right of the Confederate line during the first battle of Manassas, and after advancing in the prearranged movement against Centerville, was recalled to reinforce the Confederate left, but was not permitted to pursue the defeated enemy. He was promoted major-general in October, 1861, and given command of a division consisting of the brigades of Elzey, Trimble and Taylor, which in the following spring became famous under his active and fearless leadership during Jackson's campaign in the valley of the Shenandoah. After Jackson had fallen back from Kernstown, Ewell was sent to his aid from before Richmond. With his division he defeated Banks at Winchester, May 25th, commanded on the field during the defeat of Fremont at Cross Keys, and during the final victory at Port Republic held Fremont in check and aided in the defeat of Tyler. As senior major-general in Jackson's command, he participated in the subsequent battles before Richmond, and was distinguished in the Manassas campaign of 1862, at the battle of Cedar Mountain, the capture of the Federal stores at Manassas Junction, and the engagement at Groveton, on the evening of August 28th, when he fell with a wound in the knee, which compelled the amputation of the leg. Thus seriously disabled, he returned to the army in May, 1863, and with promotion to the rank of lieutenant-general was assigned to the command of the Second corps of the army of Northern Virginia, succeeding Stonewall Jackson, who had fallen at Chancellorsville. He was in-