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354 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
burg, Avhich was accomplished in nine days; and thus Shields' force
Avas joined to McDowell's. On the morning of May 13th, the army Avas
reviewed by President Lincoln and other Government officials. Especially
did the president desire to see the division that had put to flight
the great Jackson, therefore Shields' command, the Seventh among them,
Avas ordered out for inspection.
When Shields withdrew with his forces from the Shenandoah Valley,
Jackson with a strong command immediately occupied it, and commenced
a rapid, vigorous movement toAvard the nation's capital. This movement
COMMODORE OLIVER HAZARD PERRY
necessitated a change of plan on the part of the Union forces, and the
project to attack Richmond AVIIS for the time abandoned, and the army
concentrated and .vnt, to head off the notorious rebel leader, Jackson,
becoming aware ofVhis, and not easily entrapped, made a retreat up
the valley, closely allowed by Fremont's command. The third and
fourth divisions of Shields' brigade had. by this time, reached a point
opposite Port Republic. At five o'clock in the morning this battle commenced,
the Seventh and the Fifth Ohio having the heaviest of the fight.
Says Reid, "These tAvo regiments fought splendidly' and effectively.
General Tyler, seeing the terrible odds against him, and the extent of
the enemy's lines, determined to handle his inadequate force with extreme