The village of Port Republic is still a small town nestled against the South and North Rivers that form the South Shenandoah with Cross Keyes across the North River to the west. The area still looks the same with modest encroachment from Harrisonburg just west of Cross Keyes. Krick details a blow-by-blow account of the battle interlaced withy biographies of the participants, their role in battle and even quoting them from their own source material or from first person accounts about particular individuals.

I particularly found the beginning of this last battle of the famous Valley Campaign fascinating as Jackson, his staff, his wagons and a small infantry unit with novice artillery are leisurely enjoying a summers' day when suddenly a complete cavalry detachment bursts on the scene almost capturing Jackson and all his staff (bagged some). The disheartening failure of the Calvary after Turner Ashby's death left no protection or early warning of the Federal rush. The story of the small infantry detachment at the end of Main Street with a few guns of artillery banding together to hold off the union force is an inspiring story. They saved the wagon train and gave time for Jackson to coordinate portions of the majority of his army resting on the opposite riverbank in time to salvage his hold on this small town.

The description of Ewell's relatively easy and effective defense of Cross Keyes exemplifies Fremont's failure as a commander. The other high point of the book is the description of the desperate fighting northeast of Port Republic where Jackson transfers the bulk of his forces from Cross Keyes to Port Republic to defeat the Federals who are better positioned defensively with a particularly strong artillery detachment on the side of a mountain called the coaling. Only a desperate attack by Taylor's Division through course woods saves the day as Jackson's units on the flats take a pounding. Ewell coordinates well indicating a perfect and under appreciated subordinate to Jackson.

The maps are difficult to follow in the early beginning but the publisher produces them better toward the end and they become very helpful as they finally label the units.

Take this book after you read it to the town of Port Republic. There are very limited markers in town and at Cross Keyes 4 miles west, but the book and maps help you get a picture of the battles on land that is hardly changed. This is fascinating because the little town has a modest museum in the house that Turner Ashby was prepared for burial in (open only on Sundays) but no commercialism. The fishing and general store always has a pleasant person to help you out with some information. You need the book because you will have better information then what many of local folk can tell you at random. The vicious battle outside of Port Republic has a marker and parking lot on HWY 354 about 3 miles northeast of town. Again, the maps will help, as the area is still much the same at 100 years ago. A very low-key battlefield without any gratuitous designations but hopefully it will be protected some day with enhanced markers.

Oh by the way, Krick gets in his usual swipe at Longstreet by referring to Trimble as bombastic but not as bad as Longstreet. Looking for Krick's dig at Longstreet in any feature is similar to finding Alfred Hitchcock's cameo in all his movies. The similarity, they are always there, you just have to look and wait for them.