The Portland daily press., 1863-06-03
How Capt. wilkins Saved his Papers.

Captain wilkins, of the staff of General A.
>. Williams, commanding division of the
army corps, who was wounded and taken pris-
oner in the battle Of Chancellorville, gives the
following account of an interview with Stone
wall jackson. We quote from the Detroit
Free Press:
When captured Capt. Wilkins was placed in
charge of guard, who took him short dis
tance to the rear where he met General jack
son and staff. Jackson was sitting on his
horse at the head Of the column, surrounded
by his staff. He wore new suit of grey uni
form and was a spare man with weather
beaten face and bright, grayish blue eye. He
had peculiarly sad and gloomy expression of
countenance, as though he already saw pre-
monition of his fate. 1t was but fifteen min
utes later that he was mortally wounded. As
they came into his presence the guard an
nounced, a captured Yankee officer. Capt.
wilkins asked if it was Major General Thorn
as }. jackson. On being answered in the af-
firmative, he raised his hat Gen. Jackson
said, "a regular army officer, l suppose
your officers do not usually salute ours"
Captain wilkins replied, "No, am not; sa-
lutte you out OF respect to you as a gallant Of
icer." He then asked his name and rank
on being told, he further inquired what corps
and commanders were opposed in front. Cap
tain Wilkins replied that as an officer he could
not return truthful answer tosuch questions.
jackson then turned to the guard and ordered
them to search him. He then had in the
breast pocket of his coat Hooker's confiden-
tial orders to corps commanders, giving plan
in part of the campaign, the countersign of
the field for week in advance, and the field
returns, giving the effective strength of the
Twelfth corps on the preceding day. These
were all exceedingly important papers.
Fortunately, before the guardscoud carry
the orders into execution, terrific raking fire
was opened on Jackson's column by twenty
pieces of artillery, from an eminence on the
plank road. The first eight or ten shots flew
over the heads Of the column. The men and
gunners dismounted, leaving horses and guns.
Our artillery soon got the range with more
precision, and the shell and round shot rcoch-
eted and ploughed through this dense mass of
the enemy with terrific effect. Shells were
continually bursting, and the screams and
groans of the wounded and dying could be
heard on every side. As an instance of the
terrible effect of this fire, one of the guard
was struck by solid shot just below the hips,
sweeping off both legs. A battery came DASH
ing up, but when they got into the vortex of
the fire the gunners fled, deserting their guns,
and could not be made to man them. An Of
ficer, splendidly mounted and equipped, at
tempted in most gallant manner. to rally
them. A ball struck him on the neck, COM
pietely severng his head from his body and
leaving his spinal column standing His body
rolled 10 the ground, and the horse galloped
to the rear. One of the shells struck a cais-
son full of artillery ammunition, which, ex-
plodng, ascended in crater of various col
ored flame, and showered down on the heads
of the men below mass of fragments of shot
and she'll. The loss inflicted by this fire must
have been terrible, placing considerable over
one thousand men hors du combat and effect
ualy breaking up the contemplated attack of
the column.
sAn officer of Jackson's staff subsequently
stated that it was about fifteen minutes after
this that General jackson with staff advanced
to the front to reconnotre our position. hav-
ing accomplished which he returned by df-
ferent path towards his own men, who, mis-
taking his approach for that of a party of our
cavalry, fired upon him, killing and wounding
four of his staff and wounding Jackson once
in the right arm and twice in the left arm and
hand.
While Captain wilkins was being taken to
the rear he devoted his attention to disposing
of the important papers which he had on his
person. He dare not take them from his
pocket to attempt to tear them up, but con-
tinuously placed his hand in his pocket and
worked the papers into ball, and as they
were passing along, got them into his bosom
and finally into the arm pit under his arm,
where he carried them all that night. The
next morning the guard halted to get their
breakfasts, and soldier was trying TO kindle
a fire to cook some coffee which they had Ia
ken from our men. The wood was damp and
the fire refused to burn. The soldier swore at
II until his patience gave ont, when Capt. Will
kens asked him If he would not like some
kindlings and handed him the important pa
pers. The soldier took them, and, not dream
ing of their Importance, used them to kindle
the fire.