The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-09-06
tSTONEWALL JACKSON.
i lReminisCene of the Wilderness.


in blue aud the boys in gray, and makes
theft hearts thrill as they remember the ter
riblS charge of the Confederates to possess
Themselves of the key-position to Gettys-
burg. She asks the veterans to remember
how Tie brave Seventh Michigan pushed
across the wide river flowing past Fred
ericlaburg and looked into the fierce eyes OF
Barksdate's Mississippiaas. She calls up
the. ,sabre fight at 'Treyillian's Station, the
traiit Of Stonewall Jackson's men on the
PLANS of Manassas, and the mad, eager rush
at THE earthworks around Petersburg.
Well may memory sit at every veteran s
right band, for under one soil, lulled to
eterh4 rer6se By the same soft breezes, are
the bile and the gray, falling on the Skin
mish. hne--in the charge -singly and by
scores< and no man dares say that they were
not bfavc and true.
That was an awful day when that Con-
Efederste Non, Stonewall jackson, crept upon
posi- Auk1ha 1nrsaes ssks Ice
ON one sisle--Jackson on the other, and the
woods around Charlottesville shook and
trembled, and were almost swept from the
face of the earth by the whirring round-shot,
the Kissing shell and the screaming grape
shot. Men were struck stone dead as the
battle-line advanced or reiterated. White
faced recruits and bronzed-faced veterans
were torn to fragments and hurled against
the living. Wounded men fell in their tracks
70 be crushed into the earth by the great
limbs cut from the trees by shot and shell.
The roar of guns, the crackle of muskctry,
the fierce shouts and awful groans made
such hell upon earth OF that battlefield as
was never seen before or after.
Fighting Joe Hooker was in box, but not
a man in his great army dreamed that it was
so until the long gray lines of Stonewall
Jackson came creeping through the quiet
forest at three O'Clock OIL that ever to be re-
membered second day Of May, 1868. The
light earthworks had been thrown up to face
another way-towards Lee. All lines faced
Lee-alI men were looking for Lee, when
three divisions of Confederates, moving with
soft step, took Hooker's army in the rear
and drove one brigade pell-men into and
over another Until veteran soldiers were
without strength or presence OF mind. That
awful night, when the wounded were being
buried alive in the woods. and the dead were
thicker than the leaves just broadening into
full life, a report ran through the reorgan-
ICED ranks that the great Stonewall jackson
had been killed. Thousands believed it, but
three of us, lying side by side in the new
battle-line, born after night came down, put
no faith in the rumor. Why we did not IS
what started to write about.
Stuart's cavalry had been following up
Hooker's army, but it was like rat follow
ing in the footsteps of horse. Lee was so
far away, and coming up so slowly that
Hooker had time to throw up light earth
works, seize the best ground, fell trees to
protect his TANKS, and make ready to shatter
and hurl back the expected attack. On that
second day of May his soldiers, hidden in the
woods or lying in the fields, washed their
clothing, wrote letters home, made comforta-
BILE beds for themselves, and were not in the
least troubled about what another week
would bring forth. AS deep river suddenly
bends to avoid bluff, so did that great army
of Lees bend to avoid the wilderness. 1t
split in two, to attack at a given hour on
both sides, and Joe Hooker sat in his
tent and congratulated himself on his
impregnable position considered impreg-
nable by him when two great high
ways ran along the rear of half his army.
So universal was the feeling OF security
that soon after noon three OF us infantry
men started out to beg. buy or forage food.
Sigel's corps was on Hooker's west flank,
aud commanded that day by Howard. Part
of this corps faced the old turnpike and
plank road, part faced the other way. Most
of the men were hidden in the woods and
behind ridges, and up the broad highways
which should have been first looked to,
Stuart was pushing his cavarymen as Skin
mishers. We three men were beyond Sigel's
corps, and on the point of entering farm
| house from which everybody had fled, when,
| less than rife shot away, we caught sight oil
the Confederate advance. The cayalrymeI
| were advancing slowly, evidently expecting
to find heavy guard at some point, but al
| that time we imagined that less than regl
ment of Stuart's men were feeling along uI
to pick up strasylers, locate positions, etc
| We at least did not fear them, and the prop
ostion to enter the house and secure bet
| ter view of the roads speedily conveyed u
to a chamber window. We could see bu
| little more from that post, but we did see
/ soon after reaching it, that same Stonewal
Jackson ride from shelter out upon the turn
pike i'll full view, attended by only three o.
four officers. He had come out there tt
make observations. Like a ca., before sh'
destroys the mouse, he was wondering a
| what point he should strike to disable hi
| victim soonest.
Grim minded and sOur-tempered was TIN
third man of us, and wars horrors delighted
him. When he had taken second look a
the little party sitting on their horses on tn
open road, Il wicked smile crossed his fac
and he whispered:
by the hundred gods of the heather bu
that chap on the left there is old Stonewal
jackson, and Pm going to drop him %
"Old Pete, our sour-tempered companion
had IL tirst-olass Mimic rifle with him. ii
had carried it for several months, in som
way escaping the attention of the inspector
aud in some way always securing ammun
ton for it. saw him, in at least half
dozen instances, shoot down videttes Q
| ~, he f,1lv hole
mile away, and he was known Throughout
} the regiment as dead shot.
, There was considerable firing around u
from foragers, stragglers and men cleanin
their guns, and a shot from the windo'
might not attract particular attention. Res
ing the heavy gun across the window-sil
and having as steady rest as hunter eve
I asked for, ''Old Pete'' was ready to keep h
word. l. seemed like cold blooded assass
nation. I could almost count the buttor
!, on JacksOn's coat, and there seemed 10 G.
cape for him. I was watching him when I'll
, rifle cracked. He had field-glass to
a eve, and the only movement we could ST
: was quick motion of the head. as if tt
= bullet had cut close to his ear. The gla
: was not even lowered. 'sOld Pete" swore
I terribly long string Of oaths as he realiz!l
!, his failure, but in minute was ready agar
% II nope TO never urdW dnOtuer Urcdtl IL
;, don't kill him stone dead ~ he muttered
!, he knelt down. Jackson did not face us
:. before, yet was good mark even for mu
: ket. We watched as before, and this tin
. the bullet must have swept past his face,
z he lodged his head backwards. The gla
. was down then, but he raised it in an il
r slant and went on with his survey.
. ssHave got to be fool ! or have grow
= blind p howled s'Old Pete" as he looke
: down upon his unframed victim. '1'll k
q him this time or shoot myself in this chambe
= 1t was dangerous to remain there longe
). as the cavalry had crept nearer, and Jac
!. sons aids seemed to have got the idea that
~ sharpshooter was posted near by. Yet ~
# Pete'' would have had third shot if Il
Il Confederates had been in the house. III
d target was as fair as before. He took mo
l. careful aim, and yet when he fired we sa
d splinters fly from rail way over bevor
" the General. The cavalry were then clio
, upon us, and our two muskets were lost
N the hurried flight from the house. Half {
hour after that Jackson was driving our b
eades and divisions as he willed.
sI'll measure off the same distance, sho
\. off-hand, and bet my life that | can hit
T. soldiers cap nine times out of temp grow
y ed "Old Pete'' as he hurried forward, al
r suddenly overcome by indignation al
t. chagrin he battered his cherished gun agar