The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-03-23
CONFEDERATE SKETCHES.
Banks Discontinue III the Valley,
and ROut as Seen From the
Other Side.
Il; Rev. !. William Jones, u. d., Of
Richmond, Va.
From tho Detroit Free Press

ILNNlI INa'h III ~ ''' ''''>
the Rappahaun"rk, while Johnson
fell back to Richmond, and went
thence to tho Peninsula t" support
MaStulct in the SklItul and gallant
resistance hc had been making to the
advance OF the Overwhelming force
Of the enemy. The situation at this
time WAS anything but encouraging.
The Confrlcrates after the battle OF
Manassas, had been begui|ed into the
idea that the wa, WAS virtually over
that forei gu powers would certainly
recognize the Confrdc' acy, and that
it was scarcely necessary to make
much preparation for another cam
paiyn.
| remember meeting the day after
the hri||iatt affair, near Leesburg
(BalIs B|ui) an officer of high rank,
who had just retained from Rich
monh, and who said TO me: 1--WE
shall have no mole fighting. 1t is
not onr policy to advance on the
enemy now; they will hardly advance
on us before spring. England and
France will recognize the Confedera-
cy, and that will end the war;" The
time OF the enlistment of nearly tho
Whole Of the Virginia army expired
in the early spring of 1862, and near
~ all of the infantry were planning
to ',jiuc the cavalry" or to become
artil|erymen. \ number of new
companies of cavalry and artillery
were formed ION paper) and il these
plans had been carried ont the whole
army would have been converted into
cavalry and artillery. But tho dis
asters at Forts Henry and Donald
son brought US to our senses, the
patriotism of the men promptly res
pended, and most of them enlisted
"for the war;" while the "conscript
law,' which was now passed, settled
the matter with any who wavered.
The Thirteenth Foot Cavalry had
tried in vain to be transferred to
STARTS cavalry, and they now grace
fully accepted the situation, enlisted
for the war, and entered upon the
reorganization by the election Of new
officers. This fatal defect in tho law
by which the men were allowed to
choose their own officers would have
demoralized almost any other troops
in the world but the splendid morale
of our army, their high intelligence,
and their devotion to the cause
brought rs safely through the sever
est ordeal without serious damage.
There were, of course, some good Of
ticers who were thrown out, aud some
indifferent ones elected; but on the
whole the army was about as well
Differed as before. In my own regi
ment the Col u. A. Walker-A. P.
Hill had been recently promoted
stated in my presence soon after tho
election that if he had had the ap-
pointment of company officers, he
won)d have appointed just tho ones
whom the men had elected.
Stonewall Jackson has been sent to
the command of the "Va11ey District"
in October, 1861, and had displayed
that wonderful activity which season
cd his men and prepared them for
what was to follow. His mid wiuter
march to Bath, Hancock and Rom
ney; his indignant resignation be-
cause he thought that the Secretary
of War (Mr. Benjamin) had listened
to complaints of his subordinates and
undertaken to regulate the internal
affairs and movements of his troops
without consulting him-and his bril-.
liant6ght ut Kernstown which, though
in one sense a defeat, recalled to the
valley the column which was marching
on Gen. JuinSton's t1ank-are all of
deep historic interest, but will 10
omitted from these sketches, as we
had not yet joined the valley army.
1t was, indeed, uncertain, whether
Ewell would be sent to join Jackson,
or.be ordered to Richmond, )andleven
after ordered to the Valley there was
doubt Az to what point we would 60,
until finally it was decided by our
falling back to Gordonsvi|le, aud
marching thence to Stanardsville, in
Green County, where we had for a
few days IL very delightful camp
ground. On the afternoon of the
Both of April Ewell's division entered
Swift Run Gap, which jackson had
just left to fulfill lis plan of uniting
with Gen. Ed. johnson, then posted
twenty miles west of Stanton, to
strike Frem0nt's advance under Mil
roy.
Ewelrs division at this time con-
sisted Of Gen. R. Taylor's Louisiana
brigate, Gen. Trimble's brigade icon
sisting of the Twenty-tirst North
Carolina, the Twenty. first Georgia,
the Sixteenth Mississippi and the
Fifteenth Alabama Regiments), and
Gen. Elzey's brigade composed Of
the Thirteenth Virginia, the Tenth
Virginia and the First Maryland Regi-
mepts), and the batteries of artillery
which were then attached to each
brigade. We had also two regiments
of cavalry making our whole force
about 5000 men we'll equipped, we'll
disciplined and Of splendid morale. !
had opportunity at this time and
subsequently of seeing a good deal Of
Gen. Ewell, and he impressed me as
being every inch a soldier: Plain in
his dress, quick land ifneed he rough)
in lis orders, prompt in execution,
almost reckless in his courage, aud
stubborn and unyielding in holding
any position assigned him. He was
just the man whom Jackson need
ed, in whom ne seemed to have
the highest confidence, and to whom
he was certainly indebted for much
of his splendid success.
l remember at his quarters one day
at Swift Rua Gap, as he was sending