The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-03
THE VALLEY CAMPAIGN.
5SlOnewall Jackson's Campaign IN the
Shenandoah Valley In ls02-6a.
GEN. RICHARD TAYLOR.

AIDE tao New Market on May 81, 1902 ant
sought Gen. Jackson, whom had never met
j sThis officer by no means held the place IN pub
llc estimation he subsequently, attained llis
march OH KuInney IN The previous winter hao
ts,tttsssst III trs,nt,a. This diaconteDt was
shared and expressed by the government Al
Richmond, and Jackson resigned THO inilu.
nflut, OF Col. Alex BOtpler, seconded BY that 81
The Governor of Virginia uetcher), alone III
dured him til withdraw his resignation.
figure, pnrched on the .topmost rail Of q
fanee, overlooking the road and field. was
pointed cut as
JACKSON.
Approaching. | saluted and declared my
name and rank. then waited for response,
Before this came had time 10 sen q pair Of
cavalry boots covering feet Of gigantic si2e, a
NANCY cap, with vlsor drawn low, heavy,
dark beard, and weary eyes eyes atCerwartl
Hnw filled with intense but never. brilliant
light. A low, gentle. voice inquired the dis
tai1ce and road marched that day.
''six-and- twenty miles -Keazletown road. =
You seem to have 10 stlagglersY
ssNever allow stragglers.'
"Yuu must teach my people They straggle
a bow In reply. Just then my Oreoles start
ed their band and Il waltz. After oontempla-
aiyesuu mt % lemon, "ThouEbtlesa fellows for
flint tile work would not be less well done be-
cause Of the gayety. A return TO the lemon
gave me an opportunity 10 retire Where
Jackson got his lemons mo fellow could find
OUT. but he was rarely, Without one
ID 1--we twelve miles from that fruit would
have disturbed him as much rs 1t did the
Witty dean. Quite late that night Cen jack
son came to my camp fire, where be remained
some hours. He said we would move ut
dawn, asked few questions about the march
ling III my men, which seemed 10 have I'm
pressed him, and then remained silent Ii
silence be golden, he was d "bonansasF He
sucked lemons, abe hard tack, aud drank
water, and, 1 imagine, his idea Of the whole
duty n man va ~ praying and ghslng
ilig, my column on the pike, jackson appeared
and gave the route north, which, from The
situation OF its camp, put my brigade
III advance OF the army. After moving some
little time In this direction. the head Of the
took the road to Lntny over Massanutten
Gap. jackson rode with me during the day.
From time to time a courier would gallon up
report and return toward L,iray. Scarcely a
ful horscmail, mounted ON q sorry chestnut
with shnlnbling gait, his huge. feet, with
snut-turned toea. thrust into the stirrups, and
such parts Of his countenance AZ the low
visuiof his shocking cap failed to conceal
was not prepossessng. That night we cip ssed
The east branch of the Shenandoah on a
bridge near Luray and camped near the
streAin. Here. after three long Marches we
were but d short distance below the bridge al
GunradH stUfe--a point we had left several
days before. | began TO think that Jack
Hon WA concealed, perhaps uncon-
sclOus poet, and, as an ardent lover OF
Nature, desired TO give strangers nj, opportu
seemed hard lines To be wandering. like sentl-
mental Travellers about the country instead of
gaining "kudos" on the Peninsula.
on the next morning my command still In
advance, and Jackson riding with me. The
road ran north between the east bank Of The
river and The western base Of Blue Ridge
Rain had fallen aud softened IT, so that the
wagon trains In the rear were delayed. Not
long after midday we reached q wood extend
ing from the mountain 10 the river. Justhere
a mounted officer from the rear called
IMckson's attention, who rode back with
him. moment later. there rushed
out of the woods 10 meet Ills a young,
rather we'll looking, woman :. afterward
with speed and agitation, some little time
elapsed before she found her voice. Then,
with much yolubility, she said we were near
Front Royal beyond the wood-that the
town was filled with Federals, whose camp
was on the west side Of the river, whore they
bridge, but none bearing on tho railway
bridge below the former, that the. Fcderals
we're ignorant OF our approach, and believed
that Jackson was west Of Massanutten near
Banks, the Federal commander, was
at Winchester, twenty miles north
west Of Front Royal, where no was
slowly concentrating his widely scattered
forces to meet Jackson'ss advance, which
was expected some days later. All this she
told with the precision Of u staff-oilicer max
iny d report and ii was true TO the letter.
jackson was possessed Of these facts before
lie left New Market. and based his move
nents on them, but, as he newer told any
1 x1iG n,AS N Irn ssN n
idea Of the strategic value of Massanutten,
pointed out, indeed, by Washington before
the Revolution. There also dawned on me
quite another view Of our leader than the one
DAYS past Convinced of the correctness of
the woman's statements, hurried forward at
"a double hoping to surprise the encmy's
idlers In the town. or swarm over the wagon
bridge with them and secure it, Doubtless
this was rash, but was immensely ''coeky"
about my brigade and believed it would
prove equal TO any demand. Before
we had cleared the wood, jackson came gal
Looping from the rear followed by o company
OF horse, Hating he ordered me to deploy
my leading regiment as skirmishers ON both
sides or the road, and continue the advance
then passed ON. We speedily came in sight of
Front Royal. The enemy had taken the
alarm, and his men were skurrying across the
could be seen forming. The situation of the
village is surprisingly beautiful. 1t hes near
the east bank of the Shenandoah, which Just
below unites all its waters, and looks directly
on the northern peaks of Massanutten. Blue
Ridge, with Manassas Gap through which
passes the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. on the east,
distant Allegheny bounds the horizon
70 the west, and down the Shenan-
doah the eye wanders over fertile,
well-farmed country. Two bridges spanned
the rivera road or wagon bridge above, n
railway some yards lower down. fine pike
led to
WINCHESTER,
twenty miles. Another followed the river
north, and from this many crossroads
united with the Valley pike at Winchester,
and north and south Of that place. The river
swollen by rain. was deep and turbulent, with
strong current The Federals were posted on
the west bank-here somewhat higher than
the opposite and short distance above the
junction Of waters, with batteries bearing
more especially on the upper bridge. Under
instructions, my brigade was drawn up i'll
line, a little retired from the river, but over
looking it, the Federals and their guns in full