Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-04-30

condemning the General of the Army
and limiting very cautiously that he was
4 traitor. In this l was backed by the
nolItlcians, who were working IN the
interest Of certain Gen. Crooker.
was therefore. very brave about IT, Tor
T knew the General whom | was ira
duc,np would uot dare 20 hang me- or
that if he tried he could not have me
,rraioned before a military tribunal
On Oct. S, 1862 my regiment reached
williamsport, and was that evening
marched to position mile or so above
the town on the river. We were 70
sunport signal station on knoll call
cd 7 believe. Fair View. 1t was nv
ann to decry Mcclellan by every means
n nv mower. I became correspond
ent (secretly) for a New YORK oa'lN
naner. and the information gave upset
many y plan of the commanding otllcer,
The first week Of service. our co''he'
"a ,;o,,enant-colonel so worked things
Of Washington that they were detained
c,r snecial duty-onc in New York the
other for a trip to Europe-and l. 10
r,v intense disgust. was left in command
Of the regiment. The night alter 'ne
robols came across and captured the
o;,ro, citation. I was warned. but pur'
posely marched the regiment I'D '"e
,,rono direction, until l was sure lhe
enemy had retired. Then, IN the early
morning. | advanced bravely and ORDER
ed several volleys to be fired across the
river. My report of my heroism IN 'n'S
encaoement was spread through the
Northern papers, and 1 was at once au'
vanced to a colonelcy, and as ranKeu
tho officers of three other regiments 1
,os oiven the command of the brigade
7 still continued my secret Writings
acainst Mcclellan. and my fame in my
no,tv was now wide spread in conse-
ouence. This was my opportunity for
q General may shirk, but colonel'when
once in a pitched engagement never
7 kept well posted on army maneu-
,.ors ,b,oneh the Herald correspondent
whose confidence gained, and who'
bejpr Obliged to publish his name over
al his printed letters, had peculiar IA
c,l,,ies for obtaining intelligence al
ARMY HEADQUARTERS. managed to get
from him all he knew, and at once trans
,ni,tesit to the party papers East ana
West and to the politicians. These
tarts were all used, and the commanding
officer had very poor chance with the
or, at influences at work against him.
lust here 1t may be well to state exact
ly what was the military situation re-
sulting IN the early part OF November
from the maneuvers of Mcclellan. My
friend the correspondent was not IN
formed of the true intent of these ma
npeuyers until it was too late for me TO
convey the intelligence in anticipation
10 the politicians Of Washington and
tbe truly loyal editors of New York
Boston and Cincinnati.
.One.third of the army marched along
,he Potomac, up stream for fully eiSh'
miles in plain view Of the enemy's
scouts of the other side Of the narro"
course. Lee was deceived by this aud
moved his army through the mountain
gaps to the west side to oppose the pas
save of The river by the fords. McClei
Ian threw pontoon bridges across al
Berlin. away down the stream bclo"
uarper's Ferry, sent over a couple ol
bricades of cavalry, with fving artillery
seized the mountain passes, and hurried
ON his infantry and heavy artillery sup
morris. One nigh: we were suddenly
ordered to fall back from our ieintlnE
movement up to the river, and were
forced by rapid marches across lh'
bridoes at Berlia, aud hurried over th'
moun,ain roads in Virginia. Lees
army was now on the west OF the noun
tain range and McClellan's on the eas
e,do between the rebels and Richmond
and holding all the mountain gaps
When my brigade was on Its secon
davis march over the mountain roads
Virginia | could hear the firing and Sc
the artillery smoke in advance to tn
RIGHT. where our forces were statlone
TO hold Smokers and Ashby's Gaps
and the enemy were struggling to iorc
their way through.
With additional Information game
, from my friend, the correspondent.
kept my political friends and the ioY'
|, editors fully informed, taking care
4 conceal the true critical condition OF IL
enemy. Mcclellan was at the ver
G noint of success, and felt that he mu
B. no defeated at all hazards. In this m
o friends at Washington and New Yol
e nllv coincided. Mcclellan had got
G far the start of US, and had made b
e dispositions so successfully that, despl
Y all our efforts, his plans went forwal
d prandly. Leaving forces to hold til
mountain passes, we turned to the eas
:. seized Manassas Junction, paraded ov
Is tbe field OF the Bull Run battles uno
< posed. aud turned our faces to RlcI
,e mond between which and us there W
ie nothing but home guard OF boys
le oppose our triumphant advance. L
re advance guard of our cavalry had reac
pt Cd Stafford courthouse unopposed, a.
d. the main army, infantry and artllle
,e went into biyouac on the road betwe
as Warrenton and New Baltimore. n
n Clellan's headquarters were midway
l.