Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-12-04
WALHAILA, CAROLINA, THURSDAY pEcEMpER 4 1879


he did not believe tho enemy would aban-
don his attempt so easily, and expressed his
conviction that the main body Of Gen.
Hooker's army was in his ffout, aud the
real move was to be made from this direo-
tion and not from Fredericksburg. On
this point there was great difference of
opinion among our higher officers, and
Gen. Lee was tho only one who seemed to
have the absolute conviction that the real
movement of the Federal urmy was 10
| one he was then meeting. In this belief he
never wavered from tho first. After tolIing
General Jackson that ho hoped his opinion
| might be proved to be correct, Con. Lee
| added: tBut, General, VIC must get ready
to attack the enemy if wo should find him
hero tomorrow; and you must make all
arrangements to move Ground his right
flank Gen. Lee then took up the map
and pointed out to jackson the general
direction of his route by tho Furnace and
Brook roads. Some conversation took
place as to tho Importance of endeavoring
to conceal tho movement from tho enemy,
and as to tho existence of roads further to
the enemy's right, by which Gen. jackson
might pass 80 as not to be exposed to OBJ
eervation or attack. The general line of
Jackson's route was pointed out, and the
necessity of oclority and secrecy was en-
joined upon him.
The conversation was lengthy one, and
at the conclusion of it Gen. Lee said to
Jackson that before he moved iu tho
| morning, if he should have any doubts as to
whether the enemy were still in position, he
could sond couple of guns to a spot close
by, and open fire on the euomys position,
which would speedily settle the question:
From the spot referred to two of our guns
had to be withdrawn that afternoon, az the
infantry were suffering from tho fire they
were drawing from the enemy. Gen.
jackson then Withdrew, and Gen.
Lee dictated to Col. Marshall a
long letter to President Davis, giving
him fully the situation In it he
he regretted he would not have tho
| assistance of Pokett's and Hoods di-
visions, but expressed HE confidence in the
good Judgment that had withdrawn and
kept them from him and closed with the
hope that, notwithstanding all our dangers
| and disadvantages, Providence would bless
the efforts which he was sure his brave
army would make to deserve his success.
II give all this in detail to show the
errors writer's upon Charlottesville havo
fallen into 10 respect to tho origin of jack
sons famous flank movement. In little
pine thioket, CLOSE by this conference, Gen.
Lee and staff bivouaoked that night. Dur.
ing the evening reports reached him from
Early that all was quiet along the Rappa.
! HANCOCK Wilcox was ordered back to
| Banks ford in consequence of other rumors.
Lees orders had teen issued; his plans
| digested; his trusty lieutenants were to
carry them out, tho chieftain slept Hooker
at Charlottesville, one and half miles
| away, was, however, awake, for ut l.55 on
tho morning of the I'd of May he dis
patched to Butterfeld to order the pontoon
bridges taken up below Fredericksburg,
and Reynolds Corps to march at once to
his headquarters The morning of May
I'd, 1868, broke clear. Gen Lee emerged
from tho little thickct and stood on it's edge
at sunrise, erect and soIdierly, to SEQ jack
sons troops file by. They had bivouaoked
on his right, aud were now commencing the
flank movement.
About half hour after sunrise jackson
himself came riding along. When oppo-
site to Gen. Lee ho drew rein, and the two
conversed for few moments. jackson then
started forward, pointing in the direction
dis troops were moving. His face was
o little flushed, Col Marshall says,
as it was turned back towards Gen.
Lee, who nodded approval to what
he had said. The sun rose unclouded
and brilliant, gliding the hilltops and pene-
trating the vapors of the valley. Rising
as gorgeous as Gid the "sun of Austerlitz," )"
which produced such an impression upon
the imagination of Napoleon, it should be
remembered by the people of the South,
for its rays fell on the last meeting in this
world Of Lee and jackson. The Duke Of
Wellington said man of refined Christian
sensibilities is totally unfit for the profession
of soldier, but here were two devoted
Christians who faithfully performed all their
duties, and SO they parted"
To BRING UP LAND. Much of tho soil
in South Carolina has been exhausted by
continual cropping without manure. Many
aud many an acre of originally good land
in the State has been impoverished by get
ting all that possibly could DO got from it.,
and nothing put on in return. This land
could be brought up by commercial fortili,
zers, but it would be very expensive. Green
manuriDg is cheaper and is equally as affeo.
tive. Much of the land referred to has
been exhausted by having all vegetable