Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-03-09

gAiitAl AnN AA''lT AA@hNA NHf
the euemy before them until they took
refuge in the strong works around
Charlottesville. The SOutl ern lues
continued to press toward uLtil they
reached the ridge overlooking that up
on which Charlottesville is situated,
about half mile di tam, when, in the
darkness, the right. Of the Confederate
line became entaDgled in a heavy
abctis of felled trees, and the troops
were compelled to halt.
They Aere now ia very great cor
fusion-lhe divisions Of Rodes and
Colston having been mingled almest
inexllicahly-and it was necessary to
desist from tue attack 10 order 10 re
form the commands. This was REL =
dered still more necessary by sudden
Gre from the Federal batteries 10 front,
scarcely half a mile distant, which
swept The road and woods with shot
and shell, still further adding to the
confusion resulting from the Charge
Rodges' division was accordingly Or
deled to fall back. and directing Gen.
A. p. Hill to move with his division to
the front, Jackson rode forward to
recounoitre the enemy's position.
1t was now nearly ten o'clock at
night. The Wilderness slept in the
tran qul light of the moon, and from
the dark tbickets came the continuous
and melancholy cry ofth whippoor.
will, sounding strangely amid that scene
upon which so many human beings had
just met IN close and deadly encounter.
The silence was unbroken, except b,
those plaintive cries Of the bird of night.
mingled with the tramp and hum Of
men, as they moved TO their allotted
positions for the new struggle which, in
spite Of the darkness. Jackson had de-
lermined up u aud from the dark lines
of the enemy near Chancellors vile,
directly N from. came only confused
and hollow mu-mur-sOle evidence OF
the fact that their army was on the qui
rire, and their .guuners standing Min
nIhled por-ires beside the pieces.
ready to sweep the approaches TO the
position which they occupied. if the
rustic of a leaf or the fall of a twig
announced a new advance of the
S9utherners'
Jackson's design had been only half
achieved. He had driven the enemy
from their Grst line OF entertainments,
and doubled up their right wing on their
centre. But Ibis only showed the
possibility Of a more decisive success
Jackson saw at glance the immense
results TO be achieved by vigorously
iollosing up The blow which he bad
already struck. aud his design now was
to swing round with his left, interpose
his crops between the Federal army and
the United States Ford, and capture or
destroy them. or be himself destroyed.
He wanted but 'one more hour ef
day light he afterwards said. 10 effect
this great movement, and cut the enemy
of from the Rappahannoce; but within
the hour he was himself TO fall, struck
down by one OF those incomprehensible
DEGREES Of Providence which meu see
but cannot understand. We approach
with pain the details o, this event,
which filled the whole South with grief.
Jackson had ridden toward, as we
have sad, to reconnoitre. accompanied
only by Capt. r. E. Wilbourn of bis
staff, and Capt. William Randolph.
With abou! half dozen couriers, and
two men Of the signal corps. The
enemy were less than two hundred
yards in front Of bis lines, and no pick
els had been established. Thus Jack
son soon found himself considerably in
advance of the troops, with nothing be-
tween him and the enemy. Who was
to blame for this neglect We have no
means of ascertainlng. but 1t resulted
in the death of Jackson.
Such was his ardor at this critical
moment, and so great his anxiety 10
penetrate the movements OF the enemy,
doubly screened as they we're by the
dense forest and the shadows of night.
that he continued his way without
thought Of the great danger TO which he
was exposing himself. So real was this
peril that one of his staff oflicers said
10 him: General, don't you think this
Is the wrong place for you?' To Which
he replied quickly. The danger is all
oyer-lhe enemy i, routed 10 back
aud tell A. P. Hill to press H. 5bt on -
No one presumed to offer further
and Jackson continued
to advance down the road toward
Chancellorsyille, 4 listening for every
sound and endeavoring to peer through
he half darkness.
He had advanced in this manRer
nore than a bundled yards beyond the
ines. and had reached a point on the
road opposite an unfinished weather.
BOARD house on the right, whose she'll
orn roof may sill be seen, when sud-
leuly, without any conceivable cause, a
leayy yolley was fred by the Confeder-
tie infantry in his rear and on the right
f the road, apparently directed at him
nd Ills escort. Several Of the party
ell f,om their horses (; aud Jackson
urued to the left and galloped of 10
he opposite direction. He had not
one twenty steps into the woods when
Confederate brigade, which was there
rawn up within twenty yards of him,
Ialivpred a volleV in their turn. knepl-