The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-09
IN ME- m ORIAM
A Bright Record, From Major TO
Major-CeneraI!
(Contiape3 tram hrst reel..) J

! Together with others o. the wounded
and WAGNER, the enemy were driven
off and was safely landed once again
OH Virginia 80 !. having crossed the river
near Williamsport.
1 The conmand was rcorganized and
1 perfected in drill and then assigned To
4 DESTROY the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
/ from Charlestown. the site OF the eNecu-
I ton OF the notorious Kansas Rufilan.
/ John Brown The work was done ci-
/ fectuallv at night by tearing up the
cipss-tics and putting them III large
piles of twenty TO thirty. and then
crossing the Iron rails over them and
piling a few ties on top of each end OF
t. rails. and just before daylight set
| ting fire to them-the whole al once =
the fire SO warping the rails as to unfit
| them for use.
We were then encamped for some
| time near BeIryville until - crossed
/ the Potomac after the removal Of Me-
! Clellan from command. when we cross
cd the Shenandoah, breaking ice for the
passage of the men. who had to wade
one bitter cold day to NJ ct the enemy
who were reported a, advancing on
| Paris. Here. for the tirst time, General
K. +. Rodcs. one of the bravest and
best officers of the Confederate army.
took temporary charge OF the division
which subsequently became 50 distin-
yuished a. ''Rodes Division i'll the his
tory of the army of Northern irgnia.
Here occurred a misunderstanding be-
tween Gen. Rodes and myself. which
continued until the spring OF ls64, and
then ended by gentlemanly and chiy
.,lr a,, ti,.a nt { RnIlS
The circumstances We're as follows ::
| Not knowing that Gen. Rodcs was in
command of the Division, and suppoo-
iny that Gen. Rodcs like myself was III
sole command ot his own brigade, came
up when the troops were crossing the
river, and exp c~Sing my opinion TO
Gen. Rodes as To the severity OF the or
der forhidding the men To remove their
pants. or shoes. which thought ought
to be done so as To enable the men to
be dry after cro>>lnI. when the eXer-
else would i'll Il short time warm them
up. GEN Rodcs said i'll sharp tone he
saw nothing hard in the order and that
| had better 90 to the river and see it
obeved, that he was in command OF the
division. and the order emanated from
him. The order was reluctantly obey
ed. and after crossing the Shenandoah,
as the men had necessarily struggled
out OF ranks. | ordered a temporary
halt to enable the troops Of my COM
maud TO close up and recover Their
proper position in line. In the mean
time Gen. Rodes riding to the front.
upon seeing me. asked why | disregard
ed Gen. Jack, on S order. No. -. requir-
ling the arms to be stacked at all halts.
The explanation was given and the men
ordered to stack arms. Gen. ROdes
then instructed me to await where
was and allow The artillery to pass him.
Hour after hour passed. and no artillery
came up. Finally Gen. Rodes sent a
courier 10 know what detained me. |
sent word to him that | was waiting for
the artillery. He then sent back order
ing me forward. Upon reaching the
mail town of Z tris. about two miles
distant. as | approached Gen Rodes was
standing on the piazza OF the hotel, and
inquired in ,ery cross manner, wv hat
bas kept YOU so long, My reply was,
"Obeying your order What was
that order?'' ITO let the artillery pass
me-" when you saw that no artillery
came up, you should have come on. as
t c cnt my are advancing | replied.
You had just reproved me for not
otes NC General Orde No. =. and i
you had not codntermanded your order
IL await he arrival of the artillery,
should have remained there until Gen
II II resumed command He ther
placed himself by my side, and went or
, To place the command in position anc
said. Halt your men here when
e give tie command Order arms pre-
paratory to stacking arms he said
T You need not stack arms My reply
was, 1T is Gen. Jackson's order. ant
vou have lust repIoved me for its viola
ton. aud | shall do It > He then or
dered us forward about mile 20 awai
the advance OF tho enemy. We hat
several slight skirnishes with enemy
7 cavalry. and then marched parallel Will
Q the Federal troops across the mountain
at Fisher Gap. thence down nea
Madison G.. III. To Orange {. H.. an
thence down the plank road to Gulnes
Stat on which we reached on the lst O
December. 1852. and on the 3rd wer
moved to Port Royal. twenty miles be
j low Frederlcks burg, where we had th
first snow ot any depth of the winter
II and remained here projecting the rive
l. uutil the night OF the 18th when til
: enemy effected a crossing at Frederic h
= burg and we were marched all night
g and reached Hamilton Crossing abou
u day. and were placed iii the reserve ol
ti.c extreme right of Jack>on's line. am
i consequently the right OF the Conleder
% ate forces. where We suffered consider
y ably from the artillery OF the enemy
:. Towards the evening of the 18th. whel
the first charge BY the Federal troop
were made. the brigade was moved for
ward 20 support the troops in tn
trenches. and took the front line. Th
cries Of the wounded in the hedged oil
field in our fro it, where the enemy ha,
charged. was heart-rending and sicken
ing-pleading prayers to the Aimight,
for mercy, and begging for water t
quench their thirst, which was continue,
- all night. The expected charge OF mex
n day was deferred, and feeling anNlou
h to meet the enemy. the officers OF tn
II command petltioned Gen. ID. III. Hill t
allow Us to remain in the front line un
- I'll tie enemy did advance. Then Wa
given us the task of burying the horse
belonging to the artillery that had beel
Killed TO prevent the awful stencil. no
knowing how many days we would hav
to keep in line of battle. We found
a difficult task and not easily accoml
lished. During this night knew ther
n was cnmmotion among the enemy. an
d could see a light in the distance tlas
" up and then again be darkened. and in
ferred that the enemy were moving I
their right, and that the light was oh
{ scured as the troops passed. and fiasbe
out at the interval between the passag
OF one regiment and the head of anoth