The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-01-10

mile or more long, with high. steep sides.
nj rrea' na ses of rocks and bpnlder>
- th.t there IS barely room for the
Railroad track. aud a narrow dirt road
the road having TO follow the bed ufa
shallow creek IN many places. I"u can
readily see that such a gorge could BE- held
by a Thousand men against an army, il
the defenders were like LIE nidas aud
his men at the pass of 1hermopyle.
Twilight on the evening of August 27tb
found Longtreot's column entering the
long narrow deflc. The men marched
upon the bed Of the railroad the wagons
on the dirt road. Suddenly out Of the
darkness in frort came "A dazzling sheet
nf flame, with deadly hail Of bullets. The
Yankees had taken post across the path.
at an old mill where there was a stone
fence, and great lodges of rock. behind
which they were not only safe, but COM
pietey concealed. Soldiers will not need
to be cd that this was an ugly place to
stumble into. The column halted and
word was sent TO Lougstreet who came up.
We must clear them out !" said he
Jackson needs us!"
Alter ome parley I was decided to send
a brigade to climb each peak or side
wall Of the Gap, i in order that they
might attack the TANKS of the enemy,
while we charged him in front. SO the
brlgades of General Hood and General
hitting laid aside everything but their
guns, and began to slowly climb the steep
mountain often having to lift one
another from rock to rock to Chamber
over trees,-a fearful night march
Generals Pryor aud G. NJ. Wilcox were
sent TO sent to Hopewell miles to the left.
The writer was never specially anxious for
a tg bit, but he felt truly thankful that
night that his command was ordered to
charge the Yankees, in their lair. rather
than climb all night as did the fanking
brigades. In the first place the long
march t26 miles, that day had been very
distressing and secondly he was bare
footed as were fully ten thousand of
Lees men at the time. No shoes had
been issued TO the army for six months,
and noDe could be had for love nor money
and the instant marching quickly wore
out the shoddy made shoes with which
We started. In some regiments at least
one third of the men were barefooted,
and many of the officers had their shoes
wrapped with cords and string to keep
the fragments together.
The night was a singular one. The
men wrapped in their blankets (for the
,ir was chill in that deep and damp
mountain gorge) sat like so many ghosts
IN the railway track-not having room to
lie down. Fires of course were out the
question and conversation was In whis-
pers The roaring of the creek over its
rocky bed made the mountain cliffs echo
ike the monotone of a waterfall while
now aud then the sullen Boom -
'B o 90 m! = of cannons far away on
he other side of the range to ldus that
Jacksons men were IN close quarters.
Ear down the ravine towards the rear
gimmered a light where some surgeons
we're cutting off legs and arms of those
hurt IN the first onslaught.
Thus the night crept off. BY the by,
f three Of our brigades could climb a
mountain side, through dence bushes, that
marched nine miles on level turnpike.
A little before dawn the writer awoke,
lied strips Of blankets around his set.
ate a cracker. and loaded his musket. At
sunrise the advance began. Hood and
Whiting rad a mountain howitzer and
having reached the top of the cliff pitch
I'd a she'll into the Yankee camp at the
mill. This startled them, aud when a
Georgia battalion (f | recollect arightl
ed the way in a grand rush the Blue coats
took to their heels. after firing a few
rounds. Eight Of them were killed, pos
sibly more; we counted that number Of
dead.
Here was where Pope lost his game.
It this Gap had been held a few hours
Jackson could have been destroyed. But
The road was low omen, and LOngstreet
hurried forward. By IL O'Clock we had
reached Jackson's wagon camp near
Gainesville.