South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-02-08

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In time to answer to roll call we werc
included in the number 10 be bucked
Now bucking colder is tying his
hands together at the wrists and slip
ping them dowu over his knees, and
then running stick through under
the knees aud over tho arms: and
gagging is Placing a bayonet in the
mouth and tying ii behind his neck.
Some oil the officers complained to
General winder about the severity Of
the order and tried to get him to 70.
woke it, but no use, it had to be doue.
Accordingly, about thirty belonging
to the brigade were taken out in tho
woods the next morning. placed un-
der gnard and bucsed from sunrise to
sunset. 1t was tiresome and pain
ful situation as we had 70 aet cramp-
ed up all day in one position, and wo
were all as mad rs fury about it, for
it was punishment that lad never
been done our brigade before. That
night, after we were released, about
one-half of the number deserted. We
marched the next day short dis
tancc, but would not fall in ranks,
and 1 told my captain that I did not
intend to answer to roll call that eve.
ming and i'll was buckcd again for
struggling it would be the last time,
and that would never shoulder my
musket again for any cause that would
treat soldiers in that manner. Some
of our officers then went to Gen.
Jackson and made complaint about
Winder's order, when he sent Winder
word that he did not want to hear of
any more buc!1iLg in that brigade,
for Struggling; aud that was the last
of it, and the only time it was done.
Gen. Winder would often have
some OF the men tied up by the
thumbs, at his headquarters, all day
for some small offence LIE was a
good general and brave man and
knew how to handle troops in battle,
but was very severe aud very tyran-
meal, so much SO that he was spotted
by some OF the brigade, and We could
hear it remarked by some one nearly
every day that the next fight We got
into would be the last for Winder.
and so il was, for in q short time we
fought the battle OF Cedar Mountain
and Gen. Winder was killed, but he
was killed by shell! from the enemy
before our brigade was engaged.
We lay in camp,ncar Gordonsvillc,
about three weeks, nothing of interest
transporting, but all taking n good rest
after our severe campaigns. From
there we left Swift Run Gap, about
the first of May, we had marched
hundreds of miles, fought several gen
eral battles, viz: Mcdowell. Front
Royal, Winchester, Crosa keys, Port
Republic, Cold Harbor and Malvern
Hill, Lesides some smaller engage
ments and skirmish s, defeated and
demoralizcd five separate armies, viz {.
Milroy's, Banks, Fremont's, Shields
aud McClellan's, had cleared the
whole valley OF the enemy and assist
ed General Lee to Danish the foe
from before Richmond, and had re-
mained III no camp over three days
ut one time, until we reached Cor.
louisville; but had marched and
fought the enemy, often marching all
night and often through rain and
mud and never, during the time,
did General Jackson have over 2o,-
ooo men and often not that. II his
tory can produce greater campaigns
in the short period of little over two
months than those, have never seen
it.
Our army was now being more
thoroughly organized and consolida-
ted than ever before. 1t had been
scattered over great portion Of Vir-
ginia, in brigades and divisions, guard
ing different points and had been call.
cd al different times The Army of
the Monongahela,' The Army of the
Potomac and 'Thc Army of the Shen-
andoah,' but was now formed into
one army composed OF three infantry
corps, the first c,rps commanded by
General James Longstrect, the second
corps by General Stonewall jackson,
and the third corps by General A. z.
Hill. The cavalry was formed into
one corps and commanded by Gen.
j. &. Il. Stuart. and the artillery
corps By Gen. rendleton, formerly
captain Of the Rockbrijge artillery
the whole commanded by General z.
+ Lee, and 8 yled the Army OF Nor
thern Virginia. General Jackson
l had hppr Major G.roroI IS lie fst
Division, but senior officer in COM
Inaud Oft the other troops ia the valley,
but was now promoted to Lieutenant
General Of the 2nd corps, and had
three divisions, his old division, the
1st commanded by general TaIiferro,
tho 2n1 division by General Ewell,
and the Bird division by Gen Rhodes,
Ny division, tie LIT, was composed
of four brigades, all Virginians, OK
cept the 47th aud the 43th Alabama
regiments, which were in the Sd bril-