The National tribune., 1884-11-20

Couch When we come to the cleared field
near the turnpike We find McLaws's Dlvis-
ion. Gen. Lee is very sure that Gen. Hooker
will not think of advancing. Meade and
Couch. and uncover lis eit flank, and so
with two regiments o. cavalfy he will keep
two Union curps motonless in the coming
battle 1t was very we'll planned. McLaws
and Anderson hold the gTGuad from the
woods north of the turnpike t. Mr.. WlliOrds
furnace-uearly TWO miles His troops face
northwest.
Now going west to the Old Wilderness
Tavern three miles along the turnpike, past
Charlottesville, through the Union lines.
(eight miles by the route followed by Jack
son, we come TO the pace where he is form
ing his division TO crush Howard. Having
done thar he viii move for the rear of the
Twelfth Corrs and drive his force like a
wedge between Hooker at Charlottesville
and the riv, r,-drive him into it, or compel
his surrender
WARNING.
The soldiers could see clouds of dust IN
the west, but Gen Howard and Gen. Devens
said it WAS from the enemy III retreat. Gen.
Schimmel pfennig did not think SO, and sent
out 100 men southwest under Capt. Won
Fitsh. They came upon the COnfederates, who
fired upon them. A second party went out
from the 14th Pa, which reported that the
Confrderates were moving along the flank of
Howard.
A company of the 18th Ohio is out on
picket. The Captain sends three men in to
Col Lee. commanding the regiment, with
the information that heavy force of inian-
try and artillery was moving 10 the right.
Col. Lee took them to Gen. Devens, who
fhau, +n Cen HayvarI
Scouts came in and said that the Confed-
crate column was crossing the plank road
and moving towards Culpeper northwest
"Something is going on cut there. We
hear axes and the rumbling of wheels" said
one.
Gen. Schurz changed the positions of two
of his regiments, so that they faced north
west inS' cad of south.
Gen Howard heard the reports, but made
no change in the disposition of his troops. He
frankly tells Us why. " did NOS thiuk that
Gen. Lee would be likely TO move around
our right. because our force was much larger
than his. He had already been compelled
to divide his army in order to hold back
Sedgwick He could not afford 10 divide
again; for should be attempt that, certainly
Hooker would attack his separate bodies
and conquer them in detail. So | reasoned,
and so did others"
THE GREAT MISTAKE.
In war nothing is to be taken for granted
that can be verified. The Idea was abroad
through the whole army that the Confed-
crates were retresting towards Gordonsville.
becausea column of infantry, artillery, ambu-
lances and ammunition wagons could be
seen moving southwest. 1t was Gen.
TIn,.-a,a1f, r,,i.tolya hat ha
verify the reports which came to him from
the west, and it was Hooker's great mistake
that he did not order Howard TO verify
them.
1t was another mistake on the part of Gen.
Howard that his picket-line was not farther
advanced; it was out only a few hundred
yards.
. If he had duly reflected he would have
seen that it was not Stonewall Jackson's
way to retreat, but that it was his way to do
just what he was doing He made like
movement upon Mcclellan, getting in the
rear of FitZ-JOhn Porter on the Peninsula.
He got in Pope's rear at Manassas and Chan
tilly. Pope thought that Jackson was mov-
ing toward the Shenandoah Valley. when he
was marching to get between Pope and
Washington.
If Gen. Howard had reflected, he would
have seen that Lee had not withdrawn from
his position east of Charlottesville; that
all the Confederate troops had not left Fred
eIicksburg, but were still swarming On
MaTyes flights, confronting Sedgwick.
But We all make mistakes, and the worst
of it is we do not know at the time that
they are mistakes. Not till disaster is upon
ms do we see how greatly we have erred, or
what woful consequences follow. What they
were at Charlottesville we shall soon see.
JAcKsoN's GUIDE.
Mr. Tally is .Iackson's guide. His house
is half 2 mile west of DOwdall's. He knows
every path in the forest, every arre of ground.
FitZ Lee has been accommodating the posi-
ton of the Eleventh Corps. He rides to
the top o. hin, and this is what he sees
What sight presented itself to me,
Below, hut a few hundred yards di-tant. ran
the Federal line of battle. / was in rear of
HOward's right. There was "a line of de-
fense with aba'is in front, and long line of
stacked arms in rear. Two cannon were
visible in the part of the line seen. The sol
diers were in groups. in the rear, laughing,
chatting, smoking, probably engaged here
and there in games of cards and other amuse-
ments INDUCED in while feeling safe and
comfortable awaiting orders. In rear of them
were other parties slaughteriBg cattle"
He rode down the road and met Jackson.
"COme with me and / will show you the
eDemy's right and the advantage Of attack
ing from the turnpike instead of the plank
road, said Lee.
Gen. Jackson had made his plans to march
up'tbe plank road and attack Hoaa ard from
that direction, his troops facing northeast,
which would have brought HIM squarely
against HowaTd's breaStworks He rode with
Fitz Lee TO the top Of the hill Ii was =
O'Clock in the afternoon. He would have
seen fewer troops at s. for one of the best
brigades in the corps -Bariows-waso ordered
TO leave It's strong p0siiion-the best possible
posilion-to join Sickies 1t left at 4, and
at 5 was two miles away.
Jackson's face gl0wed with pleasure as he
saw the position of the Eleventh Corps and
what the troops were doing All the while
his lips were moving in prayer. In the
Confederate nor in the Union army was
there another man so religious as he-always
praying. He rode down the hill, and the
column moved on northwest to the turnpike,
then turned sharply east and deployed in
the fields by the Wilderness Tavern. Pax
tons Brigade and Fitz Lees cavalry were
left at he plank road.
Stealthtly the Confederate skirmishers alp
proach the place where fowards videts are
stationed on the turnpike. There are three,
one OF whom Is captured. one shot, while
the third fees down the turnpike, with the
bullets whistling past him, and escapes. He
L i