South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-04-04
Pour Years In the Stonewall
Brigade.
BY john Q. ;'cAsLER.
Private Co. A. SD Va. lnisstry, stouewall
Brigade, LIST Divisioo "a. Corps. Army Of
Northern Virginia.
[cosrIxuKD.l

We drew our rations from the COM
missary at Guinea Station, and one
day when the wagon went after flour
two of my mess went along to help,
they were to get eight barrels of flour
and the fellow thatkWAsin the wagon
left the first barrel that was rolled in
lay down on the side and the other
eight he sat up on the end, 80 when
the commissary Sergeant looked in
the wagon, he could see but eight and
said all right, and they drove off to
camp. hnk .hsfasvv washing camp they
halted and rolled the extra barrel out
and hid it in the pines. That night
several OF our mess took sacks and
went to where the barrel was hid and
carried the flour to camp and we had
extra rations for some time. We
were expecting the spring campaign
to open most anytime and the
army was making preparations to
move or fight rs the case might be,
and iIicut. Cockerell had orders 10 or
ganlze a regular Pioneer Corps of
one hundred men and to select the
best workingmen out OF the force that
he had, and principally mechanics,
such rs could build bridges, pontoons,
blacksmiths &C., and he WAS furnished
a wagon load of tools, he had one
man who was shoemaker to cobble
up the shoes rs they wore out, and
one day as we were cutting down
some trees, that were in the way Of our
Artillery, providing there was an
engagement u, that place. the limb
or n tree as it fell hit the axe of the
shoemaker aud drove it into his leg,
making fearful wound, when he was
sent to the hospital and died there.
The Lieut.. said he must have ano.
Their shoemaker in his corps, and some
OF them told him that | was shoe
maker, when he had me detailed
permanently OH the Pioneer Corps. [
cid not want to belong to it for on the
march we had to go in front OF the
division and carry our shovels, ricks
and axes, and repair the roads and
bridges when necessary, and when a
fight came OFT had to go into the
fight with a battery OF artillery to cut
oat roads for them in the woods or
cut down timber in front that obs:ruc-
ted their view of the enemy, or re.
move blockades &C., and when laying
in camp we had to repair roads and
make breastworxs SO Il was all work
and danger and no play; although il
was not us dangerous as being il. line
OF battle with musket, for we had a
chance to protect ourselves when not
at work and often times we had moth
ing to do during the tight, but we bad
to be there in readiness, if we were
needed and we never let an o. por-
tunlty slip TO protect ourselys the best
we could by digging holes 20 get in,
or laying III some gully, and as soon
as the battle was over we h d to bury
the dead. Each division in Lees ar
my had a pioneer corps, from that
time until the end OF the war.
On the 10Th day OF April 1863 we
left our winter quarters and marched
up the river to Uamilton's Crossing
near Fredericksburg, and found the
whole army on the move and formed
IN line of battle as Gen. Joe Hooker
commanding the Federal army was
threatening to cross the river, and
some artillery and skirmish fighting
was going or. We now had six die
visions OF infantry, A. p. Hill. ID. III.
Hills Commanded by Gen. Rhodes,)
Earlys and Trimbles, (commanded by
Gen. Colston) belonging to Jackson's
Corps and Anderson's and McLaw's
division belonging to Long5treet's
Corps. Gen. Longstreet was down
in Southeastern Va ,uoar Suffolk with
his other three divisions and did not
come to US until after the battles of
Charlottesville.
We manouvered around near Fred
ericksbnrg until the lst Of May when
we all marched twelve miles up the
river near Charlottesville, excepting
Gen. Early's division, as Gen. Hook
or had crossed the main part of his
army and fortified a. Cbancellorsville
leaving a small force at Frederickss
burg TO attract Lees and Jackson's
attention while he massed bis force at
another place, but Stuart's Cavalry
soon informed them OF the movements
up the river, if all Of the army had
marched against Hooker, the federals
could have crossed at Fredericksburg
and come in on our rear, 80 General
Early was left there to attend to them
and afford them amusement OF another
kind. The morning Of the second OF
May our army was laying in line of
battle in front of Gen. Hooker facing
westward
Three divisions Of our corps under
Jackson started on the march and
moved South for a while, and we
could hear diminishing on our right
and we could not think where we
were going as we continued marching
through fields and woods, until about
I