National Republican., 1885-08-11
BEHIND THE SCENES.
JUST BEFORE SOME FAMOUS
BATTLES.
THE WILDERNESS AND sPoTTsYLvANIA-
now TREv1LLIAN STATION WAS CAP
TuRED--A SHOT THAT ToLD-TuE uY-
HAPPY PROVOST GUARD.

The deep and miry country roads o
Virginia, early in tho spring of 1864
when the weather had become dry an,
constant, were firm enough for the eas,
passage of trains and artillery. Tn,
confederates knew that Grant woul,
fight as soon as he could fairly maneuve
his vast host, and at the period spoker
OF, there were evident preparations OF
the other side of the Rappahannock
where the federal army had been quietl,
lying during the winter, which gave indi
cations OF an immediate advance. sa,
we knew that Gen. Grant intended tc
light and we recognized in him the most
formidable foe that the army of northern
virginia had yet encountered, not onlv
on account OF his personal pugnacity and
bulldog tenacity, but because from all
accounts he had the largest and best
equipped army that had yet been gathered
together for battle in this country. IL is
hardly possible for so large an army to
make ready for general movement
either for advance or retreat without the
TACT being made apparent to watchful
foe, and accordingly Gen. Lee was ready
Tor action fully rs soon as his Antagonist.
The morale of Gen. Lees army had
entirely recovered from the depression
and disappointment entailed by the
result of the battle Of Gettysburg. IL
was acknowledged on all hands that the
coming struggle OF 1864 was to be the
tremendous test of the powers of the
contest and practically decisive of mat.
ters ut issue.
THE FINAL THROEs.
The soldiers of the army of nortbern
Virginia were never in better condition
Tor light, or presented q more martial
appearance, than when on that bright
spring afternoon they filed with firm step
and gallant bearing through the streets
OF Orange Court House sixty odd thou.
sand strong on the route to the bloody
held OF the Wilderness. During the long
rest IN winter. quarters the troops had
Abeen well cared for as to food, and the
seasonable running of the blockade by
an English steamer had enabled the
quartermasters to provide sufficient
stock OF clothing. The men looked
plump, and bright, and hearty, and as
they passed through the streets of
the little town they responded with
vociterous yells to the waving of hand.
kerchiefs by ladies from the doors and
windows. They were evidently in that
condition and frame of mind which cheers
the heart of general who is about to
give orders for battle. AT this period of
the war the writer was a subatern in the
1st Virginia battalion of infantry, known
also as the Irish battalion, which, after
Jackson's fight at Slaughter mountain,
had been detailed by Gen. Lee as the
headquarters provost guard of the army.
1t consisted of five companies, 100 men
strong each, and was of the regulars and
not Of volunteers.
BRILLIANT CAPTURE.
think it was two days after the army
marched out to the Wilderness that n
company Of cavalry brought in to Orange
Court House Gen. Shaler, of New York,
Gen. Thomas Hamblin, and several other
generals and colonels who had been can.
tured at the first assault on Gen. Grants
right wing. These gentlemen were
brought TO the provost marshal's Office, |
where they were treated with every con. |
sideration which their situation permitted |
by the provost marshal Mai. d. B.
Bridgeford) and his officers. They were
treated to the best to eat and drink that
could be provided, and were allowed
perfect freedom on giving their parole.
L may state that afterward il was reported
in the newspapers that Gen. Shaler at
Charlottesville, while on the train for
Lynchburg (the railroad had been cut by
the federal cavalry between Gordonsyille
and Richmond) in requital for his hos.
pitable treatment, attempted to make n
speech from the platform of the cars, in
which he urged the confederate soldiers
assembled about the depot to revolt
against their officers, and arms in hand
to come back under the folds of the old
flag. The speech was received with boots
and jeers and derisve laughter, and it
was only by the efforts of the post com.
missioned officers that Gen. Shaler was
not subjected to personal violence at the
hands OF the men. l only relate this to
show the spirit and feeling which ami.
mated the confederate troops at that time,
and not to cast any reflection on the con.
duct Of Gen. Shaler. His enthusiastic
loyalty to the old flag, and his lack of
prudence, came near costing him his life.
After the battle of the Wilderness the
battalion was transported on cars to {
Gordonsvile. AS news had arrived that ,
the cavalry of the enemy under Stone. q
man had seized upon Trevillian station, t
on the Gordonsville and Richmond road {
and had burned the stores and torn up
the track for miles, we were ordered @
post haste to march to the station and j
take charge of what could be saved from t
the burning wreck, and for observation n
of the hostile cavalry. We arrived in v
The neighborhOod Of Trevillian's about &
lOp p. M, and, as the buildings and cars 3
were still brightly burning, n scrutiny /
party under command of the writer was Il
sent ahead to see how the land lay, as it n
we're, and the battalion halted We Ii
.onnd on cautiously approaching that the {
,nemy had left the spot, but not before tl
hey had completed the work of destruc. !,
ion. The great depot buildings, packed k
with stores for Lees army, had been 8,
burned, as well as n long train of O
,ars, fully loaded with provisions, b
which the cavalry had ambuscaded Il
md captured by firing twelve. d.
FOUNDER cannon shot through the fc
lead of the boiler of tho locomotive. II
ioing further down the road we found n,
hat the track had been utterly DESTROYED b,
or couple Of miles. al
For the benefit Of old vets who have bl
ever seen the operation, or of my read. to
RS who have grown up since the war, l. cs
will try 10 describe how the cavalry on hi
lther side.went TO work to disable and th
railroad. After the rails 10
ave been cut at one point with sledges ra
nd cold chlsels carried along for the of
special purpose, five hundred or more So
zen range themselves on one side of the Gu
'ack, and, with handspikes aud crow ST.
ars, exerting their strength in unison, th
le track is thrown over 10 the side of he
lis road bottom upward. Then the
earest. fences or other dry wood are ri
nd under contribution and piled thickly es
n the wooden ties Of the track and set co
n fire. When the iireis well under way