Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-12-09
SOME VIVID CONTRASTS.

Goggin, of Austin, Texas, who served as
adjutant general on McLsw's staff, in Vir-
gnia, and is probably the most perfect sx-
hibit of the characters of the actors in the
events described, which could have been
written. The character-pictures are 30
vivid, and the impressions conveyed so strik-
ing, that comment is entirely unnecessary.
1t can be safely said to be most complete
delineation of character without words
The men themselves, in the tone Of their
communication, making perfect exhibit
of their natures, at the same time that their
communications convey among them per-
feet understanding of the real situation,
not to be had at second hand. We consid-
er this to be one of the very best compi
[lations we have yet seen EDITOR
1t has been some time since read!a "war
reminiscence' which interested me more
than the article in late number of The
MERCURY, from the pen of W. ]. Oliphant,
of this city, descriptive of the fight at New
Hope church 1t is model in its way,
and has been rarely excelled in clearness
of detail and vividness of portraiture.
By the way, speaking of war reminis-
cences, l got hold, few days since, through
the kindness of friend, of the twelfth
volume of what is termed Rebellion Re-
cords and 1 found it very difficult to lay
it aside, after once commencing its
perusal. If one is ignorant Of the charac-
ters of prominent officers who, through
their dispatches to the secretary of war and
to one another figure in this volume, let
him turn to it and he will find said charac-
ters fully illustrated.
The volume opens with the operations of
Gen'l Rosecrans, Milroy, Banks, Fremont
and Shields. The latter is one Of the most
prominent of the group, and furnishes some
very interesting reading.
On the second of June, '62, he writes
Colonel Schriver, chief Of McDowell's 8
staff
"The cars are bringing men we don't
need. For Gods sake let US have supplies
instead of men,"
And again he wrote to the secretary of
war:
"We would have occupied Strasburg,
but dare not interfere with what was de-
signed for Fremont. His failure has saved
jackson. will force my way to Stanards-
vile and cut him of, but the railroad is
miserable.
How 1 will get along, I do not know,
|
on beef, to catch jackson. could stampede
them to Richmond had l even supplies of
bread and little forage. My dear
friend, see the president; he has confidence
in me, I know. Bring Fremont's
force, or part of it, to Strasburg, Banks to
Front Royal, and Gen. Mcdowell again to
| Fredericksburg, and we will hurl them out
of Richmond as fast as we can march,
These be bravo words, and one is dispos-
ed to exclaim, "bully for Shields"
| Secretary Stanton must have seen the
president Immediately, as on the very next
day he telegraphs Gen. McDowell:
anxious to know whether Shields can
head or flank jackson. Please tell about
where Shields and jackson, respectively,
are at time this reaches you.
''Sgned, A. Lincoln"
Gen. Mcdowell replies with: "Dispatch
me that the rebels burned the bridge on the
route, and the river was so high that he
would be compelled to take another route,
and that with good cavalry he could
stampede them to Richmond and would
destroy their means of escape somehow
Gen. Mcdowell dryly remarks: "The
amount of all this is that he (Shields) can
not cross the Shenandoah in time to-inter-
cept jackson. The river will be down
| in day or two, but day, or a half one, is
sufficient for Jackson. As for his (Shields)
preventing the enemy's escape somehow
l think it will be like crossing the river
Somehow :"
On the same day Gen. Mcdowell inform
ed Secretary Stanton that he had notified
Gen. Shields of Fremont's presence in the
valley, to which Gen. S. replied:
Found bridges burned This will re-
| 70 ri ne Wo po,St orocS to do co,n s6o,r Lot
Fremont know that will follow in his rear.
We have caught him now. Jackson knows
that l am in his rear, because several fled
from him on our approach" on which Gen.
Med. remarks: "The somehow in which
the general is to cross the river is not 30
clear"
On the next day, June 4th, Gen. s.
writes Gen. McDowell: 4 will ascend the
river, cross it and take jackson in the rear.
We must make quick work with jack
son, as it is all bad"
The same day, at 1.45 p. m. he (Shields)
says to Secretary Stanton: "We have too
many men and no supplies. The rains
have saved jackson at present from annihi-
lation. Give me bread. and 1 will do it yet.
I can not fight against the elements, but
giue me bread to keep me alive and they will
never leave this valley. l will stampede
them down to Richmond If you give me
plenty of BREAD" The generals cry for
bread was as earnest and fervent as that of
Ajax for light:
"Dispel this cloud the light of Heaven restore!
| Give me to see, and Ajax asks no more"
| Not having his prayer answered for
bread, he says on the very next day to Gen.
Mcdowell "Our supplies are exhausted
to fall back would not better our condition
and it might lead to stampede of our whole
army
To this Gen. Mcdowell answers
''You can depend on supplies from this
quarter. Your neil must carry their
knapsacks, or do as Jackson's men did,
leave them behind them. We can not
catch light-foOted enemy and carry such
heavy weights. The grass is now of
the best, and you must do as we do in Tex
as and on the plains, Craze your horses, un-
less you can get corn in the country"
And by way, we suppose, of inspiring
him with forgetfulness of his intense long
ing for bread, and exciting spirit of emu
lation, Gen. Med. says at the close of the
dispatch
'The secretary (Stanton) informs us that
Maj. Gen. Pope, at the head of forty thou
sand, pursued Beauregard's army beyond
Corinth, taking ten thousand prisoners
Beauregard FRANTIC
On the 7th, Shields writes to one of his
brigade commanders, Gen. Carroll
Such is my anxiety, rise from my bed
to write you. The enemy passed New
Market ON the 5th, \ has flung away
everything, knapsacks, and their strag-
glers fill the mountains. They only need a
movement on the flank to panicstrike and
and break them into fragments. No man
has had such chance since the war COM
menced. Few men ever had such chance.
You are within thirty miles of a broken,
retreating army, who still hang together
Ten thousand Germans are on his rear who
hang together like bull dogs. You have
only to throw yourself down on Waynes-
boro' before him and your cavalry will
capture them, seize his train and abundant
supplies. This command can throw
itself upon its flank, and yet am pestered
about shoes, and stockings and clothing by
officers like Col. Gavin. Take five thou
sand of the enemy prisoners and there wi
be time to clothe you The wagons