Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1885-09-08
Old Soldiers Riyouac Again,

8 VIZ asAAS
party of old Confederates who re-
Gently bivouaced on the famous Port
Republic battlefield has kindly con=
tributed the following to our cols
umns:.
A party of gentlemen not uncon-
nected at one time with the military
service of the late Confederate States
of America, and who, on the 9Th of
June, 1862, when the battle of Port
Republic was fought, were there or
thereabouts with Gen. 7. j. jackson,
secuted that memorable field on tho
goth and 21st inst. All The party,
except two or three, who played old
soldiers on feather beds at the hos
pitable Baugher house, bivouaced for
the night under the open sky on the
bank.of the shenandoah near the
Baugher house, around and in front
of which the storm of battle ragged
with utmost fury twenty-three years
ago. Ready entertainment and hos
pitality for the whole party would
have been found at the homes of the
residents of the vicinity, but that was
not according to the programme,
which was to soldier it again as of
old, for one night at any rate, by BIZ
vouacing upon the bare earth, under
the open sky. So blankets and ra-
tions were brought along, a biVouac fire
started near the river bank, with just
one fence rail stuck iii among tho
other fuel to give the fire an old war
time look, coffee was made and served
in tin cups and cans aud full rations
issued. Here it must be admitted
semblance of soldering again for one
night and day was not well kept up,
for besides abundance of chicken,
ham, tongue and steak, there was ac-
tually an issue of pie and jelly cake.
The idea of soldiers of jackson's old
corps being fed on such food. Most
of the party were of the infantry,
sometimes designated as Jackson's
Foot Cavalry, but there was one who
served in a real &c hoss" company
Fishburne, of the famous 1st. Vir-
ginia Cavalry, Jcb. Stuart and Fitz.
Lees old regiment. True to tho in
stincts of that arm of the service he
went off on foraging expedition at
the peep of day, made a raid,upon an
adjoining cornficld and brought in an
armful of roasting ears, which he
straightway roasted in the shuck, and
so made his breakfast in real old war
style. Several of the party had
brought along rods and reels and
tackle for bass fishing in the Shenan-
doah, but there was deficiency of
bait-that is of fish bait. OF bait of
another sort-huid in TASKS for want
of cantccns-thercw was just enough
neither too little nor too much-of
course not.
After early breakfast by the bi-
vouac fire some of the party went
fishing, and some went over the field
to compare "reminiscences of the bat
tie of twenty-thrcc years ago.
Most of the party were Virginians
of the Valley, and had taken part in
the fight rs members of the 9th or 52d
Virginia regiments. One of tho
party, Mr.. j. B. Roden, who has
been resident of Waynesboro, Va,
for most of the time since the war,
was at the time Of the battle mem
Der of the 9TH Louisiana regiment,
which fought with the Virginia troops
on the Confederate left with signal
gallantry, and suffered most heavily,
Col. Hays and the Lieut.. Col. De
Choisend being both wounded, tho
latter mortally. Another member Of
the party was Col. Henry B. Kelly,
of the 9th Louisiana, who revisited
the field for the first time since the
battle was fought there tweuty-three
years ago. His regiment, 9Th La,
with the 9th La, 9th La. and Wheat's
Battalion La. Vols, made up the
force engaged in the right attack,
which charged and carried the bat
teries on the Federal left at the Lewis
house, at the most critical crisis of
the battle, whereby glorious victory
was snatched from the very jaws Of
defeat.
The party was most cordially and
kindly received by Mr.. w. d. Swan.
(of the old sgd Va. Mrs. Swan and
Mrs. Haines, at Lewis Mill. The
whole party were Hospitality urged to
dine at his home by Mr.. Swan, but
not even his urgent invitation, sec
ondcd as it was in the most cordial
and kindly manner by the ladies, could
induce most of the party to 80 far
forego their days soldierjng as to sit
up to hospitable table in a house
and dine like mere civilians. That
was not in accordance with the order
of the day, and so most of the party.
took their rations around the camp.
fire by the river side, as in the old
days. Col. Kelly, however, and
Messrs. Hopgood and Patterson par.
took of the hospitality of Dfr. Swan,
and sat down to repast not the least
in the world of character to remind
them-except by strongest contrast
l-of the scant soldiers fare of the
old war days. After an evening,
night and morning thus pleasantly
spent by all, the party took the train
. at Lynnwood station and were borne
| swiftly away from the battlefield Of
Port Republic, now presenting as
lovely a picture of peaceful serenity
j as can well be imagined, but twenty
three years ago the scene of the
bloodiest and fercest fight of jack