The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-09-16

fortitude and cheerfulness of the wives
andymothers who stayed at home and
waited for the news of the battles. In
nearly every home of the south could be
found an example of that Spartan mother
who sent her son to the wars with her
last Injunction to return with his shield or
return upon it. This courage, exhibited
in the beginning, survived to the last
through all the long agony and bloody
sweat of the struggle. On reaching
Richmond, after few days rest, we
were orderedto the Shenandoah Valley.
Aday.or SO before we started Capt Jones
made requisition on the quartermaster's
department for clothing for his company.
We were furnished with suits of very
rough quality of goods, manufactured in
the Virginia penitentiary. 1t almost
produced mutiny in the camp. The
men piled the clothes up in front of the
Captains tent. All but two refused to
wear them-Private Fountain Beattie
and myself. I do not think any clothes
Lever wore did me more service than
these. When became commander I
made Beattie a lieutenant. I think ne
were both as contented on the picket line,
dressed in our penitentiary suits, as we
ever were in the gay uniforms we after
wards wore. Our march from Richmond
to the Shenandoah Valley was an ovation
--ohr people had no experience of the
misery and desolation that follow in the
track of war-they were full of its
romance, and expected us to win battles
that would rival the glories of Wagram
and Marengo. They never counted the
cost of victory.
Our company was incorporated into
the 1st regiment of Virginia cavalry
commanded by Col. J. E. B. Stuart. 1t
was stationed at the village called Bun
ker Hill, on the turnpike leading from
Winchester TO- Martinsburg, and was
observing the Union army under Patter-
son, which was then stationed at the
latter place, on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Gen. Joseph E. Johnston then.
hadhis headquarters at Winchester. I
first saw Stuart at Bunker Hill. He had
then lately resigned from the United
States army to link his fortunes with the
Southern Confederacy. BE was just %
years.of age-ope year older than myself
strongly built, with blue. eyes, ruddy
complexion, and areddish beard. He
wore blouse and foragiDg cap with a
linen cover, called havelock, as pro.
lection againts the sun. His personal
appearance indicated the Distinguishing
traits of his character-dash, great
strength of will and indomitable energy.
Stuart soon shove ed that he possessed all
the yualities of great leader of cavalgy
"a sound judgment, quick intelligence
to penetrate the designs Of the enemy,
mingled with the brilliant courage Of
Rupert.
There was then such a wide chasm
betweenSms and; him thatI was only.
peEmittedto view. him at a; distance, aud.
had no thought Of ifising to intimacy
with him. He took US the next day on
o scout down toward Martinsburg and
gave US our first lesson in war and sight
of the enemy. We saw the hills around
the town covered with the white tents of
the Union army, and caught two soldiers
who had ventured too far outside the
picket lines.--Since- then I have -Hitness.-
ed the capture; Of thousands, but have
never felt the same joy as I did over my
first. two prisoners. a few days after
this Patterson started out on promenade
toward Winchester, and then turned
squarely off and went back toward Charl.
estown. Patterson made good deal of
noise with the shells that he threw at us,
but nobody was hurt. Stuart kept close
on his fanks, both to watch his move.
ments and to screen Johnston's, who had
just begun to move to join 7Beauregard at
Manasses. Fitz.Jo Porter and George
H. Thomas, who .afterward became dis.
tinguished generals, we're on his staff.
Patterson has been greatly censured for
not pressing Johnston and detaining
him in the Shenandoah Valley instead
of making the retrograde movement to
Charlestown that permitted his escape.
He alleges that be acted under the advice
of his staff officers. Patterson was a
conspicuous figure as well as failure in
the first scene Of the first act of the drama
Of war; after that he disappeared forever.
His campaign in the Shenandoah Valley
was mere prologue to the great tragedy
that was afterwards acted there. Stuart
left him in a position were he could
neither be Of advantage to the cause he
upheld nor injury to that he opposed, and
crossed the Blue Ridge to take part in the
battle of Bull Rull on the 21st of July.