The National tribune., 1889-01-24

Itaiteck and brought tT 9 courier, who came
through from Helena in disguise. They an
nouncad great victory for the Union army IN
Virginia, the immiuent capture of Richmond,
the surrender OF a large part o! Lees army, to-
gether with ether bits of Information that
would have been highly important if true.
When it was thought that the eavesdroppcrs
had been properly loaded, as the General
expressed 1t, the party retired, and the ilagof-
/ truce bearers were left to ponder on what they
! had heard In the afternoon the army moved
/ forward to take up a new camp, and when the
] column was under way--in factafter the greater
1 part of il bad marched oG-the truce party was
1 released and allowed to 80 back to its own
/ camp.
The seed was sown on good ground. There
was great alarm through the rebel ranks at
the new terrOrs in store for them, and In spite
of all the vigilance of the commanders, there
were numerous descrtiOns daily. The more
intelligent among the officers had a suspicion
that the eavesdr0ppers had been hoaXed, but
they were powcTless to stop the spreading OF
the reports, which grew IN horror rs they passed
from mouth 10 mouth. The wonderful shells
which could sweep of so many men as though
! they had been struck by lightning" disturbed
tie dreams of many soldier of Arkansas or
Texas, and were not often out of his thoughts
in his waking hours.
Very soon after this event the rebels aban-
doBed Dcs Arc, and concentrated in the Capital
or around ii. Earthworks were thrown up to
defend the city against the threatened attack,
and SO much attention was paid TO Little Rock
lhaJ All other parts Of the Stale were practl-
Cally deserted.
And those wonderful shells are yet resting in
the brain Of the man who invented them. Per-
haps they viii be developed ia some future
war
1t is well to remark at this point that the
trick which was played on the fag-ottruce
I * nv M 1nVv lF1a I
was new enough on that occasion. 1t was
played several times by both sides during the
war; but its most successful performance was
by StoGewall Jackson in one OF his campaigns
IN the Shenandoah Valley.
Several captured Union officers were under
guard in a house in Winchester, and expected
TO be sent to Richmond and locked up in Libby
Prison. Gen. jackson had council of war
with his division commanders in a room ad-
joining the one where the officers were con-
fined. He gave his orders with great eX-
/ actnCsS, told where each division was to
march, and sent the commanders away one
after another 10 get his force in readiness.
They were 10 advance on the Union position
and give battle, and everything was prepared
with the utmost care.
Then he asked his Adjutant-General when
he had sent the prisoners to Richmond.
They haven't been sent off yet, General"
was the reply. But We'll start them soon
after daylight. Gen. Stuart said his cavalry
must rest till then"
" If they haven't gone now" said the Gen
era you'd better parole them and send them
down the Valley. Let them start Immediately,
so that they'll be well out of the way before We
begin our advance"
With this the General went out and was soon
followed by the Adjutant. In 10 minutes an
officer came to take their paroles, and they were
/ escorted 10 the Union lines by flag-of-truce
party. As they passed through the town they
saw that preparations were going on for a
movement and when they got within their
/ own camp they of course told what they had
/ heard.
/ OF course their information was valuable,
and preparations were at once made to resist the
advance. Hour after hour passed away wait
! ing for Stonewall Jackson, but he didn't come.
All those hours hewas marching the other way
as fast as possible, and executing one OF those
movements for which he was famous. Hesud-
! denly appeared at a point where he was least
! expected, and then it was realized that his
! talk in hearing of the prisoners was all a ruse,
Tor the rest of the way to Clarendon Gen.
/ Curtis met with no opposition other than that
4 caused by trees felled across the road. 1t had
! been reported that gunboat and two transports
! with supplies had reached Clarendon and were
waiting for him, and he was very desirous of
/ finding them. The rumor passed along the
/ lines that transports and supplies were at hand,
and so the soldiers pushed vigorously on to
/ that point.
They reached Clarendon on the afternoon of
the 9th of July, and were bitterly disappointed.
! The gunboat and transports had been there and
/ waited a while. but as they coulbget no tidings
Of the whereabouts Of Gen. Curtis and the
rebels were said to be mastering in force for
] their capture, it was considered prudent to re-
/ tire. The transports had been gone about 20
! hours when the advance Of the column arrived.
! and with them the supplies that had been so
anziOusly desired. Truly the army seemed to
have been deserted in the wilderness
From all that could be learned there was no
enemy between Clarendon and the Mississippi,
the nearest point of which was about 60 miles
away. There might be few struggling bands of
bushwackers, but nothing that could make any
/ serious opposition. But so miles is a long dis
tance in a strange country, and when provisions
are running short.
The inhabitants of Clarendon were much
like those of Batesville and Jacksonport, thor
| oughly Secession in their sympathies, and
/ wondering when the war would end, so that
/ they might get their cotton TO market. They
had very little to sell in the way OF provisions
as they had been pretty well cleaned out by
their own Government but the usual foraging
in which Harry and Jack took a prominent
part. served to bring many things edible to
light
Most of the able-bodied men were away al
the war, leaving behind only the aged and the
boys who were too young for service. Among
those who remained was a lawyer, a dignified
and red-nosed citizen of some 60 or more years
who demanded audience with Gen Curtis, in
order to prove to him that he had no constitu.
tional right to invade the State of Arkansas!
", Io.