News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-01-28

rue around Jne Army OF Jne GOlOlnac on
the peninsula heralded new king. These
two typical sons of chivalry-chivalry that
was no myth-were fated rivals at one
stage of the war. Both had taken active
part in that tragic preliminary of the con-
flict, the Harper's Ferry episode of 1859
Stuart as an officer of the United States
army and Ashby as captain of company
of volunteer cavalry.
At that time subsequent events in the
lives of each were nodded. Another vol
unteer commander of Virginia vigilantes
at Harper's Ferry was Maj. Thomas n.
jackson (StonewalD, leading a corps of
cadets from the military institute at Lex
ington. During a campaign of several
weeks, guarding the Potomac river against
further abolition raids, jackson and Ashby
became warm friends. jackson, as a
trained military man, saw in Ashby, the
saddle sportsman of the Blue Ridge hills
a born soldier with hero blood in his veins
Gen. Ashby's grandfather, Capt. Jack
Ashby, was Washington's lightning mes
senger to announce Braddock's defeat to
the government at Williamsburg, and
Capt. Jacks son, Col. Turner Ashby, father
of the general, was soldier of the war of
1872
Young Turner Ashby won local fame in
was crack hunter, a social hero and one
of the most graceful and daring riders in
the tournament which during his young
manhood flourished on Virginian soil. In
the jousts he personated the knight of
Hiawatha," and in Indian paint, feathers,
beads and buckskin, suddenly swooped
down the track on a fiery black stallion,
bareback and without bride or rein-a
startling, wild and picturesque figure
bringing wildly to the doors of the peace.
full planters of Virginia the scenes of the
wild west.
After the John Brown war" of 1859
Ashby kept up his company of volunteer
cavalry, and as soon as Virginia sounded
the secession note in 1861 took to the saddle
and marched on Harper's Ferry to seize
the government arsenal. jackson also
hurried to the spot with body of state
troops and exercised command.
Such is the lay of the land at Harper's
Ferry that the post can only be defended
on the Maryland side by force on Mary
land Heights, and jackson sent Ashby
with his company to picket those hills.
While on this duty Ashby had chance to
serve his cause turn that an army could
not have excelled. During the first Bull
Run campaign, while the Union army was
another Union army under Gen. Patterson
moved down Cumberland valley to the
upper Potomac to threaten the Shenan-
doah.
While jackson and Ashby were at Har-
per's Ferry, as above stated, Patterson was
gathering his army around Chambersburg,
Pa In order to learn Patterson's strength
and plans Ashby made a spy trip to his
camp. Disguised as an humble country
man he passed himself off as horse doctor
and completely deceived the Union pickets
and scouts along the route. His informa-
ton put the southerners on their guard in
the Shenandoah, and Patterson's army was
checkmated at every step, fact that con
tributed to the Bull Run disaster
Meanwhile jackson was superseded for
a time by Gen. Joe Johnston as Confcd-
crate leader in the valley, and Johnston
called Col. "Jeb" Stuart to the front as
chief of cavalry in that section. Stuart
was younger than Ashby, but he had been
in the old army with Joe Johnston and
Robert f. Lee, and enjoyed their favor
Ashby was on the point of quitting the
service when jackson interfered and got
him detached to another field beyond
Stuart's bailiwick. When Johnston made
his celebrated march to Bull Run field
Stuart followed him, and Ashby's star
arose again. Bull Run made Jackson
famous as "Stonewall," and with major
generals commission he returned to the
Shenandoah in command of the district,
and Ashby resumed his old place as chief
of cavalry. Ashby had not been idle in the
interim, but as lieutenant colonel of the
Seventh Virginia cavalry had thrilled the
hearts of his neighbors with numerous ex-
ploits. The young men of the region pro
claimed him as the leader of their choice
by focking to his standard.