Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-08-09

rfde arvand the Army u the Potomac an
On. peninsula heralsiei q new king. Tbe-s
two lyrical .ons q chivalry-thiysiry that
was no myth--weru fst.i rivals At ons
stage of the war. both hal taken astiys
part In that tragic preliminary ot the oon-
iiict, the IIarp-r's Ferry episols II $50
stuart ~ an officer ~ the United states
army and Ashby ~ captain % company
u volunteer cavalry.
AZ that time subsequent events In the
lives of each were nodded Anothsr vol.
untssr commander a Virginia ,igilaniss
at IIaT-r'. Ferry was Mai ThonAs y.
Jaek.un CstonewalD, leading a cors of
cadets frOsm the military institute at Lsr.
ington. During q campaign ~ several
weeks, guarding the Potomac river against
further aiolition raids. jackson ani Ashby
b-cam. warm friends Jack-on, ~ .
trainssi military man. saw In Ashby, the
saddle spurtsman ~ the blue Ridge hills,
q horn soldier with hero blood In his veins
Gen Ashby'. grandfather. Capt Jsek
Ashly, was washington's lightning mes
.~nger TO Announce Hradiosk's defeat "a
the government at Williamsburg. AMI
Capt. Jack'.-oa. Col Turner Ashby. father
~ tne seusths W. -'bi'' w WV "e' "
Isia
Young Turner Ashby wun local fame In
th. sports AMI psstim-- 81 his day. He
was crack hunter, = -rial hero, snd one
u the most graceful and daring riders In
the tournament which during his yOung
manho.i fio'iri-h-i on vlrginian soil In
the jousis he per~onat~i the Knight q
IIlasatha," and In Indian paint, feathers,
bsads and buckskin. suddenly swoopsd
down the track on q fiery black stallion.
har,iack AMI wshOut bride or rin-s
startling. Wild and picturesque hguv.
bringing wildly 10 the doos 81 the p.aoe
fnl planters ~ Virginia the scenes of the
Wild west
After the "JOhn BrUwn war" % lao
Ashby kept up bis company u volunteer
cavalry, AMI as soon as Virginia sounded
the secession note In isi took 10 the saddle
and mArcLci on lIarper's Ferry 20 -eins
the government arsenal Jackson al-o
hurried to tho spot with q boiy 81 state
truops and exerci-ssi command.
Such IL the lay u the land at iiarIsrs
Perry that the po~t can only b. defended
on the Mary land side 10y force on Mary
land Heights, AMI jackson srnt Ashby
with his company to picket tbo~s hills.
While On thi. duty Ashby hal chance "a
-rrye his oans@ turn that an army oould
not have esosllcd. During the h~t Iiull
Run campaign, while the Union army was
marching from Washington on Manassas,
another Union army under Gen. Psttsr~on
moved down Cumberland valley 10 the
upper Potomac 10 thrsten the shenan'
doah.
While jackson AMI Ashby were at llsr-
psr's Ferry. ~ above stat-i, Psttsr~on was
gathering his army Arvind Chambersburv,
Ia In order to learn Patterson. strength
AMI plans Ashby male q spy tnp to his
camp Disguised ~ an humble country
man he pass.l himself on - q horse doctor
ami completely deceived the Union pieksts
and scouts along the route Ills informs-
ton put the -oatherpers On their guard In
the Shenandoah, and Patterson : army va.
oh-ckmat.,i at every step. q fact that ON
tribuis,l to the bull Run disaster
Meanw lille jackson was sup.r~sisi for
Q time by Gen. Jos Johnston - Confci.
erat. leader In the valley. AMI Johnston
called Col "Jeb" stuart Ia the front a.
chief of cavalry In that s-rction. stuart
was younger than Ashby, but he had b-sn
In the old army with Jos Johnston AMI
IRotsrt v les. and enjoyed their favor,
Ashby ~As on the point az quitting the
.rryio. when jackson intsrferwi AMI got
him dstache-i To sBotb~r field tsyoosi
stuArt's baili~ick. When Johnston male
his celebrated march 10 bull Run field
stuart followed him. and Ashby's star
aru-e again Ilull Run male Jsckson
famous as 'stonewall. AMI with major
generals commission he returne'i to the
Shenandoah In command of the district,
AMI Ashby resumed his old place ~ chiei
of cavalry. Ashby had not been Idle In the
interim. but as lieutenant colonel of the
seventh Virginia cavalry had thrilled the
hearts % his nsighbors with numerous en-.
pioits The young men % the region PRO
claimci him a. the leader of their oboics
nv aar inu In his sfandar,l