Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-03-05
A STORY OF GENERAL LEES.
A Flock of sheep and shepherds "e''
Mistaken for the Mexican Army
New York SUM- -.

Mistaken for tho Mexican Army
New York SUM-
No one who participated in the glorious
achievements OF the Army OF northern
Virginia will ever forget the memora9le
campaign of the spring OF 1864. .ne
United States had gathered during tne
winter of 1868 and 1854 q, vast army
OF disciplined soldiers, had placed az
its head successful general; ano'
sources at his command, had tufnsu
the head of it's columns toward inc
Confederate capital with the cry, ,On
10 Richmond :" Between this spiendioiy-
appointed army and the capital OK wy
Confederacy there stood only the Army %
Northern Virginia, with General h oIp;v,.
L. Lee at its head. That army was lacking
in almost everything except courage anu
confidence in its great leader. The strug-
ole began with the battle OF the Miidel-
ness and continued almost daily until tne
two armies. drenehed in blood. glared az
each other from the rifie-pits in 'front.' oI
Petersburg. Each daY witnessed hsfoiSo
deeds on the part OF the soldiers vi JUL
armies. and when the shades OF night catne
we counted with sad hearts the missing
ones. who had made their last sacrince IN
/ behalf of the cause they loved, their own
The stirring scenes and incidents that
zach day occurred moved our hearts ahd
/ left deep impressions upon our memories.
/ None made more profound lmpresSIo .a
| upon me than an incident that took place
/ on the morning of May Ii, 1864, the daY
/ before the great battle of Spotsy wanna.
/ The enemy had concentrated In hea'y
/ columns in front of that part or our llneS
occupied by the division OF ueneInI
Rhodes. protected by the woods. with onlS
( few hundred yards OF open grounu pof
tween the woods and the breastworAs, Oh
Rhodess division. They made q ruuueIi
and impetuous assault upon the lines anu
drove ont Doles's Brigade and part OF
Daniels and planted their coloFs on our
breastworks.
RESTORED THE LINES.
Johnson's Brigade was at tho time in re-
serve. supporting Longstreet's CORPS. lie
WA hastily summoned to the point OK at,
tack. and under the eve OF our beloved
/ commander made the charge which drove
/ fhe enauiy ont OF tho breastworks, cap
tured the flags which they had planted
mon our works, aud restored the nnes.
That charge was led by two soldlers OF tue
brlgade-oue now prominent Alaoamlsn
AMI the other a North CaroiInian who
afterward passed to rest on the battlefield.
IL wac a sharp struggle between them
which should reach the enemy's nag unon
tho hreastyorks and tear II down. Inc
Alabamian's foot slipped as he reached
forth TO take the flag, and the North Caro-
Ina soldier seized it. After the hght was
over he carried II back TO Oenerai Zee
and asked his permission 20 SEND u 10 tho
Governor Of North Carolina, 70 90 pre-,
served IN memory OF that day. Oeheras
lee wrote a letter TO tho Governor OF
North Carolina. commenting the brave
deed. and sent the flag a5 requested,
II was on this occasion, the second time
during TIE campaign, that the soldiers had
10 take hold OF General Lees morse hnu
force him from the field OF battle. Whlle
the fpbt lasted we could not prevail on
him 10 retire from the field. When gulet
had again been restored number OF t1e
general officers assembled at the ntue
house. General EwelPs headquarters Just
in the rear Of theline of battle. There we're
Generals E@ell Rhodes, 'Ramseur, Doles.
Pendieton. and the writer. While wo
were sitting on tho porch discussing the
events OF tho morning General Lee came
ont OF the house and took his seat among
us. Turning 10 General Rhodes. no sald
General. what sh0ll we do with Generai
Does for allowing those people TO breaA
over his linesI" General Rhodes replied :
1--WE shall have 10 let Ooles of this tlme'
as he has suffered quite severely for 1t o.
ready"
TIE GENERAL IMPRESSION.
inst at this moment courier rode M
with Dispatch for General Leo. IL was
one of Stuart's scouts. The opinion al
that time was prevalent among all the gen.
oral officers at the front that United states
troops were sliding around onr right en-
did not intend 10 fight us III tie position
we then neld. All supposed the dispatch
that General Lee had Just received tom
General Stuart was something relating 20
the movements Of General Grants aImv.
Il was General Ramseur who first broke the
silence. remarking that tho impression
was general IN the army that the Federal
troops w-re moving TO the left toward
Richmond. General Lee then turned and
playiully remarked; u do not know
which one of you NAV be called 10 inc
command of the army whom am gone.
Until then you could not know the diln-
cuities which beset the commander or an
army, the greatest OF which il to distln-
guish the true from the false reports
which come from the scouts" lie then
related the following incident;
his Reconnaissance.
when was on General Wool's stat in
the Mexican war, late one night the Gene
raj sent for me. Arriving at the tent. !
found that the scouts had come IN with
reports that the Mexican army had crossed
the mountain and were in camp about ten
miles away. | suggested 70 General Wool
that it was hardly possible such report
could be true, but said that if he would
give me a squadron Of dragons would
report the facts to him by morn
ing, and in the mean time the
army could be got In readiness for
action. Knowing that company or dra-
goons were on duty on the route must
/ take. determined 10 proceed at once on
the reconnaissance and take the squadron
then on duty, ordering another TO replace
them. Mounting my horse, l took the
road leading to the supposed camp OF the
enemy. BY some mlschance | missed the
place where the dragons were picket
ed and so determined to make the
reconnaissance alone. Proceeding along
the road, / picked up Mexican lad
as guide aud rode rapidly to-
ward the mountain. Approaching 9
village on the route, the lad begged
piteouslv that he might be allowed to de-
part, declaring that his own people would
kill him if they saw him guiding an Ameri-
can: SO. leaving him behind. | rode on
through the village. The sound OF my
horses feet as ! rode through the village
made fearful noise. As l rode along,
scanning the road ahead. | thought
saw in the distance Mexican iancers, but
when 1 came nearer l found that
1t was Only the cactus trees. Upon ap-
proaching the mountain came suddenly
in tull view OF the camp-ires of the hexl-
can army. and could distinctly see the sol
dlers on guard marching To and fro, while
the white tents covered the side OF
the mountain. Though / felt that the
I scouts report was correct, l thoughl
it more prudent to move on untll
should come upon the outpost. drew
nearer and nearer to the mountain. and
still no enemy. Straining my vision.
saw that the white tents were sheep living
down, and the guards were only shepherds
with their crooks. So turned and can.
tered back 10 General Wool. where
found the army all drawn up and ready
for action II. ID. JOHNSTON.
A Screw Loose Somewhere.
lsiroet & Smiths Good Newal
| Iittla Dirk. Thereis snme thinrs / can't