The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-08

!
| in the saddiej and captured all his papers
| and paraphernalia. Into Salem we moved
| at daylight. driving out Federal garri-
| son. and are welcomed by the waving OF
| nightcaps from the windows by fair crea-
| lures awakened by the cracking OF our
| rifles, and here We Toasted on chickens,
! milk and honey.
| About noon OF August 10Th our column
was Pleading sturdily along the road
leading to Manassas through Thorough.
/ fare Gan The latter was the only gate
/ way through the mountain ridge by which
{ We could hope TO reach jackson In time.
/ The march was forced. and all through
! the afternoon was quickened by the sound
/ of heavy guns from the front, telling Of
/ tho need for haste. Grave apprehensions
| were felt that the Gap might be ocCu-
| pied by Federal troops, for IL was sus-
! cepfible Of prolonged defence against su-
| perlor numbers. But when. just at sun
! set. We filed into the rugged gorge there
/ was no enemy TO impede our progress
/ Here and there among the rocks which
! lined the road was 10 be seen the blueclad
/ body OF a Federal soldier. betok ening that
( there had been a struggle fer tie pas
sage. IL had not, however been severe,
] and the advance divisions of our corps
| were already through and IN touch OF ei.
/ bow with Jackson men. At midnight
we passed into a rolling country stud
with heavy forests, and the cleaning 81
! innumcarble watcElires TO the right ana
left and in the front. told that the man
position Of the army had been ?eacned,
and that the enemy, too, were ready LOT
! battle. We fled INTO the woods, iOrme5
! line OF battle. and dropped IN complete
exhaustion upon The wet sod; but hardly
| had the heavy slumber OF WEAKNESS IAN
| en- upon the men ere they were Te-awakeH-
ed Ry the hundcr Of a staff officer, we
had advanced beyond the Confederate
picket lines, and had gone into pi'ouac
under the very mouths al Il l"eNc N'
Federal battery. There YES announcer
suuen trudge backward TO a place OF less
peril. and then Il few hours oil uneasy
sleep before the skirmish firing OF rest
| less pickets announced the opening OF
anothcr dav. Breakfast there was none
| cxcept the "cud Of sweet ana bit'ef
| fancv " Blankets and overcoats were
! discarded and piled. guns ana anmuhl-
ZION boxes were inspected, and then we
| waited for our turn TO come.
! Ev . 4 NJ We are taken TO com
handing hill. almost In the exact centre
| of the army, our division forming hhe Oh
battle across and at right angles to the
/ CepterviIte turnpike. and constituting the
! sole reserve OF the Confederates. here
| Wc lay during the forenoon and wen INTO
! the afternoon. listening TO the pTcmOnlt0rS
! discussing the frdpmeniary ruinoi5
! thrown 10 us by passing COurlcrs, big
! with their own importance. Most Of the
men. with the philosophy Of veterans
! tried to Snatch a nap from the unpFO-
! pitiouS surroundings, but 90 little purpose
| / remember to have spent an hour III h9t
debate with Captain Clemens, Of my
| regiment. over the abstract right Of secea-
! sion. he. with his sword already drawn
| for an onslaught upon the defenders OF
! the Union. being a most obstinate FED
cralist in theory and passionate mater
Of the doctrine ! esPouSed. The constant
rattle of musKetry ana the occasional
thunder of artillery formed a strange
accompaniment 10 our contest of words.
Just in front Of our regiment there
gathered about noon group OF officers
which at one time or another comprised
all the most noted persons OF the Army
| Of Northern Virginia. General Lee WIS
there for hours, ID fact until we moved
! off 70 the attack, StoueWdl jackson for
q little while: LOngStTeet all the Wnlle.
Hood came up. got orders and retired,
Stuart, too was present at intervals. Al
one time the latter brought out q roll OF
Geld-mapS for inspection. A red blanket
bearing the inscription L. S. in large let
tiers was spread upon the ground, and
over this Lee leaned. while j. beau Sa-
breauT. who was the eyes and ears OF
the army, pointed ont roads and positions
upon the parchment, and the other gen
erals reered over their shoulders. Il was
striking scene. and furnished fine ma
terial for a great historical painting. OF
the stately forms 50 impressed upon my
memory all but one have passed from
earth, and ne but totters on the hither
shore Of time.
Meanwhile. though our position is COM
handing, the country below is screened
1..Tt- al mot " rrr
can be distinguished but wreaths OF smoke
above the trees to the left where the
musketry is growing heavy and contnu-
Gus; and clouds Of dust TO the front, where
the enemy is conjcctured TO be ooucen-
tratinc for an assault Messengers come
and 70 with redoublcd frequency. Pres
entity q great roar breaks on the air from
the left. and runs like a blaze in dry
grass around to our front. The main
lines have collided. The waves of angry
sound rise and fall in regular cadence
and then break off into sptefui snaps and
vicious rattles soon the great guns
ioin in the maddening chorus. and peal
after neal shocks the heavy air. until The
uprolr becomes deafoning. Then it was
that General Lee mounted old Travel
Ter" the go11 dapplC gray which bore him
stoutly to the last scene At AppomHitdN-
a staff officer had inst communicated
some important dispatch from General
Jackson-turned quietly to General An
derson. and said: These people must
he driven back. ] may not need you
vet. feed and rest your men, if possible,
hut be ready at a meFgelts notice CEN
eraI. those people must BE- driven back.
Leaving our point OF observation ana
securitv. we faced to the left. filed across
the turnpike. wound through some woods
into an open field where the cooking
camp had been established. ana INDUCED
homes of a square meal at last. Vain an
ticipation. Scarce had We caught sight
Of the trays piled high with ponee OF
bread and squares of Nassau pork, scarce
had we inhaled the grateful steam Of cof-
fee-an unusual luxury contributed by
Jackson's commissary from captured
stores-when the combat decpened on the
left furious hoTsemen galoped 10 anc
fro and we were dcuble-quckeh away
from our promised feast with hunger IN
tensihed by disappointment. | shatched
generoj; portion OF meat and bread
from one of the cooks In passing DIVIDED
il with Major May. and ate II While we
hurried forward. His smiling thanks
we're the last words I ever heard him
inter; he fell dead with bullet through
his heart not many minutes later. So
an 10 n broad. clear plain we go, near
ing ever the horrid tumult and meeting
nov, streams OF men with ghasty
wounds. We form line under sheIirE
and load our Enfield rifles. Sdll the trees
cn, off our field Of vision 20 the front.
and We can see nothing but sulphurous
smoke. but we are told that Jackson Is
bard dressed. Just then. over our heads.
a