Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-07-11
" HO BURNED THE BRIDGES THAT
SAVED JACKSON'S ARMY?
Captain S. b. Coyner of this County.

a junction with Gen. Fremont to over
whelm jackson in the Valley in the
first part of June, 1862, the Shenan-
doah river was high, and that the
burning of the bridges prevented that
junction, and enabled Jackson to de
feat them separately-Fremont near
Cross Keys and shields near Port Re-
public. These bridges were burned by
Capt. s. B. Coyner of this county. We
have received the Galveston (Texas)
Daily Neaos of June Gath, which con-
tains long article by Luther Coyner,
Esq, of San Diego, Texas, showing
from various documents that it was
his brother, Capt. S. B. Coyner. who
| burned the bridges and saved Jack
sons army. This article is too long
\ for our columns, but we give the first
part of it, being only about one fourth
of it, and omit the documentary evil
dence which is not needed here to prove
that the statements of the writer are
correct -
SAN DIEGO, Tex. June 15.-To the
News: Some time ago an article writ
ten by gentleman of Dallas, Tex, en-
titled "Who Burned the Bridges That
Saved Jackson's Army p appeared in
a Virginia paper, republished by sew
eral exchanges and copy sent to the
writer.
AS the inquiry comes from Texas
and as your valuable paper circulates
far and wide, space is asked in which
to reply and it is hoped the same will
be of sufficient interest to your readers
to justify you in publishing it in your
Sunday edition.
The bridges referred to were three
wooden bridges over the south fork of
the Shenandoah river in Virginia and
then known in the year 1862 as the
White House, the Columbia and the
Conrad's Store bridges. The first nam
ed was burned during the night of
June 1, 1862, the second at sun-up June
= 2, 1862, and the third and last the next
evening at o'clock by company d,
Seventh Virginia cavalry, Ashby's
command, said company commanded
by Captain Sam'l B. Coyner, a brother
of the writer
Captain Coyner was born in Augusta
county, Virginia, April II, 1888, joined
/ the Confederate army early in 1861,
was made captain of company d. Sew
enth Virginia cavalry, seriously wound
ed in August, 1862, and killed Septem-
Der 10, 1868, near Culpeper Courthouse,
Va. Was trusted officer under Jack
I son, Lee, Stuart and Ashby. In an
Iswering the question, Who burned the
| bridges? the writer will merely copy
from official records and letters written
at the time and since by participants
in the action and leave the reader to
judge for himself whether the burning
of the bridges did or did not save
Stonewall Jackson's army and enable
Jackson to defeat his two opponents,
Fremont and Shields, in detail
To understand fully how Jackson's
barmy was placed during the first few
days of June, 1862, a description of
that portion of the Shenandoah valley
| is here given. The south branch of
the Shenandoah river runs past Port
Republic in Rockingham county, Vir-
ginia, past Conrad's Store, about thir
| teen miles down the valley, past Luray
in Page county, about nineteen miles
down the valley from Conrad's, on
down the valley on the east side of
Massanutton mountain to Front Royal,
which is about twenty four miles from
Luray and is situated near the north
ern terminus of the aforesaid noun
| tain. On this south branch were the
| three bridges; White House bridge
uear Luray, Columbia bridge a few
| miles above and Conrad's Store bridge
at Conrad's Store. The north branch
of the Shenandoah river heads near
Harrisonburg. also in Rockingham
| county, Virginia, which town lies
northwest of Port Repu bile about eight
| miles and about three miles from Cross
| Keys. This branch of the river flows
north down the valley on the north
side of Massanutton mountain, past
| New Market, about eighteen miles
down the valley, past Mount Jackson
seven miles further down, passes Edin
| burg seven miles further. The river
runs on past Woodstock, five miles fur
ther down, on to Strasburg. which is
eleven miles from Woodstock and lies
| near the northern terminus of the
Massanutton mountain and fifteen
miles from Front Royal. This branch
makes almost direct turn east and
forms junction with the south branch
of the same river near Front Royal.
The Shenandoah then flows almost
| north to Harpers Ferry.
A road leads from Luray, crossing
| the south branch at White House, on
across MassanuttOn mountain to New
Market, being about fifteen miles long,
called the mountain road. The road
| leading from Strasburg up the valley
| to Harrisburg is called the valley turn
pike, and good road leads from Front
Royal up the east side to Port Repub-
| lie, passing through Luray and Con-
| RAIDS Store.
Captain Coyner with his company,
detailed at Edinburg at 2 O'clock D. m,
June 1, 1862, marched to Mount Jack
son and on to New Market, arriving at
the latter place about IL o'clock that
night, crossed over the mountains,
burned White House bridge about 4
o'clock that morning, passed on up the
river and by sun-up Columbia bridge
was on fire. He remained there all
that day June 2 and night, and the
| next morning orders came to burn the
Conrad's Store bridge, if necessary.
He marched on up the river to Con-
RAIDS Store and burned the bridge at
| that place at 5 O'Clock p. m, June 3.
June 1, 1862, Jackson reiterated to-
ward Woodstock up the turnpike from
Strasburg, Fremont started in pursuit,
following and harassing him. Shields
was at Front Royal and started toward
White House bridge near Luray, cross
by the mountain road and reach New
Market, behind Jackson and with his
division in Jackson's rear and Fremont
on the turnpike north of Jackson with
his 10000 or 80, 900 and with the great
North mountain on the west and the
| Massanutton mountain on the east,
there would have been nothing for
that great general to do but to surren,
der.
| The delay caused by the burning of
the bridges at White House crossing,
and Columbia, a few miles above, gave
Jackson time, as Shields says, to pass
New Market before he, Shields, arriv-
ed. And then the burning of Conrad's
Store bridge kept the two armies of
Shields and Fremont from forming a
junction and enabled Jackson to fight
one at Cross Keys and the other at
Port Republic, and the history of these
two battles shows he gained victory
over each. But no reasonable person.
or soldier at least, understanding the
situation will say Jackson could have
gained a victory, or even saved his
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