The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14
MADE TODDIEs FOR REBELS.
Gen. Lee Tells a story at the Expense
of Two Union Officers.

or Two Union Officers.
Mai. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee. in the Lost Cause.
Louisville, Ky.
In August, 1852, the armies of General Lee
and General Pope confronted each other on
the Rappahannock river, in Virginia Gen.
Lee had determined to attack Pope, and
conceived plan as brilliant as it was dar-
ing. He proposed to leave one-half of his
army under Longstreet in front of Pope,
and throw the other half, under Jackson,
by circuitous march TO point twenty-one
miles exactly in the rear of Popes line of
battle. and exactly between him and Wash
ington. On Aug. "a. 1862, Lee had fifty
thousand troops while Pope could muster,
with Reno's corps of Burnside's division,
and Reynolds's division of Pennsylvania re-
days later Popes army was increased to
seventy thousand by the arrival of the corps
Of Fftz John Porter and Heinzelman. When
the disparity of numbers of the contending
parties is considered, Lees strategy would
be PRONOUNCED dangerous by any competent
military critic
In pursuance of his plan, and to facili-
tate its execution, day or two before
Jackson started, Lee determined to throw
his cavalry, under Stuart, twelve miles in
PopeS rear, at Catlett'S Station, point on
capital. AT that place were encamped the
reserve, baggage and ammunition trains OF
PopoS army. There, too, were his head
quarter tents, with his personal effects.
Stuart captured a number of officers and
men, large sum of money in safe in one
of the tents, dispatches, and other papers,
but the rain fell in such torrents, and the
night was so dark that it was not possible
for Stuart to damage the railroad to any
great extent, or to burn the railroad bridges
or the acres of wagons before him; all of
which, with the cutting of the telegraph
wires, would have seriously crippled Pope.
My command was in advance on that ter
rible rainy night. | was riding with the
lieutenant commanding the platoon which
formed the advance guard when | sudden
man run across the road. Under the in
fluence of the spur, my horse in a single
bound, reached the man. and under the in
fuence Of pistol held to his head, he told
me that he servant of General Pope,
and was there with his headquarter tents,
which he said were pitched in a clunp of
pines close by. I made him get up in front
of one Of the troopers. and guide a squad
ron. which l detached from the leading regi-
ment, to the tents in the pines.
On reaching the. spot l quickly sur
rounded the Federal headquarters and see
ing. light in one of the tents. dismounted
and with one of my men entered it. It was
vacant, but filed with large number of
papers showing where some one had been
glasses of toddy on the table
A few days thereafter I captured a squad
ron of the Federal dragons, under Major
Thomas Hite, of the regular army, whom
| had formerly known as cadet at West
Point. One of the officers, who had just
arrived from Washington. told me that he
was at WIZARDS Hotel in that city, and,
seeing crowd around Major Clafy Pope $
chief quartermaster, Joined the group, and
found Clary telling of his escape from the
before The major said that he and Lewis
Mershal, the latter being an aid de camp
of Pope, and nephew of General Lee, were
in ore of the tents that night and that he
had been working all day over his quarter
master papers, and in view of that fact
as we'll as the tempestuous character OF the
night, he proposed to Marshal that they
should take a drink. THE whisky was
brought out" continued the major, sugar
was put in glasses with the proper amount
of water to which liberal allowance of
whisky was added. l was just pouring the
teddy from one glass to the other, thinking
how soon the situation would be improved
by swallowing it, when / heard the noise
of horses hoofs and the discharge of one
or two pistol shots. / quickly put the glasses
down saving i believe hat is some of
that ID rebel cavalry.
AT this point of the narrative the major
paused and after looking around added
Gentlemen. if you believe me. / do not
know whether drank that toddy or not
The rebels were on us so quick that Mar
shall and / lifted the side of the tent and
rolled down into a friendly ravine, and re-
manned there shivering in the drenching
rain until after the rebels rode off,
1t only remains to say that Clary and
Marshal did not drink the toddies they
mixed but that they rapidly disappeared
down the threats of the two wet rebels who
found them.