The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-19

anu richness VI Cue NlISlH iduu. L IOui
the chopping and the grubbing neces-
sary to clear new land the white man
has shrunk. The negro no longer
works at the masters bidding. And
SO the old fields are coaxed to yield
something in return for the fertilizer
and the cultivation, while forest re-
mains as it was when the armies
marched and deceived, deployed and
fought.
Midway Of one of these strips Of
forest FIVE miles beyond Salem church
the Catharpen road crosses Orange
plank road, not at right angles, but
bearing to the southwest. An oak
towers above the lower growth at the
crossing. Under it Lee and Stonewall
Jackson consulted and devised one of
the most noteworthy Of strategic
movements on the morning Of the I'd
of May, 1863. Hookers army, ex-
cepting Sedgwick's corps, was stretch
ed in a long line less than two miles
away. Hooker himself was making
the Chancellor mansion his head
quarters. His divisions were along
the plank road and in the woods near
it. His left was turned back around
the eastern side of the Chancellor
mansion. His right lay westward
down the plank road, covering a dis
Sance of two miles or more 1t was a
magnificent position. A civilian can
see its strength to-day. Around the
Chancellor house were open fields in
which to place the guns and to ar
range the supporters. Friuging the
fields was the timber, in which the
line of battle had been formed in rifle
pits to await the attack. And the
very nature Of the respective positions
forced Lee to assume the offensive or
to retreat down the Catharpen road to-
ward Richmond. Numbers as we'll as
position favored Hooker. At Freder-
icksburg was Sedgwick getting ready
to come up in the rear Of the Confede-
rate army.
On that morning, under the oak still
standing, betting man would have
said that Hooker had by all odds the
best of it. Jackson's proposition was
daring. He asked Lee to let him take
his command, $4,000 men, about two
thirds Of the forceepresent, and march
away down the Catharpen road. This
road would be called not much more
than path in some parts Of the coun-
try. 1t is narrow. It winds through
the forest so closely bordered that
large trees make an arch overhead.
The underground is SO thick that at
distance Of 100 yards passers on the
road cannot be seen. Lee consented
rather obviously. The proposition
was better than retreat, which was
about all that could be said of it as
promise Of results. Living to-day on
the battlefield is James Talley, we'll
preserved, substantial old farmer, who
was sent for by Lee, and assigned to
guide Jackson. Mr.. Talley tells how
the $4,000 men were put in motion
Immediately down the Catharpen road.
He led the way by a'course rapidly di-
verging from Hooker front.
At the start Hooker was only two
miles or less away. But Jackson S
column widened the distance until
three or four miles separated it from
the Union front. From time to time
were sent out into the
wooes between the marching column
and the front of Hooker to do some
shooting and good deal of shouting,
with the idea of making the Federals
believe an attack was coming from
that direction. The Catharpen road
was followed to the fork, where the
Furnace road bears off to the west
ward. Tally conducted jackson into
The Furnace road. Thence the route
was almost parallel to Hooker's front,
but three miles or so to the south. 1t
led past the old furnace. Talley came
to cross road, narrow neighborhood
ane connecting the Furnace road with
The Orange plank road. 1t had been
he purpose to turn up this road and
10 form at that point the lines for
attack upon the front Of Hooker's S
light, which was along the plank road.
But Talley says that just before the
which he was guiding, reach
I'd this cross road, an old negro came
to meet them and told them
the Yankees were cooking supper and
could be seen from hill on the cross
road. Calling Tally to 60 with them,