Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-03-15
Stonewall Jackson's WAY

died IN Staunton, once told the fol-
lowing story to friend with whom
he was driving from Staunton to
Weyer's Cave.
After our defeat of Gen. Banks. -
said the major. "we halted in the
woods where we stopped a minute or
so to rest our men, who had been
Oyerworked during the hard valley
campaign. We went into camp with
the intention, | supposed, of remain
ING for several days. AbOu, eleven
o'clock on the second night of the
encampment General Jackson sen,
for me. The rain Has falling in tor
rents. found him in his tent bend
my over a set of maps and intently
studying the roads which led up the
valley to Winchester and Harper's
Ferry, over which we had just jour
neyed and fought, too. He asked me
mlnutely about the roads. formation
of the country, and other details, and
while | was giving the desired infor-
nation ne interrupted me by saving:
by the way, major, | wish YOU
would take short ride for me to.
night. know it is dark and disa
greeablv. but YOU will not mind that.
You can see in the darkness down
here | want you to get on your
horse and ride to an inn on the pike
a few miles above Stauuton. There
you will see d lone horsemau, clad in
a rubber coat. Greet him and say:
"'General Jackson SAYS it is all
right
After delivering this message
you may 90 to your home in Staun
ton aud get good nights rest, re
joining me here in the morning.
Il performed the mission. though
| had great difficulty in crossing the
swollen streams. delivered the
message, and the lone horseman i'm
mediatrly galloped mp the pike.
turned my horses head toward Staun
ton / reached home at about three
o'clock IN the morning and went to
bed. l got up about nine o'clock,
and after breakfast | went to the tel
egraph Office TO learn the news from
Richmond, for General Mcclellan
was making it hot for General Lee.
Imagine my surprise when | found
General jackson and his staff in the
telegraph Office. The general was
talking over the wire with General
Lee, who was in Richmond.
AT length the conversation ceased
| did not know what the two geuer.
ais were talking about, nor did any.
body else, except themselves and the
telegraph operators. We mounted
our horses and started, as supposed
to return to the camp. When ",
reached point where the roads fork
ed, General Jackson took what | TOLD
him was the wrong road. His stat
also told him the same thing, but b,
merely bAde us follow him, which
We reluctantly did. At length ",
began TO climb the mountain road
Again | expostulated with the gener
a for going out of his way to reacl
camp, but he merely told me to rid
ahead and tell some cottagers 10 pre-
pare dinner for us. did so. and a
the first cottage | halted and ordere,
the dinner the women at home hast
ened to prepare for rs.
For the first time | learned tha
the army hrd broken camp early il
the morning. had climbed the noun
tainS and was then miles ahead on il
way to Richmond
The remainder is known. Whil
the northern army was in full retrea
up the valley. and while Gen. Jack
sou was believed to be in hot pursuit
he was crossing the mountains on hI,
way to Richmond. Two days late
he was engaged against Mcclellan
The results of the battles arounC
Richmond are we'll known. Histor,
might have recorded different result
but for this march of Jackson s
which has never before been told
across the mountains. feat whicl
has been equaled only by Napoleon
crossing the Alps. The lone horse
man HON accOsted in the darl
was cavalryman, and the messag
which | conveyed to him meant tina
the cavalry should pursue the north