The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-06-15

Why the Confederates Fired on Then
 Chief
 The "Greenville Times" of recent
 date publishes the following interest
 ing article on Stonewall Jackson's last
 battle, from the pen of w. F. Ran
 dolph, captain of Jacksons bodyguard;
 It is not the purpose of the writer oi
 this article to give a detailed account
 of the memorable battle of Chancel-
 lorsville, which has been so often de-
 scribed by pens more felicitous than
 mine, but only to give some few incl
 dents of the first two days leading up
 to the terrible catastrophe which was
 the closing scene of one of the most
 brilliant and successful movements
 recorded in the history of any war.
 The writer was during these two
 days attached to the person of General
 Jackson, and only left his side occa-
 sionally as the bearer of orders to his
 division commanders.
 During the winter of '62 and '63 the
 army of Northern Virginia was en-
 camped near and around Fredericks-
 burg, and the writer was in command
 of a company of cavalry and attached
 to the headquarters of General Stone
 wall Jackson, then located near Ham,
 ilton's crossing, about three miles be-
 low the town.
 The battle of Fredericksburg, which
 took place the 18th oe December re- suited in the defeat of Burnside, and
 his retreat across the river ended all active operations for the winter. So we settled down in quiet observation, awaiting with anxious expectation the advance of General Hooker, whose ar- tillery crowned the heights of the oth- erside of the river, where the white tents of the federal army could be seen here dotting the some hills.
 The spring was well advanced, the country all around us was covered with verdure, and the roads had be- come dry and hard when we were awakened from our long holiday by the welcome announcement that the federal commanders long expected ad- vance had at last commenced, and that a portion of his army had crossed the Rapidan at Gorman's ford and were marching upon Fredericksburg. Gen. eral Lee at once put his whole army in motion, with Jacksons corps in the front, leaving one division under Gen. eral Early to prevent the enemy from crossing at Fredericksburg and attack ing his rear. It will be remembered that two of the best divisions of Long, streets corps had been detached and sent to southeastern Virginia, leaving General Lee with scarcely fifty thou sand infantry with which to meet that well equipped and splencidly appointed army of Rockers, consisting of more than one hundred thousand men. Af- ter Ran arduous and exciting march without rest, the army, frequently ad- vancing in line of battle, was expect ing every moment to meet the enemy. The advance column consisting of a portion of Hills division, halted about sunset, within less than mile of the House, in the vicinity of which the enemy was evidently con- centrated, awaiting our attack. But the ir1lpenetrable nature of the thickets which separated us prevented any fur ther advance in that direction, and the whole army was forced to bivouac for the night At this point, road which was then known as the Burr road, in- tersected about at right angles the blow road along which we had been and here, with no other pro- lection than the spreading arms of an Immense oak, and without camp equip age of any kind, the two generals, Lee and Jackson, slept for the night my self and a few of my troops lying with in few feet of them. l was awak- ened next morning by light touch on | my shoulder, and, on Jumping up, had l the modification to find that the sun | had already risen and General Lee had | gone. General Jackson, who was just | his horse turned to me with | l kindly word and smile, telling me to follow as soon as possible, and dashed off at a furious gallop down the Mine Run road along which his troops had | been rapidly marching since daylight. did not succeed in overt aking the gen. ,ral for several hours, and when at last came up with him he was far in ad- 1ence of his columns, standing talking 0 General Fitzhugh Lee in the old turnpike road, at a point about five niles distant from Charlottesville, having hade circuit of fifteen miles, hus putting the whole federal army between himself and General Lee and he two divisions of Longstreet's corps which were with him. As the several livisions of the corps came up they were formed in line of battle, and bout four o'clock in the evening eve- ything was in readiness for the attack.
 While Fitz Lee was talking to the general half-dozen troopers rode up, ringing with them a Yankee lieuten- mt whom they had Just captured 1ee turned to the officer and asked him what Hooker would think if Id Stonewall were to suddenly fall pon his rear. "Ah," said the federal fficer, Hooker has both Jackson and our great Lee in the hollow of his and, and it is only matter of very , hort time when your whole army will e bagged." Jackson's lips closed in a ( rm smile, but he said nothing and Lee f nd his troopers rode away laughing, | ,aving us alone. c The general turned to me and asked { ow far behind was the advance of I l is army. I replied that the leading r ivision ought to be up in an hour. I ye both dismounted, Jackson sea ting | V imself on a log by the road, study r lg map which he spread out before n I'm. After tying our horses took my 1 fl ,at not far from him and being some z