The semi-weekly messenger., 1901-05-14
STONEWAu'S PERIL.
HOW JACKSON WENT THROUGH THE
FEDERAL LINES.
General III. Kyd Douglas Reminiscent
ces OF an Occasion When jackson
Gave Orders to Federal Troops.

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got into the federal lines, asked a cues
ton OF a federal officer and was order
ed by the latter to go about his busi-
ness. not recognizing his uuestioner
The account also said that Lieutenant
Douglas. Of Jackson's staff, was wound
ed and captured upon that occasion
and that after Jackson left Douglas
laughed at the federal officer for his
blunder. This account was shown TO
General III. Kyd Douglas, of Hagers-
town. who makes the following state
ment in connection with it:
THE article from the Chicago paper
is amusing. 1t has a lot of truth in 4
and a lot of things not true. 1 am the
Douglas referred to as staff officer to
Stonewall Jackson. 1t is curious how
my capture has been persistently re-
ported on that occasion. 1t was re-
ported in the northern papers the day
after the fight and led to an amusing
result. The officer captured was Lieu
tenant Ed Willis. who afterward was
Killed as colonel commanding the Geor-
gia brigade. He was then on Jackson's
staff.
THE facts are these: General Jack
son had recklessly placed his head
quarters at some distance from his
own troops. with a stream and bridge
between him and them. On Sunday
an order that his troops should remain
quiet in camp and have prayers. he
was startled by the rumor that the en-
emy's cavalry was approaching on the
northeast side of the river from the
direction of the Gap. AS the general
had sent the scout out the night before
to watch the enemy he did not believe
this report. but it proved true. General
Sprigg Carroll. with an advance Of cav
Jackson was not convinced of it until
he was informed that they were cross
ing branch of the river and would
soon be in Port Republic between him
and his troops. AS my horse had been
saddled for me to ride l offered it to
the general. and ran after his, which
was grazing. He declined. however. to
take mine. and waited for his own.
Only two or three of the staff were up.
and the report created great excite
ment among them. The general gave
an order to Pendleton to go to his
troops. mounted his own horse and fol-
lowed closely. and I followed him. Be-
hind me were Colonel Crutchfield and
Willis. of the staff. Pendleton got over
easily.
JACKSON'S NARROW ESCAPE.
The general could have been cap
tured if the enemy had known who he
was or suspected who he was, and I
got through last amid the firing of their
carbines. Crurchfield and Willis. just
behind me. were captured. Crutchfield
got away in the middle of the stream
in the confusion that followed and re-
turned. Willis was carried off; he was
not wounded. Hunter MCGUIRE just es-
capped by going back to quarters.
General Jackson. after having cross
ed the bridge took position on a hill,
and seeing some artillery approach the
mouth of the bridge. ordered them over
the river. believing them to be his own.
I told him they were Yankees; he dis
credited it and gave the second order
with a loud voice. At that they open
ed on us. tore up the ground pretty we'll
around the general. and he was con-
vinced. In the meantime Poague's bat
terry had placed gun near where jack
son was having came down at the
sound Of the muSketry. Poague soon
the enemy's gun that had fired
on Jackson and l led Colonel Edmun-
ston's regiment to the bridge, which
quickly crossed it and drove the enemy
away. There was, of course, no rea-
son in the world. except confusion, why
the enemy should not have burned the
bridge. or. in fact. should not have cut
off Jackson from his command.
AN IMAGINARY CONVERSATION.
"The report in the paper about the
conversation between Jackson and
this federal soldier and myself is an
amusing myth. Willis was carried
back to the rear and, as have said, It
was reported in the army, and after
wards in the papers that I had been
captured. The famous Belle Boyd,
confederate spy. having heard that /
was captured. and being a friend of
mine from her childhood, interferred
with the union officers, and it was re-
ported that her influence with Captain
Keogh, to whom she had been very
kind. made it easier for me to remain
behind as described in this article, and
to escape as Willis did. She never /
knew that it was Willis and not myself
that escaped until some time after
ward. when saw her.
THE PORT REPUBLIC BRIDGE.
1.-THE statement that Jackson actual
ly passed through the ranks of the en-
emy and might have been picked up l.
they had known it is unquestionably
true, and led to severe criticisms by
General Tyler on General Carroll The
patent error in this statement is that
CarrolPS order was to save the bridge
at Port Republic. when the fact is that
Jackson wanted it saved, and it was
Carrolrs principal object to destroy it,
to cut Jackson off from attack upon
Shields and to leave him, as they sup
posed, at the mercy Of Fremont, which
would have been pretty hard on Fre-
mont
II was not wounded on the occasion
when they speak of me being left in the
house in the rear to be cared for. 1t
was a reference to my friend Willis,
who was cared for very delightfully."- by
a southern girl in the house. He ex-
planned the whole thing to me when he
returned the next day, bringing union
soldier as a prisoner behind him. He
had been killed before I could tell him
what Belle Boyd told me.
You may remember that some time
after the war Washington paper gave
an amusing account Of an interview be-
tween General Carroll and myself in
regard to this very battle and had a
cartoon representing Carroll and my
self sitting with our feet on the same
table and each drinking a glass of
spirits. You may also remember that
in the campaign Of 1883 General Carroll
came to my meeting at Tacoma and
came up on the stand where was be-
fore the speaking: said he never at
tandod r11oafinQS hllr that q