The National tribune., 1901-05-16

| NOTHING BUT A SMALL CONFEDER
won the battle at early dawn, Oct. 10
| He then, IL scathing language, denounced
them for having lost the fruits of theiI
great victory by breaking ranks and de,
voting themselves to plundering the Fed
eral camps. 1t was an able, lengthy, in
| tereStlDS paper, and, in many respects, q
remarkable composition, Astounding in
praise, pathos, pleading, and denuncia-
| ton.
One who has seen Gen. Early can well
| Imagine his wrath and how he swOre on
/ that fateful day, when he saw his victory
turned into defeat by his gallant soldiers,
among them ''Stonewall's band,' intox-
icated with victory, indulging themselves
in wild revel in the enemy's deserted
camps.
The General reminded them how easily
they could have followed up their victory
had they not stopped to plunder, convert
ing themselves from disciplined, veteran
/ troops into demoraliZed mob, an easy
prey to Sheridan when he turned and at
| tackled them.
The soldiers felt their disgrace keenly,
not resenting the old Generals philippics.
They had but one excuse-they were
ragged and hungry The rich stores of
food and clothing belonging to Sheridans
army were too tempting; in fact, ire
sistibly attractive. Early's veterans halt
! ed in the midst of victory, and, acting
upon the principle that "to the victor be-
longs the spoils," abandoned themselves
TO the intoxicating pleasures of the hour.
New Market was a small, war-worn,
battle-scarred town, having more the ap.
pearance of barracks for soldiers than a
habitation for citizens. The town was
full Of soldiers, cannon, wagons-every-
thing that constitutes the panoply of war.
There ! first saw Gen. John 3. Gordon,
the fighting Georgian, and other notables
whose names ! shall not stop to write.
Iomaxs Division was composed of the
brigades of Davidson, w. l.. Jackson, I'm
boden, McCausland and Cosby
| Capt. McAfee soon became disgusted
with the scant rations, and tragically ex-
claimed: MY stomach feels heated and
unsatisfied-like." When he got to Pennsyl-
vania he intended to eat light-bread, ap-
pie butter, COW butter and poultry ''ad
infnitum," and burn mills, barns and
granaries lad libitum," la Sheridan.
Doubtless the poor Pennsylvanians would
have suffered a direful fate had hungry
"Ginger" with epicurean stomach swooped
down upon them. But there continued
| to be perennial vacuum in ''Mack's"
stomach. He never "got there"
Near New Market we passed through
Kershaw's infantry, old acquaintance,
whom we had seen with Longstreet at
Knoxville.
RossER's LAUREL BRIGADE.
While on our way from New Market
over into Iuray Valley we met Gen. Ros-
sers famous cavalry. They were well
dressed, handsome, gallant-looking fell
lows, and very merry, the result of a
successful raid upon "still-house" found
in sequestered spot in the Blue Ridge.
The Kentuckians hailed them understand
ingly, crying, TOO gay, fellows; too gayr'
All along the road between the main Val
| ley and Luray, we continued TO meet Oc-
easionally Rosser cayalryman who had
tarried at the mountain "still-house''
| The kentuckians were not long in
learning that they were in land of ZAP
ple-jack and peach and honey" nor was
| it long until a number Of the "sOphisti-
Gated old-timers" became as jolly as Ros.
sers merry cava..crs.
We went into camp some miles from
New Market, near Columbia Bridge.
! burned during Jackson's manuvering
when he won his famous triple victory
over Shields, Banks and Fremont. Cross
Keys and Port Republic not being far
away.
| Although the distilleries made no appli-
cation for them, Gen. Cosby supplied the
''moonshine resorts" with guards-more a
matter of precaution than of courtesy.
| The General knew the failing" of his
KentuciianS-and Rosser's Laurel Bri-
gade was fresh In memory. However.
many Of the boys "got there, tust the
same" and had we been so fortunate at
that time as to have as our guest the dis
| tinguished Capt. Allen, of the 7th Ohio
Cav, and Adjutant- General Of Garrard's