The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-17

In an article in the June number of the career of the late Co., Charles Marshall. Gen. Bradley T. Johnston relates many amusing and int sresting incidents con- nected with Colonel Marshalfs service as military secretary to Gen. Robert E.. Lee. The post of military secretary to the commander-in-chief, says General Johnston. is the most confidential place or the general staff and after Colonel Mar shalrs selection by General Lee all the orders and reports that went out from headquarters emanated from the pen and. as to the reports, from the brain Of Charles Marshall. He wrote the report of the seven days battle around Rich mond. June 27 to July f. 1862, after an exhaustive study and compilation of the reports of corps, division and brigade commanders and many reports Of colo nels of regiments and captains Of bat teries and maps of operation furnished by the typographical engineer.
 Such work as this requires the strongest analytical intellect together with power of generalization and of bringing results together in graphic description. and the reports of the Army of Northern Virginia show these qualities in their highest de- velopment
 All this was done of course. under the rigid supervision of General Lee. whose taste required the most condensed style.
 When Marshall would submit the draft of report or order to the General for criticism or correction, the "Old Man" would say: Strike out some of the ad- jectives, Colonel; save some for the next time" and out would go every word that could be spared, adjective or substantive, participle or pronoun.
 Headquarters was ruled by q grave de- corum that never relaxed. The ''Old Man" never for a moment forgot him self.
 When he rode, he rode two horses length in front, and the staff followed; and the boys life was not entirely a happy one. They got even sometimes though.
 I've been at headquarters when found everyone in the sulks.. The "Old Man" had been sitting" on some of them and they all resented 1t. Their great means of revenge was to keep his own letters from him. Taylor or Marshall would sift out the papers which flood an army head quarters and select some half a dozen and go to the generals tent and lay them on the generals table with the re- mark: General, these require your at- teHllOH. IHe IeHeTdl WOulu tneH LOOK longingly at the pockets of the young men. bulging out with papers, and say wistfully: Are these the only ones for me. Colonel?" These are all. sir" and off they would frisk to enjoy how they had got ahead of him.
 One day I was over there and Mar shall had just got a jug of applejack and we were lying in the straw in his tent with a tin cup between us discussing mathematics. Marshall had been profes- sor of mathematics at some Western Col lege and I had taken a good oetion in mathematics at Princeton, and we were so intent on the applejack and the quss- tion under discussion that we did not hear a tap on the tent pole.
 At length the fly was drawn back and the generals head was pushed in. 'Ex- cuse me. gentlemen, for interrupting this interesting discussion, but could not at- tract your attention, so I am obliged to intrude." Of course. every one jumped to his feet, and says Marshall: We were engaged in a very interesting math- ematical question. sir'' Yes" said the General, "the unknown quantity. sup pose" with a glance at the jug and the tin cup. Tableau!
 When Meade crossed she Rappahannock at Mine Run in the fall of 1863, Hampton was covering that me with the caVairy and General Lee rode down to see what was going on and whether it was a real or only a reconnaissance.
 As they rode the cavalry stan, ev,= alert to make themselves comfortable. were sent off to locate headquarters for the night After satisfying themselves that Meade was going back, the two Gen erals rode together until at a point courier stationed in the road turned them off to a fine house in the distance Ar