Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-16


whose home General Jackson spent the
/; night of The sth, with what tact he de-
| ceircd the Yankee cannoneers on the next
| morning. when finding them at the bridge
| over the river, jackson rode up to them
and in a commanding tone, said: lurn
| that gun It was instantly done. and he
/ galloped across the bridge to the other
!! side. while the Yankees were in profound
/ ignorance as to his identity. Henderson's
! Stonewall jackson, Volume ]. page oos
says: "Concealing his march with his
| usual skill, he dashed with his 1e,0 men
| into the midst of his enemies. DRIVING
Banks before him. and well aware tnat
Fremont and Mcdowell were converging
in his rear, ne advanced Dolly on f1ar,
| pcr's Ferry, routed Saxtons outposts ana
! remained for two days on the Potomac,
| with 5000 Fedarals within a few days
march Then retreating rapidly up the
! Valley. beneath the peaks of the Massa-
| nuttons, he turned fercely at bay, and
the pursuing columns, mastering tosethel
nearly twice his numbers, were thrust
back with heavy loss at the very moment
| they were combined to crush him. A week
| later he had vanished. and when he had
| appeared on the Chickahominy, Banks.
! Fremont, and Mcdowell were still guard
| ing the roads to Washington. and Nc
Clelland was waiting for Mcdowell. To-
| 600 men absolutely para1yzed by l6,eoo. Inc
material results of the Valley campaign
were by no means inconsiderahie. 5oV0
prisoners were either paroled or sent to
Richmond. $500 Federals were killed or
wounded. An immense quantity of stores
We're captured an probably as much de-
stroycd. Nine guns were taken, and over
10000 rifles, while the loss of the Con-
fedeFates was no more than 2.otO killed ana
wounded, coo prisoners and three guns. IL
ho haf ho constant SURPRISES
together with the successive conflicts with
superior numbers had the worst effect on
the moral OF the Federal soldiers. The
generals thought only Of retreat
DECLARED IT MURDER.
Fremont, after Cross Keys. did not
think that his men would stand, and many
of his men declared that it was only
murder to fight without reinforccments.
From April 29tl: and June 9Th, that IS,
IN thirty-eight days. they marched 400
miles fought three battles and numerous
conbats. and were victorious in all. Sew
era, OF the marches exceeded twenty-five
miles day: and in the retreat from the
Potomac to Port Republic. the army made
l04 miles between the morning of May 80.
and the night of June 5tll. that is fifteen
miles daily without rest intervening.
This record. if we take into consideration
the infamous roads. is remarkable: and it
well may ne asked by what means these
half trained troops were enabled to &C
compislI such 4 feat
! nave gotten away from the main line
OF my article. Just as We old soldiers
did very often. leaving our line of march
and hunting some charitable citizens
home hoping to find something to satisfy
the inner man.
Well. to continue my journey towards
the army: / spent the night with Major
i}eel. about two miles north Of Stanton.
The next morning. accompanied by his
son. we rode into Stanton. and ] ascer-
tanned the whereabouts Of my regiment,
which ] found 10 be Il few miles on the
Chesapeake & Ohio road. southwest of
Staunton. near Sweeps station. On the
| 1911. of December, WEarton's small divi-
| sioE OF infantry went into winter quar-
tiers near Baskerville. small town be-
tween Stalrtol: ard Waynestoro. Lo
maXs cavalry. command was 1T Swift Run
Gap. About that time some Federals adj
yanced up the Valley in the neghborhood
o. Woodstock. WickEam brigade was
| now under the command of Rosser. Ny
regiment had lost Il great many men dur
ing the fall campaign just closing, and
numbers of others were granted leaves of
absence. both officers and priVates. until
my company Was composed Of only twen-
1y-iive or thirty men. commanded by a
sergeant The Goth was beautiful winter
day: overhead the sun had come out in
( melting Ike snow. unit: the roads became
almost impossible from mud and slush.
We had mace ourselves comfortable in q
forest. under Il cedar shelter. with a large
log lire in front Of the tent. anticipating 4
comfortable nights rest. About nightfall
heavy snow clouds filed the sky above
us-the thermometer fell below zero.
Flakes OF snow began TO fall. and later
on changed to rain and hail. Could YOU
imagine more disa greea BILE night? Sud
denly the clear. ringing notes of the bugle
; called boots and saddles In few
| minutes the camp was in a stir. horses
were sadd!eu. accoutrementS bucklcd on.
and the the commands (from the officers
of the respective companies) mount Your
| horses. rang out in The darkness of the
/ night. while the sounds from the dripping
of rain drops falling upon the dead leaves
| OF the forest were heard about us. Oc-
casionaliy We would hear from some of
| the boys: We'll. where in the world are
We soins on such Il night as this. I'll bet
! DAD Juhai Will be in MARYLAND be fore day
| break.
| After awhile We were marched off down
/ the Valley turnpike in the direction of
! Harrisonburs- During the night march
| many of the cavalry We're compelled 10
dismount and walk beside their horses to
keep from freezing TO death. Just before
| daybreak VIC left the turnpike road and
!
parallel with the pike. After marching
| slowly for several miles on the middle
road we were ordered to halt
| TERRIBLE MARCHING.
| The rair as it fell had frozen. making
! The roadway so slick that our horses
! could scarcely keep their footing. The
delay was caused by an infantry regiment
! marching past us and when the head of
Their column reached ours they were halt
| cd ara mounted behind each cavalry
man. The order was then given to for
| ward. and in a march of a few miles along
| wagon road we suddenly came into
| view OF the Yankee camp fires. just as the
| gray streaks Of the early morning fell
| upon the landscape. Their campfires were
burning brightly. and some of the men
We're cooking breakfast. Our infantry
| olsmounted and We're deployed in line
OF pattle, While we marched around to
| The rear Of the camp and charged them
| with yell dashing in among them and
shooting right and left. Our men were so
mixed up with them that we could scarce
1 f.t.l Ii