Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-16
FOLIO WI NC EARLY.
FIFE CAMPAIGN IN THE VALLEY OF
VIRGINIA IN 1864.
8ECoLLECTIoNs OF JACKSON.
terrible Marching In Rnfn and slect'
Another Interesting Article by
mr.. w.B. Couwax-A Heroic Death.
Other Confederate Matter.
"a the Editor of the Dispatch

To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Thu fall of 1864 had witnessed active en-
fragments In the Valley Of Virginia be-
tween General Jubal Early and MS VET
Grams and the we'll equipped forces Oh
the Federal army. The tremendous con-
ficts between the two had ended, ana 'he
wear of 1864 YVES about to close the scenes
of horrid warfare. The main factor
winter, with her hoary locks and icy m
rer= had nut a stop to farther active
,nerations 1t was in December, mantle
Of snow covered the landscape through
out this beautiful valley. Snow, ice mud
and slush admonished the several com
manders-silently consigning them to their
respect,ye winter quarters in the noun
tain Businesses and along the beautiful
streams Of pure water. Those loyal cit-
.ene of the Valley. prosperous farmers.
who had for fllanv years lived in affueHce
and luxury, now for the first time IN the'r
lives felt the bitter pangs OF munger
brought about in the main by sheridan
orders to burn and destroy every NesuSe
Of food for man or beast. y more diapoi'-
cal act OF uuchristian warfare was never
nracticed by any nation. The Con!cder-
and there was no possibility OF recruiting
Ter ranks from the States. Tor every male
between l6 and 30 had already Willingly
offered themselves as soldiers IN uelence
If their country. In fact our ratIlohc
women would not allow men TO remain al
nome who Were able TO bear arms 1heE
urged them 10 the front. and depended
upon their faithful slaves to cultivate their
-rops. protect their lives and provide Tor
them the necessaries of life. Our negroes,
as a rule We're brought mp among d re-
fined civilization: we'll trained and man
aged and ,;n:ainted with Northern IAN
atjcism Murder, robbery and raplne We're
almost unknown among them. Ihesc
tried and true slaves who watched over
our mothers and ssters--who always re-
ferred to them as .'oid Miss and young
Mis,is," and we will take kar Of them
while de men folks are in de wars no"
faithful they were. Would that we had a
monument TO their memory. The old iinle
belurn slaves vera product OF rcHned
civilization civilization second 10 none
in the history of nations haG Eeen
home spending a few days with my lath-
er's family but the time had come for
NE to buckle on again my saber and pistol.
bid them goodbye, mount my horse ana
return TO the army. TO locate your COM
mand was not 4 very difficult matter. all
YOU wanted was start in the right d.
going home who would direct YOU as 10
the whereabouts of :he command. A
heavy. snow had fallen. and taking Gov
ernor Spnttswood's route across hile i'iuc
Ridge, ] speEt the night at Brown Cove,
q beautiful place near the foot OF the
mountain. The next DAY ] crossed over
the mountain and crossed the Shenandoah
river near Meyers Cave; passed up near
Cross Keys, where General Turner ASH
ley lost his Ike, and from there on to
Major .icels. on the Valley turnpike. near
stanton, Va. Historic ground. ground
on which. Sfonewal Jackson had IN lso2
displayed his wonderful talent as a MILF
tarS strategist. GROWING him. as 1t did,
The hero of The Valley. Locating in 1869
ct Meyers Cave, and praciicinG my pro-
fession in medicine and surgery. as sur
Eeon 20 the Mount Vernon Ircn Works.
of Baltimore, gave me an opportunity to
overlook and examine carefully .>e battle
9elds. and recount the brilliant successes
achieved by General Stenewaii Jackson
against Overwhelming numbers.
ATTACKED WITH NIM.
jackson lock as little account of num-
hers as did Cromwell. lie vas always out
numbered. and outnumheied heavily But
when he attacked lie did it With q deter
aaination to Win. il Nasat Meyers Cave
that l first met Major Eoichkiss Jack
sons chief engineer. he WHIPPED Banks
al Winchester ON May .. 1852, tho latte"
having $4,000 men. whiic Jacksons whole
force numbered only lGH1. And after re-
treating up the Valley. he fought the hat
tie of Cross Keys on Jure S,h with Ere
mont who had $500, while Jackson had
only 1900. He held him in check until
he (Jackson) had crossed the Shcnando OAK
river at Port Republic ard whipped Gen
: sral Shields on the 9Th tle next dayl with
1000. while Jackson had only l2.7m0 tired
and wornout mon. his soldiers accom-
plished feats that we'll trained veterans
might have been prouG Of. A few. wears
after tho war, while living Near Port
Republic, / was told by DR.. keniper at