The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-29

1 was not until we were enjoying a smoke after supper, that he informed me that ne was General Lees chief scout
 pelore We retired we proceeded to Andhe the room as safe as possible by piacihg table against the door so that pc made The handsome young scout placed four navy pistols on the table ana vowed that he would not be taken ahve, and l did likewise, placing my his fate
 The night however, passed without any dramatic incidents beyond that of two soldiers vowing that if they could do nothing else for their country, they could die for 1t. A few days later we reioined the army
 General Gordon Received Scar.
 The army was then crossing the Poto- mac river, and l well recall the moment when General Gordon received scar that he wore through life. shell bursting over him left wound on his forehead. and the blood trickled down his face and over the gray uniform
 T would not take 5000 for it." said General Gordon. when I expressed my re- gret at his sufferings.
 We crossed the river in the evening" with small skirmishes, meeting the feder- al forces at Monoeraey river, and sue ceeded in forcing them back, a battle raging several hours, at a great loss to our forces General Evans, who was my major at the beginning of the war. was severely wounded, and among the dead were two of my warmest personal friends [ Colonel Lamar of Macon, Ga. and Major Van Valkenburg.
 This battle was fought on the banks MpnnprHrV down the river flowed crimson stream. The two armies were commanded by Gen. Lew Wallace and General Early. the union forces. defending at every point the high way to Washington, the Con- federates hurling them back until Wal laces army retreated in the direction of Baltimore
 As General Gordon points out in his "Reminiscences '' We were nearer the national capitol than any armed Confed- crates had ever been, and nearer to it than and federal army had ever ap- proaehed to Richmond"
 This attempt of General Early to in- wade Washington has been very correctly termed as "a spasmodc effort by sharp hard blow to loosen the tightening and death dealing grip upon our throat Our retreat from Washington was made as rapidly as was our approach, the advancing forces from Grants army changing Earlys policy and the summer of GA found the small forces under Early eountermarehing through the shenan- doah valley.
 Pitiless Retreat.
 The Winchester fight following weeks of marching forced a pltless retreat of Earlys men to Cedar Creek. where na- ture had prepared Notifications The army remained quiet with the enemy lnly two miles away. After a council of war; Early decided to attack Sheridans forces over a perllous and wild route. every soldier was informed of the part he was to take in this attempt to sur prise the enemy and every soldier did his full duty significant fact that should be reiterated in any reference to the Winchester and Cedar Creek fights Is that General Early's forces numbered only abont 10000 men, while Sheridan was commanding 3O,0oO troops. The bat le of Cedar Creek was one of the most remarkable engagements of the entire conflict. History affords few parallels of the passage in single file of an army down so precipitous pathway in the blackness of night, that followed by our troops In the engagement that fol- lowed the men plunged into the chilling depths of the Shenandoah, and drenched to the skin, made fierce onslaught on Sheridan's forces. who fled in wild dis order.
 This victory of the Gonfederates fol- lowed by their ruinous defeat only a few hours later. when the scattered troops of shoridon rallied, furnishes one of the most dramatic chapters of the war.
 When the enemy WIS pressing upon our left flank I exclaimed to General Gordon that unless it could be reinforced we would be stampeded
 "I have all that I can do in the cen ter he replied.