Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-07-06
cHAPHER XII.
Copyright i'aa by + W. Dillingham; Go.


a year the men of the BLACK Hats
at the head of column had picked their
way over the stone-ribbed pike, saying
%opprobious things of Virginia path
masters. An impudent lot were these
fellows in the imitation "Kossuths.r
Marvelously snappy and precise in
drill, steady on parade, enduring on
the march and reasonably respectful
toward their officers (who were the
only one in the division to don and
habitually wear the fulldress headgear,
OF the regular 'service), the rank and
file were blessed with not a little
soldier skepticism as to the value or
stability OF other commands in and out
of the brigade, and a calmly critical
attitude toward officers other than
those Of their selection. They had not
been over well content with their
original field and staff, and, for lack of
leaders Of that rank, had become some.
what split up at first Bull Run, fight
ing sturdily all the same by company
or squad to the flag end, and never
knowing they were whipped when
finally "herded' off the field. Now
however, they had men at their head.
colonel, Northumberland and major,
by whom they positively swore and
on whose skin and valor they would
have banked their last cent. Yet, with
all their regard for these, their hon
ored leaders, it must be owned the
Black Hats gave them lots Of trouble.
They would guy the rest of the brigade
and lord it generally over the whole
division. only one other regiment of
which had as yet faced the foe in
battle. They had a curious defect of
vision when ''outside" officers happened
along, and were forever being COM
planned of as failing to ''render honors,"
whereat they were heard on more than
II occasion unblushingly to declare
they saw, but didn't suppose the strang-
ers could be officers. They were pre-
ternaturally keen sighted as sentries
toward men of other regiments run
ming guard or smuggling contraband
of war, and were correspondingly blind
when the culprit was of their own
complexion. They were probably the
best drilled and positively the worst
hated regiment in the whole division
and relished one distinction quite
as much as the other-when they were
marching this third time on Manassas.
and the little West Pointer in saddle
at their head thanked God that at last
he had them where, with work against
Il common foe, there was possibility
of keeping them out of mischief.
Centreville had been passed, Bull
Run recrossed, and Bristoe reached
a point beyond their previous explo-
rations. Then back had they to go
10 meet a threatened raid on their
railway communications, and, that
matter settled, again they were trudg-
ing42 through the well-remembered
wood roads when, as a turn of tbs
way brought their foremost company
in full view of the fine sweep of
country off to the west, the gray
bearded colonel, for the time COM
manding the brigade, refined out to
The right for a look at his men, and
bis tall, b%orn-soldier of an adjutant
rode alongside the black-bearded, dark
featured, stocky little leader of the
Black Hats, pointed with his gaunt-
letted hand to the blue curtain of the
Bull Run range and remarked: I'D
give a good deal to know just what
that fellow Jackson's doing behind
that screen to-day"
Why SOP asked O'Connor, shortly.
Shields licked him well at Kerns-
town. Banks has turned his whole
force back there. Blenker's big divi-
sion has gone to reinforce them. Why,
we've got enough men there to eat EN-
alive-Jacison and all"
First catch your rabbit" said the
adjutant, musingly. "Oid Stonewall
knows every footpath in the valley
every path through the mountains.
He'll trick Banks and Fremont, sure's
your born, colonel, Then we'll have a
shy at him."
MAY the Lord grant it," was the
pious answer, as the colonel looked
wistfully away toward the little rift
in the dark ridge where, ten miles dis
tant, lay Thoroughfare Gap, the best
and shortest route to the Shenandoah
the gap through which four months
later this same much-discussed and as
yet l~ittle-known Jackson was with such
fatal effect to pour his columns on the
union flank and rear.
1T was a moist afternoon. The men
in the marching column, heavily bur
dened with bullying knapsack and
double blanket and the long Springfield
over their burly shoulders, whipped
Il off their hats and swept the coat
sleeve over their dripping brows, peer
ing c~uriously at the old colonel sitting
sturdily in saddle and watching their
array. A grim smile stole over his
grizzled face as his own battalion came
striding forth in the wake of the
"Scofing Second Then the kindly
eyes clouded with something like dis
pleasure at sight of a tall, lanky civil
ian on a decrepit gray, riding with the
lieutenant-colonel commanding. He
had seen the man before many a mile
from the spot and more than a week
away. How came you here?' he
asked, as the civilian ambled out of, the
column and touched his worn hat
brim.
MY place is just over yahnduh,
colonel. P'haps you doan' remember
my comm to YOU with a pass, back
o. Fairfax" and the tall stranger
looked confidently into the grizzled,
sun-burned face. Been in to Alexan-
dfia, yo' know, for supplies. Wagon
went sho'ht cut by stone bridge"
Keenly studying the veterans face,
he suddenly added: "Ain't Col. Bay