The National tribune., 1906-03-08

| ually by each of US. and which seem to
have contained the prophecy of his un-
timely death and of my own fate.
The Battle Of Fredericksburg.
My division was again the center of
! the Confederate army, as 1t rested in
| line of battle opposite Deep Run, full
OF spirit and impatient for action. The
| following morning, after the fog had
| disappeared, and at about 10 o'clock,
| the heavy lines of the enemy advanced
upon our right and against Jacksons
forces, hut We're driven back beneath
| the fire of our guns posted on that part
of the line. Again, at about l p. m, the
attack was renewed, and the Federals
penetrated into gap left in Jackson's
| front line. They We're, however, speed
lily repulsed by his brigades held in re-
serve. My troops repelled with ease
the feeble attack made On their imme
! dtate front, whilst Longstreets remain
! ing forces on the left drove the enemy
back repeatedly with great slaughter
near Marye's Hill.
/ was directed in this battle. as at
| Second Manassas, to obey the orders
either of Gen. Lee, Jackson or Long
| street. About sunset, after the mus
kerry fire had nigh ceased, / received
| instructions through an officer of jack
sons staff to join in movement on
my right as soon as A. p. Hill's Divi-
sion advanced. The order was accom-
panied with message from Gen.
| Jackson that he intended to drive the
enemy into the river. I responded that
was in readiness to act, but, for some
reason unknown to me. these orders
! were countermanded.
About 10 o'clock that night / rode
I hon tn x.rlpa fn a
cup of coffee. and, Gen. Lees quarters
being within few hundred yards.
walked up the ridge and presented
myself at his tent. He Immediately
asked me what / thought of the attack
/ by the enemy during the day. / ex-
pressed my opinion that Burnside was
whipped; that no good General would
ever make an assault similar to that
upon my right and left without intend
| ing II as his main effort, and that the
| heavy roll of musketry / had heard
| clearly convinced me that the hardest
part of the battle had been fought. He
| then remarked that he did not think
| Burnside had made his principal at
| tempt, but would attack again the next
day, and that we would drive him back
and follow him up to the river. After
| conycrsing few moments longer. dur
1 ing which time he was in the highest
spirits. J returned to my line, where l
| cO1lluhtd litc VI LAG liiSht.
The Next Day.
The morning of the 14th both armies
still lay face to face, no aggressive
movement having been initiated by
either side, when about noon Gems. Lee
and Jackson rode by my position, and
Invited me to accompany them on q
reconnaissance toward our right. We
i soon reached an eminence not far dis
| tant from Hamilton's Crossing. on the
railroad, and upon which some of our
batteries were posted. From this point
we had a magnificent view of the Fed
eral lines on their left, some seven in
number, and each. seemingly, mile in
length. Gen. Jackson here turned TO
me and asked my estimate of the
strength of the enemy then in sight
and in our immediate front answer
ed $4,000, and he remarked that he
had estimated their numbers at 5000.
Strange to say. amid this immense
! assemblage OF Federal troops not a
!, standard was TO be seen: the colors
) were all lowered, which circumstance
induced me to abide by the opinion /
5 had expressed TO Gen. Lee the night
previous. The two armies stood still
4 during this entire day, and the follow
ing morning we awcke to find the enc
my Oh the north side of the Rappahan-
: mock.
5 In this vicinity my division was quar-
| tered for the Winter, and my tent re-
mained near that of Gen. Lee. 1t was
: my privilege to often visit him during
5 his Hisure hours, and converse with
the freedom of yore upon the frontier.
In one of our agreeable chats. in COM
pany with Cen Chiffon, his Chief OF
2 Staff he complained of his army for
: burning fence rails, killing pigs and
committing sundIy delinquencies OF
this character. 1 spoke up warmly in
2 defense of my division, declaring that
I IL was not guilty of these misdemean-
ors. and desired him to send Chiffon to
= Inspect the fences in the neighborhood
Of my troops. Gen. Lee, who was
j. walking up and down near his camp
= fire, turned toward me and laughingly
s said: "Ah, Gen. Hood, when you Tex
!, ans come about the chickens have tC
e roost mighty high" His raillery ex-
g cited great merriment and 1 felt I was
e somewhat at a stand; nevertheless,
0 urged that Gen. Chiffon be sent at least
e to inspect the fences.
Siege of Suffolk.
Y Time passed pleasantly till the early
Spring, when Gen. Longstreet marched
o back to Petersburg, and thence toward
:. Suffolk movement never could salts
e factorily account for, and which proved
unfortunate, since II allowed Gen
n Hooker, who had superseded Burnside
d the latter part of April, to cross the
a Rappahannock and attack Gen. Lee ir
Il the absence of one-half OF his army
d The transcedent genius of "Stonewall,'
d by which he executed one of his mos
: brilliant moves to the rear OF the as.
e sailants, once more thwarted the Fed
n eral commander, who was hurled bach
: beyond the Rappah;nnock to seek ref.
: uge upon Stafford Heights But, alas
e at a terrible sacrifice, an irreparabls
It loss to the Confederacy. the Immortal
s. Jackson.
: 1 had received information of Hook.
+ er's anticipated advance, and was mos
: anxious to rsjoin my old chief. Gen