The National tribune., 1907-11-14
THE PORT REPUBLIC BRIDGE.
"Reminiscences and RccolIectiOns of a
Scoat I'm Shfelds's Dfvfsion-Why the
Bridge Was Not burned.

Editor National Tribune: With you
Indulgence l will endeavor to give you
many readers a few recollections con
cerning Shields's Division, and especial
Iy Sprig CarrolFs fighting brigade, a
Port Republic. To recount the Incl
dents at Port Republic Bridge will ex
plain why the bridge was not burned
TO whom the failure should be charged
and whose unparalleled nerve saved the
bridge to Jackson and his men and de
feated a well-pianned scheme for the
capture or annihilation of Stonewal
Jackson and his army. Sprfgg Carroll
Paddy Shields, Fremont and Mcdowell
were each wrongly censured for the
failure to burn the bridge for to none
Of these should blame attach, as the fol-
lowing will show.
The act of saving the bridge and 9TH
er similar exhibitions of skill, courage
and GOODNESS. in the writer's opinion,
demonstrate that Stonewall Jackson was
without superior among the Generals
of the war of the rebellion as a military
genius and strategist.
Many articles concerning the troops
and incidents at Port Republic have
appeared in The National Tribune, some
bordering on the facts and others far
from them. / desire 10 say in the be-
ginning that there was no cavalry at
the bridge or in the town of Port Re-
public that day except those who wore
the gray.
Good accounts of the second days
fight, June ., 1862. have appeared in
your splendid paper from different
members of Tylers Ohio Brigade, 5th,
18th. 18th and seth Ohio. but they knew
nothing and made no pretense of know
Ing anything of the affair at the bridge
or the fearful fight of June s, sustained
by Sprisg Carroli's little brigade alone.
All of the boys of Shields's Division
will recall Shields's scouts, conspicuous
among them being Pearson and Falk-
ner, of the 1th Ind. who always wore
the gray. A number of these scouts
were clad in rebel uniforms. The writ
er himself had a suit of gray, but did
not wear it on all occasions, knowing
full we'll the consequences If captured.
i Saields's Division put in the Winter
of '61-'62 in opening UP the Il. & O. r.
X. from Grafton TO Harper's Ferry, and
keeDip2 Jackson's ana AShby's men
from disturbing our Communications,
and on March %. 1862, at Winchester
met on open ground and defeated Jack
son, who rever showed his back to an
enemy before or afterward.
1t is not the intention of the writer to
follow in detail the scouting, marching,
skirrnishing and fighting on the B. & o.
r. r. or in the Shenandoah and Luray
Valleys, but with the scouts 1t was live
iy IIOIu u anu NEVER ldll
to remember the good things that came
to us after we struck the Shenandoah
Valley, being the first soldiers to enter
that garden spot of the South, which
literally flowed with milk and honey,
not to mention the fat porkers, turkeys,
barnyard pheasants and never-to-be-
forgotten cornbread. etc.
Inspected by Lincoln.
Some time in May, 1862, the division
was ordered to proceed to Fredericks-
burg, on the Rappahannock River. Wei
marched ostensibly to join Mcdowell,
who was supposed to advance his army
on Richmond as a support and right
wing of the Army of the Potomac, COM |
manded by Mcclellan. After drawing
clothing. of which we stood in great
need, we were reviewed by President
Lincoln. Altho the division was COM |
posed largely of Western troops, it was
She first time many of us had seen the |
Chief Executive of the Nation. His |
gaunt and awkward figure astride a fiery !
thorobred, his feet well drawn up and |
showed thru the stirrups TO the instepj, |
the bottom of his trousers legs wrin-
kled and pushed four inches above his |
homemade boot-tops, his solemn, seri- !
Gus, kind face, looking from under a
silk hat. which he doffed to every stand |
of regimental colors as they were |
dipped in salute as he passed, ell these |
made picture that will never be ef- |
faced from human memory.
The review being over, We counter
marched for the Shenandoah Valley |
with wild rumors that Jackson was
holding high carnival near Winchester,
where he found Banks and his men diff
cult to oyertake. About June !, while
waiting on swollen streams due to the
almost constant downpour of rain, at a
point between Plains Mills and Con-
RAIDS Store, i suggested 10 Serg't CHS
man. of my company, that we go on a |,
little scout. He objected to walking, Sd
gave him my horse, and while going
thru piece of woods skirting a noun
tain side he stopped at the foot of a +,
little rise to get water from a spring for
himself and horse Walking to the top
OF the little hill and away thru the
woods, some distance down path, l /,
saw lone horseman coming toward me.
Waiting behind tree until the rider
was within 10 feet, stepped out and
told him he was my prisoner. After
looking into the muzZle of my Enfield
he said. well. pard, you have the best
Of the argument" / then called up the
Sergeant, who disarmed the Johnny,
who proved to be commissioned officer
Of artillery. think. He told me of a
inc horse one mile back thru the woods. h
left the prisoner in the Sergeant's
hands and rode back along the little
path about mile, and on hearing the !
of horses farther to my left
led up my horse in a thiclxet, and pro-
ceeded on foot until / came in sight of
what / took to be about 40 guerrillas ,
feeding their horses. / then returned,
and we started for camp, some IL miles
distant, which we reached before dark,
and turned prisoner. horse and accou-
terments over TO Col. Carroll, who in
turn gave me the horse, saber and re-
volyer. and paroled the officer, who
lived about one mile only from camp.
he was to report to Carroll every morn
ing and evening. / gave Serg't Chisman
the old revolver and 81 for his share OF
The booty, and kept the officers horse
and saber, and have yet the saber as
one of my choice relics of war. All this
time the rain fell necessarily, and an
inspection of the brigade by companies
disclosed the fact that at least one
third of the troops were barefooted OF
sick and In no condition to march even
In good weather.
To Burn the Bridge.
Preparation was made to march at
once, and on the evening of the 7th of
June Pearson and Falkner were called
TO Sprigg Carrolrs tent and given balls
Of candlewfck saturated with turpentine,
and told that they should get possession
Of the Port Republic Bridge and burn
Il early next morning, and that he would
follow as soon as 1t was dark, and the
bridge must be destroyed before he got
there AS the shades of night fell upon
that deyoted little band it found two
thirds of Carrolrs Brigade on the move
For Port Republic. The scouts, six or
;~~l,% In, IN, ha a