The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-28
OF
A BRAVE Fighter
Charlottesville as Impressed on
the Memory Of One Who
Was There.
HOW HOOKER WAS FOOLED
a Rebel Soldier from Maine
Meets Old Schoolrnastcr On
Other Side.

Editor OF The Times Dispatch:
Sir, II have seen SO much to interest
me in the Confederate Column in res
gard to the different battles of our late
war. was particularly interested in
some accounts Of the Chancellorsyille.
spent our winter near the United States
Ford. Hearing the long roll beat, we
We're well aw ar something was doing
marched in tho direction 'of the ford
and halted ina line of earthworks
h near, a road not Far from our, camp
( Pretty soon! we. heard firing in our
/ front, and then all Of us We're on the
q lookout for the appearance of an en-
envy Pretty soon we saw column
approaching. We We're not sure wheth-
y er tits5wass our cavalry or the enemy.
Colonel Taylor's Narrow Escape.
Our officers were also uncertain who
they were. So Colonel Walter TAYLOR
on General Mahone's staff. went for
9 had nearly reached them, and they
ordered him to halt and surrender
Not being made sof the material that
would surrenderons the first call,
think. II memory serves me correctly,
he drew his pistol and fired on them
At close range. and turned his horse.
perfectly cool although fired on by
several Of the approaching column; At
the time We We're ordered to hold our
FIRE. which we thought Very strange
at that time, as the Yankees were so
near we could have killed the last one
pc them; We We're then ordered l. for,
our march to the Plank Road. hich
J leads from charlottesville to 1'reder-
/ lcksburg. When getting near the road
bur regiment, the Twelfth, yirgiIn aI Ia
: mishers. which we did AT the same
time we were leaving good target
Mha9 a afar amt w We sa No eae
In our front at the time we started to-
Went Right Ahead.
But forward we went UP a little rise
of hill. and very, soon found plenty
to do, as they had strong line Of
skirmishers to oppose US UP that little
rn mem back TO to their # line Of battie
On the front Of our regiment was AZ
little farm inclosed by a cedar brush
fence. with few fruit trees Of per ,sr
It fen to my lot to occupy the space
In the centre of this little farm. We
bs ana and aroXe d
times on to their lines of battle, of
which they had three. We had orders
We did So and, Of course. lost&a good
many good and brave comrades. One.
especially ! will mention-Captain r.
h Banks Of G9m p AZ Tweifth AVE-
gallant and a true rhristian soldier
i and gentleman, who. fell with Il severe
! wound and who died q few years after
Y the war from the shot of that May
.lday skirmish. Never VIII the writer
forget the look of that friend and
Whom he ia attep'sa to nee
s.Of yourself and let me lie where ] am"
iOf course / obeyed orders from my
.superior, and as the enemy was advanc,.
we made for that, and stood behind the
tEable end of I and began firing, look
Ing directly IN front and was very
much surprised, as we LOADED the sec
ond time and We're in tRe act Of cap
ping our guns, to hear the order to
surrender.
= Surrounded by Dlue Coats.
We cast our eyes the other way.
to the left,sand found about $4,000 or
10000 in solid column on our left and
rear. or course we gave up, and We're
sent to the rear, captured by the
Infantry What was in our front was
Il New York regiment and n Pennsyl-
Nania regiment and Wilson'S Honaves.
T. We had been driving their skirmishers
left and rear. We were hoping our
ngigade vas near gar, 70 help us out but
dered to fall back to Salem Church,
one or two miles beyond us After our
capture We We're sem 10 the chan
!, Hooker's headquarters.
!" We sat on the steps Of the porch,
and Gen. Hooker was at one end Of It
an conversation with three or four
ladies' His white horse was tied to
one Of the pillars OF the porch. lii our
front was the skirmishers of Jackson
advancing,
The butchers We're killing. cgltla FOR
3iookcr's army, NOT eight hundred
yards from Us, In line, with the sklr-
inishers of jackson We saw one OF
,1he boys place his foot on on. of the
,iead heeves and take a good shot NJ
tho said butchers At the same time
were striking the steps on whlch we
were seated. and we made the request
10 be moved TO tho arnaway, under the
porch, as We did not wished to be
shot by our own men.
Hooker Mas Serene.
While We We're beng lloyed one OF
tho staff of Hooker rode up very
lhey Wouid have 10 make q move from
there, as Jackson was about TO cut
them off from the ford. Iiooker's re-
ply vas, do not get excited, We Will
move them very soon from our front"
At the same time on our LEFT were
eight piecas Of artillery, nd behind
them, as support, were TWO lines OF
infantry. Aud not . man was allowed
10 rise from the ground. and not one
was able 10 man one of the guns as
Jackson's nien We're so near We
could have called 10 them. had WE
few feet from The road coming up
rom the United states ford, and we
were so an$ioAs for the troops OF
jackson to. makA a rush and cut of
Hooker. Which cph1d bave been done
had he known the sitnauGn as w VEL
troops were lying in columns from
y 81 4 4 Is H ~ ID . y "