New-York tribune., 1907-10-06
MET "sToNEWALL., JACKSON.

John Esten Cooke tells in one Of his novels Of
how he first met 'StoneWalI" Jackson. Cooke was
then a colonel in the Army Of Northern Virginia
and attached TO General Lees stat. "One day"
he said II was carrying dispatches 10 General
Jackson. While riding along the old maca damized
road q violent thunderstorm came up. and | took
refuge in the chapel at Boyce for a time. AS
entered the old structure I noticed an awkward
figure kneeling in corner and praying devoutly
He a soldiers uniform and by his side lay
6n old dilapdated -iouch hat The kneeIing man
vas absorbed in prayer that he did not notice
my entrance. When he at length arose 1 ad-
dressed him. I found that he a very devouu
man and a great believer in prayer, lie told me
lie officer in the Confederate army though
one could hardly have told It from his uniform
At last the storm abated and I 70 90. remark
ing that I wished I knew where I could find Old
EtoDewaN' You want General Jackson -
he asked. I replied that I did-that I had cis-
patches for him. Well was his quiet reply I
can save you ride Give me the dispatches. I
an "Old Stonewall' You General Jackson" /
could not help eXclaiming in astonish'nent, and
then bit my lip. Yes he said with a quiet twin
kle in his eye. he
In the Old Chapel graveyard took place Z bitter
skiErniSh in which General MOsby nearly lost his
hfet The chapel stands midway between the TWO
little towns OF NillwOOd and BerryviIle. generally
called Battletown because Of the numerous fights
that have taken place there. Both these LITTLE
towns are connected by rock roads with Winchester
and Smokers and Ashby's gaps, in the Blue
Ridge Mountains, and the ferries leading to
ther-Berry's and Casteman's. Despite their size
they were places of considerable strategic impor-
lance and were occupied first by the Confederates
and then by the Union troops, the tide Of war
sbbed and flowed.
In 1852 Sheridan's army practically controlled the
valley. There was a regimental camp in Berry
Vile, company camp Mllwood, picSets along
the road and both ferries We're heavily guarded AT
Winchester lay the main body Of the federal army
But across the river, in the depths Of the Blue
hdoge Mountains, were encamped AOsby and his
famous troopers. who almost nightly forded the
fiver cut off wagon trains captured a detached
party, or made some wild ride through the heart
OF the federal camps. Efforts were made time and
trne again by Union commanders to cut off this
caring chieftain, but they were futile. Mosby st
remained the thorn in their side The fed eTal
thoriues for a time went far as to hang Mosby's
men when they lucky enough TO capture
mined to demand a life for a life, this inhuman
policy dropped
One day Mosby's scouts brought in word that he
might capture the detachment at Mwood by a
sudden attack and get back TO the mountains be-
6ofrevkmfrepl -bwfhs cmfwyp shrdu etaOi rhsn toe
before sufficiently large force could be concen-
trated to capture him. That same night MOsby,
with his famous Black Horse cavalry behind him,
counting eighty sabres, fordcd The Shenan-
ooah between Berry's and Castlemau's ferries and
Just above the Vineyard, the home Of the Cookies,
and, riding by byrOsds, came out in the rear Of
Milwood. Forming in columns Of fours. Mosby
charged the federal company camped in the town.
ana taking Il completely by surprise captured or
sabred the entire company before the men could
get 10 their horses. The work OF mounting his
prisoners and securing their and supplies,
however, took time, and Mosby knew that the
hring had been heard in Berryville and by the
ioroe al Berry's Ferry detachments from both or
which were probably converging on him at gaop'