Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-03-29
A Short War Story.

ed, and publicly received the bread and
wine of the holy communion
A Short War Story.
Captain ]. G. Morrison, IN the
Weekly Times, gives an interesting ac-
count of the surrender of the Federal
garrison of Harpers Ferry in Sep
TENDER, 1862. He makes no mention,
however, Of an incident of the surren-
der, which, as illustrating the cour-
tesy Of General Jackson toward pris-
oners of war, l think should find
place in the annals of the War"
After the capitulation, the Federal
troops, numbering upward of twelve
thousand men, were separated into sew
eral large bodies about the size of an
ordinary brigade each, and it is quite
possible that in the division their reg
ular brigade organization may have
been preserved. These several bodies
of prisoners were placed for greater
security and ease of guarding and to
facilitate the paroling of them alter
nately between the different Confeder-
ate brigades. In this formation the whole
captors and captives were lying on the
side of road leading into the village
of Harper's Ferry on the afternoon of
the day Of surrender. Suddenly ire
mendous cheering and yelling was
heard coming from the right, which
was taken up rapidly and repeated
down the line.
what is the meaning of that?" rath-
err nervously asked a Federal soldier
| of an officer of Branch North Carroll
ma Brigade.
"Oh, nothing" replied the other,
| laughing; sit must be Stonewall Jack
son or a rabbit" quoting a we'll
known expression of the Confederates
when accounting for an unusual COM
motion. Sure enough, upon looking
| up the road, General Jackson was
seen approaching, riding very rapidly
alone, some distance in advance of
| his staff officers. AS he passed the
Confederate commands they cheered
him vociferously, to which he replied
merely by a stiff military salute, with
out checking his speed. When he ap"
preached the Federal prisoners, to our
surprise, they greeted him with cheers
as enthusiastic as those of the Confed-
crates. Instantly there was a change.
| Pulling his horse down to a walk Gen
| eral Jackson passed slowly down the
| line of prisoners, acknowledging their
cheers with low bows and head uncov-
| cred. 1t was a gallant sight, this spon-
| taneous outburst Of admiration by gal
liant foemen, and it's chivalric acknowl-
| edgment Possibly some of the Fed
eral soldiers then present may recall
| the scene.
Of a very different character was
| the reception Of a Confederate officer
| by General Jubal Early short time
after. General Early had been left in
command to complete the paroling of
prisoners, removal of supplies, etc,
| and had issued orders strictly forbid
ding any one to go into Harper's Fer
ry. The place was filled with sup
| plies of all kinds, and many anXious
and longing looks were cast in that di-
rection by hungry Confederates. At
| last a number of officers determined to
try to get permission to go into the
town and selected by lot one Of their
number to bell the cat.' The officer
approached General Early and sa-
| luted
What do you want?" asked the
General, not very graciously-
81 came" replied the officer, ito ask
permission for myself and my brother
officers to 60 into Harper's Ferry
"H-m-m,' growled the General; you
know the orders, sir, do you not?''
Eyes General, but
"What is your rank and branch Of
the service?" interrupted the General,
| turned the officer
Captain and Quartermaster," re-
| turned the officer
| The General eyed him for a mo-
ment with a look that made the officer
| feel that charging a battery single
| handed would have been relief, and
said as he turned away:
my God! I thought so. Oh yes,
of course! Go long, sir; go long, go
long"