The National tribune., 1909-01-07

ton to his right flank, and he deployed
his left wing along the Upper Rapidan
from the railroad to Liberty Mills. Hill,
with his corps. took this position, while
Ewell and his corps watched Mine Run,
and Lee established his headquarters on
Clark's Mountain, from which he could
Survey the whole field. He had at that
time something like $4,000 electives,
and Meade was accurately informed as
TO his force. By means of the railroad
and the two turnpikes Lee could easily
concentrate his whole army upon any
threatened point Lee built works to
cover the Rapidan and the lower part
of Mine Run, but these stopped at
Bartletts Mill, an important fact of
which Meade was Informed by his
scouts. who also brought him the in
formation that there were no defenses
on either of the two turnpikes.
John Minor Bolts.
1t may be well to pause for a mo-
ment to give an amusing account of a
character very familiar to the Army of
the Potomac and who is thus described
with the Army of the Potomac"
My brigade was now encamped on
| the land of Mr.. John Minor Bolts, q
iVrginian who had played a marked role
/ in the old Whig Party. He had adroitly
manuyered his bark in the midst of the
political storms which Immediately pre-
ceded the tardy secession of his State.
Since then he had made an opposition
TO the Richmond Government, temper
ate in reality, but sufficiently noisy in
manner to be able to take advantage
of ii with US, as an evidence of Union
sentiments. This able man had found
means to feed at both racks. As soon
1 as he saw us on his vast property. of
which a part, it was said, was only a
deposit left in his hands, by means of
pretended sales by the rebels serving in
the armies of the Confederacy, his first
care was. naturally, to make as much
as possible out of the circumstance. He
Immediately sought Gen. Meade. He
told him, in moving terms, of the per-
i secdions TO which he had been SUBJ
jectsd on the part of the Confederates
and the deEastations his property had
had to suffer. On these grounds he de-
rnanded the protection of the General
commanding, and finished by asking in
regard TO an indemnify for the losses
caused by our troops. Gen. Meade will
ingly acceGed to his requests and as
my headquarters were the nearest to
| the house, L received orders to call on
/ Mr.. Bolts, and agree with him as to
/ what could be done.
! ITO my great surprise found house
surrounded by grounds in good order.
and where no mark of the war was
| dppdrehtr except IN tne reuuctiOn OF tne
household service. The white fences
were intact. Inside of them the sheep
1 grazed. the turkeys gobbled, the chick
ems ciucked. the geese ate the grass,
and the plump ducks slept with their
bills under their wings. This was a
rural sight which we had long before
lost the habit of seeing in Virginia NY
Aids were not less surprised than my
self. and it appeared to US that, how
ever great a victim the honorable Mr.
Bolts had been. he had nevertheless
succeeded in saving some valuable re-
mains from the shipwreck. A stairway
of several steps led us to a piazza, COW
feraa ~ the projection of a Greek front,
supported by high columns. The door
was opened to us, and We passed into
the house.