The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-06-08

other on the Rappahannock river, il
/ Virginia. Gen. Lee had determined
to attack Pope, and conceived a plan
as brilliant as it was daring. He pur-
posed to leave one-half of his army
under Longstreet in front of Pope, and
throw the other half under Jackson,
| by circuitous march to a point
| twenty-one miles exactly between him
and Washington.
On August "a, 1862, Lee had $4,000
troops, while Pope could muster, with
Reno's corps of Burnside's division
and Reynolds division of Pennsylva-
MIA Reserves, about the same number;
but two days later Pope's army was
increased to 10000 by the arrival of
the corps of Fitz John Porter and
Heinzelman.
When the disparity in numbers OF
the contending parties is considered
Lees strategy would be pronounced
dangerous by any competent military
critic.
In pursuance of his plan and to fa-
cilitate its execution a day or two be-
fore Jackson started Lee determined Ia
throw his cavalry, under Stuart
twelve miles in Pope's rear, at Cat
let's Station, a point on the railroad
connecting Pope with his capital.
At that place were encamped the re-
serve, baggage and ammunition trains
of Pope's army. There, too, were his
Headquarters tents, with his personal
effects. Stuart captured a number or
officers and men, large sum oil
money in a safe in one of the tents ana
dispatches and other papers, but the
rain fell in such torrents and the
night was so dark that it was not pos
sible for Stuart to damage the rail-
road TO anv extent or to burn the rail
road bridges or the acres of wagons
before him. all of which, with the tel
egraph wires, would have seriously
crippled Pope.
NV command was in advance on
that terrible rainy night. l was rid
ing with the lieutenant commandln9
the platoon which formed the advance
guard. when | suddenly saw, between
the flashes of lightning, a man run
across the road.
Under the influence of the spur
NV horse in a single bound reached
the man, and under the influence oil
A pistol held to his head he told me
that he was a servant of General Pope
and was there with his headquarters
tents, which he said, were pitched IN
a clump of pines close by.
made him get up in front of one
of the troopers and guide squadron
which I detached from the leading
regiment, to the tents in the pines Ga
reaching the spot l quickly SURROUND
| ed the federal headquarters, and, see
ing a light in one of the tents, | dis
mounted and with one of my men en-
! tered it.
1t was vacant, but filled with large
number of papers, showing whefs
some one had been recently writing
There were also two glasses OF todd
on the table.
A few days thereafter I captured
squadron of the federal dragons, un
der Major Thomas Hite, of the regu
lar army, whom l had formerly know
when a cadet at West Point.
One of the officers who had jus
arrived from Washington told M
that he was at Wizards Hotel, il
that city, and seeing a crowd aroun'
Major Clary, Pope's chief quartermas
ter, Joined the group and found Clar'
telling of his escape from the rebel
at Catlett's Station, few nights be
fore.
The major said that he and Levi
NHISlldll, illb IdllCl btAhto hh tAhC "a
camp of Pope and a nephew of Gen
Lee, were in one of the tents that nigh
and that he had been working all da
over his quartermaster papers, an
in view of the fact, as well as tn
tempestuous character of the night, h
proposed to- Marshall that they shout
take drink.
The whisky was brought out" col
tinued the major, sugar was put
glasses with the proper amount
water, to which liberal allowance {
| whisky was added. l was just pou
ing the toddy from one glass to tn
other, think how soon the situatio
would be improved by swallowing
when l heard the noise of horse
hoofs, and the report of one or tN
pistol shots. l quickly put the glass;
down, saying, Il believe that is son
Il of that d rebel cavalry
III = Ali, oF tbo narrative II