The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-02-17

to Strausburg, followed by Col. T. T. Mum
ford who, l believe, succeeded Gen. Turner
Ashby in command of the cavalry in the
Valley.
On the next morning, June 9th, jackson
crossed over the south fork of the Shenan-
doah River at Port Republic, and after
heavy fight he not only repulsed but routed
Shields army. There was no need to send
cavalry after Sheilds-in fact Jackson had
none to send-but from the way Shields
men left the field they hardly stopped south
of the Potomac. Jackson moved his army
several miles south Of Port Republic to
Wier's Cove and rested there week.
1t was started that when he was ready to
move Jackson sent Lee a dispatch stating
that on certain hour of certain evening
he would be in the rear of Mcclellan at
Mechanicsville, near Richmond, and it is
further stated that he was not five minutes
out of time. He then marched his army
over the Blue Ridge Mountains at jar
mans Gap, thence through Charlottesville,
Gordonsvile, Louisa Court House and
Ashland-distance $40 or $50 miles-and
was up to date.
| No sooner had Jackson fired signal
gun when Lee opened on Mcclellan at
Mechanicsville, who knew as we'll as Lee,
that an enemy was in his rear. ''Little
Mac" put up the best fight he could until
| dark. and then retreated to Gaines Mill
and Cold Harbor.
From Cold Harbor he retreated after
dark to Savage's Station, thence to White
Oak Swamp and to Malvern Hill and Har-
rison's Landing. After his army was safe
under the gunboats at Harrison's Landing,
Yankee-Gke, he telegraphed to Washing
ton that he was not whipped, but had only
changed his base to be near his supplies;
when it was a glazing fact he had been
beaten like dog no less than six times.
But Mcclellan was fair sort of gen.
eral. have heard it stated that Lee pro-
nounced him the best general he met on
the Northern side during the war. He
was an engineer as we'll. When he started
up the Peninsular in 1862 the idea forced
itself upon him that something wrong
might happen to his army. and all the way
up to Richmond he selected strongholds,
and had them fortified, and notwithstand-
ing he had more men than Lee, be had to
fall back to his fortified places until he was
we'll under his gunboats at Harrison's
Landing. McClellan's loss must have
been frightful.
AS soon as Lees army had rested in
front of Mcclellan, he detached Stonewall
Jackson to go to Gordonsville and feel
Bully John Pope at Cedar Mountain, in
Culpeper County. (See Jackson's march
around Pope and Second Battle of Manas-
sas). From Manassas Jackson came up
with Pope at Chantilly or OK Hill, where
Gen. Phil Kearney, one of the best officers
Mcclellan had, was killed, no doubt, by
William Singleton of the Bossier Volun-
teers.
From Chantilly Jackson's next move was
on Harper's Ferry, where he captured
more men than he had in his own Army
Corps. Jackson, as we'll as other men, had
his humor, especially when he had gained
big victory. 1t is related of him that
when he was nearly through paroling his
big lot of prisoners at Harper's Ferry an
aid rode up to him with dispatch from
Lee that he was sorely pressed at Sharps-
burg. He quietly remarked to the aid to
go back and tell Gen. Lee that he would be
at Sharpsburg at certain hour and a GER
tain minute, and that he could whip any
army with long wagon train and big
drove of beef cattle which ran through
his Army Corps and inspired his men. He
was on hand at the appointed time and
placed the Louisianians (his iron clads) at
difficult place to hold He rode up to
them and in his positive way said, "Men,
| put you here to hold this place and you
must hold it," He rode off, no doubt feel
ing satisfied that they would obey his COM
mand, and they did too, but at fearful cost.
1t was an all day stand up and fight in open
fields. McClellen, who had again been
placed in command, had, it is reported,
eighty-six thousand men of all arms, and
Lee had only thfrty-six thousand, or fifty
thousand men less than the enemy. At
nightfall the Confederates held every part
of their line and in some places had pushed
the enemy back. Lee lay all next day
waiting for an attack, but Mcclellan had
enough. The next night Lee recrossed the
Potomac, but put A. P. Hills Division in