The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-06-03

Leaders an Opportunity TO haIIy lheIr
Shattered Troops.
BY the REV. JAMES POWER SMITH,
Captain and Assistant Adjutant Gen.
eral on the staff of Gen. Jackson.
At daybreall on the morning of the
29th of April, 1868, sleeping in our
tents at corps headquarters, near
Hamilton Crossing, Va, we were
aroused by Major Samuel Hale of
Earlys staff, with the stirring news
that Federal troops were crossing the
Rappahannock on pontoons under Gov
er of a heavy fog General Stone
WALL Jackson had spent the night at
Mr.. Yerby's hospitable mansion near
by, where Mrs. Jackson (his second
wife, had brought her infant child for
the father to see. He was at once in
formed of the news, and promptly is
sued to his division commanders or
ders to prepare for action.
At his direction l rode a mile across
the fields to army headquarters, and
finding General Robert E. Lee still
slumbering quietly, l entered the gen
erals tent and awoke him. Turning
his feet out of his cot he sat upon it's
side as l gave him the tidings from
the front Expressing no surprise, he
playfully said
well, l thought l heard firing, and
was beginning to think it was time
some of you young fellows were com
ing to tell me what it was all about.
Tell your good general that am sure
he knows what to do. / will meet him
at the front very soon"
1t was Sedgwick who had crossed
and, marching along the river front to
impress us with his numbers, was now
intrenching his line on the river road
under cover of Federal batteries on
the north bank.
All day long we lay in the old lines
of the action of December preceding
(the battle of fredericksburg watch
ing the operation of the enemy. Nor
did we move through the next day, the
3Oth of April. During the forenoon of
the goth Gen. Lee had been informed
by General ]. e. b. Stuart of the
movement in force by Gen. Hooker
across the Rappanhannock upon Chan
cellorsville, and during the night of
Thursday, April 80, General Jackson
withdrew his corps, leaving Early and
his division, with Barksdales brigade
to hold the old lines from Hamilton
Crossing along the rear of Fredericks-
burg.
By the light OF a brilliant moon at
midnight, that passed into an early
dawn of dense mist, the troops were
moved out of sight of the enemy and
about II a m. of Friday May /, they
reached Anderson's position, confront,
ing Hooker's advance from Chancel-
louisville, near the Tabernacle Church,
on the Plank road. To meet the Army
aof the Potomac under Hooker, Gen.
Lee had of all arms about 10000 men.
At the Tabernacle Church, about
four miles east of Charlottesville, the
opposing forces met and brisk Skin
mishing began On Friday Jackson,
reaching Anderson's position, took
command of the Confederate advance
and urged on his skirmish line under
Brig. Gen. Ramseur with great vigor.
How the muskets ratified along a front
of a mile or two, across the unfenced
fields and through the woodlands!
What spirit was impaired to the line
and what cheers rolled along it's length
when Jackson and then Lee himself
appeared riding abreast of the line
along the Plank road! Slowly but
steadily the line advanced, until at
nightfall all Federal pickets and Skin.
mishers were driven back upon the
body of Hooker's force at Chancellors
Vile.
Here we reached a point, a mile and
a half from Hooker's lines, where a
road turns down to the left, and here
at the fork of the roads Gen. Lee and
Gen. Jackson spent the night resting
on the pine straw, curtained only by
the close shadow of the pine forest. A
little after nightfall / was sent by Gen
Lee upon an errand to Gen. A. p. Hill
on the stone turnpike a mile or two
north, and, returning some time later
with information of matters on oul
right l found Gen, Jackson retired tt
rest and Gen. Lee sleeping at the foo