The St. Mary banner., 1911-12-09

get into Longstreet's hands is imnera.
tive: indeed. | will say to YOU the
very safety Of this army depends m
on It's reaching him before his ad.
vance passes Bear Fork. There re-
mains, therefore. no time for anv long
detour; the messenger who bears 1t
must take his life In his hands and
ride straight westward througb the
very lines of the enemy"
he spoke these words rapidIy
earnestly: then suddenly he lifted mis-
eyes TO mine. and said firmly: Il am
perfectly frank with you. Are you
the man."
| felt the hot blood leap into my
face. but | met his stern gaze without
flinching.
III | live. General Lee. shall meet
mis- advance at Bear Fork by day
break"
God guide you: believe you will"
His words seemed uttered uncon
sciously. He turned slightly. and
glanced toward the door. Major
Holmes. will you kindly hand me the
draft Of that dispatch?"
he took the paper from the out
stretched hand Of the aide. read 1t
over slowly and with great care.
wrote word of explanation upon the
margin. and then extended 1t to me.
Commit that to memory. word by
word. to your memory: we must run
no possible risk of Its ever falling into
the enemy's hands"
can see 1t now. that coarse yellow
paper-the clear. upright penmanship.
the words here and there misused and
corrected. the sentence scratched out,
the heavy underlining OF a command.
and his own strangely delicate sigma
ture at the bottom
Headquarters. Army Northern Vir-
ginia.
In the field. near Custer House.
Sept %. 2 P Nj.
Lieutenant General Longstreet.
Commanding Left Wing.
Sir: You will advance your entire
force by the Connection and Sheffield
pixies, so as to reach Castle Rock with
your full infantry command by day
break. September Goth. Let this su-
persede all other orders. propose to
attack in force in the neighbOrhood OF
Sailors ford. and shall expect you to
advance promptly at the first sound
of our artillery II Is absolutely essen
tial that we form prompt connection
of forces. and to accomplish this re-
suit will require quick persistent at
tack upon your part You are HEREBY
ordered to throw your troops forward
| without reserve. permitting them to
be halted by no oSstac:e. until they
come into actual touch with my col
| umns. The success or failure OF my
plans will depend utterly upon your
strict observance of these orders,
"R E. LEE.
General Commanding"
| handed back the paper. and lifted
my hand In salute.
You have memorized it?"
Word for word. sir"
Repeat it to me-"
He held the paper before him as
did so. and at the close lifted his eyes
! again to my face
Very good" he said. quietly. Nov
let there be no mistake: repeat 1t over
20 your companion as you proceed un'
! til be has memoriZed 1t. and one OF
YOU must live long enough to reacn
Longstreet | advise you to take the
| Langley road-it is the most pro-
tected, and not try to pass beyond
the old Coulter plantation until after
dark. or you will run the risk OF be
Ing observed by the enemy's pickets
| Beyond this ! must leave all to your
own discretion"
He paused, and | still fingered
thinking he might have something
more to add.
Are you one OF the Waynes OF
Charlottesville?" he asked gravely
| Colonel Richard Wayne was my
father. sir"
"Ah, indeed! remember him
well:" and his face lit up with most
tender smile. I'VE we're together 10
Mexico. A Virginia gentleman OF the
| old school He Is dead. believe!
He was killed. sir. the first year
| of the war"
| Il remember: 1t was at Antietam
And your mother? If my memory Is
not at fault she was Pierpont?"
! She is now In Richmond. Sir. and
the old plantation is but ruin.
War is indeed sad" he said slow
ly: "and I often feel that our southern
women are compelled to bear the
brunt OF it. What heroines they have
nroven! History records no equal
70 the daily sacrifices have witnessed
in the past three years God grant II