The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-14
HOW GOLD jack FOOLED ,EM.

Fourteen men were sitting in front
OF L Willow Springs bourding- house or
"hotcll, as they call II iii the suburbs.
when the oldest one in the group said:
THAT was good paper Colonel John
,. cooper had on the battle OF Port
Republic, | VAS down there with John
G. Reid, when that night came Off"
so was J." said the next man to
information. Finally the fourteen rose
| solenin)y from their chairs on learn
| Ing that cnch and all of them had been
with Mcclellan In the Peninsula cam
patSn. Working together for many of
the pest months not one of the four
: teen had thought to discuss army life
with his companions. Brave men usu-
ally have little to say about their per.
Sonal war experiences. The best war
stories. like that of Colonel Cooper,
have never been in print.
The first speaker, whose name was
iiasey. started the conversation again
with the remark:
II read story the other day of an
entire Illinois regiment having got
full on stone fence in the Tennessee
| campaign. That's funny. but not so
funny as the fact that in 1856. Blen-
ker's division Of the Army uf the Po-
tomac, comprising nearly 10000 men
with three batteries of artillery, got
I lost going from near Manassas june
ton across tho Shenandoah Valley 10
join General Fremont. 1t was lost SO
y II,
/ General Rosecrans was finally sent out
after several weeks with Il large body
Of cavalry to find out what had be-
come OF the division.
You could hardly believe that was
true. hut there are plenty OF men to
substant!atc the statement that near
~ 10000 mon of our force were abso-
lutcly lost to the main army for over
! Two weeks, and neither the War De-
part'nent nor the commanding officers
! In the field knew where they Were IL
was about this time that the move
mens on Richmond was checked for
tho purpose of attending to Stoncwali
Jhckson's operations in tho Shenandoah
Valley. He was twenty miles from
Strasturs and we had $4,000 men on
his flank and rear within striking, dis
10 one or more
Our object IVES to capture him. You
remember that?'
The thirteen listeners nodded The
fourteenth continued:
He didn't appear 10 care n rap about
our object We did recupturc Front
Royal, which he had taken from us,
but then after we were set down in
.ne sun ana allowed to bake there
while jackson leisurely moved away
from US. was in Shields's division,
! which Gnally early in June was sent
after Jackson or at him, 10 effect his
capture. Brigudier General Carroll
was the one who got the famous order
from Shields to save the bridge at Port
Republic. the one across tho Shenan-
doah. which in his flight ii was feared
Jackson would destroy.
When General Carroll got 10 the
! Fort Republic bridge Jackson was
! across ii and in the town with his
wagon trains. His troops were on tho
! opposite side of the stream Carol!
! realized the situation at once, ana III.
ordered his artillery into position,
where they would command the bridge
and directed the officer commanding his
cavalry to take possession of the
bridge Captain Reid aided In the OK
ccution OF this command and the
| bridge was taken. In accomplishing
this ono OF Jackson's stan oiIlccrs'
Lieutenant Douglas, was captured.
saw him wounded and then
brough, In said ono OF the group.
We'll, said Hasey. Captain Reid
end of the bridge until the fracas was
over and then his wound would be al
tended TO. Just then @ mounted officer
came along. wearing hnnGIng over
across the bridge to It's west end no
stopped his horse and asked Captain
keid In short. Gruft manner:
What are YOU doing here?''
captain Reid thought he was one
Of our cavalry officers First Virginia
men. and he answered.:
II am attending to my business,
damn you, and You had better go to
your command and attend to yours
1.-THE officer excused himsclf and ro5o
off the west end of tho bridge, putting
spurs to his horse and galloping III
the hill. just then Captain Reid no.
/ tlced his prisoner having hearty
J laugh himself, and asked him what he
/ was about.
why" said Lieutenant Douglas, ~
Wis just thinking how funny ii was
that II should be reserved for q Van
) kse lieutenant TO curse Stomowail