The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-09-26
A WARTIME BLUFF.
1t Was Worked by stOnewalI
Jackson, and 1t Wen.
HIS MOST IMPORTANT ORDER

- "Ne S'sSH W 'tiio $estis-Ss~ NS"-
federate Commander to Confused
Federal Soldier, and lt Was Prompt
Iy obeyed-A Lucky Escape.
Perhaps the most important order
that Stonewall Jackson ever issued
certainly the most vital TO himsef-is
not in the official war records. The
order was given In person by Jackson
to northern artillery officer as he
stood In full uniform ready for battle
beside his gun. and. .strangest of ali.
was al once executed by him. with the
result that the battle vas lost by the
Federal arms.
Jackson's action on this occasion fur
nishes q striking illustration of the
value of cool head and presence OF
mind in an 'emergency-on an impor-
tant occasion when the entirely unex-
pected happens-at a time when wav-
ering or indecision would result in dis
aster. That he was able instantly to
grasp the situation and daringly mas
ter 1t is tribute to his quickness OF
Judgment and his courage. =, ~
1t was on a spring morning In 1862.
just before the battle OF Port Repub.
lie. Jackson in advance OF, his troops.
with only single escort. galoped
across the bridge over tue Shenandoah
river into the town. which stood on the
east bank. learning that the army
of General Shields was. still good
many miles away and confident that
his own troops would be i'm possession
/ long before the enemy he rode to a
residence at the farther end OF the viii
lage. where he spent nearly nm hour.
But meantime the energetic Shields
whom Jackson declared TO be his most
formidable opponent-had. thrust for.
yard small. swift column TO occupy
Port Republic. seize the bridge and
halt Jackson's advance. so rapidly did
1t move that It gained both objects
without firing a shot. More than that.
Jackson wns prisonerrif any one
had known 1t! M S
Jackson. In utter igiiorance of the
disastrous change. mounted his horse
and ambled down the main street to
the bridge. What was his astonish-
ment to see groups OF soidiefs--in blue.
--busfly moving to and fro about the
bridgehead and throwing up iEtrench
ments and fortifieations. Planted on a
little knoll that commanded the bridge
and it's approaches wac \ formidable
field gun, ,,,,
Fortunately for ,Jncksops the, recent
campaigns up and down, the valley hnd
faded both blue and gray erniforms
into a nbndeseript drabi i& AS jackson
sat on his horse and watched the busy
scene he formed his plan swiftly. he
could not go hack. He must cross that
bridge. That was his only chance. II
was the frownsng sela gHn saaat s.s
fen .ed- He must rnt it out s1f commits,
sion long enough to get beyond It's
range. Throwing up .9is shAnd To at,
tract attention. he shouted TO the Of
fcer in command of the gun:
what are you doing with tIint gun
mp there? I didn't order q there. and
! don't want 1t therei" There were au
tiiority: and Detulance; .sn his voice as
he added. Timber up and RIM II over
ca that knob over there!,
The officer at the gun. thinking thai
ne had to deaf with some superior Of
ficer recently arrIve>i. hastenedl TO obey
without question. explaining In self de
Tense that he had understood his orders
otherwise.
Sitting on Little Sorrel whlle the
Federal troops worked busiIy aboul
him, jackson calmly waited until tht
gun was numbering or TO ifs5iiew 20
sitiono Then heorode quietly acros.
the bridge ana up the other bnnk un
iytil.he was well out or tnnslyat rnnge
Thenshe turned. waved his hand to th,
astcnished Federals. and. putting spurs
10 bis horse. galloped away from thu
rain Of bullets that battered harirnlessi,
In the rear. Z, {
| Had he been captured tbe Confeder
ate victory at Port Repn5lie which b,
won u few hours later, would net hav,
happened. The able apd snergeti,
Shields would have defeated hii
troops stunned By his loss ~ outh'.
Companion.
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