The Press., 1914-12-30
A WARTIME: BLUFF
1t Was Wor. ei Ly Sto1eNaIi
 Jac.,son, ~n1 It Ion.
HIS MOST l..1PO.:T;,,JT OLDER

1t Was Given by tte Cool Headed Con-
 federate Commander to Confused
 Federal Soldier, and 1t Was Prompt
 Iv Obeyed-A Lucky Escape.
 Perhaps the most important order that Stonewall Jackson ever issued- certainly the most vital to himsef-1s not in the official war records. The order was given ill person by Jackson tO northern artillery officer as he stood in full uniform ready for battle beside his gun. and, strangest Of all, was at once executed by him. with the result that the battle was lost by the Federal arms.
 J,cl<Sons action on this occasion fur nishes striking illustration of the value of cool head and presence Of mind in an emergency-On an lmpOr- tant occasion when the entirely uneX- pected happens-at time when way ering or indecision would result in dis aster. That he was able instantly to grasp the situation and daringly mas ter it is tribute to his quickness of judgment and his courage.
 It was on d spring morning i'll 1852, just before the battle of Port Repuh- lie Jackson in advance of his troops. With only single escort, galloped across the bridge over the Shenandoah ri1ser into the town, which stood on the east bank. Learning that the army | ' General Shields was still good many miles away and confident that his own troops would be in possession long before the enemy, he rode to residence at the farther end of the vil' lage, where he spent nearly an hour.
 But meantime the energetic Shields whom Jackson declared to be his most formidable Opponent-had thrust for ward small, swift column to occupy Port Republic, seize the bridge and halt JacksOn's advance. So rapidly did it move that it gained both objects without firing shot. More than that. Jackson was prisOner-if any one had known it!
 Jackson, in utter ignorance of tn" disastrous change, mounted his horse and ambled down the main street to the bridge. What was his astOnish-
  -busily moving to and fro about the bridgehead and throwing up intrench- ments and Notifications. Planted on a little knoll that commanded the bridge and it's approaches was a formidable field gun.
 Fortunately for Jackson, the recent campaigns up and down the valley had faded both blue and gray uniforms into a nondescript drab. As Jackson sat on his horse and watched the busy scene he formed his plan swiftly. He could not go back. He must cross that bridge. That was his only chance. It was the drowning field gun that he feared. He must put 1t out of cOmmis sion long enough to get beyond its range, Throwing up his hand to at tract attention. he shouted to the Of ticer in command of the gun:
 What are you doing with that gun up there? I didn't order 1t there, and don't want it therew There were au- thority and petulance in his voice as he added Timber up and run 1t over On that knob over there!
 The officer at the gun, thinking that he had to deal with some superior of ficer recently arrived, hastened to obey without question, explaining in self de- fense that he had understood his orders otherwise.
 Sitting on Little Sorrel while the Federal troops worked busily about him, Jackson calmly waited until the gun was numbering off to it's new po- sition. Then he rode quietly across the bridge and up the other bank un- til he was we'll out of musket range. Then he turned, waved his hand to the HstOnished Federals, and, putting spurs to his horse, galloped away from the rain of bullets that battered harmlessly in the rear.
 Had he been captured the Confeder- ate victory at Port Republic which he won a few hours later would not have happened. The able and energetic Shields would have defeated his troops, stunned by his loss.-Youth's Companion.