The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-11-18
A WARTIME BLUFF
1t Was Worked by StonewaII
Jackson, and 1t Won.
HIS MOST IMPORTANT oRDE6

II Was Given BY the Cool Headed Con-
federate Commander to Confused
Federal Soldier, and II Was Prompt
Iy cbeyed-A Lucky Escape.
Perhaps the most important order
that StonewaI Jackson ever issued
certainly the most vital TO himseif-is
not in the official war records The
order was given In person by Jackson
to a northern artillery officer as he
stood in full Uniform ready for hattie
beside bis gun. and. strongest Of all.
was at once executed by him. with the
result that the battle was lost BIZ the
Federal arms
Jackson's action on this occasion fur
nishes a striking illustration of the
value of cool head and presence of
mind in an emergency an impor-
tant occasion when the entirely nnex
pected happens-af a time when way
ering or indecision would result in dis
aster. That he was able instantly To
grasp the situation and daringly mas
ter 1t is a 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. gaIloped
across the bridge over the Shenandoah
river into the town. which stood on the
east bank. Learning that the army
of General Shields was still a good
many miles away and confident that
his own troops would be in possession
long before the enemy. he rode to a
residence at the farther end OF the vii
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 lackson'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 the
disastrous change. mounted bis horse
and ambled down the main street to
the bridge What was his astonish-
ment to see groups of soldiers-in blue.
-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 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 1t
was the fPowning field gun that he
feared He must put it out of commits
sion long enough to get beyond its
range. Throwing up his hand to at
tract attention. be shouted to the of
ficer in command of the gun:
What are you doing with that gun
up there? | didn't order it there, and
i don't want it there" There were au-
thority and petulance in his voice as
he added. Timber up and run it over
ON that knob over there
The officer at the gun. thinking that
he had to deal with some superior of.
ficer recently arrived. FASTENED to obey
without question. explaining in self de-
Tense that be had understood his orders
otherwise.
Sitting on Little SorreI while the
Federal troops worked busily about
him. Jackson calmly waited until the
gun was numbering of to its new po,
sition Then he rode quietly across
the bridge and up the other bank IN
Til be was we'll out of musket range
Then he turned. waved his hand to the
astonished Federals. and. putting spurs
to his horse. galIoped away from the
rain of bullets that battered harmlessIy
In the rear.
Had he been captured the Confeder