Milford chronicle., 1914-10-02
A WARTIME BLUFF
It Was Worked by StOnewaIl
J Jackson, and It Won.
HIS MOST IMPORTANT ORDER
Il Was Given BY the Cool Headed Con.
fsderats Commander to . Confused
Federal Soldier, and Il Was Prompt
ly obeyed-A Lucky Escape.

Perhaps the most important order
that StOnewal Jackson ever issued
certainly the most vital to himself-is
not IN the Oflcial war records. The
order was given In person by Jackson
to a 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.
Jackson's action on this occasion fur
nishes a striking Illustration Of the
value Of a 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 be was able instantly 70
grasp the situation and daringly mas
ter it is a tribute to bis Quickness Of
judgment and his courage.
II was on a spring morning In 1862,
Just before the battle Of Port Repub-
lie Jackson In advance OF his troops,
with only a single escort, galIOped
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
bait JacksOns advance. So rapidly did
It move that II gained both objects
without firing shot More than that,
Jackson was a prisOner-if any one
had known III
jackson. In ntter ignorance OF the
disastrous change. mounted bis horse
Ind ambled down the main street TO
he bridge. What was bis astonish.
nent to see groups of sOldlers-in bluel
-busily moving to and fro about the
'ridgehead and throwing up intrench-
nents and Notifications. Planted on a
title knoll that commanded the bridge
nd its approaches was a formidable
eld gun
Fortunately for Jackson, the recent
ampaigns up and down the valley had
AIDED both blue and gray uniforms
1to nOndescript drab. As jackson
1t on bis horse and watched the busy ,
Gene be formed his plan swiftly. he
ould not go back. He must cross that 4
ridge. That was his only chance. It '
'as the frOwning ield gun that he b
cared he must put It out Of commits 0
ion long enough to get beyond its g.
lnge. Throwing up his hand to at. I,
act attention. be shouted to the Of. c,
GER in command OF the gun: o.
"What are you doing with that gun h
thereG didn't order It there, and
don't want It thereP' There were au. 4,
Iority and petulance IN his voice as d,
added, Timber up and run It over "
that knob over thereg' ot
The officer at the gun. thinking that tp
bad to deal with some superior Of. ST
'er recently arrived, hastened to obey Ii
lthout question. explaining in self de- n,
nse that he had understood his orders M
herwise
Sitting on Little Sorrel while the Of
'deral troops worked busily about a
N, jackson calmly waited until the
n was numbering oG to its new Do "a
Ion. Then he rode quietly across be
3 bridge and up the other bank IN. bo
be was well out Of musket range M
len be turned. waved bis hand to the an
.onished Federals and, putting spurs
his horse, gallOped away from the IN,
q Of bullets that pattered harmlessly IN,
the rear. ,
Had he been captured the Confeder nr,
victory at Port Republic which be m,
n few hours later would not have .
opened. The able and energetic do
lelds would have defeated bis ON,
ops, stunned by bis loss.-Youth's
mpaniOn.