The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-30

but he demanded a return in kind. IL
he had not become a great man. and
better still, a greatly loved man, all
schooiboy signs would have failed. /
loved him then and now revere his
memory"
There you have him before you a
square boy, a high minded boy. an
| ambitious boy, Zfted boy--ready
P, 10 ripen under the fervid heat and strife
Of war into valiant soldier and a
true patriot.
storm of war burst over Virginia.
Daniel withdrew from the Academy
returned to his home in Lynchburg.
and enlisted as private In the Wise
his native city. His knowledge OF tao
tics gained in the Lynchburg Military
Academy soon brought him commits
sion. On the sth of May, 1851, he was
appointed Second Lieutenant in the
Provisional Army of Virginia. was as
signed to duty with Company c, 9th
Virginia Infantry, the nucleus of the
famous Stonewall Brigade. and was or
I Lieutenant Colonel Thomas J. Jack
son. There he spent several busy
weeks as drill-master
At Historic Bull Itun.
Our next picture of him comes from
the historic battle-ground of Bull Run.
Already he had been hit twice. Once
a flying fragment from an exploded
shell struck his head. but his cap saved
him from serious hurt. Again a spent
bullet struck him full In the breast
and felled him to the ground: this
time II was the metal button on his
coat which saved him Presently in a
fierce charge the reRimental color
sergeant was shot down. Daniel sprang
to his side. seized the standard. waived
II aloft, and with ii pressed forward
rifle bullet found him. and shot
through the left hip he fell to the
earth. Using two muskets as erutches
he limped from the field and was later
borne away and sent to his home in
Lynchburg where for several weeks
he remained on bed of fevereG suf-
fering.
Another picture comes to us His
gallant conduct at Bull Run secured
him well deserved promotion. He is
now First Lieutenant and Adjutant of
his regiment. 18th Virginia Infantry
Lee had outgeneraled Mcclellan, cross
ed the Potomac and advanced into
Maryland With his wonted sudacity
he had divided his little army, although
In the presence of a superior force of
the enemy. had sent Jackson back to
reduce Harper's Ferry. and with Long
street was awaiting Jacksons return.
His purpose was first to crush Nc
Clellan by the simultaneous impact of
his two victorious corps and then.
marching upon Washington. dictate an
honorable peace beneath the dome of
the national capitol. Suddenly after
nightfall of the 18th of September.
1862, the news comes that by some
fatal error on the part Of Lees staff,
the copy OF his general orders sent to
p. ii. Hill had been duplicated; that
one of the two copies had been lost
at Frederick, found by Union civilian,
and placed in McCellan's hands
The emergency was frightful. II
Mcclellan had been capable of swift
and vigorous action, 1t would have
been easy for him to occupy the noun
L. 4,
the divided corps of Jackson and Long
street, and annihilate Lee in detail.
Grey troops were hurried back to
Crampton's and Turner's Gaps, and to
the latter point Daniels regiment was
sent. The Federal assault upon this
position began at seven o'clock on the
morning of the i4th of September,
lS62--one Confederate brigade defend
ing the pass against eighteen Federal
brigades. The Southerners were press
ed slowly back and back the general
was killed. the men were utterly ex-
hausted But before their adversaries
could utilize their advantage, Confed
crate achievements came up, dark
ness fell. and the day was saved.
1t is in the midst of this desperate
and unequal conflict that we get our
new picture of Daniel He stands in
line OF battle guarding the mountain
pass, and as he shifts his pistol from
one hand to the other the bullet from
Federal rifle perforates the hand
tHAL kfaSpS tne weapon anu lttllsHs
itself against the pistol stock. Daniel
slipped his unwounded hand into his
pocket, drew out and opened his pocket
knife. then coolly slit the skin of his
hand and picked the bullet out. When
the days OF peace returned he had
II mounted as a watch-charm and
wore it for a souvenir of this heroic
day. Luckily no bones were broken.
tempered with. and Daniel was again
perforce off duty for many weeks.
Major Mt Twenty.
One more picture; the date Is March.
1853. Our boy soldies la a Major now
Major at twenty In u Army of
Northern Virginia. Assistant Adjutant
Eariy's staff. NO Lynchburger needs
to be told who Jubsl Early was; dour
old fighter with his grim air and his
rasping tongue. and behind 1t all
heart compact of pure courage and
Kindness and honor and truth. Daniel
himself has sketched him for us--"a
man of peace before the war, man
of battles during the, war, a hero in
fidelity and fortitude after the war,
Gus memories" They were both your
and you can picture
them side by side. the bearded old
with his classic face and his patrician
air. Abrupt. rough, peremptory, for
midable, Early whips out one of his
usual oaths and orders Daniel upon
some urgent duty, The young adju-
tanf drew himself to attention, looked
the old general squarelS in the eye.
and with perfect courtesy and calm
answered:
general. when ron address me as
one gentleman should address another,
I will obey your ordersy but not other
WISE"
The bullets of Bull Run and Boons-
boro were nothing to this. But Early
was too true a man. too good a soldier.
not to see his own fault and make
swift amends The relation of general
and staff officer grew into a devoted
friendship. and in that splendid eulogy
pronounced by Daniel above Early's
open grave we hear the voice not of
a subordinate recounting the exploits
of his honored chieftain; not of a
comrade, sharer of ten thousand glori-
Gus memories; but the voice of loyal
and loving son, who heaps laurels
and rains tears upon his dead fathers
beloved form.
We must hurry on down the long
gallery of these heroic scenes; time
presses and l can make room for but
one more picture from this period OF
Daniels life We pass Fredericks-
bnrg. Winchester. Gettysburg; SPLEEN
orous deeds of Early and Early's d.
vision they may not detain us The
time is the springtide of 1864; the
place the Wilderness of Spotsylvania
Amid these dim thickets. where the
battle smoke and blood-reek OF Chan
seemed still to linger. Lee
and his Immortal ARMY of Northern