Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1921-02-25
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
(By ]. w. Bakcr)

/ tBy J. w. Baker)
Next installment OF Mr.. Bakers
rcminescenses will appear in next
paper, he says:
Dear Editor:
hereafter my articles shall be
nrief. have always been greatly in
terested in StOnewall Jackson's Val
ICY Campaign in 1852, and thank
my bit.
In my next hope to impress Won
with the utterly WORKOUT and OK
hausted condition of Jackson's army
how altogether impossible it was
Tor this army to make any sustained
effort at Richmond, why day was
lost ON the Chickahominy-and so
Mcclellan escaped to Malvern Hill.
Banks, Fremont, and Milroy hav-
! ing been forced to retire Gen. Jack
son held the field of battle. He could
not remain there for he had n rem
devious with General Lee and the
day was near at hand. want the
readers of this to understand condi-
tons so will go into details.
The battle of Port Republic was
Fought on the north bank of the
Shenandoah river.
The bridge over the river WAS
near. Between the river and the Blue
Ridge Mountains was good road.
The wagon trains crossing the bridge
and going up the river reached safe
ty Gen. Shields owing to high water
could not take part in the battle. He
was on tie south side of the river
| more than mile below the bridge
booming mountain stream cross
, ing the road little below the
bridge had to be passed before we
could try conclusions with his com
mand. In Stonewall Jackson's army
were many engineers with sheep
skins from many schools. But he
/ did not send for these to help him
over this stream. With his army was
Mr.. Claiborne Mason. He wa: ncv-
er in school, knew lite of books.
HIS wife (kin to my grandmother)
taught him to write his name. For
years ne had been engaged in big
undertakings. He had learned by do
ing. Gen. jackson called him can
tain, but he was no captain. Had
you asked the fellows in Richmond
to commission a man without book
knowledge they would have gone in
to spasms. But Gen. jackson needed
man who could build bridge when
there was no matrial, so he sent for
Mr.. Mason. No one in all the army
carried i'll his skull better thinking
machine. From my viewpoint there
was no better educated man in the
army. Anyhow, he was the man
sent for at the close of the battle to
build the bridge
jackson told Mason to call for
anything he needed, but the bridge
must be completed at sun rise the
next morning. Capt. Mason called
for 1000 men, ali the ropes and
Chains they had and some wagons.
Took his material to the creek. filled
the wagons with rock, fastened one
end of his ropes TO wagon, and
made about 700 of the boys swim
the creek with the other ends. Then
by pulling and pushing placed the
wagon in the creek. Others follow
! cd until the channel was crossed. But
! the stream poured over the top of
the wagons, SO platform was con-
structed and timber laid. across. At
daybreak Capt. Mason was Mt Jack
sons tent. AT sunrise the 4th Viz
ginia brigade, following the Louis
lana brigade, commanded by Gen.
Dick Taylor, crossed the bridge. He
was the son of old Rough and Ready,
who made great reputation for
himself in the Mexican War and was
elected president in 1913.
Between the road and the river.
gong east, was n geat body of level,
cleared, land. At the lower end was
hill, on this hill Shields had plant
ed his guns. These were located to
wipe us from the earth as we march
ed to the attack. But we did not go
That way. We took to the tall tim
hpl. md h1-i1ch nf IL.
mountain. When opposite the guns
the Louisiana brigade charged Soon
after we followed When we we're
some $50 yards of the guns | pass
ed in ten feet of Major Bob Wheat.
Ills coat was off. his sleeves were
rolled up and bloody, in his hand
was Bowie knife red with blood
lie cried out, Boys we captured the
guns but could not hold them; YOU
Will find them there because we cut
the horses throats." write this
that you may know what n child of
hell war is. When got among the
runs the first man | saw was Dick
Taylor He was smoking n short
pipe. and looked as calm as Nav
morning; as if no wave of trouble
lad ever crossed his peaceful breast
10 me he was a wonder. The 18th
Virginia followed Shields five miles.
The boys threw away their stuff and
not handicapped, outran us. 1t was
dark when we got back to camp. It
frainel. That night got under a
ic.an'ne tree and dosed thru the
night. Next morning in trying to get
20 = wagon not far of l fell three
times. You see fatigue and starva-
ton had got in their work.
| finally got to n wagon when n
dear friend filled me up with fried
bacon, grease, cornbread. You have
| no inS0 hnty ooO.l - ,.,o.