Year: 1877

That was an awful day when that Confed-
crate lion, Stonewall Jackson, crept upon poor
Hooker hidden in the Wilderness. Lee on
one side-Jackson on the other, and the woods
around Charlottesville shook and trembled,
and we're almost swept from the face of the
earth by the whirring round-shot the Kissing
shell and the screaming grape. shot. Men
were struck stone dead as the battle line ad-
vanced or retreated. White.faced recruits
and bronzed faced veterans were torn to frag-
ments and hurled against the living. Wound.
ed men fell in their tracks to be crsuhed in the
earth by the great limbs cut from trees by shot
and shell. The roar If guns, the crackle of
musketry, the fierce shouts and awful groans
made such hell upon earth of that battle
field as was never seen before or after.


Fighting Joe Hooker was in box, but not
a man in his great army dreamed that it was
so until the long gray line of Stouewall Jack
son came creeping through the quiet forest at
8 o'clock on that ever to be remembered End
day of May, 1863. The light earthworks had
been thrown up to face another way, toward
Lee. All lines faced Lee, all men we're look.
ing for Lee, when three divisions of Confede.
rates. moving with soft step, took Hooker's
army in the rear, and drove one brigade pell.
NELL into and over another, until veteran SOL
ders were without strength or presence of
mind. That awful night when


THE WOUNDED WERE BEING BURIED ALIVE
in the woods, and the dead were thicker than
the leaves just broadening into full life, re-
port ran through the reGrganized ranks that
the great Stonewal Jackson had been killed.
Thousands believed it, but three of us, lying
side by side in the new battle line born after
night came down, put no faith in the rumor.
Why we did not is what started to write
about.


Stuart's cavalry had been following up
Hooker's army, but it was like rat following
in the footsteps of horse. Lee was so far
away, and coming up so slowly, that Hooker
had time to throw up light earthworks, seize
the best ground, fell trees to protect his fanks,
and make ready to shatter and hurl back the
expected attack. On that second day of
May his soldiers, hidden in the woods or ly.
ing in the fields, washed their clothing, wrote
letters home, made comfortable beds for them
selves, and were not in the least troubled
about what another week would bring forth.
AS a deep river suddenly bends to avoid a
bluff, so did that great army of Lees bend to
avoid the Wilderness. 1t split in two, to at
tack at given hour on both sides, and Joe
Hooker sat in his tent and congratulated him
self on his impregnable position-considered
impregnable by him when two great high.
ways ran along the rear of half of his army.
So universal was the feeling of security that
soon after noon three infantry men started out


TO BEG, BUY OR FORAGE FOOD.


Sigel's corps was on Hooker's west flank, and
commanded that day by Howard. Part of
this corps faced the old turnpike and plank
road, part faced the other way. Most of the
men were hidden in the woods, and behind
ridges, and up the broad highways, which
should have been first looked to, Stuart was
pushing his cavalrymen as skirmishers We
three men were beyond Sigel's corps, and on
the point of entering farm house from which
everybody had fled, when, less than rifle shot
away, we caught sight of the Confederate ad-
vance. The cavalrymen were advancing
slowly, evidently expecting to find a heavy
guard at some point, but at the time we inag.
ined that less than giment of Stuarts men
were feeling along up to pick up stragglers,
locate positions, &c. We, at least, did not
fear them, and the proposition to enter the
house and secure better view of the roads
speedily conveyed us to a chamber window.
We could see but little more from that post,
but we did see, soon after reaching it,


THAT SAME sToNEwALL JACKSON,


ride from shelter out upon the turnpike in
full view, attended by only three or four Of
ficers. He had come out there to make OBJ
servations. Like cat, before she destroys
the mouse, he was wondering at what point
he should strike to disable his victim soonest.


Grim minded and sour-tempered was the
third man of us, and wars horrors delighted
him. When he had taken the second look at
the little party sitting on their horses in the
omen road, q wicked smile crossed his face
and he whispered:


"By the hundred gods of the heather but
that chap on the left there is old Stonewall
jackson, and I'm going to drop him"


Old Pete, our sour-tempered companion,
had a first class Minnie rifle with him. He
had carried it for several months, in some way
escaping the attention of the inspector, and
in some way always secured ammunition for
it. l saw him, in st least half dozen in
stances, shoot down videttes or skirmishers
..,.s,oJ o., bo hole q noilo and he