THE JASPER GRAYS

THE VETERAN'S STORY

CHAPTER 3

From Manassas, we marched to Leesburg on the Potomac River, crossed at a ford by wading and went to Frederick City, Maryland. As we entered the city, our band played "Maryland, My Maryland", and finished up with "Dixie", and a loud Rebel Yell was given. We were ordered to Harper's Ferry, where a detachment of Federals were stationed. We captured them with all their guns and ammunition and rations, the latter always acceptable to a Confederate soldier. After the prisoners were paroled, orders came for us to hasten to Gen. Lee's support at Sharpsburg. Leaving Harper's Ferry at dark, we marched all night, crossing the Potomac at Martinsburg just at daybreak. We moved out about half a mile and stopped to close up the column, when a courier dashed up with orders for us to move fast, that the Yankees were pressing our line back. We were foot-sore and weary, but the booming of cannon and rattle of musketry suppled our joints. The wounded began to pass us saying: "Hurry up, boys, you are badly needed at the front." Just before reaching the battle field, we saw one poor fellow kneeling behind a tree, praying earnestly for the cruel war to close. He seemed to be badly demoralized. We formed line of battle in the rear of Whiting's division and advanced to his support. We met the Yankees in an apple orchard, drove them back, re-established our lines, took position behind a rock fence and held it until orders came to re-cross the Potomac. Thus ended the Maryland campaign. Worn out with long marches, we went into camp near Winchester, Va. A few days' rest, with plenty to eat, and quiet at night, and we were ready to take to the march again. About the 23rd of October, we broke camp and marched to the Blue Ridge Mountains to head off the Federals who were trying to get between us and Richmond. Near Culpepper Court House, we succeeded in getting past them. Our pickets were stationed on the river. The rest of the army went into camp. While there, our army received some conscripts. In a few days, the Federal Army began to advance. At the long roll beat, we fell into line in a hurry. The wind was blowing so hard that we could scarcely hear anything. We moved up a long hill with the 48th Mississippi in front. When the reached the top of the hill, one of the old conscripts beat a hasty retreat. When he reached the head of our regiment, the Colonel said: "Boys, he's thrown away all of his quilts but three/" The boys all took it up and gave the old fellow "fits" for retiring in such haste. His reply was: "Boys, I would like the best in the world to go with you, but I am not able at this time."
On reaching the top of the hill, we saw the cause of this hasty retreat. The Yanks had crossed the river and a part of our division was fighting them. The cannons were firing rapidly from both sides. We move on to the support of our division and the Yanks soon fell back. Our wagon-trains were ordered to the rear. And when the little fight was over, there was a detail made to go to the wagon-train, draw and cook two day's rations. I was one of the detail. We started out to hunt the train, expecting to find it camped three or four miles away, but not so. About 10 o'clock, it was found ten miles in the rear. We reported to the officer in charge and drew our rations. Just then, up came old "Conscript Quilts", ready for his grub. He could not go two or three hundred yards to the front, but ten miles in the rear. When the rations were ready, our brigade came marching by on the retreat. We joined them and fell back to the Rapiday River, near Orange Court House, where we remained a short time and then marched on to Fredericksburg. The Grand Army of the Potomac was now commanded by Gen. Burnside, who thought he could beat us to Fredericksburg and cross the river. But lo, and behold! Jackson's "Foot Cavalry", as we called the, were there awaiting him in full force. Burnside halted on the opposite side of the river and went into camp to await the arrival of his pontoon train. We also went into camp to watch his movements. That was in December. One morning as the roll call beat, we fell into lines, answered the call, cooked and ate breakfast, and were hustling around the camp generally, when some of the officers looked at their watches and found it to be only 2 o'clock. In the east there was no sign of daylight coming, but everything was bright as day. Finally, someone said that it was an Aurora Borealis. It was a grand sight. In a few days afterward, there was a heavy snow storm; then we had fun fighting snow balls with each other. Some time before the battle of Fredericksburg, we were on picked duty on the river. A blizzard came upon us with heavy sleet and bitter winds. Previously we had suffered with the severe cold, but nothing to compare with this. No fires could be made for fear the enemy would discover our posts and shoot at us. The picket line was in a valley and there was nothing to protect us from the fearful blasts, which came very near freezing us to death.

"On the old Rappanhannock, on duty we stood,
We poor, shivering boys of the Gray,
The terrible trials of those cold, lonely night,
Forever in memory will stay."

On the morning of the 11th of December, the Confederate signal guns were sounded to notify us that the Federal army was advancing. We fell into line an moved up to the front. Barksdale's Mississippi brigade was disputing the Federals' passage over the river. They held them in check until Lee could form his lines. He then ordered Barksdale to retire and let them come. All day long, they poured their men into Fredericksburg, forming their lines up and down the river. The ground was covered with snow and we were nearly freezing, but we stood there fully determined to conquer to die. The next morning they moved upon our right hand. There they found Gen. Jackson prepared to receive them. We were stationed upon the left just in the rear of Cobb's Georgia brigade, which was posted behind a stone fence. The enemy advanced upon our right and left about the same time, and was repulsed with great loss. It was expected that they would renew the engagement the next day, but they decided to withdraw their forces to the opposite side of the river. That night, the went back to their old quarters and we moved back to ours the next day. A few days after the battle, we were sent out on picket duty, just above Fredericksburg, on the river. While there, late on evening, our band was playing "Dixie" and the Federals were playing "Yankee Doodle". When the bands finished the airs, the Yankees struck up "Home, Sweet Home." Our band too up the strain, and when the bands quit playing, "voice after voice caught up the song, and as far as we could hear on both sides, they were singing "Home, Sweet Home."

"And together strains were blended
By both armies, Blue and Gray.
For the "plaintive notes appealing,
Spoke of loved ones far away.

"In each soldier's heart is wakened
Memories of a saited home,
Where his loved ones stood before him,
Ere he faced the cannon's boom.

"And the memory that was wakened
By soul-thrilling music's art,
Lighter made the Rebel's slumbers
And subdued the Yankees heart."

No one can ever full imagine the pathos that filled the hearts of the Southern boys, except the soldiers that were there. "Naught will ever rival "Dixie" and our sacred "Home, Sweet Home".
After the battle of Fredericksburg, Featherston was transferred to the army of Tennessee. Col. Posey, of the 16th Mississippi regiment, was made brigadier general and placed in command of our brigade. It was here, too, that our old chaplain left us and Rev. a. a. Lomax, a private, was appointed chaplain and remained with us during the darkest and bloodiest days of war, till the close. He was always at his post of duty, faithful and true--a fine preacher and devoted friend of the soldier boys. Ben. Burnside was now removed and Joe Hooker, "Fighting Joe", as he was called, was placed in command of the Federal army. He reorganized the army and about the last of April, the Federals began to move. They crossed one corps at Fredericksburg and moved the balance up the river to Kelly's Ford. About this time, Professor Lowe made his appearance with his balloon. He would go up several hundred feet, spy over into the Rebel camps and report to Hooker. Jackson had his men so completely hid behind the forests and hills that Lowe, with his balloon, could not gained much information. He kept getting a little bolder every day. He came down about four hundred yards from the river in front of Gen. Wilcox's brigade. The General son got tired of being inspected by Lowe. He place two or three big guns in position and said: "Damn the old cuss, if he goes up again, I will bring him down". The next morning he went up and Wilcox brought him down.
Hooker crossed the river at Kelly's Ford, turned down stream and crossed the Rapidan, thinking by that move, he would take Gen. Lee by surprise and turn the left flank of our army, but all the strategy that he could command did not find Lee and Jackson unprepared to receive him. Jackson's keen eye soon saw that the force in front of him at Fredericksburg was only to detain him until Hooker could turn our left. But when Hooker reached Chancellorsville, he found a detachment of Lee's army in his front, commanded by Major General R. H. Anderson, "Old Tige", as he was generally called in the army. He skirmished with the Yankees and held them in check till Jackson could come up from Fredericksburg. On Friday evening, our division was in line of battle across the Orange Court House and Fredericksburg plank road. About 3 o'clock, we saw Jackson coming up the road. Our boys commenced saying: "Get ready, Jackson is coming, we will soon be on the move". He rode up, saluted Generals Lee and Anderson and held a short consultation. He then rode to the front and ordered our brigade to advance as skirmishers. We moved out briskly and did not go far before finding the Federal skirmish line. Moody's Mississippi battery was ordered to advance with our skirmish line, which they did in grand style. The Federal skirmishers were soon in full retreat with Stonewall at their heels. They were pressed back upon their main line. We then halted to await orders. But this time, night was closing in on us. Jackson's men from below, were coming up and forming on our left. We knew that something was going to happen soon, for Jackson never tarried when went to battle. All night long, the tramp of soldiers was heard as they went passing by, going to the left. In our front, we could hear the sound of the pick and spade. The Federals were preparing to receive us the next day. About 11 o'clock at night, we were relieved by Gen. McLaw's division and we, too, moved to the left. We halted near a large furnace, formed line and were ordered to rest upon our arms. Soon after halting, three of us were detailed to report to headquarters. There we found R. E. Lee, T. J. Jackson and R. H. Anderson holding a council of war. After reporting to them, we were instructed to guard their horses and camp.
About 3 o'clock, Jackson was up, moving around, preparing for the work of the day soon to com. At sunrise, instead of advancing upon the enemy's works, he commenced moving to the left and thus continued moving ‘till late in the evening. He then turned into the right and struck the Federal army, doubled up their right wing, put them to flight and pressed them back to the Chancellor House. It was now getting dark. Our army was halted and re-formed. Jackson was at the front, placing his men in line. While examining the position of the Yankees, he rode into their picket line. They called to him to halt. He faced and galloped back toward our line. Our men mistook him and his aides for the Federal cavalry and fired into them, wounding Jackson and killing some of his aides. The officers tried to keep the bad news from their men, but did not succeed very well, for nothing happened in the army but what some old ragged Rebel found it out. The news spread like wild fire all through the army, filling the heart of every Confederate soldier with sorrow. We were then in line of battle, ready to assail Hooker's Grand Army early next morning. The unconquerable Jackson could no longer give the unerring orders, it is true, but we still had the grand old hero, R. E. Lee, at the head of the army; also A. P. Hill, John B. Gordon, R. H. Anderson ("Old Tige") and J. E. B. Stuart, the great cavalry chieftain. All of the above named officers stood high in the estimation of the army. J. E. B. Stuart was placed in command of Jackson's corps. In the night, about 3 o'clock, he passed down the line singing: "Old Joe Hooker, get out of the Wilderness," and giving directions for an advance. That morning at 9 o'clock the signal gun fired and we rushed upon the Federal lines with artillery and infantry. They were soon put to flight. The Rebel Yell was heard all along our lines.
After the Yanks had been routed, Gen. Lee rode up where we were re-forming. He was the grandest looking man that I ever saw. While he was there, a soldier boy, with a wounded hand, was passing by and said: "By God, General, the Yankees have done me up, but we have given them hell." Lee said: "Well, you are a brave soldier, but you must not swear." He dismounted, took a white linen handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it round the boy's hand, mad a sling with a red silk one and place the little fellow's hand in it and told him to got to the hospital and have the wound dressed. This pathetic incident shows the gentleness and sympathy that was a characteristic of Lee.
The big old furnace at Chancellorsville battlefield had once been used as a moulding iron. Pegrim's battalion of artillery was planted there. When the Federals opened fire on us, the whole place was alive with bursting shells. They were searching the woods with shells for our reserve forces. In the rear of our batteries, were acres and acres of thick forests called the "Wilderness". These woods caught fire and raged in fury. Some of our wounded were in there, but I think most of them were brought out. About the time the fire started, heaving firing was heard in the direction of Fredericksburg. Gen. Anderson was ordered, with his division, to reinforce Early, who was fighting Sedgwick at Fredericksburg. "Old Tige" soon had his men upon the field and drove the enemy across the river. Thus wound up the battle of Chancellorsville, a great Confederate victory. But alas! Our Stonewall Jackson, one of the greatest generals, lay with his grand, heroic life slowly fading away from the effects of his wound. The cheering words of Stonewall would never again go sounding down the lines. Mayhap his gentle spirit kept watch over the Southland's sons in hours of victory and despair.

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