Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/212

 204 Southern Historical Society Papers.

place. The infantry troops were called to attention, and forming in column in the pike, the artillery all hitched up and the men at the guns ready to move at a moment's notice. I saw we were on the eve of something very important. I hastened on to General Jackson, and made my report of the situation, as I saw it. He listened very attentively. The first question he asked in regard to the farm road was, " Could you get artillery up it? " "Oh! yes," I answered, "easily." "Could you get it back," was the next question. "Certainly," I replied," " easy enough." "But if you were in a great hurry, could you do it so easily ? " Then I told him I did not know so well about that. He then asked me how many guns 1 saw in the fortifications. On my reply to him for I had counted them he asked me how did I know *they were real cannon or ' 'shams. ' ' I told him I could not be sure of that, but they looked exactly like real ones. It struck me that he was examining me as much to see if I had really been where he sent me, so as to determine how far he could use me in the future, for General Jackson knew all that country thoroughly. After I was through with my report, almost immediately he said, "We will not go that way," meaning, of course, up the hill road.

"DRIVE IN THE FEDERAL PICKET."

He then told me to go back to my picket, form my men in columns of fours and drive the Federal picket in. "I will support you." I returned immediately to Halltown, finding the troops all on the pike in the same direction. I moved my reserve up to where my one man was on duty facing the Federal picket, he joining us, and without more ado charged the picket. He fired his carbine and fled for his reserves, we followed him so closely that we did not give the reserves time to form, and scattered them in all directions in the woods, some leaving their horses and arms in and around the stone schoolhouse. We gathered up the arms and accoutre- ments, blankets, etc. I halted to consider what next. I had done what General Jackson ordered, driven the picket in on the reserve and also driven off and scattered the "reserve," breaking up the station, capturing horses and arms.

I wanted to hear of our support, when I caught the welcome sound of tramp, tramp, tramp, which I knew was infantry, and soon old Stonewall, at the head of his old brigade, came up on quick time. I reported to the General what I had done, and showed the