Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 43.djvu/51

 Rh, told a frightened maiden of advanced years that General Jackson accepted Mrs. Corbin's invitation and had come to spend the night. Lights soon began moving through the house. The great door was unbarred. Fires were stirred and replenished. The general was taken to a chamber and I slept before the fire on a costly rug, as comfortable a boy as there was in the army that bitter night. So began our winter's stay at "Moss Neck."

The house was a large mansion, built a few years before, when James Park Corbin had been a man of wealth, on the hills a mile or more back from the river and commanding a fine view. It was constructed after the style of an English country residence, with extended wings and with large porches of fine columns. It was exceedingly commodious, having a large number of rooms beautifully fitted and well-furnished. Mrs. Richard Corbin was the lady of the house, and gave the general a most cordial invitation to occupy as many rooms as he wished. But he would not listen to such a proposition. We must share the camp with the troops. And when the wagons came, our tents were pitched in the grove beyond the stables; and soon the staff gathered in, and the work of all departments began in earnest. Prompt reports came from our division commanders as to the encampment of troops. D. H. Hill was at Grace Episcopal church. A. P. Hill was at a house half-way between. Taliaferro was near us, and below, near Caroline Academy, was Early. Orders were issued as to picket lines on the river. Messages were sent to General Lee, and the long winter work of organization and preparation was begun.

Christmas was coming. Two days before General Jackson told us he wished to entertain Generals Lee, Stuart and Pendleton at dinner on Christmas day. I was the caterer at the time, for the members of the staff took that post in turn, and so it devolved on me to provide that dinner. "If I say it myself as shouldn't," it was a famous dinner. An attempt to buy a turkey from a lady resulted in a present of two fine turkeys. A bucket of oysters arrived from somewhere down the river; and a box came to the general from Staunton ladies, with another turkey, a splendid ham, a large cake, a bottle of wine, and the spaces filled with