Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-08-27
ed Us in the following cheering language: eight

ed rs in the following cheering language: "Fiobt
on, brave Virginia boys; The day is ours every.
where else, and it must be here also.' He then
commanded US to follow him, and, with lond
cheer, we rushed forward, determined TO do as
commanded, or die. -
By this time Sherman's battery had evidently
become somewhat disabled, and had slackened
its fire a little. Our course was turned drectlv
in that direction We reached the ton of an
eminence, fired a volley and at charge bayone,s
rushed down upon it. We found that every
horse attached to the battery was either killed
or disabled and not man, except the dead and
wounded were left with the guns
Almost every company in the regiment claim
the credit of first reaching the battery. would
not do injustice to any. But a proper regard to
truth, andihonor to whom honor is due in this
particular act, compels me to say that the left of
the regiment under the command of Major Bay
lor, was the first to reach the immedi .te vicinity
of the battery, and corporals r. T. Bacher, OF
the West Augusta Guards, Capt. Waters, and
John Sntz, of the Augusta Rifles, Capt Antrim,
were the first men to reach the captured guns
Corporal puciler sprang astride one Of the pieces
and fired his musket at the retreating enemy.
| By this time the reinfOrcements / referred to
coming from the direction of Manassas, had arri-
we'd on the GROUND, and, unperceived either bv
Us or the enemy, marched rapidly to our left and
to the right of the Federal forces under cover ol
skirt of woods. These troops consisted o
three Tennessee and one Virginia regiments
from this position they poured into the ranks o
the enemy (who were partly concealed by thick
uLdergrowth,) the most terrible and deadly vol
ley of musketry | ever witnessed; and then
with shout that rent the cir. they rushed in
fone grand sweeping charge upon them. The en-
emy, terror stricken, broke ranks and fed in the
widest confusion over the hill the cavalry
charged upon them, sending terror and disrnay
among their already confused and broken ranks
the guns of the captured batteries were turned
against them; batteries were run upon eminen-
ces which commanded roads along which they
retreated, and which raked and crushed their
disordered colurns dreadfully, and shout after
shout rent the air from the victorious Southern
troops
! 1. o. 0. r.
] Alta Special Meeting of Staunton Lodge, No
45, /. o. o. F., held at the Odd Fellows Hall
on Friday, the 18th day of August, 1861, the
Committee appointed for that purpose on yes
terday, the 18th inst, reported a preamble and
| resolutions which were unanimously adopted in
| the words following:
| ssWe have been made the organ to express the
feeling of the members Of Staunton Lodge, No
| 45, [. O. o. F., upon the lamented death of oul
| brother, JOHN B. EsKRIDGE.
! How uncertain is life In the midst of it we
are in death /! But few days since a solemn
summons convened us in our Hall to pay our
! last tribute to two of our dear brothers, whose
remains, covered with blood from the battlefield
but immortalized in having fought with distin.
/ guished bravery, and died for our liberty and
our homes at Manassas, have been brought home
to be buried with the green graves of their sres
w had ord
| buckled on, ready to leap from its scabbard to
meet the ruthless invaders of our SOIL has fallen
not by the same ignoble and mercenary foe, but
from the shaft of that insatiate Archer-the COM
mon enemy of our race-Death!
/ JOHN BROWN EsKRIDGE, whose sudden death
IN early manhood, and as such had Just entered
a new perilous scene of acton-a chosen officer
OF corps of as brave soldiers as any people ever
sent forth-we meet to depIore, is no more o1
earth. How inscrutable are the DEGREES of Prov
| idence
we can only drop our tears upon his grave anG
inscribe upon record that he was as true mar
as ever lived, modest, industrious, moral, affec
t1onate, generOus-the soul of honor and of un
spotted reputation. He has been summoned to :
realm where the vcssitudes of life are unknown
where the clash OF arms is unheard, and wher,
the peace of God passes all understanding forev
| er abide.
We will in sadness follow his earthly remain
to the tomb, and give outward expression of ou
grief by wearing the prescribed badge of mourn
ing.
We will send copy of this proceeding, wit
our unaffected coincidence, to the venerable mo
ther and weeping sisters and brothers Of our de
Aparted brother.
+ VIM. A. BURNETT,
i HENRY H. PECK, ICom.
VIM. A. BURKE,
i Teste.a