The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-02-13

ing. They found they could not get away
with it. and they thought best not to risk 3
fight; so they cut their traces and eft. Tha,
gun had been taken from us the day before
Ny boys guarded it for while. but We had
to leave it. as another movement was order
ed, and we could not drag the cannon away
/ left my card on it ,hongh. l told the reb
els that had captured the gun. that was
sorry had TO give it up, but that expec-
, ted to take it again.
BUsHwHACKERs.
After Shiloh | went TO Western Virginia
} riding sometimes sixty to seventy miles a
/; day through the woods and the open coun-
try. The woods were full of bushwhackers.
There are more neutrality-suspicious.
, ly. in some parts Of Western Virginia than
elsewhere on the border, and they are or
ganized. There are Harper's bands, and
Clifford's men, and Imboden's band. and
many Of the smaller sort. A bush whacker
) is the meanest man alive. had three or
four Of my men, and we passsd ourselves
, off for bush hackers, 10 ge, clear ofthe reb-
els, and by deceiving them we got all the
Information we asked.
sroNEwALL JACKSON AND AsHBY.
first cav Stonewall Jackson six miles
above Strasbury. and many times afterwards.
as we moved along the valley. l had gun
given me to shoot him-a small Smith Il
Weston's rifle, weighing five and half
pounds, and capable of hitting at six to eight
hundred yards. l could not get where he
was; and another thing. could not always
tell who be was. In battle he is aiways
dressed like a pyiuate. He moves about
everywhere in fight. When he is on foot
he is fine looking, but he rides wrelchedly.
But Ashby was beautiful rider, and man
of great courage. have had good many
shots at Ashby. l am sure have hit him.
| He often rode directly to the front, and made
a glorious mark; but l could never bring
him down. | suppose he had breastplate
on. Our scouts were often SO close to the
rebels in the march of the Shenandoah ths.
We were fired at by our own men, who
thought we belonged to the enemy.
destroyed the saltpetre works in Frank
lin. Va. The rebels are we'll aware who did
it and have published me.
The reason why the General did not go
round by way OF Franklin instead of by
Strasburg, was because the roads were all
were rolled down so as to obstruct the road;
y
delay.
The way got information Of Jackson's
movement upon Banks was this !: | was in
the ighborhood of the south fork Of the
south branch Of the Potomac. and was riding
along the road, when l saw a man coming.
He eyed US closely. and l said, "How are
you stranger? which way are you going?"
He asked where belonged. and said we
we're Dixie boys (the term by which rebel
guerillas are known). He then said he was
going down to buy horses for Jackson. This
was the first we knew that jackson was in
the vicinity After getting out of him which
way Jackson was moving. we went on. But
/ turned round and called him back. | said
l didn't like his looks and that l believed
he was Yankee spy. He said he
could convince me very quickly who he
was. and pulled his papers out of his pocket.
examined them and found he was quar-
termaster Of Ashby's cavalry, and was au-
thorized to buy horses. l then expressed
my self satisfied and offered to sell him our
horses. He agreed to purchase them
eleven in all--for nine hundred and fifty
dollars. and to go to our cars few miles
away, where l would let him have two men
to take them to the army. On the way to
the supposed cave-( we were going towards
Fremonts army )--he gave me full inform
alton about Jsckson's army and all tho reb-
ell forces in Virginia, especially including
the plan Of the Shenandoah campaign.-
When we approached our lines he saw our
pickets, and enquiring who they were, was
told that they were men that we kept TO
guard our cave. Passing through the pick
cts and into the open field where our regi-
ments were visable, he asked what that meant
told him it meant that he was prisoner in
the hands Of the Yankee army said fur
ther that IL the information he had given me
was no, correct. would be respon>ible for
hanging him to the first tree. co. said
he, IL will give you my word a southern
gentleman that told you the lru,h.' He
afterwards gave General Fremont the same
report. and it proved to be correct.
A DINNER DURING THE BATTLE OF srRAsBURG.
While the firing between our army and
the rebels at the battle of Strasburg was in
progress, entered house that was in
range Of ire of both armies. One of my
men was with ME. We found a table all set,
ready for dinner. The women had been
frightened of by tue cannon shot that were
flying There were chickens and turkeys
aud much other excellent food. The meal
was waiting. doubtless. for some of the reb-
that dinner. We were merrily eating and
drinking, when a shot cannon ball came
right through the house. just over our heads.
We jumped and my companion stared for
the door; but said, Hold on, Dick: i, isn't
a SHE'LL" and we finished our dinner. Taen
| went to some of Blenker's men and said
we had some rebels in that house and they
must be taken. The men surrounded the
house. and rushing up they broke in the
doors. and pushing in after their prisoners
they found dinner instead of fight. l
was roundly cheered BY the Germans. who
went at the turkeys with IS little delay as
circumstances admitted Of
RETURNING REBEL SLAVES.
"Haha!" laughed the captain, as he sud-
denly remembered another incident There
was fellow named Van Meter, who lived
In Moorfield VIRGINIA. n rebel Two of his