Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-08-16
TTSCIcLLANY.
EXTRACTS FROM COL. HARRY
GILMOR'S BOOK.
..rorR WINS IL rnE Saddle"

SEPTEMBER, lS69.-Nothiug important oc-
CURED until the latter part Of September, my
time being chiefly spent in organizing the bat
talon and scoutingin The neighborhoodof Win
chester. Martinsburg, and Charlestown, my
camp being near Mount Jackson.
About the close Of September, I took fifty
men with the intention of crossing the Potomac
tocapture a lotof government horses and mules,
which my scouts had reported to be grazing in
tleue'glborhood Of Hagerstown. Their pick
et-lines extended from the Shenandoah to the
North Mountain, a few miles south Of Charles
town. where a regiment of infantry and two
companies Of cavalry were stationed. Captain
Somcrs commanded the cavalry, and Colonel
Benjamin. Simpson the eth Maryland cross
cd the lines without being detected, but when
I reached the river found it past fording, aud
had % return.
I camped in the woods on William Washing
TOMS place. and. being determined not to go
back without some game, sent scouts to watch
the roads leading out Of Charlestown. had
not slept more than two hours when learned
that twenty-five cavalry had gone up the road
leading to SmithfeId. The men were soon
mounted, and. striking out across the country,
we got into the road in rear of this squad, and
followed ~ their trail to toSmithfeld. Soon af-
ter reaching the turnpike we met man whom
/ knew to be Unionist, but, expecting TO cap
turc the party ahead Of me before they could
reach Chsrlestown in my rear, let him pass.
( What change it would have made in subSe-
oueut events had I taken him along with us
/ We continued at a trot until we gained the hill
Immediately above .Smithfeld, when | closed
up the column, and. drawing sabres, charged
into the town, expecting to find the enemy
there; but, to my chsgrin, learned they had
passed through without halting, taking the road
to Summit Point, and were now a considerable
distance ahead. followed on, att goodswing-
iug trot. with four or Ave well mounted men in
advance until We got nearly to Summit Point
when my scouts returned, saying the enemy
had passed through that place also short time
previous. and were now on the road back tc
Caar,es.own.
Nv horses were by this time much jaded anc
some hardly able to keep up; still determined
not to abandon ,he enterprise, I struck across
the fields. hoping to cut them off before they
could reach Charlestown. In this | did not
succeed. but three of my men ran into thcil
/ rear guard lust as they were entering the place
One Of them Charles Foreman, was captured
p 1 dismouated haIfof my men, put them in po
siti5u. and tried 90 draw out the enemy; bu
tlev had their own plan in view, and refused
to follow. This made me rather suspicious 81
putting twelve men under Captain Blackfort
I as a rear guard, 1 started for Summit Point anC
camp.
/ hadreacbedtbe White House, ownedb
Nr. Morrow. one mile from Summit Point, haC
halted TO let the men dismouut, and get wate
. from the large spring about fifty yards off, anC
was theouly mounted man left in the road
had ridden up to the yard fence, and was talk
inc to the ladies, when I heard a voice exclaim
Here they are, boys; by God, we've got then
now 20 At the same instant a bullet whistleC
through lilac-bush between theladies and my
self. wheeled round and saw the head Of a cav
airy column on the rocky hill above, and be
tween me and Summit Point.
Here was a perilous position. Seeing only
the first section Of fours, could not retreat
and therefore determined to make the best fgbf