American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-04-04
The Surgeons Story
A TRUE INCIDENT OF THE WAR.

ssthat ever saw prisoners roughly han
died was at Winchester"
The ladies united in asking him to re-
late the incident.
ave made regular trips" he continu-
ed, "once or twice week from Harper'f
Ferry to Winchester. We did not mean
to garrison it but to prevent the rebels
from holding it. At the time was speak
ing of we had orders to enter Winches
ster, and push as far as We could safely &c
beyond it, to find out whether the enemy
had any forces in the neghborhood.
ave reached the rebel town in the
evening.
"The General ordered us to rest fol-
the night-until he could get the reports
of spies, and of one or two scouting par.
ties that he had sent into the country.
eve dismounted The officers told us
to make ourselves at home. The boys
searched all the stables and barns in the
town for forage, ah1 others went out in
squads to the neighboring farms.
"As soon as they got their horses fed
they entered aay house they pleased and
took up free quarters in it.
"As squad of three of our men were
about to enter barn in the outskirts of
the town. three rebel soldiers suddenly
jumped up from among the hay and
let blaze at them. One of our men was
badly wounded, but not fatally. His two
comrades ran for help. They soon re
turned, l tell you, with as NAL a set of
fellows as you could have mustered in
Virginia They hunted the barn high
and low, every mock and corner, up loft
and down cellar, but not trace Of the
rebels could they find.
ave knew they hadn't got out of our
lines; for our pickets we're too strong for
that.
There were some houses near by and
we searched them. But we had the same
luck-not trace of the rebels
"'Well, boys, we must give it up said
Tom RyD der; but I'll be hanged if |
see how the - Johnnies got oG.---
They must..be herc-somewhere nigh by,
too-but they've given us the slip as slick
as grease
"'Not much they haven't, shouted
Bill Green, Maryland soldier; 'you
don't find this child leave this till he col
Jars them doggoued rebs. | tell you they're
inside ten rods of here, some 'eres, and L
tell you I'm agwine to get 'em dead or
alive. l know their tricks, by jolly, and
tell you they're in that house thar some
'cres or other lillo Look at that
hole How are you, johnnie !? I'm after
youv
"And with that characteristic speech
off he ran to the nearest house, which we
bad searched already from top to bottom.
The houses there haze no cellars. They
are generally raised about three or four
feet from the ground, and sometimes rest
ON stone foundation which is built all
round; and sometimes again they rest on
a little piece of masonry at the corners
only, while the spaces between them are
banked up with earth. In the banking
of this house there was an opening that
none of us had noticed. The Marylau-
der made for it and squatted on his knees
and peeped in.
"'Are they there ? We shouted.
He looked up and said nothing He
was evidently disappointed.
No, he said at last, after musing
while, 'oat they re here some'erc, aud I'm
agwine to find them. Hillo bub, come
here! Como along with me"
"a little fellow had just come out from
the house. lie hung back, but Bill
coaxed him into the barn. | went with
him. Bill told the other men to keep
the women Of the house inside, talking
to them, 50 that they might not see him
with the boy.
"'Now, bub,' said Bill to the boy, do
you know that I'm agwine to burn down
your house ?
"The boy looked scared.
'..'Oh, please not, Sir he cried 'them
fellars amt thar true's death, Sir, they's
not thar
"tAnd I'm agwine to hang your dad,
bub,' added Bill, without taking any mo-
tice of what the boy had said; and, like.
wise, I'll DO obleeged to give you the go!.
darnest whaling you ever heard tell on in
all your born daysp
."sOh, please don't, Sir ? cried the lit
tile fellow again-he was thoroughly
frightened now-'the solgers amt thar
"'How do you know T asked Bill
81 knows they amt, replied the
boy.
"Bill seized him by the collar and