Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-08-16

ou IetteaI IN tnat way Inc lctu Was " 4Ot-
low and support me. was allowed one hour
and a half before the General himself made the
attack.
The sun was half an hour high when reach
ed the Harper's Ferry Turnpikein Tate's woods,
only quarter of mile from Charlestown. l
sent my brother with six men out on the pike
to run in or capture the pickets, while | formed
in line. and waited for the 18th to do the same.
In FIVE minutes / heard them popping away at
the pickets, and moved up close to support him,
at the same time sending courier back to hur-
ry up Colonel Imboden with his regiment, for
| knew there would soon be warm work. Just
as got sight of the turnpike, saw about if-
ty cavalry coming out Of the town in column of
fours. We drew sabres and charged them
obliquely in flank, broke them without difficult
ty, and drove them across the fields. Not a
man of mine was wounded We captured a.
bout twenty prisoners. We ran them farther
than intended, for / found it difficult to call
in the men and reform them in time to meet a
larger party that felt sure would soon be up
On u.s.
By the time I had accomplished this, the 18th
in line. were in the woods; my dismounted men
under Captain Burke, were also there at point
near the turnpike. was within quarter Of
mile of the turnpike, when the remainder of
the enemys cavalry came out, charging in COL
umn with drawn sabres, seemingly determined
to cut their way through.
First, Burke opened on them with his Mis-
sissippi rifles and though several saddles were
emptied, they kept on until they came oppo-
site to the 18th, when Capt. Frank Imboden
charged them with his squadron, while struck
them on the left flank at the head of their col
umn. Only seven got by; and even these were
captured further down the road by Our pickets.
We took thirty or forty more of them, and drove
the rest back into town, and across the country.
followed them some distance, and then return
ed to wait for the infantry that knew would
next be coming forth.
While we were thus engaged the general had
been fighting them with the 62d, Whites and
Callamese's battalions, and McNeil's Rangers,
on the other side of the town, compelling the
enemy to take refuge in the Court House; but
a rs" snells ftor, ,ia1-anahan's ennns coon drorn
them out. Col. Benjamin Simpson, of the 9th
Federal (Marylandl regiment, now formed so as
to protect his wagons and cut his way through
TO Harper's Ferry.
Irecrossed tho turnpike just as the enemy
came out of town, and having turned my pris-
oners over to the provost guard, | formed on
the right Of the 18th, about one hundred and
fifty yards from the road, and waited patiently
for them to approach. As the column ofinfan-
try passed by, Captsin Burke gave them vol
ley. which threw the teams into some confusion;
but the regiment came on, and was passing our
front, when rode up to our commanding OH
Ger and asked himif he was not going to charge,
reminding him that General Imboden had or
dered us to make a stubborn resistance
"Well." said the Colonel, "my men have nev-
er charged infsntry, and DO not know what
to do" Dismount and charge them on foot, F"
said I.
Without giving any positive order, he turn
ed around AMI said, Men, think you had
better dismouht, and make an attack on foot y
Some dismounted, but keptclose to their horses
heads. popping away without taking aim, for
not man fell.
The enemy were by this time abreast Of us,
and were IL no little danger from our own shells.
One of than cut large limb from tree, which
fell on Dix Gilmor and Captain Ross, hurting
them very much.
ordered my men to draw pistols and pre-
pare to charge. As we started out on trot
we received wild volley without much dam
age, though it was Of buck,hot and ball. Only
myself and another were struck, and not till
after the battle did discover that had buck
shot in my leg.
In an instant we were among them; they
broke and made for deep cut in the railroad.
Had they been allowed to reach that we should
have had some trouble in getting them out {;
but all surrendered except s part OF color
company. and they made but feeble stand
One of my heutenants charged these with a
few men, killing the color-bearer with his own
hand while he was in the act OF tearing UP his
flag.
There was man in command Of one OF the
companies who waited for me till | was just up
on him, when he fred, but missed me. SEEING
this, he threw up his hands and cried, my
God, Mr.. Gilmore, don't kill me-" al don't
know you," said l, making a cut at his head.
His hat was looped up to the crown, and the
double thickness of felt is all that saved his
worthless life 1T stunned him, however, to such
degree that it was long time before he re-
covered his senses. When discovered who he
was-for did not know him by sight, re-
gretted that my steel had not entered his brain.
It was singular sight to see my men and