Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-10-07
Seleft Readima.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR.

The recollection of General Wade
Hampton's foray upon General Grants
beef pen, in the fall Of 1864, is still fresh
in the minds of the men who lay for SO
long time half starved in the trenches
around Petersburg
1t was quite brilliant and well-execu-
ted affair. Hampton's chief scout, Ser
geant Shadbourne, of the jeff Davis Lee
gion of cavalry, had made a daring re-
connoisance into the enemy's lines, and
ascertained the exact position of the beef
pen, and assured the General that he
could guide our command within mile
of the camp of the cavalry guard detailed
by Grant to watch his meat supplies. He
was perfectly familiar with all the roads
and by-paths leading to the Sycamore
Church, at which point the animals were
being grazed. So we we're marched to
within ten miles of the Church and halted
to rest our horses, anu perfect the details
Of the next mornings work. Pickets
were posted, the scouts sent out to scour
the roads leading to the Church, and the
weary command lay down to sleep. Some
hours before daylight the bugle sounded
merrily ''to horses" and off we trotted !,
feeling confident that our experienced
leader was up to something which would
rebound to the glory of our arms and the
benefit of our cause. Just as day dawned
the charge was sounded, and the front
regiment dashed ahead upon the enemy's
vdette and into the camp of the sleeping
Federals, Shadburne and his gallant band
of scouts at the head The enemy's vi
dette fired his piece, reused his comrades,
and the shots flew thick and fast for a
while. The wild shout of victory was but
the death knell to some of the bravest
spirits there, aud many of the men and
officers of both sides were killed, A hasty
prayer for the fleeing spirits of their dy-
ing comrades, and the men dashed on to
where the vast heard Of SPLENDID cattle
stood stupidity gazing at the wild route
into which the Federal protect rs were
plunged. And then began the plumber
ing of the rich commissary and sutler
stores. Men were seen everywhere smok-
ing the finest cigars, drinking toasts to
fine liquors, laden down with blankets,
boots, butter, cheese, and confused mass,
such as only a hungry, half-famished
Rebel, plunderipg Yankee camp could
gather up. The camp having been thor
oughly ransacked, Hampton ordered his
Generals-Rosser, bearing, and W. Fl
r. Lee-to get their men together, and
then came tho command, "back TO camp"
Colonel White of the flowing locks" in
the advance, with his splendid battalion
of Virginia cavalry. Then came the bal
ance of Rosser's command, then bearing,
and, far in the rear, to keep danger away
from the bovine prisoners, 1920 strong
came W. Ell. +. Lee, with his division.
The sun was sinking in the West, Tut
not down, when courier from White an :
nounced that he had met the enemy's cav
airy on the Jerusalem plank-road, and
they were too many for him. The spurs
were dashed into the sides of the horses
and soon the wild yell announced that
Rosser's troopers had made charge un-
der the lead of that daring General AS
General Hampton spurred to the scene of
action, courier was met, ION toamlng
steed," from Rosser, saying he had dis
mounted his men and fought on foot un-
til not ten rounds of ammunition remained
to the man. Courier after courier was
dispatched to hurry up General Lee.
The cattle were turned off into another
road, and in the meantime our horse ar
tillcry had been placed in position to re-
spond to the shots of the enemy. Who
that were there, can ever forget the wild
grandeur of that scene? The sun she'd
ding its parting beams upon the battling
hosts, the heavy plunging of the shot and
shell through the ranks of the men and
horses, the waving Of battle flags, the gall
Looping of staff officers aud couriers over
the field, the defiant shouts of our men
calling to the Yankees to ''come and get
some beef for supper" all made up a
scene strangely mingling the sublime and
the ridiculous. The enemy left our front
just at dark, and we quickly took up our
line of march to camp. The hungry in
fantry in the trenches received the news
of our good fortune with shouts Of joy,
and they did not call in question the fight
ing qualities of the cavalry any more.
And yet we had only kept up the brilliant
reputation they had always given US as
foragers. Never had such steaks and
roasts been seen in the army since our
Pennsylvania campaign 1t is needless
to add that everybody enjoyed the beef,
Nettchez Democrat.