St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-09-06
Captured by Confeds.
An Incident of the American Rebellion.

breaking ont of the great rebellion. and
wishing to see something of war service.
accepted IL captain : commission offer
ed me III Il cavalry regiment belonging
to Tarhct'S division. We were living
near Winchester. in the Shenandoah
valley. just before Sheridan made his
celebrated ride; the confederate gen
erill. Early. covering this town. and oc-
cupylmg the crossing of Opequan creek.
The company | commanded held the
extreme left of Tarhrt'> division: and
in front of this we were thrown out ON
picket duty. along the skirts of IL tract
of Woodland. In advance ot the line.
upon which had placed my scntricS.
ran Il narrow but very deep crcck-a
tributary of the Opcquan with II
tordahlc crossing close to the spot had
fixed upon for my temporary quarters.
had just returned from visiting the
picket ScmtlicS. and WaS warming my
self at IL small camp fire we had kimdlcd.
Although in the month of September.
it WAS IL raw chilly morning. with Il
drilling mist fast thickcning into rain
suddenly heard the tramp of caval-
rN. with the clank of bits and SaberS
The sound seemed to come from the
rear. Within II hundred yards of the
place where our fire had been kindlcd.
ran the stream above mentioned. At
the ford it was crossed 10y narrow
wood road. which turned sharply on the
other side thence running parallel with
the creek in the direction of BeIrXvillc
II was down this road the sounds ap-
pcarrd To come: and although nothing
WAS more natural than that our scouting
PARTIES should hc ont in that direction.
felt alarmed upon hearing the tread
of approaching troopers. Turning to
my sergeant. Il WHY >lX-footcr from
Maine. the only man near me VIII" WIS
awake. | said 'Tottcm. what troops
can those hr -
The sergeant WAS not only awake,
but remarkably "vidr-dwakr: and
with head bent down, and ear close to
the ground WAS already listening in
tcmtlN To the huof Strikes of the ap-
preaching hnr>rmcn.
~ spoke he started to his feet. SAY
inU i'll an excited tone: BY jimmy.
cap, them ere don't sound like our
horses: not half - them air >hod -
Before he had finished speaking the
hnI>rmcn hove i'll sight. filing round Il
bend of the road and. without ANY
hesitation Whatever. headed toward the
creek CROSSING. i'll front of our camp fire
Every man of them had Il blue cavalry
cloak. and most wore the Mon cavalry
hat. There were five OF lis altogether
round the fire : Sergeant lottcn with
three privaI,.> all fast asleep and my
self our horses were hitchcd close 10y.
>;lddlrd and ready for emergency : re
NolNcr> in hul>tcr>. and carhimc> >lung
from Il ncighh"ring tree. with an India
rubber blanket carefully spread over
them tn keep Oft the rain. The posi-
ti"u We occupied WAS quite an Isolated
one being over halt a mile from the
next relief station. connected. to he
sure. 10y u chain "t picket >tnhric>, who
would have, been in sight of each other
hur for the dense underground of the
wood III which We We're Stationed. A.
it Vas. unless when they came ont in
the open space. they could not see " hat
Nils going on beyond fifty Nard> ON
cithcI side al their post.
liur >uddrulu.>> with which the panty
u hnI>,mrm nov in full sight had
conn. upon ~. WI>. no duuht. the prin-
ciIal reason why felt suspicious of
thri chIIartcr. | had done 80. even
hrtulr sighting them. They must have
emerged from the Wn"d> and struck the
road hut - >h"lt distance above the
bend tnr the trampIm~ first heard W;r>
not that ufa gradually advancing troop.
hat clean. distinct. and suddenly cl">r
1t hand. Any how. there they We're.
night at the CLOSING "t TIA" creek their
arpl"arh unn"tl"cd Toy ANY "I ON pick
ct>. challenged them at once. IN Il
loud sharp Voice, holding my revolver
in my hand:
''iIalt VIII" goes there -
"Frcnd>. N"~ th" immediate and
ready reply. - they pulled up IN COM
plimlrc with thc challenge. "Di>m"rmt.
one t'i'nd. Advance AMI
llr' last word mad hardly parted from
my lip: their leader had actually
thrnVm onc of hi lc%> over his horses
Group. H. if Ia advance ~ ordered ;
when. with u murtrrrd word of COM
maud. Ii" turned back INTO his saddle ::
and in seconds time the whole panty
had dashed across the creek. up it~
bank. and we've amongst u>' fired my
revolver. hIingiug down one of their
horses. and at the same time called out
To my companions.
Too late il WAS no Use: we were
ONLY five. totally unprcparrd and taken
hv surprise they were Il score ut least
all ready and aware of their alNantagc.
With the instinct of habit. however.
one of the sleeping men. upon hearing
the shouts and shots. Sprang up and
rushed toward our horses. In doing 80
h. WAS ruthlc>SlN shot down and SEE
inu that this would hr the fate of all. if
W.. ALTERED r,Sist:ucc ,.IIt off and over
n,vcrrd ~ we u,,lnuhtcdIy were |
at once cried ont. ..IIoId your fire we
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