The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-04-02
... WsT.
PHrLLIPPL WEST Va, /
March 81, 1873. !
To the Editors of the Register.

To the Editors OF the Register.
see by the Virginia papers tha
the people Of that State are discussinI
the puzzlng question of "the first bloo'
OF the war;" and it seems that it is
maze that is impenetrsble. Bsrbou
does not aspire to "the first blood OF th
war" but she does to all the honor an,
glory Of "the first scare ofthe war"
don't mean diminutive scares, but tn,
regular old rattlesbone- lair. sta nd-on
end quaking-cost tsil-in-air scare. Oa'
that would have welcome death Is q
relieving angel. It occurred in th,
latter part OF April or first Of May pre-.
ceediug the war. Major Rogers CON.
pany OF infantry and Captain jenkins
company OF cavalry had organized and
were regularly drilling at Phlllippi.. had
appointed to drill upon the day oi which
| shall speak.
On the morning OF that day it was
whispered IL at one D T. T. Fsrnsworth
would address the followers of A. Lin
coin on that day. After dinner, sure
enough, came Daniel, not the Lion
man, but the Hog man. And there
came also, from all parts OF the coun-
try, a goodly portion Of the Union up
on any terms men. Daniel had very
wisely lett his horse on the west side oil
the river, as a precautionary measure,
IN case OF 9 fall back-s piece OF STRAIT
egy that ought to entitle Daniel to q
Commission" Promptly at 2 o'clock
Daniel and his folio sers assembled ct
the Court House. Aud q good many
lockers on in Venice" were there.
The companies OF which 1 spoke, had
been drilling in the court square pretty
much all day. About the best arms
they had in an emergency, were those
God gave them, and all being pretty
well loaded with "Cspita's fluid extract
VI corn" which on account of q scarci
ty Of cartridge boxes had 70 be carried
Inwsrdly.
About the time Daniel had advanced
far enough to lose his regard TOR truth,
the companies were driven into the
Court House by the rain. Daniel at
once ordered q window 10 be raised
near him. being ve-y Uarn, but the Sc
quel showed hls wisdom.
Daniel made some infamous and Sian.
derous assertions about the manage
ment Of the Richmond Convention,
which was promptly resented by Capt
Brad 'ord. when q discussion and high
words snsned, which was the beginning
of . perfect psndemonium OF qusrrels,
confusion, ,sabre-drswing, bsyonet fix ny,
coat throwing. &c. An earthquake
would have been cbild's play compared
to it. Alter matters had qpieted down
40 that you might have beard q clap OF
thunder in your side pocket l looked
around, expecting to find the mspgled
remains oi Daniel but just at that mo-
ment my attention was drawn 70 the
raised window where l saw Q bayonet
IN close proximity to . coat.tail. ]
knew the coat was Daniels apd felt
relieved. On running 10 the door 70
get last glimpse At the martyr l be-
beld him making time down street that
would put Dexter" to shame. %. ..
% The toll gatherer at the bridge says
that Daniel owes him the usual 6ne
assessed for going through the bridge
faster than q walk. Daniel reached
Buckhsnnon for early tea and reported
"Besuregsrd" at Phillippi with sl,276
men. libink Daniel will agree With
me that Barbour is entitled 70 the first
scare OF the war" t'|f '...
Yours, gruntingk, -.
...... JoAB SQuAsH.