Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-02-07
A STRANGE STORY.
DEATH oY 4 MARYLAND FARMER WHO
WHIPPED A COMPANY OF Cox
FEDERATE CAVALRY.

We publish the following very strange
story tor the purpose of elieiting the
truth of history. If the facts axe AS
stated there must be some survivor OF
that cavalry company who, now that
the war is over, the old man dead, and
all danger past, can step to the front
and Justify his comrades, or retute the
Islander that a whole company was put
10 route by zone weak, in6rm old man.
The Middletown (Md.) Register says:
Mr.. Blessing, one of the Oldest, most
highly esteemed and intelligent farmers
of this valley, died at his residence on
Highland, in Catoctin district, at 10
O'Clock on Wednesday night of last
week, aged nearly eighty years. For
about three years past Mr.. Blessing had
been severely afflicted with asthma, and
it was this disease that caused his death.
During the rebel invasion of 1864, MIR.
Blessing acquired the title Of the ''Hero
of Highland" on account of the bravery
he displayed in protecting his property.
His fight with a squad of rebel soldiers
on that occasion IS thus told i'll letter
written by himself at that time
On the morning of that day compa-
ny of cavalry, commanded by Major
Harmon aud Captain Walker, came in
sight of my farm, where they detailed
five men to come and steal my horses.
AS they rode up gave my son two
guns and / took six, and went in the
name of the Lord God of Hosts to meet
them, and as they rode up In haste we
fired upon them in quick time; one was
MORALLY wounded Che died at Middle
town. the other so bad, they rode under
the oyershot of the barn, where we had
a cross fire on them. AS they were re-
treating / fired, killing one on the spot,
and took tie other prisoner. The bal
ance got back to the company, which
was from forty to sixty strong, and be-
fore had reloaded my guns they re-
turned, nineteen in number, and had
pressed in their service four of my
neighbors as guides, and marched them
in advance. / gave my son two guns
and another young man one, but they
both retreated. / then took four guns
and went to a group of cherry trees; as
their guides came up. / halted them I'M
der pain of death if they did not stand:
One of them broke off and ran. fired
on him without effect As soon as he
reached the rebels, they opened fire on
me to their hearts content; splinters
from the trees and fence few in my
face, while some of the balls fell at my
feet had three guns which l held
back for sure work. After firing some
fifty shots, they rode off, leaving their
dead and wounded in my hands They
then sent ME word they would bring
up battery and shell. sent word
back that had their wounded man in
tho barn, and if they chose to burn him
up they could do so. A little before
night, Coles cavalry, under command
of Lieutenant Colonel Vernon, came in
81 ght. thought it was the rebel bet
terry, and / took the dead rebels carbine
and concealed myself in the bramble
bush close to the lane. to make that the
closing scene of that bloody day. When
/ saw my happy mistake, l crawled out;
they gave me hearty cheer, rode up to
the house, helped to bury my dead, and
stayed over night.
Thus closed the most tragic scene in
the history of my lite. / am seventy
years of age do not wish to correct
your error to boast, but / do it to en-