Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-03-13
A story OF the War.

winter of 1861 / was on duty at th
headquarters of the Department {
West Virginia, then in charge OF Gen
F. W. Lauder. One day it was reported
to me that certain prisoners in a build
ing near BY were suffering for food. fuel
medicine and a chance to wash. i'm
mediately visited them and fonnd then
to be West Virginia Coniederates il
charge of the West Virginia University
and between these two classes ther
was no love lost.
went back to headquarters and soor
found myself engaged with the generaII
and colonies there assembled in an ami
mated discussion. | maintaining tina
though it was impossible Tor US to givt
all our own sick the attention they ough
to receive, aud our own soldiers mus
necessarily suffer from the cold, that
nevertheless, our honor demanded tha
we see to il that our prisoners had ever
comfort. I was 10 the minority, bul
not alone in the debate, and ifit .had
not been for Gen .ral Lander [ coulC
not have carried my point. In a few
hours 1 had the prisoners and theii
quarters well washed and fed, an abun
dance of fuel, the sick made as comtor
table as possible, and the guard chang
ed. In a few days most of them hac
taken the oath Of allegiance to the
United States and been released. They
were mostly men who had been arrested
on suspicion Of being spies or bush
whackers. They took occasion to cal
upon me in squads and thanked me fol
what | had done for them, till | got
heartily sick oft and used to avoid
them.
On the 18th Of Sept, '62, | lay or
the battle field Of Antietam, faint, bleed
ing and helpless. Our line had beer
driven back from where | fell, and the
Confederate ambulance corps was busily
at work near me. / raised myself or
my elbow, and in doing so, attracted
the attention Of two men who were
about to carry off a wounded Souiher
ner. They Immediately abandoned
him, and called me by name, made
themselves known to ME as two Of tht
men whom had beiriended in Western
Virginia. They carried me Of the helC
and deposited me in the rear Of straw
stack then one of them went awayi
moment and returned with Stonewal
Jackson aud his staff.
The headquarters surgeon examined
my wounds and gave me- brandy. ON
Of the aids knelt down beside me anC
made record Of my name. company
residence. etc.. and asked me who was
in command of our army that day, and
if knew the number OF men we haG
and what that number was. To which
replied that Gen. Mcclellan was il
command, that | knew how many mel
we had but should not tell the number
but that he would find before night tina
we had enough to lick him out Of hi
boots.
He rose up inhaste, and stepping Il
the side of Jackson's horse, gave in th'
information he had obtained, and
knew from the quick glance and hal
smile OF Jackson when he was reporting
to him that he knew the exact numbe
of men we had Oh our side. Then lh'
surgeon had moments conference
with Jackson, and returning TO M
said: Gen. Jackson tells ME to say t
you that you will be Immediately starte'
for Richmond IN an ambulance aud will
guard, that you will be detained in th'
city till the close of the war, unde
guard or on parole as you choose"
He then mounted his horse to procure
an ambulance, but had ridden but a few
paces before shell from one Of Ou
suns burst in front Of his horse, whlcl
reared and threw itself over backward
breaking the neck Of the surgeon ant
causing instant death. The shells cam
thick and fast, and Jackson and his stat
rode toward to the line. But my tw'
West Virginia friends stayed by me an
gave me every care and attention, till
cannon shot passing through the uppe
part of the straw set it on fire, when on
of them went up and put 1t out; but al
he was sliding down another ball passe'
through aud entirely served his hea'
from his body.
Still the other one remained faithful
aud, as night came on, he told me tha
orders had been given to fall back, an
asked me which would choose-to b
left to fall into the hands OF my Owl
men. or to be taken back and receive
great deal better care and attention i
Richmond than would in my own lines
| | told him my kindred lived North, ant
IifIwas left on the field, should, II
lived. soon be at home, and | chose t
be left.
From that time forward / had no in
ther recollections until some time tn
next day, came to myself and hear
voices. and, calling out to them, It WI
discovered that stakes from the ienC
had been set against the stack, and I'll
straw had been pulled down over then
80 that was sheltered from the co
night air, and concealed. a cantet
full of water, full haverssck and
loaded revolver were beside me, and n
watch and pocket-book were under MT
soaked in blood.