Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-02-23
A STORY OF THE WAR.

winter Vi loOi Il Nds on Nuty al tie
headquarters of the Department of West
Virginia, then in charge of Gen. +. W..
Lauder. One day it was reported TO
me that certain prisoners in building
near by We're Suffering for food. fnel,
medicine aud chance TO wash. im-
mediately visited them and found them
to be West VTginia Csufederates in
charge of the West Virginia University,
and between these two classes there was
no love lost.
went back to headquarters and soon
found myself engaged with the generals
and colonies there assembled in an ami.
mated discussion, maintaining that
though it was impossible for us 10 give
all our own sick the attention they
ought TO receive, and our own soldiers
must necessarily suffer from the cold,
that, nevertheless, our honor demanded
that We see To i. that our prisoners had
every comfort was in the minority,
but not alone in the debate, and il it
had not been for General Lander | could
not have carried my point. In a few
hours | had the prisoners and their
quarters well washed aud fed, an abun-
dance OF fuel, the sick made rs comtor-
table as possible, aud the guard chang
ed. In few days most OF them had
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 call
upon me in squads and thanked me for
what ! had done for them, till got
heartily sick of it and used TO avoid
them.
On the 18th of Sept, 90, lay on
the battle field of Antie.am, faint, bleed
ing and helpless. Our line had been
driven back from where fell, and the
Confederate ambulance corps was busily
at work near me. | raised myself on
my elbow, and in doing so, attracted
the attention of two men who wero
about to carry off a wounded Sonther.
ner. They Immediately abandoned
him, and called me by name, made
themselves known To me as two of the
men whom had befriended in Western
Virginia. They carried me off the field
aud deposited me in the rear ofa straw
stack; then one Of them went away q
moment and returned with Stonewall
Jackson aud his staff
The headquarters surgeon examined
my wounds and gave me brandy. One
Of the aids knelt down beside me aud
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 had
and what that number was. To which
| replied that Gen. Mcclellan was in
command, that | knew how many men
we had but should not tell the number,
but that he would find before night
that we had enough TO lick him out of
his boots.
He rose up inhaste, and stepping 10
the side of Jackson's horse, gave in the
information he mad obtained, and knew
from the quick glance and bali smile of
Jackson when he was reporting 10 him
that he knew the exact number Of men
we had on our side. Then the surgeon
bad moments conference with Jack
son, and returning to me said: Seen.
Jackson tells me 10 say TO you that you
will be Immediately started tor Rich.
moud in an ambulance and with guard,
that you will be detained in the city till
the close of the war, under guard or on
parole as you choose
lie then mounted his horse 10 procure
an ambulance, but had ridden but few
PAGES before shell from Que of our
guns burst in front Of his horse, which
reared and threw itself over backward,
breaking the neck Of the surgeon and
causing instant death. The shells
came thick and fast, and Jackson
and his staff rode forward to the line.
But my two West Virginia friends
stayed by me and gave me every care
and attention, Till a cannon shot passing
through The upper part OF the straw set
it on fire, when one Of them went up
and put it out; but as he was sliding
down another ball passed through aud
entirely severed lis head from his BODY.
Still the other ono remained faithful,
and, as night come on, he told me that
orders had been given to fall back, and
asked me which | would choose To be
left - fall into the hands Of my own
men, or 10 be taken back and receive a
great deal better care and attention in
Richmond than l would in my own
lines. | told him my kindred lived
North. and, if was left on the field,
should, if lived, soon DC at homo, and
/ chose 10 be left.
From that time forward had no fur
ther recollecti1ns until some time tho
next day, / came TO myself and heard
voices, and, calling out 10 them, it was
discovered that stakes from the fence
had been set agains: the stack, and the
straw had been pulled down over them,
so that / was sheltered from the cold
night air, and concealed. A cauteen
foil of water, a fnll baversack and .
loaded revolver were beside me, aud my
watch and pocket-book were under me,
soaked in blood
A wealthy OLD GEsrIEMAs.-Tbe
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