Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-08-23
HE TOLD A WOMAN.

SHERIDAN WAS INFORMED OF EARLY
STRENGTH.
The Confederates had it all their own
way for long time in the valley, and
Grant was beginning to fear a miss. A
mistake had been made in placing Sher-
idan there. The Southern army were
massing about Winchester, evidently
for another invasion of Maryland. At
fairs had discouraging outlook, for the
Federal army's marching and fighting
had ended invariably in retreat. a
round moon, warm and golden, shone
on the quaint old town of Winchester,
Va, one evening in the middle of Sep
TENDER, 1864. Inthe yine-covered porch
of house, whose broad, brooding root
enveloped it in sombre shadow, sat
brown. haired, hazel-eyed girl waiting
for a visitor A man erect and soldier
", wearing a gray uniform, came up the
walk. The moonlight reburnished the
faded epaulets and sword-knot with
something of their pristine splendor as
he advanced. They talked of the then
al-absorbing topic, the war, that was
blazing its way through the lovely val
lev at their feet with the ashes OF home
steads, the charred skeletons OF mills and
FORCES and foraged lands. The officer
was a member of General Earleys staff,
Louisianian, fervid with hope and fierce
with desire to drive the Union soldiers
back. The girl was Virglnian of that
simple faith which disbeiieves in strife
and blood-shed, and her name was Re
becca. 1t was another "Rebecca at the
we'll" with the difference that she drew
ont of the glib-tongued officer the num-
Der and position of General Earleys ar
my,their intrenchments and batteries on
the Oppequan, and what troops had
been Withdrawn. This was done in the
most natural manner possible, for to
know these things was interesting, and
she had no idea of making history or
becoming a heroine, for the two had
only met few evenings previous at
social gathering, when he had sought
an introduction and hepriviege Of call
ING upon her. This was the first visit,
and it proved his last. When heyoung
aide-de-camp departed that "Wednesday
night he had told So much that he had
placed the fortune Of his command in
the keeping Of Rebecca.
On the following Friday, while sit
ting on the same porch she heard bird
call, low and tremulous, in the shrub
berry of the lawn. She answered it by
clapping of her hands softly, when 4
man as black as the shadows she sat in
came up, and, taking something out OF
his mouth, handed it to her and vanish
ed into the night. Speeding up to her
chamber, she found the gift TO be a
small roll of lead-toil. such as is wrapped
about various articles, among others
chewing tobacco. Carefully unrolling
it, a small bit of soft paper was within,
Oh which was written:
Have you any definite information Of
the forces and position of General Ear
ly? If so, transmit by bearer.
SHERIDAN.
How strange is destiny! She alone of
the few Union-loving souls in Wnches-
ter knew what the harrassed cavalry
commander desired. To put the intor
motion down and roll into the same re-
ceptacle did not require many minutes,
when she again appeared npon the
porch clapping her hands. The slave
seemed to rise out of the earth. lie
hastily placed the tiny packet liz his
mouth, and without word or gesture dis
appeared.
Before daylight on the 10Th OF Sep
TENDER, 1864, the Confederate pickets
were charged on the Oppcqnan, and
Sheridan moved like an avalanche upon
Winchester. A terrible contest follow
ed, the two armies advancing and re-
treating like the surging pillows of the
ocean. The battle never ceased until
shutdown, leaving Sheridan the victor Of
the battle of the Oppequan. a series
of disasters pursued Early, and on the
10Th of October-a month later-was
fought the memorial battle of WiDches-
ter. which brought peace to the Valley
| of the Shenandoah. / talked with the
gentle Quaker lady yesterday. She said
she was unconscious Of doing anything
Of momept at the time. She had known
General Crook, of General Sheridan's
staff, and during the brief occupancy of
Winchester by the Union troops had
said to him, if she ever saw a way that
she could serve the Union cause, TO
command her, and he had mentioned
her name TO General Sheridan. She
showed me an elegant watch, souven-
ir of the event,a gift from General Sher-
idan. On the inside is engraved
Presented TO
Rebecca Wright,
Winchester, Va, by Gen. 7. H. Sheridan.
A Memento ofSeptember 10, 1864.
The charm holder is an ingenious ar
rangement of horseshoe gauntlet and
spur. The charms are tiny cavalry
sword, field glass, orderly cup and 9th
err military objects in miniature. The
fate of the young staff officer is unknown
to her.-DstroH Free Press.
BURGLAR SHoT.-A man named Nor
gan Thompson was brought to town on
Thursday and placed in Jail He is
badly wounded, having been shot by