Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-04-04
rhc Tim WHO Killed Lieut.. Meigs.

aries will be charged at advertisement rates.
rse Han Who Killed Lieut.. Meigs
10 tic editors Of the .StauaiOn Spectator:
ssw 10 8 resent ouuber Of the Spectator ar
account CT the ki!liog CT Li@ut. Meigs 10 1864
10 which it is stated that he was shot by Lieut..
Frank Shaver, CT Rockingham county. Such
is nCt the case, aol il justice to splendid SOL
dicr, aud to v.nicale the truth OF history,
will give ycu an account Of the fight, as have
heard i: from the lips Of the principal hun
died liclcs.
In the fall Of 1861, osb. Martio aDd Camp
beii, Of the Blick llor5e Cavalry, we're scot by
Captain Payuc on scout Withia the enemies
Inns. Alter gc;t!og on the pike. the two pro
cec.icd !eisurey aoug, but watching kcenly TOR
| siEus Of The caemy. L. was a c,ld, drizziy,
ra.ny day. ana both Marin aud Campbell WorC
GO oil Goth ever their shoulders, as much to
disguise themselves Us Tor protection against
the wc.thcr. As they turned the bend OF the
road, they saw three hoIsemcn approaching.
ouc cviicntIy an officer, splendldly mounted,
With two order!ie5 ShCrt distance behind. 10
sec md both the Black llorsemcn had their
| pistols Out, hnt Hi GelCath their oil cloths.
The approaching Toe clmo slowly on, utterly
UNCONSCIOUS that the tHJ were rebel c}VaIry-
raan, .aj they evt;cnlly thought that they
were some 0t their U%n hcn. lu buried
whisper Campbell told ilartin to capture the off
ccr, Will: he himself would take care OF the two
ordsrlios. Sill approaching, the distance
| preT l1>s. and spinning. t3r one at least, the
thread ci life u.initcsuay small. all uncou'
scrus + bis fate the Federal soldier rode csre.
Irssiy Oh .ith a laugh on his lips and his
thoughts far away. Suddenly he was brought
to halt, aai SAW the deadly tube ol revolver
at his hCar:, and heard the stern order to sur.
render. ln fash Lieut.. E!eigs saw aod under
stood the situation. aud with the ready nerve
and qIietncss o. bOrn soldier he formed his
plan and carried il out. He exclaimed, Il sur
render" Hand me your arms then !" said
hlartIa, ard he Federal drew his pistol. and
keeping i, colc:a!ed tehiod the long military
cape aiming l. GL Martin, with touch and go
for his lie, pulled trigger and fred. The Black
| Horscuan r:,Ied and ewayed 10 his saddle; tho
| bullet had s:ui:S him below the heart and
passed clear ;hf1ugh lis body. The heavens
seem 10 swaG % lts axis, and the earth spio
mailg arcush tr!1r; the eyes Of the strickeu
soldier. hut /: nas no cO!nmOu heart that beat
hcncath tina. prIy JACKET. ne common courage
that animated that tcrn. Ninety nine men
OFT OF every hundred wouid have dropped life.
less, but MaIiio was that type Of manhood that
makes the !deai OF 4 soldier. and such stuff SIS
| the old 2la6aUr5 wtr. made OF. With tire.
men1ous oTjrt Of will he recovered from the
fearful shock, steaIleri himself, rsised his ps.
| toI, aud. with last rtlr', pulled the trigger;
hu bullet perfnrmfd It's bliiet, and passed
through tho heart OF thu otli:.r, and H.. Mcigs
fell teldIGpg 10 the ground. Ia the msantime
Campbell had captured thn two crderics, who
10 si,r ,.H nd md y nI
tur0ed 70 help fis frieni sLea hc heard the
40 shots ~ i,r saw Msruo fall imp ond
l.fccss ou his hiis.'n n,ck, be spurre1 his horse
10 ca cn bim before lie i.I As be did SO, obo
ct tic oilerltS 4nurred his horso and f ,d,doHn
the rosj, not b0Hcver, D.iUlc Cambell had
Irei be w-S vefY cllse 70 bin, and the bullet
shattered lie soldier ; arn, bu: :: d:j cot check
bis Il s:h. Eamp5@Il kpLH ttat the who!u
3GuuITy WJu'ii o. ai.v. W.h thG r0rsueTs SOON
apd hcTc Was 30 Hone 70 BE- lost. He thought
.hat MsCtiI Wa morally wounded. Passlos
ns aIn ar9u1d h2 imp, liIr!c-- iJrD. he rode
rapidly T, aCd 10 fr,4 hours placed bis irerd
u0dcr the siIcIIcr cf iteo1!y farmer whose
nGu:e WAS e2r>ra miles # IRON auy borough
fare. y local d0at0r was e30D sent for and
examined The wuundcd iuaa, aud found the
hust I'D paa5ei tbroush the body. Striking
on ihc Ilgh. sir and cJn:Gg OUT uear the back
bone. il Was To all ~ pesraGcts mortal wound,
bus th" tuiat, ~ltl: htTangG varied CistrIc5cc
10 is fll2h', did rot tQucI or strike mortal
part, aud Mario vas soon a5in to take horse
for home. wheo. IN c few brict months be was
well eurus! 70 )ia hs company
The Martins Of which Josh is tho youogcst,
are truly 6ghtcg family At the breaking
OFT Of I'll" Ear, stranger would zee, nestled
away iu quiet uoOk in fsuquicr county, cosy.
Sut. mi hon., krc krnoA nd
we'll cultivated acrrs stretch arouod 10 rolling pas
lures and wooded hills. An old &C nlemap named
Msrln lived there Eohie, honest mac, as pure
minded as 4 child. He had three sous, Robert.
Richard aud Josh. Al! three ioced tho Black
H0r-e Cava!ry. aud 90 s,sunchcr warriors ever
sat q: the round tail, Of Iortc i Arthur or fol
lowed Richard CCc II De L-oo tothe Holy Land.
Living 10 the heart Cf Musby Cjnfederscy,
being i1mi!lar With every ioch OF gr0uod, koog.
ing every hog path aod cstl, Trail 10 that ia
| nous debata6le troulG, they passed four years
| as scouts wl.h'G the euemles lines. Gnelr *
| p!oi;- real Ike !p:u,n:e. aud their deeds were
30 Toll Of deadly dariug a7 to almost defy belief
Ridiog Ike MaDclukcs, deadly shots, with Ut
| ter tcarlcssue.s aud unsEaken nerve they would
raid auG ioray arnoog the small! detacomcots OF
the enemy, until their names became terror
and household word among Stooeman' caval
| ryue0. Ii Wss h0Ucft Mlriln VINO IecelVeo
the elegant rife, sept By British noblemau TO
&c given to thn brsvest man in the Confederate
armg; i; was Dick Martha who carried Stone
WALL i dispatch to Lea, announcing the fall of
| Hsrpers Ferry, aud who returned with simple
scrap Of paper from lee that saved his army at
Sharpsburr; aud it vas Josh Mlrtin who killed
Meigs after h2lt ou1c, bnilat wcu. crashing
thro Ii. bcdy.
These three Martins during the war did not
kill, capture, or place hors de combat less than
hundred Of the enemy. Robert captured ten
at oue time alooe and unaidCd. They we're pew
!e7es, and Dutchmen at that, and w,re
plsyisC cards 10 the woods short dis
tarce from caup. The three Nartipa
a. another time. captured some twenty
camp to forage among Inc farmers. believe
the record OF damage Inflicted upon the enemy,
from one family IL nnfnnallnd: and to old mr.