Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-03-25
For the SPECTATOR.
The Man who Killed Lieut.. Meigs.

Editors of the Spectator II saw in q
recent number of the SPECTATOR an
account of the killing of Lieut.. Meigs
in 1864, in which it is stated that he was
shot by Lieut.. Frank Shaver, of Rock
ingham county. Such is not the case.
and in justice to a splendid soldier, and
to vindicate the truth of history, I will
give you an account of the fight, as I
have heard it from the lips of the prin-
cipal a hundred times.
In the fall of 1854, Josh. Martin and
Campbell, of the Black Horse Cavalry,
were sent by Captain Payne on a scout
within the enemies lines. After getting
on the pike, the two proceeded leisurely
along, but watching keenly for signs Of
the enemy. It was a cold, drizzly,
rainy day, and both Martin and Camp
bell wore an oil cloth over their should
ers, as much to disguise themselves as
for protection against the weather. As
they turned the bend of the road, they
saw three horsemen approaching, one
evidently an officer splendidly mounted,
with two 0rderlies short distance be-
hind. In a second both the Black
Horsemen had their pistols cut, but hid
beneath their oil-cloths. The approach
ing foe came slowly on, utterly uncon-
SC1OuS CHAO UuG tWO WClO l0U0l Cavalry.
men, and they evidently thought that
a hurried whisper Campbell told Mar
tin to capture the officer, while he him.
self would take care of the two order
lies. Still approaching, the distance
grew less, and spinning, for one at least,
the thread of life infinitesimally small.
All unconscious of his fate the Federal
soldier rode carelessly on with laugh
on his lips and his thoughts far away
Suddenly he was brought to halt, and
saw the deadly tube of a revolver at his
heart, and heard the stern order to sur
render. In flash Lieut.. Meigs saw
and understood the situation, and with
the ready nerve and quietness of born
soldier he formed his plan and carried
it out. He exclaimed, II surrender" !"
Hand me your arms then !" said Mar
tin, and the Federal drew his pistol, and
keeping it concealed behind the long
military cape, aiming it at Martin, with
touch and go for his life, pulled trig-
ger and fired. The Black Horseman
reelej and swayed in his saddle; the
bullet had struck him below the heart,
and passed clear through his body. The
heavens seem to swing ON its axis, and
the earth spin madly around before the
eyes of the stricken soldier, but it was
no common heart that beat beneath that
gray jacket, no common courage that
animated that form. Ninety nine men
out of every hundred would have drop
ped lifeless, but Martin was that type of
manhood that makes the ideal of a SOL
dier, and such stuff as the old gladiators
were made of. With tremendous eff
fort of will, he recovered from the fear
ful shock, steadied himself, raised his
pistol, and, with last effort, pulled the
trigger; the bullet performed its billet,
and passed through the heart of the
officer, and Lieut.. Meigs fell headlong
to the ground. In the meantime Camp
bell had captured the two orderlies, who
promptly surrendered on demand, and
had just turned to help his friend when
he heard the two shots. AS he saw
Martin fall limp and lifeless on his
horses neck, he spurred his horse to
catch him before he fell. AS he did
SO, one of the orderlies spurred his horse
and fled down the road, not, however,
before Campbell had fired; he was very
close to him, and the bullet shattered
the soldiers arm, but it did not check
his flight. Campbell knew that the
whole country would be alive with the
pursuers soon and there was no time to
be lost. He thought that Martin was
mortally wounded. Passing his arm
around the limp, lifeless form, he rode
rapidly off, and in a few hours placed
his friend under the shelter of friendly
farmer whose house was several miles
on from any thoroughfare. A local
doctor was soon sent for and examined
the wounded man. and found the bullet
had passed through the body. Striking
on the right side and coming out near
the backbone, it was to all appearances
mortal wound, but the bullet, with q
strange varied divergence in its flight.
did Ios touch or strike a mortal part,