Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-20
THE SHARPSHOOrER'S PERIL.
THE MAN WHO CHALLENGED MosBY To
A TRIAL OF SKILL.

"The best sharpshooter | ever saw"
said another "Vet," twas Lieutenant
Pearson. He was scout and n man of
great daring. I've seen him ride along
the road at full gallsp. turn a bend, draw
his revolver. and hit sapling fifty yards
distant. which had been singled out for
him and which he had seen only once.
He challenged Mosby TO meet him in
sharpshooting duel. Once he did shoot
Mosby in the right hand, knocking the
pistol ont of it. When we were at Harp
ers Ferry we were badly troubled by sharp
shooters across the river. Men on picket
duty were shot and killed.
1t seemed very strange. and was for a
time unaccountable. for the people opposite
in Loudon County. were mostly Quakers.
who were supposed to be loyal. Scouting
parties were sent out to investigate. but they
didn't get hold of much. 1t began to ap-
pear suspicious that in n large fine house
far up the valley there should be no occu-
pant but a negress. Lieutenant Pearson
went to the house, and. being persuasive
fellow with ingratiating ways succeeded
in getting valuable information out of the
negress. This she gave. with great fear,
and only after promises that she should be
guarded. taken North, and protected there.
Pearson was willing enough to promise
and the negress then told him that the
house was the headquarters of n gang of
bushwhackers and that their leader was a
Captain Merriweather, who was supposed
to be loyal Quaker. This worthy by
day appeared to be well-nigh immovable
with the rheumatism. but by night he was
as spry as kitten. The bush whackers
met in the house TO make plans for their
raids. They had been in the habit of in
tercepting trains on the Baltimore g. Ohio
Railroad, between Harper's Ferry and
Martinsburg. Occasionally they went a
bove Harper's Ferry where there was only
small guard. captured our boys and tore
up the railroad track
Pearson told the woman to keep still,
and then reported what he had heard to
General Averill. The General told the
sharpshooters to select picked company
ofmen, and to go and try to capture Merri-
weather and his bushwhackers on his own
plan. The General had great confidence
in Pearson's judgement and knew his
pluck. Pearson selected three scouts, and
five cavalry-men to make the attempt
He questioned tho woman and learned on
what night the bushwhackers would meet.
He knew that they were all sharpshootsrs
and desperate characters, and made his
plan accordingly. There were two closets
in the room where the bushwhackers met.
1t was arranged that three men should get
in one closet and two in another, while
three men should stay outside of the house
capture the guard, (silently if possible)
and remove the bushwhackers horses.
There were ten of the bushwhackers. but
Pearson expected that his eight men would
be more than match for them. taking
| them at disadvantage. The plan was
for Pearson to fire one pistol shot as n 81
gnal, from his closet, when the attempt
was to be made Then the men outside
were to run in, and the company Of cavalry
which was To be stationed at convenient
distance would rush up and If necessary
give assistance. Pearson's men were to
| get into the house, one at time, during
the day. coming in various DISCUSSES. to
avoid suspicion.
The night came for the bushwhackers'
meeting. ] was one of the men selected
for the attempt, and late in the afternoon
was in closet. doubt If those closets
ever held such astonishing contents before
as they did when we five men were in
them. We had our revolvers drawn and
were ready for desperate encounter.
Pearson's skill as a shooter made him,
coupled with his nerve, worth several or
dinary men. Twas little uncomfortable
in the closets. but we had bored partly
through the doors with augers, and by
raising little splinter with knife blade
we were able to see out into the room
without attracting much attention. By
and-by Merriweather's men came and
were received by the negro woman.
They left guard outside as we had ex-
pected they would. Those that we saw
from the closet were brawny, desperate
looking fellows. and I'm not ashamed to
say that when they were all in I made up
nv mind that never again would volun-
teer for any such adventure as that prom
ised to be. / wouldn't wonder il l trem-
bled little. All the bushwhackers cir
ried revolvers in their belts, but they had
met so often in security in the house that