Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-10-26
Desperate Battle Among the
crows.

Many years ago, when the writer OF
this was a little bog, living in the VIII
lage of Strasburg, Shenandoah, coun ty,
Virginia, he well remembers the great
conflict which took place among some
ten thousand crows as they were pass
ing over that village. L know not
whence they came or whittier they were
going. Neither do know the cause OF
quarrel which terminated in the des-
perate interueclna strife. L suppose
then knew what it was about that they
knew their respective grievances, and
were burning with rage and eager tor
revenge. To me 1t was q matter Of
deep regret that they could not explain
the mysterious affair TO the lnhabia2ts
OF Strasburg. The citizens however
were mostly Germans, and probably
the crows did not speak that language.
We we're all left to the perplexit oil
conjecture about the matter. II the
crows lived under king perhaps his
majesty had just recently passed in his
checks, and The war was for the sue
cesslou. 1t may have been between
afectionate sons; or his majesty may
have left no legitimate helrs, and the
contest for the crown may have been
between ambitious ministers Of State,
trying to wade through fuss and feathers
to the throne. 1t could have been no
small stake for which they were con-
tending with SO much fury. Possibly
the devil had got amongst them and
made them all drunk, just for the fun
of the thing, and they fell to fighting in
pairs just as they happened to meet
Who knows? don't.
But certain 1t is, the battle was 9
terrible one. The uploar was heard
some time before they got to the village
The clash of their wings, aud then
angry and vehement cawing and scream
ins could be heard at a great distance
Just as they got over the village the
conflict ragged with more fury thar
eyer. There they renamed for some
time, lighting as though nothing short
Of extermlnation would satisfy them
Many of them grappled with each Other
and hung together in death like griI
until they fell nearly down to the eartt
before they would dlsengage. Some
hung together until they fell entirely
down to the earth. After fighting oyel
the town for soma ten or fifteen minutes
they began to move on; but, so far as
could see, did not cease fighting.
never heard where they went, or ho"
the battle terminated.
This general battle Of the crows oc
cured not long before the war Of Isl:
and was looked upon as bad omen o.
the time. Some of the astonished
witnesses Of the fight though they saw
a perfectly white crow among The mum
Der. could not swear that they die
not see white crow, but l frankly ad
NIT that l have no recollection of seelnl
that particular crow. Whether any on'
saw it or not, the rumor added much tc
the sad forbodings which the strange
event of such terrible battle among
such an immense number of blacI
crows had created in The minds Ct tn
people. After the war OF 1912 brok
out, then, of course, all the wise men 0
Strasburg knew from the frs. that tn
crow war was ominous of the humaI
war which soon followed. emembe
lhe matter distinctly, but was too youn
TO look upon it with the interest OF
naturalist, or even with the superstition
dread which tormen ted older persons.
I looked upon il with the interest Thicl
a little boy always feels in the prospect
of catching birds. OF course, hearln!
the men and women talk about 1t,
borrowed some Of their superstition TO
the occss ion, but not enough 20 last mi
to the present day. JACOB HARDINs