Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-06-14

l
head of his old company, hastene(
down the Shenandoah Valley, and from
that day to his death, fourteen months
his life was one of almost ceaseless scout
ing and fighting. Such was his bold
ness, tempered by prudence, that he
crowded the deeds and daring of years
within that space. It is o fact note
worthy that neither Ashby nor Jackson
were ever furloughed. They never ask
ed for such rest. Up to the time of Ash
by's death the mighty battaliOns on
both sides were, 80 far as efficient drill is
concerned, largely in an inchoate state
1t was expressly along the border par.
tisan strife. Ashby's military life was
spent along the border, and he had but
little to do with heavy battalions, and
thus he was never tried as to his power
In combination over very large forces
Therefore he cannot fairly be compared
to Stuart, Hampton or Forrest, who had
large commands and lived longer time
to develop their powers. But Stonewall
Jackson in his official report of Ashby' Is
death said: 1.-THE close relation which
Gen. Ashby bore to my command fol-
most of the previous winter months will
Justify me in saying that, as a partisan
officer, [ never knew his superior. His
daring was proverbial, his powers of en-
durance almost incredible, his tone OF
character heroic, and his sagacity al
most instructive in divining the purpOs-
es of the enemy"
AsHBY's COMMAND.
! Soon after Ashby received his COM
mission, on the 18th of June, 1861, as
lieutenant colonel of the Seventh Vir-
ginia Cavalry, which was composed of
the best horsemen of Maryland. Pied
mont, Virginia, and the Shenandoah
Valley, he was ordered to the South
Branch Valley of the Potomac. The
regimental staff of the command at this
time was: Colonel, Angus w. Nc
Donald; lieutenant colonel, Turner Ash
by; major, Oliver R. Funsten adjutant,
A. w. Mcdonald; surgeon, "A. P. Burns;
assistant surgeon, DIR. T. L. Settle as
sistant quartermaster, Thornton P.
PendletOn assistant commissary of sub
sistence, John D. Richardson chap
lain, Rev. James B. Avirett, now rector
of Silver Spring parish, Montgomery
county, Md, and to whom The San is
indebted for the principal facts in this
sketch The captains we're Company
A, Richard Ashby, Fauquier county
company B, J. @. A. Winfield, Rock
ingham county; company G, S. D. N.Y.
ers, Shenandoah county company D,
Macon Jordan, Page county; company
E, Walter Bowen, Warren county; COM
pany F, George H. Sheets, Hampshire
county company G, Frank Mason,
Maryland; company H, A. Harper,
Shenandoah county; company I, j.
Shands. Rockingham county COM
pany K, Wm.. Miller, Shenandoah
county.
These companies thus officered formed
the basis of what was afterwards known
rs the Ashby or Laurel brigade. With
them Ashby formed that remarkable
border guard which rendered such eff
Gent service along the Potomac river
from Harper's Ferry to the mouth of
the South Branch of the Potomac, pro-
tecting the couuties of Jefferson, Ber-
kelley, Morgan and Hampshire from
Federal foraging parties.
DEATH OF RICHARD AsHBY.
Soon after this line of service was
formed, en- before the first battle of
Manassas, Capt. Ashby lost his life
while on bold scouting expedition on
an island in the Potomac, near Cumber-
land, Nd, being suddenly attacked by
a superior force of Federal cavalry
Capt. Ashby received thirteen wounds,
but his strong vital powers enabled him
| to live for over week thereafter, though
borne for more than ten miles over the
mountains on two timber young hicko-
ries on the shoulders of two of his men
| in blanket doubled and suspended
from these poles. Col. Turner Ashby
was some distance off when his brother
was attacked, but hearing of the disas-
| ter, rushed to the scene, rescued his
brother from his captors, and punished
them severely by performing, perhaps,
one OF the most brilliant exploits of the
war, killing several of the enemy in a
handto-hand conflict. Speaking of
Richard Ashby's death, in a letter to his
sister, Mrs. Moncure, Col. Ashby wrote
II had rather it had been myself. He
was younger and had one more tie to
break than l." Neither of the brothers
was ever married, and al3usion is here
made to Richards engagement to one
of the most lovely of Virginia's daugh-
ters. The chaplain of the regiment took
the engagement ring off the finger of the
dead Ashby, and with lock of his hair
inclosed it to his widow-betrothed. The
body of Capt. Ashby was buried in In
dian Mound Cemetery, Romney, Va.
(now West Virginia.)
MANASSAS, BOLIVAR HEIGHTS, AND
THE BATH CAMPAIGN.
While denied the privilege of min
Cling in the fray at the first battle OF
! Manassas, such excellent service did
Col. Ashby render in masking Gen.
Johnston's movements from Winches-
ter to reinforce Beauregard that the
| Federal General Patterson was COM
pletely hoodwinked. After this battle
Ashby returned to his old work of
guarding the border, and with the con-
tinuous skirmishing up and down the
river, with line of pi i;kets some sixty
miles in length, was kept very busy
The battle of Bolivar Heights, with the
Federal General Geary, in which the
attempt of the latter to enter the Valley
by the way of Harper's Ferry was frus-
trated, showed clearly that Ashby could
handle both infantry and cavalry
Ashby, under the orders of Gen. jack
son, was occupied in breaking up the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad connec-
ton with Washington. and in destroy
ing the locks of the Chesapeake and
| Ohio canal, so as to increase the diff
Guilty of supplying the Federal commits
sariat. He commanded the cavalry in
the celebrated bath campaign" in
January, 1862, when Gen. Jackson made
a feint OF crossing into Maryland, s
real object being to gather his rich sup
plies in Hardy and Hampshire counties
After this, while Gen. Jackson, in
February, was in Winchester resting
and recruiting, it was Ashby who
watched the camp fires of the Federals
around Harper's Ferry, and Frederick
city and Cumberland as well, keeping
Jackson informed of the exact stage of
preparation for the Federal advance in
March. On the retreat from Winches
ter Ashby was the last man to leave the
old town, constituting the rear-guard of
Jackson's little army. When Gen. Joe
Johnston's orders called Jackson back
to Kernstown to prevent Banks from
reinforcing Mcclellan, it was Ashby
who led the advance guard in person,
and in the stubborn engagement of the
23rd of March, 1862. co-operated with
Jackson in go crrippling Banks as to hold
thnuoan1S Of trOnns in tho VaIIoy w n n