National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-22
A HARD WAY TO DIE.
Cruelty Murdered in the Streets or Win
chester for Riding Too Fast.

Cruelty Murdered in the Streets or Win
chester for Riding Too Fast.
! BY J. C. NJ.
The Fourth of July, 1865, appeared bright and
beautiful over the historical old town of Win
chester, Va. 1t still bore fresh the evidences OF
war, but the natural beauty of its surroundings
could not be blotted out entirely the devastating
hands ofinvading armies. The white tents that
still dotted the hills seemed picturesque now,
and something akin to friendship had begun to
spring up between soldier and civilian. If L re-
| member Alright, Hancock was in command of the
middle military division and General Fesscnden
commanded the post Quite number of troops
/ 1gart Still quartercd in and about the town.
The--tn Massachusetts, regiment Infantry was
doing provost duty in the town prOper-a sentry on
every cOrrer-and c~VerSl cavalry regiments were
| lying about its environS. The -th New forF
Cavalry was stationed little "a the northeaS' Of
what is known Us " Fort HILL" and in clos prox-
unity to where the Shenandoah Valle 1.,rtcul-
tural Fair Grounds are now located. The war wa
over and this the first Independence Day after its
close The boys who were still held away from
their homes in the North lOnSed for
THE MUSTER-oUT" DAY,
and reflected upon the patriotic celebrations which
they pictured as then transpiring at the loved
places far away. Then they turned their atten-
ton to themselves, celebrating as best as they
could. The officer commanding the post seemed
to have OWNED the fact that the men might be
little more than unusually reckless on this occa-
sion, and had issued an order forbidding fast rid
ing on the streets, and this order the provost
guard and sentries were directed to enforce
strictly. \ battery in the vicinity had doomed
forth a salute in honor of "the day we celebrate
and the chorus of some patriotic song would ever
and anon come swelling out upon the air from
some tent in one of the various camps around the
city where lot of the boys had collected together.
Every one was feeling good All possible free
dom given to the men, and considerable
quantity of that cOntrabank article, "commissary
whisky" had in some mysterious way found Its
way into some of the camps. This of course,
aided very largely in making private celebrations
success. Toward the middle of the afternoon
quite number of cavalrymen were riding back
and forth through the streets of the town. retting
under the restraint of being compelled to trot or
WALK THEIR HORSES.
The " Walk that horse :" of the sentrieS, given
q command whenever cayalrymans horse broke
into any gait faster than slow trot. soon became
eXaspcrating to the men, accustomed to dash in a
free gallOp over the valley roads Stationed on
the northwest corner of Market and Piccadilly
streets was a tall, spare, dark whiskered man, who
carried his musket at right shoulder, and
trudged silently back and forth on his beat as
though he had long been tired of the duty. Sew
eral times he had been called upon to stop intem-
perate riders, and he seemed determined to faith
fully execute his orders in that particular. Finally
one of the New Workers, young man, sitting erect
in his saddle and seemingly in the best of spirits,
came up Market street at rather rapid trot. He
was going toward camp, and this would be the
last sentry he had TO pass. When nearly abreast
Of him the sentry called ont, "Walk that horse!"
This order was not obeycd and he repeated it
Walk that horser
This time, instead of obeying, the cayalryman
struck both spurs into his horses TANKS and dashed
off at full gallOp. The sentry, seeing his COM
mand disregarded brought his gun to a " ready"
position, took two Or three steps forward, and
called out, - Hatr' This command was received
with the same disregard as his former two, the
rider now lying fat ON his horses neck, and
squirting of like whole troop of rebs were at
his heels.
Haiti halt! halt" come the three commands
in rapid succession; then, advancing another step
forward, he raised his muskct to his shoulder and
fired Just at the moment when the sharp report
of the muSkct rang out the unfortunate cavalry
man, thinking himself out of danger, or that the
sentry had given up the idea of firing. raised in
his saddle. The moment sealed his doom. He re-
ceiyed the fatal bullet the base of his skull and
it tore completely through his brain. He tumbled
from his saddle q dead man. He who had proba-
bly, gone through many battles faced death for his
country time and again; one perhaps who.
when the word was charge,
Shrank moi nor fingered"
had lived TO be shot down by c0mrade for the mere
reason that he rode faster than Il trOt.
THE MEMS SPREAD LIKE wILT-FIRE;
thousand persons, civil and military congregated
about The body Of the dead soldier. The sentry
who fired the fatal shot was hurried OFF, and his
place supplied by another. The officers said he
had only Zone his duty. Perhaps So but the
pTivates thought he might have fired in the air
As soon a. the news reached the camp 10 fur
ther le8TeS were granted: but the comrades of the
dead man already Out thronged into The town,
swearing vengeance upon the sentry. The old
town saw many exciting episodes during the war,
but few. if any, exceeded the scenes which fol-
lowed this unfortunate shooting. The cavalry
men dashed hither and thither through the streets
regardless Ofthc challenges and shots Of the sen
tries. Neall: the whole Ne ssachise;ts regiment
was ordered ont on provost duty, and constant
rattle of mUIsketry was heard. ] saw a whole ser
geants guard fire a reckless rider, but noticed
that every gun was well elevated.
The excitement finally subsidized, and the Massa-
chuSetts regiment gave place to another. The sad
occurrence gave food for talk for some time, and
many said then what have often thought since
- X was hard waV TO die"