The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-05-03
COL. MUNCHAUSEN GlLMOR,
A Southern Cavalry Officers Hair
breadth EscaDe from Death

A Southern Cavalry Officers Hair.
breadth Escape from Death.
The New York Sun, in All article on
Colonel Harry Gilmor, who died recent.
ly in Baltimore, republishes a number
of anecdotes from his book ofmemories
which made such sensation on their
publication. In hand.to- hand FIGHT
below Harrisonburg-for most of Gil
mor's adventures occurred in the Shen-
andoah Valley-he captured Aljutant
11asbronck. The two approached on
the charge, and emptied their pistols at
each other without effect:
las l ranged up alongside, made
right cut, which he defended by fierce
parry; but, before he could recover. I
made mouline, which carried the sabre
out of his hand, and, as raised mine to
cut him down, he threw Up his hand an /
surrendered"
Gilmor, however, was soon ICON.
pletely cornered by seven Of the enemy
who, although they called on me to snr.
render, never ceased firing"
The fence before me was yerv hioh
but l determined to make my horse
jump it or break it down; so. Touching
my cap to the Feds, ! struck him Sc
verely with the spur, and he cleared the
fence without touching hair. Know
ing now what l had to depend upon. |
took it quite leisurely. While they
were pulling down the fence, l reload
Ell three chambers of my revolver.
and, and as they closed upon me,
wounded one very severely and dis
abled another. This they thought did
not pay, so they left me to myself"
In September, 1862, Gilmor was clp-
tnred, while visiting Ills friends near
Baltimore, but was exchanged the fol-
fight at kel]y's Ford received his
commission as major. Ewell captured
Winchester, and Gilmor, riding thence
alone toward Benyville, encountered
one of Purdy's Union scouts, dressed
in gray. Gi)mor had taken the precau
ton to put white handkerchief around
his throat, after the custom of the
Jessie Scots" so.called, and pretend
ed to belong to a Pennsylvania COM
pany. After riding together for time,
an opportune moment arrived
"At tho same instant my sword went
through his body. He fell Of, dead, in
less than five minutes, but not before
he said: "You sold me pretty we'll, but
] don't blame YOU" gave him whisky
and water out of my flask, and tried to
save him, but my blade went to near the
heart: He had q very good saddle, that
suited me better than my own"
Near Summit Point, in the Shenan-
doah Valley, ten of his men were sud-
denly charged by company of union
cavalry, sixty strong, under Captain
Somers. The latter officer engaged Gill
NOR In person with his pistol:
IL reserved my fire till he came with.
IN twenty PAGES, steadied my horse with
the bit, took a long, sure aim, and Somers
foil from his horse. The ball entered
the side Of his nose, and came out at the
back Of his head"
His men, calling out, "It's shame to
leave the major there by himself" now
joined him, and jumping his horse over
the dead body OF his opponent, he pro-
ceeded with the work Of slaughter:
Setting myself well in the saddle, I
dashed in among the blne jackets cut
ting and thrustng right and left, and
borrying a blow when necessary. They
were from Michigan AMI Maryland, and
for while fought we'll. Observing an
officer fighting like Turk and cheering
his men on, | male for him. He was a
man ct my own size, wore a heavy beard
and looked, | thought, very savage, as
ne YELLED out: Come on, You damned
rebel; I'll soon fix your flint" This
promised good sport | closed with him,
making powerful front cut, which he
parried, and at the same instant made
right cut at my neck. BY bringing my
sabre down in time, my side caught the
blow. Now had the advantage Quick
as flash l cut him across the cheek,
intiicting large cash, and he fell 10 the
ground. I gave him in charge of one of
my men,"
Gilmor and the ten men captured
eighteen prisoners in this affair, and on
being reinforced secured five more. In
subsequent attack ON CharlestOWn he
was wounded, but mot till after the
battle did discover that had buck.
shot in my leg, l rode into town to see
some of my old acquaintance among the
ladies', and found all very enthusiastic
in their reception of u.s." Almost imme-
diateIy, however, Il retreat was sounded,
and in moving back GilmOr chad three
horses wOunded-one of them while
assisting q trooper, which he did by
driving oft the captor, chilling him with
my second shot,"
During the following August, on Sher-
idan's first retreat from Stmsburv, Gill
NOR took part in the attack upon the
Union rear guard at Winchester on the
evening OF the 18th. ::Here he performed
the somewhat notable feat of capturing,
unaided thirty men. This lie did in the
foll0wing.1nanner:
ing to capture 4 good horse to replace
the one had lost. I had hardly got
out of the line when | came suddenly
upon twenty-five or thirty infantry, w.
ing down behind a stone fence. ! was
too near them to think of rctreating, so
I rode bodily in among them, and roarc,!
out, in as angry voice as | could COM
mand, to lay down their arms and sur
render, crying out at the same time to
an imaginary force behind me: "Boys.
don't fire! don't fire! they'll snrren,ler!'
And they did surrender without; mo-
ment's hesitation, and | marched them
back to the skir,nish line."
Confident that there was plenty more
such game in the bushes, he immediate
" sailed forth again, and soon caught
another soldier" but meanwhile heert
a whole troop Of cavalry moving on the
Wildwood turnpike:
"Having but one, I let him 50, and
went toward the road to explore. There
seemed to be not more than fifty, SO
halted them, and asked what company
that was. 1.-THE First New Jersey" was
the reply "All right" said |, moving
off without giving him time to ask any
impertinent questions. Back went to
the skirmish line. and asked the officer
to give me detail to cap turc thcm."s
As.the confederate line, except Gil
NOR himself, had come to i halt his re.
quest was refused; so, taking Il single
Companion named Conrad, he returned,
and "ca1ne in sight ola dense line drawn
up within two hundred yards of Winclies-
ter"
''Conrad stopped on the hill. while
rode straight on and called out to them
to surrender or would order nv men
to fire on them from stone fence, which
was fortunately where / pretended to
have my men concealed. At first the
lieutenant in command refused, and
wanted to parley, but told him If he
did not at once surrender would empty
every saddle at the first fire. Just thent
~e lie x