The National tribune., 1883-11-08
AvERELL's RAID.
Hare "reminiscences Of That Dashins Exgeditioa
into Virginia

INTO Virginia
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
In your issue OF September 9th several
statements are made that / wish to eorrect.
First. Q. f. Shank says that Averell's brigade
lett Martinsburg, December Sth on the Saleua
raid. He is very much mistaken, for we started
from New Creek Station, December s. 1854
and got back 70 our hines at Beverly. Decaniber
18th What he says about the cold all whs
were in that raid can confirm, and a number Of
the brigade lost toes and fingers by the fros1
remember that the day we crossed the Allesha-
MES some of the boys borrowed Averell's bootR
ana when we started out in the morning the
general had his feet tied up in some pieces Of
army blanket, as indeed. many others had,
who were so badly frozen that they could noe
wear boots. / had some mighty sore fingers
and toes the rest of that winter When wn
returned each man who went on che raid was
fitted cut with a complete salt Of uniform free.
as We had burned what we had almost all IN
IN our efforts to get near the fres when we
could do So
Now, Comrads Joshua Croft, in regard 70 tha
fight at Rocky Gap. August 26, 1853, saws that
the ConfedeFates had one gun. They had ths
llyliest lot Of boys 70 handle it that ever saw
If that was all they had, but ! think that they
had SIX instead Of one. Ewing's battery wss
called the best, and the boys Of that battery
had about all they wanted, to attend TO that
rebel battery, and had one gun burst and dis
mounted by them, at chat.
The lieutenant to whom he alludes as hav-
ing been shot was First Lieutenant Bart Clark.
company E, Third West Virginia mounted IN
tantry, and it happened as follows When We
dismounted to go into the fight, Clark took one
OF the rifles from one Of the men who held horses
and gave him his saber. He had on an old
blouse without shoulder straps, as he hardly
ever wore them unless on duty, when he had
10 do So The second day we held cur line I'll
almost every man was out Of ammunition and
then we had to CO. When we came 20 the
blockade that E0urade Croft speaks OF al who
had any ammunition We're ordered to halt and
defend the road till the blockade could be
made more difficult by the pioneers. When
Clark came up he was ordered to fail in by
captain Powell, Of the Eighth West Virginia
mounted infantry. He did not obey as soof. as
Powell thought he ought to do, and he repeated
the order. Clark told him ne had about as
much right TO give orders as he POWELL had
At this Powell shot him through the arm "A
described, and when he found out it was an
officer. he went to Clark and begged his pardon.
d0n'tyery much think he got il, for he re-
signed IN q short time and it was said that the
reason for it was that he did not feel safe IN
the same brigade with Clark Rumsey mot
Ramsay had nothing to do with thi shooting
he was little hasty sometimes. The German
officer who was killed was Captain Van KOenig
VI tIO 4 uoS4faH arm AAS HSutu not OlSlaouuts
and as be was the only officer who did not. Of
course. he was prominent mark for the reb-
els. He was a very fine officer. and though
very 0verbeaTing and passionate have no idea
that he came TO his death by our men.
Major McNally, who was wounded and died
on the field, belonged to the Second West Vir-
glnia mounted infantry. Those who tried 70
rescue him were not all captured, as / was one
Of them, but there was nearer 200 than SIX, and
still not enough. Major-6eneraI Sam Jones,
c. S. A., says that this, for the force engaged,
was the blocdiest battle Of the war It was
certainly very desirable place 10 get away
from Let all who can, give rs any facts they
may have IN addition to those that / have
recIted. w. 5. SUMNER
Co. E, Cd W. Va. Md Inf
AuSTTNRTrRG O