The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-30

IN N & MORIAM
A Bright Record, From Major to
MajoV-CeneraIl
Continued from last ueek.)

Strasburg, Septembe Der 22I Requested
Lieut.. Barnes To telegraph you for lear
the report current IN the rear OF my be
Ing Killed might reach you. Ii was q
most terrible day. In the beginning
! we drove the enemy and killed many, and
con'd have driven then into Harper.
Ferry but for the troops on our lett.
Our cavalry first gave way, our infantry
were fauked then there was a genera
fall back. lsamseur has been assigned
to this Division aud i'eyram TO RAHselr :
old command. Gen. Rodes' place can
not be supplied. He Is a serious loss TO
the COME ~ieracy. Capts. London, Suit,
and Lieut.. Barnes are a great loss t. me;
their aid was Invaluable. Lieut.. How
ard was mOrta,ly wounded and fell into
the hands of the enemy.
New Market, September 24th.-Am
well and safe after most fatiguing and
dangerous fighting for five days. Ny
escapes have been miraculous.
Camp near Port Republic &c. Septemb. r
18th. We. haze Te1chei a place OF
safety, after one Of tile most harassing
weeks OF anxiety ever spent by me-, less
on ny own accoLnt than that of others.
IL has b Ell tight all day and retreat all
night. Am CON pleteiy exhausted.
THE BATTLE OF FISHER HILL.
Near Port Republic, Sept. 26th.-A
week his morning since we left camp on
September 18th at ~Stevenson's Depot,
when, In less hal on hour, encountered
the enemy, and, forming line, attacked
him drove some distance. luhlcting
most terrible punishment upon him, aud
then halted
Everything up to 4 O'Clock in tn after
noon looked bright, aud propis d well
tor a complete victory. The enc ~ had
turned their wagons buck to Harper ,
Ferry about 4 o'clock, then their ayalry
charged our Cavalry. which was on the
ctr t GU l~ptanrry, which gave way Ia
cOnft.luu. aud their forces caue Gown
on the lie { and rear of our column, when
he troops began to rive wav IN thai
quarter. About which time | received
orders to swing back and trout them
from hat direction, allowing the right
Of my Brigade to remain stationary.
Upon coming into the open field, /
perceived everything to be in the mort
ineAtr cable confusion horses da ,hine
over the field, cannon being lun to the
itAi II nv UP vi nv HpIFSo DPC'ts
men leaving their command, and scat
tering in confusion. My men Sc, iny this
tate Of things began ai>o 10 show synIp-
toms Of alarm, which | in a gre 1t mea--
ure checked, threatening to blow the
brains out of the first man who lie [
ranks. and succeeded in quoting them
down aud keeping them under control.
Then directed my attention to arreseing
-, A.rlt ~. atharc md fll.r
felt the full weight of my best blows
Yankee Cavalry were dashing among
them. cutting and hewing right and left.
We then attempted to fall back slowly,
confronting them and fighting every inch
of TIE round which vas done through
to Winchester and some four miles south
of that point. The ladies' of Winches-
ter came out in the streets when the
>tampede first began and formed across
ihe streets and eDtreated the stragglers
| to return, but without success. | have
| iirea1y told you about having my horse
killed under me, and my escapes from
Heath on that day appeared marvellous,
| for from ten o'clock in the morning until
after eight at night, | was in the thickest
of the fight. Capt. London, poor fell
low, was shot, aud caught by me as he
fell. Capt. Foster the same day was
killed. That night we marched until
about . o'clock when we lay down and
slept until about 4, at which time we
were again on the road and reached
Strasburg about II m. on Tuesday,
cooked up ~rations, and slept off our ia
tigue of the previous twenty tour hours.
| have never exerted myself SO much in
my life and my voice was completely
gone could scarcely speak above a whis-
per. L was as sore as a boil all over, and
had to have Polk (his body ~servant) TO
rub me over with liniment. On We'd
nesday we erected breastworks, and pre-
pared for the advance of the enemy, and
icit very secure of holding the position
of the command in front. Were busily
engaged day and night up to about one
o'clock Thursday the 22d, when they
attack ed our skirmishers and drove them
in; did not attack the line of battle.
About 3 o'clock We perceived two col
umns moving up the side of the mourn
ain to our Nett, when the cavalry Was
again tronted. then urged upon Ram
seur, who commanded our Division, to
send a Brigade OF two over to their as
~siStance, kuowIng that the cavalry would
run il attacked, bu; he decliued to do
SO until tie could communicate with Gen.
Early. and then sent COI's Brigade, bu;
alas it was too late. During that hour
[ suffered more than We ever lone IL
my ilie. Ny Anxiety for the fate of the
army was into er4b Z. | deployed three
Of my regiments to pr tect my flank IN
case of an attack, viii Il about 4 . cock
came like an avalanche. The clvairy
breaking. NV skirmishers presented bu'
Il fc, bic resistance The enemy attacked
me on my left flank, front and rear at
the same time. | remained, fought un-
Ill Rani>e IT came ny and tod me 20 save
my Brigade il possible. The colors of
the United States troops were then in
less than a hundred yards of me. |
moved Of by my right flank, firing %
the front aud left as | marched Think
ing that We were going to fight IN the
trenches, had sent my horse to a hollow
Tor protection. 4 while before this time
| had fallen IN walking down the trenches
and sprained my ankle, and was unable
to hobble along but very slowly Through
mistake my horse had been carried from
the place that | had ordered him, and 4
found myself afoot when | ordered the
TROOPS to leave As we marched by the
faux We were firing to the tight, lett and
rear. Upon attempting to put my men
in position 10 line, | found it almost An
impo>sibility, or account of the nearness
of the enemy, and that | would be left
behind to fall into the hands of the Yam
KEGS. just then a cannon ball cut down
two horses in a c~aisson, and the drivers
we're engaged in getting the other. loose
from their harness. Two we're loosened
and the drivers had mounted them be-
fore ] could get up, and others were
cutting out the otler two. To procure
one of these horses was a matter of lite