National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-16
THE MAJORS STORY.
AN EPISODE OF THE WAR IN THE sHENAN.
DOAH VALLEY.

nav ~ A'VDh VT nun WAN INN OHhNANe
D0AH VALLEY.
How Gen. Imboden Captured the Ninth Mary
land at Charlostown--A Rebel saber That
Looked as Long as Fence Rail and as
Bright as an Electric Light.
"The Johnnies had some pretty dorned
smart officers during tho war;" said the
major, whom no had cooled Off after
growing at tho heat, "and some Of them
that did tho most effective work were
almost tho least heard Of. Imboden was
one Of them. He was smashing good
soldier, had tho true instincts Of cav
alryman, and was as much at homo in
the saddle for three days rido to raid
an outpost as he would have been playing
bean poker for apple brandy in cross
roads grocery In the Shenandoah noun
tains.
an 1863 whom tho Army of tho Po-
tomac chased Lees defeated and sullen
forces back into Virginia, Meade loft at
Harper's Ferry only O small corps Of
observation, instead Of the largo force
kept there previously for no better pur-
pose than for tho rebs to run out and
gallop all over tho country whenever
they took notion to do so. Only force
enough was left to watch confederate
operations in tho fair valley stretching
away to the southwark, and to guard the
railway from the rowing, restless bands
of light horsomen that kept things wide
awake in that noighborhood. For ono of
these bands to reach tho road and have a
brief time to spare meant q burned bridge
or an INSTRUCTED tunnel that would take
days perhaps to rebuild or clear, and
that meant--tho devil itself some
times. The force so left consisted of the
saith Massachusetts infantry, gallant
regiment that had been engaged before In
racing up and down the Shenandoah with
Banks and other distinguished generals
of mastery retreat, and had had then no
opportunity Of showing what metal it
contained. though, God rest their bravo
souls, many a gallant fellow had too good
chances the next year. The other troops
were three light batteries detached from
tho army of the Potomac, ono that had
been with Avorill across the mountains,
aud two six months Maryland regiments
of infantry, besides which was tho Purnell
legion Of Maryland cavalry.
"In October, Gen. Sullivan had just
relieved Gen. Henry IL. Lockwood, the
father Of the young officer who lost his
life in tho Arctic with Greedy, and the
force was then distributed so that the 9th
Maryland and squadron Of cavalry was
at Charlestown, some dozen miles from tho
ferry, tho 10th Maryland and tho three Po-
tomac batteries lay along the high ground
at tho western foot Of Maryland heights.
across the Potomac, and the Bay State
mon and the 18th Indiana battery were
on Bolivar plain, above tho town at the
forty.
"0n tho morning of tho 18th Of Oct ober,
not an hour after sunrise. had my bat
tories out drilling, when / heard guns to
the southwark, away beyond Bolivar, and
riding out to the rcdoubt above the river
was signaled In short time to come at
once with my command to headquarters;
Col. Revere, of the 10th Maryland, re-
ceiving the same orders. l gave tho same
instructions to tho battery commanders,
and started Off at once with lieutenant
and our orderlies, and in half an hour or
30 reported. No one yet knew the trouble,
but tho lookout from Bolivar heights
located the firing ut or very near Charles
town. and Col. Wells, of the 34th was
started out, Miners Indiana battery, with
which went, and Coles battalion Of the
cavalry accompanying.
ave soon found out what tho trouble
was. Gen. ]. ID. Imboden. with small
foroo of cavalry, perhaps fyo hundred,
and section of artillery, had started
morning, nearly twenty miles away, and
tt,a rrbai IN GharlaQtntvn WHARF hn Re
rived about sunrise and succeeded in
surrounding the place before "a single
officer or man discovered the least
sign Of his approach. don't know
where the cavalry men were To-
Gated, thoy certainly were not posted,
but the infantry was located
in the court house yard, which
was inclosed with low barricade wall of
stones and timber, while tho court house
and jail, where old John Brown was con-
fined. tried, and hanged, was loopholed
for musketry firing. Imboden demanded
surrender, but Col. Simpson, of tho 9th,
demanded an hour for consideration
probably wanted to drill his troops. I'M
boden wouldn't have that, and sent word
that he would give five minutes before
he opened fire, and advised Simpson to
| send tho women and children out of the
way. simpson answered CALAMITY to
take mo If you can" and firing at
once began. Imboden had his guns
posted within two squares of the
court house, and thoy were served we'll,
as found out later in the day, so that in
less than Eve minutes our people got out in
the streets and tried to skip out for Har-
pers Ferry. Just at tho edge of town
Imboden's brother and Harry Gilmore
met them, and after firing only ono vol
ley our troops downed their arms and
surrendered-not to q single man, how
ever, for ut tho first shot Col. Simpson,
his lieutenant colonel, whose namo
don't recOllect, aud i've other mounted
officers lit out, got through the rebs, and
reached Bolivar Heights just about the
time Wells and his command wore well
down the slope toward Halltown, o little
place four miles away.
"Imboden, with half q dozon shells, O
volley or two of carbine and pistol shots
and considerable dash. had scooped in
pretty nearly as many rs his own force
numbered. Our folks were never very
proud Of that part of the days work.
'Well, in not much moro than two
hours after the first shot was fred Col
Wells had pushed his command so hard
that we jumped into Imbodon, who hat
been hastily improving his time In gather
ing together his prisoners and the con
siderable quantity of plumber he hat
secured in the way Of arms, ammunition
scco uterments, and supplies, and hsd
started them of to the southwark on tn,
Berryville pike to place Of safety. Ill
had expected call from tho Ferry. ane
was at homo.
by the time we arrived our men ant
horses were pretty we'll knocked up by
tho sharp pace at which tho column hat
been forced along, for Wells was possessed
of as much energy and dash as Imboden
aud would have made brilliant mark in
tho history of the war had ho not beer
killed year after at tho battle Of Cedar
Crock. While wo were tagged out limbo