South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-05-02

county, had not hearda word from
my father whether he had moved or
not aud was very anxious& uneasy a..
bout them, thinking perhaps they did
not know that we were falling back.
and would be caught and captured
on the move. therefore stated the
circumstances TO our Lieut. aud asked
permission to leave the army and go
TO my fathers and assist them ii they
had not lett, and if they had moved,
would return to the army the next
day. The Lieut.. said that he could not
give me permission to 20 as it would
have to come from higher authority
and that a pass from him would not
amount to anything anyhow, and that
he could not take the responsibility
on himself to grant me absence Of
leave, but II | went he would not re-
port me, AID that if returned rs soon
as possible without being arrested he
would not have me punished, but if
was arrested for being absent the
martial law would have to take It's
course, aud would have to take the
responsibility on myself. So with
that understanding 1 started for home
and by keeping the by roads / arriv-
ed ut home that night, and found my
mother and sisters in great state OF
excitement and fear, for they had
heard that our army was falling back,
and that my father had taken one load
to Rockingham distance of seventy
miles, and had returned and started
WI II another and if he went OH he
would not be back for several DAYS.
and my sister Mary had gone on horse
back with my Uncle who belonged TO
the cavalry. But while we were pom
derlng over the state of affairs, my
father drove mp with the team, he had
heard that our army was falling back
and had unloaded the wagon at
Strasburg in Shenandoah county
and made all haste to return for the
family. Therefore we loaded up in a
hurry, and by daylight were on the
road to Winchester with the wagon,
and n one horse buggy. When we
got within nine miles OF Winch ester.
we heard that all OF our army had
passed through Winchester and there
would be no troops between US and
the enemy. We were then afraid 10
go on for fear of being captured and
lose the team, especially it was
WITH them. So we concluded to take
a by road and keep near the noun
tains until we arrived at Strasburc,
but that evening the rain poured down
~ torrents, and when we arrived at
LOG creek small stream that crossed
the North Western turnpike we found
1t so swollen from the rain that it was
impossible to cross, but | did not like
the idea Of remaining there in ;iiiat
puoIIc place all night for l wanted to
travel all night, so | wadcd into the
Gtream to sec il we could risk ii, but
found it impossible to do so, for
waded until it reached my armpits
and found If getting deeper and swift
ter, and there was no alternative but
to camp Oh the bank of the creek all
night.
At daylight the waters had receded
SO that we could cross in safety, and
as we neared Winchester we heard
that some few of our cavalry were
still III Winchester and that the enc
my were not advancing. we then
concluded to risk it by going through
Winchester as we would have a good
macadamlzed ROAD TO travel, while if
we took the by road it would be rough
aud muddy. But in crossing a small
washout in the road, one of the mind
wheels chucked down in hole, and
as the wagon was very heavy loaded
1t strained and cracked the axle.
But we passed safely through Win
chester and when we arrived at Md
dletown, five miles from Strasburg,
our axle had given away so much
that we could go no farther. Ny IA.
Their then went to Maj. Crismau's, a
farmer near by, and an acquaintance
OF my fathers, and borrowed large
wagon of him, in order that we could
get to Strasburg. We then unloaded
our wagon into the other, and pro.
ceeded on our journey, aud when we
arrived at Cedar creek we found the
bridge burnt aud had to cross the creek
at a miserable ford, aud The wagon
being a iourhorse wagon with \ heavy
load on it, and we having two horses
to 1t we could not pull up the bank
on The opposite side, and therefore
had to camp another night on the
bank OF a creek and run the risk of
being captured. Iiut by good luck
and bad luck mixed with it, we arriv-
cd safe in Strasburg the next day, and
felt considerably relieved as no enc.
my had been heard of yet.
70 Bs coNTISUgD.l