South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-04-18
lcoNTINUED.1

rcdT, tne StragSieTS uuitcG ana fOrfn-
ed across the road aud called on them
to halt, the enemy thinking it was
another detachment OF our infantry.
halted and surrendered, but the Lou
isiana brigade was near by and took
them in tow. That was one time
stragelers came in good play, rs the
enemy's column would have ESCAPED
if it had not been for the stragglers in
their front. Our cavalry were on the
| TANKS and we had none there to fol-
! low the retreating enemy. SO the in-
. fantry gathered up the wagon .horses
and mules and mounted them bare
backed and in every shape, and they
were the hardest looking cavalry re-
g:ment l ever saw with their KNAPP
sacks and blankets around their shout
ders, with their long rifles and no
saddles, and blind brides, on mules
and horses, away they went down the
pike as hard as they could go yelling
and firing, as it was big fun for an iu-
fantry man to be mounted in any
shape, and they captured great ma
ny, for they were after the wagon
train that was ahead of the infantry.
Hays Louisiana brigade charged
the enemy in their forts around Win
chester. driving them out and captur-
ing their guns, and turning them on
them. Early's division charged and
run them out of Winchester, our d.
vision headed them off and captured
them. Rhodes division was at Ber
ryville to cnt oft their retreat in that
direction, and then went from there
to Martinsburg and captured Il great
amount OF stores while we followed
them on to lIarpers-Ferry when they
crossed the Potomac and occupied
Maryland heights. Gen. Milroy es-
capped with ibout three hundred ca.
valry. Our captures amounted to
four thousand prisoners, % pieces of
artillery, go wagons and ambulance
four hundred horses and a large a.
mount OF Military stores. Our loss
WAS small,
Ger. Ewell was good officer. and
Our corps preferred him to any other,
after we lost Gen. Jackson, and he
done well in routing Milroy from
Winchester but Jackson (in my opln.
lon,) would have marched all night.
the night we went into camp and by
daylight would have had his line OF
battle around Winchester and cap
tured the whole command. Our corps
was rather anxious to capture Alilroy
rs he had tyrannized over the citizens
OF Winchester, insulting Ladies and
rendering himself obnoxious in DIFF
terent things, more so than any Fed.
eral Gen. had done during the war,
and ii he had been captured by some
OF cur men, he would have Jared
badly.
All this time Gen. lockers army
was laying on the north bank of the
Rappahanock opposite Fredericks-
burg, and Gen. A. u. Hill remained
there with bis corps to watch him.
Longstrect had remained in Gull ep-
PER while Ewell moved on Winches &.
ter. And as EweIl had cleared the
Valley OF the enemy, the key to Wash
ington city was open, consequently
the federal army fell back to Wash
ington to protect it.
This was Gen. Lees object to draw
the army out DIVA. on northern soil.
A. L. Hill followed up and took
Longstrect's place East of Blue Ridge
aud hongstreet crossed the Blue
Ridge at Smokers Gap and came in
the Valley while Ewell with our corps
crossed the Potomac at Shepherds
town into Maryland, we then went to
Williamsport, from there to Hlgers-
town and on to Greencastle Pa,
through Shippensburg and many 9th.
or villages and towns on to Carlisle
Pa, about one days march from Har-
risburg, the capital and there halt.
ed.
When we crossed the Potomac we
thought we would have fine time,
pIundering IN the enemy's country
aud live fine. But Gen. Lee had or
ders read out that we were not to mo.
lest any Of the citizens or take any
private property, and any soldier
caught p!underiug would be punished
with death
The infantry did not have much
chance TO plumber as we were kept
close in ranks and marched slowly,
and would camp every night near
some town, but there would be
guard Tut in the town and we could
not get in without pass, anil after
We got in we were not allowed to dis.
turb anything, Of course we could 90
to the houses and get all we could eat
without money for they did not want
our morey and we're glad to give us
| plenty through fear
But our quartermasters managed
TO gobble up everything they came
to, they would take the citizens hor-
SEES and wagons and load them up
with provisions aud goods from the
stores, therefore we accumulated an
. immpuse fr1iu tho cavalry tvorc -