South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-05-16
Romney, Hampshire County, West Va May Is, 1884

divide ont in squads of three one pick
for two shoveis and as soon as we
would finish one piece we would move
On mp the line. One evening the
Lieut.. had gone to camp and left rs
in charge OF Sergeant McGhee, and
when the time arrived to quit work,
the equad that was with had not fin.
ished our space, and as they were all
returning to camp. pror osed that We
should go too, and leave it unfinished,
the others sanctioned my proposal, and
we went to camp.
On arriving there tue Lieut.. in
quired If the line was completeda'
the Sergt. replied shat there were se-
veral spaces unfinished he wanted to
know then 'who was working at them.
and who proposed leaving it undonef
he was informed that was the one,
he ordered me before his august pro.
sence aud commenced cursing me
and wanted to know 'why did not
remain and finish it9' / replied shat
We had done as much work as the bal
ance OF the corps, and had gotten that
much ahead OF them, and 1 did not
consider that we had any more right
to remain there longer than the 9th :
ers. and that if they would have re-
NAMED / certainly would .and fur,
thermore,' says /. you must not curse
me or l will report you to headquar-
ters.'
lie then ordered the Serst. 'to take
mo out and make me pile brush for
one hour | went out with the Scrgt
but told him shat L would not pile
brush, that would go to the guard
house first And that was one adj.
vantage private had over an officer,
an officer can punish private but he
dare not curse him.
The Sergt. then went back to the
Lieut.. and told him what 1 said, he
then sent for me and talked very
mildly and said that he did not want
to punish me, that he knew that
was good hand to work, and that
he wanted this to be the last time that
disobeyed orders. lie knew that
would report him aud he wanted to
smooth II over, and told me to 90 to
my quarters, and he never cursed me
afterwards. Several days after that
some one stole his watch out of his
tent, and the next morning he bad
the long roll beat at daylight, and we
were ordered to fall in an be ready
to march at once, none Of US ..irew he
bad lost his watch but the one who
stole and we were taken by surprise
to think that there was move on
hand, but it was ruse of lis to search
the whole corps for his watch, and he
had each and every one searched and
kept Us in ranks until our hunks were
searched, but no watch was found,
and he never did get it or hear from
il, the fellow who stole i, was "a sharp
as he was and made way with it, we
always suspected Sam Nunnely stole
1t, but never knew as Sam would risk
his life for watch
On the 9Th of October the greater
portion Of our army crossed The Rap
idan river, and by circuIious route,
through Madison Court House we
came TO the Rappahanock river, west
of where Gen. Meades army lay, in
order to make flank movement and
get in rear OF his army, and between
him and Washington city. We met
a small force of the enemy who wan
ted to Oppose our passage across the
river, but they were soon driven back
oy our cavalry.
We had left some of our troops on
the South bank oe the Rapidau, aud
the enemy had crossed there but were
repul5ed aud driven back.
BY that means Gen. Meade learned
the object Gen. Lee was after, and
fell back towards Manassas Junction
Our advance troops under Gen. A. +.
Hill attacked them at Bristoe Station
but were repulsed and failed to get in
their rear and before the whole army
was mp and in line Gen. Meade had
fallen back again beyond Bull Run
and commenced fortifying, and as he
was too near Washington to effect q
flank movement, there was nothing
lett for Gen. Lee to do but to fall
back across the Rappahaunock.
AS VIC fell back we destroyed the rail
road and burnt the bridges. Aud az
we were tearing down tie stone but
mebts Of bridge one day several oil
us were sent TO the base OF the but
ment TO roll the rocks in the river
Some OF the men above, not noticing
the rarity working below threw off a
large rock down on us, but fortunate
ly no one was hurt except myself, az
one corner Of the rock grazed my
head and cut cash about one inch
long, and stunned me considerably
but | soon recovered and was all right
except core head for several DAYS, il
was marrow escape, for il it had hi.
Inc fairly il would have mashed me.
! The flank movement was planned
all night, but failed in its execution,
rs the enemy found out our move
ment soon after we started. We did
not have Jackson with his secrecy
and midnight marches 20 toi,a ,borD