Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-09-19

A FcrociOus, Fearful Looking
Sabrc-ss:irry GiimOr's Wild
Horscmcn-Their Dash mad
Pluck.
A once frightened Federal who never
will forget the scenes he describes, pub
fishes the following in recent issue ot
journal, whose editors have no love for
the South now, and never did relish the
"rebel." The reader will, therefore, pc
ruse through what may be called ~ an
kee" spectaclcs:
"The Jonnies had some pretty derned
smart officers during the war, said the
Major, when lie had cooled off after growl-
inc at tile heat, "and some OF them thai
did the most effective work were almost
the least heard of. ImbOden was one OF
them. He was 4 smashing good soldier,
had the true instincts of cavalryman,
and was as much at home in the saddle
for a three days ride to raid an outpost rs
he would have been playing bean poker
for apple brandy in the crossroads gro
Gerry in the Shenandoah mountains.
'In 1868, when the army of the Poto-
mae chased Lees defeated and sulleh
forces back into Virginia, Meade left at
Harper's Ferry only small corps OF OBJ
seryation, instead of the large force kept
there previously for 10 better purpose
than for the 'Rebs' to run out and GalloP
all over the country when they took no
ton to do so. Only force enough was left
to watch Confederate operations in the
fair valley stretching away to the south
ward. and to guard the railway from the
rowing, restless bands OF light horscmen
that kept things wide awake in that neigh
borhood. For one of these bands 20 reach
the road, and have Il brief time to spare,
meant a burned bridge or an obstructed
tunnel, that would take days, perhaps, to
rebuild, or clear, and that meant-the
devil itself sometimes. The force so left
consisted of the Thirty-lourth Massachus-
ctts 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 then no opportunity Of
showing what metal it contained, though,
God rest their brave souls.
"Many gallant fellow had too sood
chances the next year. The other troops
were three light batteries detached from
the Army of the Potomac, one that had
been with Averill across the mountains,
and two six-montlIs' Maryland regiments
of infantry, besides which was the Purncll
legion of Maryland cavalry.
SIN October Gen. Sullivan had just re-
lieved General Henry II. Lockwood, the
father of the young ofllccr who lost his
life in the Arctic with Greedy, and the
force was then distributed so that the
Ninth Maryland and squadron of cavalry
was at Clarlestown, w. Va, some dozen
miles from the ferry, the Tenth Maryland
and the three Potomac batteries lay along
the high ground ut the western foot of
MARYLAND Heights, across the Potomac,
and the Bay State men and the Seven
teemth Indiana battery were on Bolivcr
Heights, above IIarpcr's Ferry.
"On the morning Of October 18th, not
an hour after sunrise, had my batteries
out drilling, when | heard guns to the
southwark, away beyond Bolivar, and rid
ing out TO the redoubt above the river was
sgnalled in 4 short time to come at once
with my command to headquarters, Col.
Revere, Of the Tenth Maryland, receiving
the same orders. gave the same instruc-
tons to battery commanders, and started
off at once with lieutenant and our Or
derlies, and in half an hour or so reported.
No one yet knew tie trouble, but the
lookout from Bolivar Heights located the
firing at or near Charlestown, and Col.
Wells, of the Thirty-fourtlI, was started
out, Miners Indiana Battery, with which
| went, and Coles Battalion of Cavalry
accompanying.
awe soon found ont what the trouble
was. Geh d. Imboden, with 4 small force
Of cavalry, perhaps 500, and a section Of
artillery, had started from Bcrryyillc al ,
O'Clock that Sunday morning, nearly
twenty miles away, and marched TO
CharleStown, where he arrived about sun
rise and succeeded in surrounding the
place before single officer or man discov-
cred the least sign of his approach. |
don't know where the caralrymen were
located; they certainly were not posted,
but the infantry was located in the court
house yard, which was enclosed with a
low barrcade wall of stones and timber,
while the courthouse and Jail, where old
John Brown Was confined, tried and
hanged, was loophOled for musket firing.
Gen Imboden demanded surrender,
but Col. Simpson, OF the Ninth, demand
ed AZ hour for consideration-probably
wanted to drill his troops. Gen. ImbOdeD
wouldn't have that, and sent word that
he would give five minutes before he
opened fire, and advised Simpson TO send
the women and children out OF the way.
Simpson answered gallantry to Take me
if you can, and firing at once began.
Gen. Imbodcn had his guns posted within
two squares of the courthouse, and they
were served we'll, as found out later in
the day, so that in less than five minutes
our people got out in the streets. and tried
TO skip out for IIarper's Ferry. Just at
the edge of town Gen. Imboden's brother
and Col. Harry Gilmor met them, and
after firing only one volley our troops
downed their arms and surrendercd-no