South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-02-01

etis, ana 0isPouSo with the mese chests
and tents, and every man 10 carry his
knapsack and blankets, and II found
ia the wagons to ba thrown away.
So we started on the march up the
Shenandoah ri.er under tho new t.sc.
ties through the rain and mud. and
"a we had . good mauv blankets and
an overcoat nplece i was hard taslk
to carry all, aud q great many blank.
cts were thrown away j spPposo the
order was from headquarters, but az
Gen. Winder had J',st taken com.
mand of the brigade, and this order
coming at tho Same timo, wa all
thought he was tho cause oft, and a.
he was kind of a fancy general and
seemed 10 put on good many sairs,'
and very strict d,scipl;narian. the
boys all took dislike to him from
the start, and never did like him al
forwards. Whenever he would pass
the brigade on tho march we would
sing out: 'Alore baggage, moro bag
gage until he got tired of it, and
wheeled suddenly around one day and
told our captain to 'arres ct those men
for such conduct l was one of the
men, but it was like hunting for q
needle IN haystack' to find out who
we were, SO we escaped.
We marched Oh and crossed the
'lue Ridge TO east OF Browns Gap.
When we reached the Virginia Cen (.
trail railroad we got on the cars and
went by rail to Staunton. Before we
LETT Swift Run Clap Gen. Ewell's di-
vision from Gen. Joseph K. Johnson g
army had come and taken our posi-.
ton, and lay there ready to form o
juntion either with jackson or.John-
son, as was necessary, and at the same
time to watch the enemy in the lower
valley.
Gen. Il. johnson had snail
force in Highland county. and he
was falling back on Stauntoa from
the west before Gen. Milroy.
When we got to Stanton we march
ed west, and, together with John.
sons command, turned on the enemy,
who in tnrn fell back to Mcdowell
and there took stand on the top of
Bu!lpasture mountain. johnson was
about six honrs in advance OF Jack
son, and did not wait until We came
up, Int pitched in, and came very
near being repu!sed; but jackson
coming up in time, by double-Guick-
ing Us several miles, we swept the
field inst ut dark. Orr loss was email,
but Johnso and Milroy lost severely.
Our brigade marched thlrty.six miles
that day and carried our knapsacks
twenty miles, when we wero ordered
to pile them and Ego for IL double
quick
The Federal soldiers know General
johnson by sight, and during tho bat
tie at one timo he was separated lit
tie from his command. and some OF
them yelled out There's old John.
sou, let's flank him. johnson heard
them, and, waving his club in the air.
he cxclaimed; 'Yes, damn you, flank
if you can lie was wounded in the
foot. He very seldom carried q
sword, but always a big hickory club
or cane, and was always called, by
our army, odd Chubby Johnson TO
distinguish hun from the other john
sons.
That was the only battle was C..
yer in Or heard OF during the war
where there was no artillery used
The place was SO rugged & steep that
neither army could get a piece in
position, and we conld not get an
ambulance to the battle field, aud
had to carry the wounded down a
steep, rocky hollow. We were work :
ing all night with them. The enemy
retreated about ono mile aud went in
10 camp, as w. thought, tor they built
great many fires; but the next
morning they were gone, and had
been retreatiug all night, leavi ng
some baggage and - great many
wounded IN camp. We were Oh the
march early next morning, but did
not overtake them until we got to
Franklin, Peudleton county where
they met re-iuforcements and made
another stand
We were drawn up in line OF bat.
tie aud lay there all day, diminishing
some with them, but had no general
engagement, and ut dark We retired
from their front, went into camp,
cooked ratiors, and the next morning
started back and marched cast until
near st unton, when We turned down
the valley, marching north, pass % Z
by StribIing SPRING., Moent Scion,
Bricgewater. and Dayton on 10 Har-
risonburg, where we were ordered to
pile away our knapsacks in lhe court
house We knew there was some
game on hand then, for when Gen.
Jackson ordered Nnapsacks to be left
behind he meant business.
We marched on qnlck PACE down
the valley to Newmarket, whore we
turned east, crossed TIE Massanniteu
mountain and over into the Page val