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

| SOSlhNSEDsl
I he river was tolerable full when
we arrived at it, and the ferry boat
was kept busy taking men across and
bringing ammunition back for our
army, and the caval'y were swim
ming their horses across all the time
we were ut work, and the army lay.
Ing ia line of battle waiting for us to
get the bridge done, when we got the
boats made we got some tar, aud bor-
rowed the wash kettles around town
to boil it in, although the old women
wanted to raise row, when we took
their kettles, but we promised to bring
them back, we then caulked and pitch.
ed the boats. launched them in
the river, loaded them with lumber,
and went down the river to Falling
waters five miles and put in the
bridge. We there gathered up ten of
the original pontoons that had been
cut loose by the yanks, and had lodg-
ed along the river distance of five
miles, the ten good ones and sixteen
that we made was 26 in all, and it
took all of them to reach across the
river. So when the bridg was done
the army commenced crossing the ri.
yer, but the bridge was kept full I'LL
the time with ambulances, Medical
wagons, Ordnance wagons and artil-
lery, such things that would not do to
get wet, while all the infantry except
one division that was guarding the
bridge, bad to wade the river at Will
Transport and the greater portion of
the wagon trains had to ford at the
same place, the water would come up
under the arms Of the men, but by
crossing In body and using their
guns to steady them, they all got over
safely. We brought out 900 prison
ers and had paroled 1000 on the field,
an immense wagon train and lost but
few wagons and one or two pieces of
artillery and they broke down. The
enemy's Cavalry made q charge to
capture the bridge, not knowing there
was infantry laying behind the brow
OF the hill until they came close to
| them, when the infantry poured such
vQliey Into them at close quarters
that it nearly annillilated them, and
horses without riders were running in
every direction. AS the last ones
crossed the bridge they cut the cable
that held t on the Maryland side and
Tie bridge tloated around on the Vir-
glnia side, and that night wheu ever.
thing was quiet, with sharpshooters
on each side OF the river, aud the rain
pouring down, we pioneers slipped
down to the waters edge and drew
out The ten good pontoon boats load
ed them on the wagons and sent them
to the rear. and scuttled and sunk the
ones We had made up at Willamsport
but We worked very quietly nd made
10 noise for we expected voIIey ev-
cry minute from the other side, but
there was not shot fred, and so en-
ded the Pennsylvania campaign and
The battle Of Gettysburg. Our loss
has been estimated at ten thousand,
the encmy's eighteen thousand besides
the rlsoners on both sides. Capt.
WIN. Powell of my company was Sc
verely wounded, which was oil the
loss our company sustained, but there
were very few in the company at that
time. In one of the charges on our
left color bearer in enc OF the Lou
lslana regiments in our division was
cut oil from lbs command and found
that he would be captured,so lie tore
the iiag from the staff, pulled Off his
clothes and wrapped the flag around
his body and then put on his clothes,
was captured and went to prison, and
when he was exchanged and arrived
in Richmond, he took of lis clothes
and unfurled the flag. Soldiers love
their colors with such devotion that
they will die in defending them and
icsplse to have them captured, and
especially The color bearer.
In few days our army moved on
up the Valley and crossing the Blue
Ridge went into camp, in Orange Co.
with the Rapidau river az our line
OF defense.
My father aud family were living
IN Frederick county, about fifteen
miles west of Winchester, and as we
mad given up all hope OF cmigrating
to Missouri, they had concluded to
move TO Rockingham county Va. the
first opportunity, and when our army
drove the enemy out of Winchester
aud went on 10 Pennsylvania, my
father came on alter the army to sec
me, and overlook us the night we
camped on the line tetweeu MARYLAND
and Peunsy lvania AN i stayed al! night
with me, when we consulted what had
best be done, advised him TO return
home at once, and move - soon az
possible TO Rockingham, rs We did
not know now long our "A my would
remain north OF Winchester, and If
we fell back before he got moved the
chances were that he might not be a.
Ole to q, through for another year as
the enemy would occupy Winchester
as soon as we left. lie then left me
TO return home and move further
south. And when our army reached