Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-11-07
0 LOCAL CHAT.

haeioilai argument, with an attach
ment Of local coloring ?
l hesitate to treat a serious subject or
a serious speaker with levity, or /
would point out the discriminate va
rlety OF local coloring hereabouts. and
the consequent inability to determine
which was and is the predo.ninating
local coloring. However, the query
reminded me that / happen to have
very recently from General Reub
Williams, of Warsaw, Indiana. and
EDITOR of the Indiana Republican. a
DIT OF war story'' in which Mar
tlnsburg was represented somewhat !:
and which some of the older inhabi-
tants of Martinsburg may readily re-
call to mind.
| take the liberty to tell the story
In Mr.. Williams own: language. He
says u have been slightly acquaint-
ed with Martinsburg, having at a
very early day in the war become a
prisoner along with somec companions
and was quartered for a short time at
one ofthe Hotels in Martinsburg. I
had been captured at Dam No. A, a
few mile farther down the Potomac.
L was then a captain and had been
sent over the river from the Mary
land side, to reconoitre. AT that time
Stonewall Jackson had his headquar-
tiers at Winchester and was the 18th
day December, 1861. / had not gone
than a mile inland from the
river until i with my seven men ran
into a brigade of Confederate Infan-
try and Ashby's Cavalry Regiment.
Wefought our way back to the Poto-
mac, but myself and my men were
captured there within sight of our
men on the opposite side. / was af-
forwards taken to Martinsburg by
Captain Baylor and / remember that
he stopped at three Hotels before he
found one that would give us our
suppers for Confederate money!
When at last we found quarters it
was dark, and a mob of the people of
Martinsburg gathered around the
house in a threatening manner. There
was, if / remember correctly, two
brigades of Confederate troops station
ed at the town at the line. We were
perhaps the first Yankees that the
people of the place and the troops had
ever gazed upon. There were fully a
thousand people gathered around the
Hotel. (Note.-Captain Hoke tells me
that at that date there were three ho-
tells here The United States-now
st. Clair,-the Union the American
House, Phillip Smiths, and the Ev-
erett House, and their threats were
loud and it was evidently their inten-
ton to stone and mob us when
we came out to proceed to
Winchester. They boosted loudly
what they were going to do, but Cap
tain Baylor told me that he would
protect US at the point of his life !; so
10 avoid the crowd about the front of
the hotel he formed his detachment
about forty men behind the house,
placed his prisoners on their horses
and with his men around them we
went out of town at a full gallop lea
wing a disappointed crowd in front of
the house. / fully believe but that
for Capt. Baylor's vigilance we would
have been mobbed; the crowd had
provided themselves with eggs and
stones; we're very demonstrative. We
were taken to Winchester that night
and the next day / was interviewed for
two hours by Stonewall Jackson who
was just about coming into proml-
nence.
The Captain Baylor spoken of above
belonged to Ashby's Cav, and agreed
to forward a Letter to my wife, as /
had left the East bank of the Potomac
SO suddenly that / was lily prepared
to undergo what | was afterwards
called to endure. fNote.-IfI mistake
not Nh. Williams boarded for a time
in that famous national resort for the
captured, Libby prison.. "He did so
near Harper's Ferry and it was duly
forwarded to my wife. He at that
time bore the rank of Captain, he af-
forwards went thro' up all the grades
of rank to %brigadier general" and the
General modestly adds; AS did l."
He concludes his "war storyu with
the usual happy fms of the veteran.
" About ten years ago ] met him
(Baylor) in Kansas City, Missouri,
and we had a "big talk" over Jul
al days"
We take very great pleasure in as
surfing Mr.. Williams that if he comes
to Martinsburg now he would meet
with a different reception. If the
community come at him with eggs,
it would be in aculinary sense and not
an ancient article of war.
*x*
We are panied to learn that the
guests at the Dumford House are dis
satified with the lack of land (es)
scape in their quarters /; in the only
brown house.
OF course you are going to the Band
Fair. 1t is being arranged by a capa-
BILE and energetic committee of both
ladies and gentlemen and the attrac-
tions will be varied and interesting,
Of which we predict that the hun
dred" young ladies will not be the
least.
Martinsburg is famous for its pretty
girls. (Capt. Colston and Geo. Feidt
are my authorities for that) and they
never fail to make things interesting.
The Band will play at intervals
every evening and there will be end
less amusements along with the SUBJ
stantials. The rs dollar watch TO be
CHANGED off at the door is now on eX-
hibit at Jones' Jewelry store, and is
very handsome. If it happens to be
drawn by a lady, Mr.. Jones will ex-
change it for a lady's watch. The
Band have engaged Prof. Fred LUIS
come, an eminent musician and COM
poser, as teacher, and expect him here
next month. The Band r deserv-
ing of patronage, and the indications
are that their Fair will be,-in the
language of one of them,' The big
gest affair out" 1t will begin on
Monday evening next at 1880 sharp,
closed on Saturday night.