The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-04-29
A MYSTERY or THE RE.
BELLION.
A Story or tlie.War on The Dor.
tLerA Of West Virginia.


Old soldler in New York Tribune.
1t was in Virginia during the
autumn of 1881, the fret year Of
The war. l was a sergeant in an
infantry company which had been
selected on account Of its fighting
qualities to guard an important
point on the line Of communica.
TONS The South Branch, risinga
considerable distance above Moore.
field, winds along north until it
passes Rom1oy, and four miles be-
yondtha mountain.locked natural
stronghold bends abruptly to the
east, on its way to join the greater
stream Of the Potomac. At this
bend the turnpike road connect.
ing Romney, where The Union
force was disposed, with Green
Springs Run, the depot Of supplies
on the Baltimore 4 Ohio railroad,
crossed the river by a suspension
bridge. The written order to our
Captain commanded him 10 hold
this bridge ITO the last man, if
necessary" And there we re
manned until some weeks later,
when the Confedetales manuuvred
our entire force buck to.its base on
the railroad.
The war had stripped this part
of Virginia Of most of its people.
Hillside and Valley seemed to be.
long again to the wild things Of
nature. The scream of an eagle
soaring in the gray sky would call
out perfect din Of animal notes.
Even the handful Of soldiers prowl.
ed about as stealthily as the foxes
themselves which now and again
scampored out Of the laurel bushes.
Graceful deer, with spreading ant.
lers, sometimes peered out from
under the forest growth. One af.
ternoon a bear even nude bold to
invade a picket posts cooking
camp kettle, licking tho fat from
the edge with great relish and con.
tentedly Looping of before the start.
led soldiers could realize the char.
acter Of the visitor and Fix their
bayonets to turn him into better
meat than mess pork.
One evening, just at 6, as the
second relief was changing posts,
the sharp crack of a mnsket shot
rang out, from down tho river ap !
parently. II was q dark night and
nothing could be seen, At the
sbanties the pokerdecks were cast
aside and there was hustle for n
moment, tho rush Of feet, the rat
tie Of leather straps as The men put
on their harness, a curse or two as
some one failed to find his own
musket, and then all was still
again. Cartridges were looked at,
pieces clutched and balanced in a
half joCose manner as il to say the
"Johnnies" would get more than
they came for, and all listened for
tbs next shot, or volloy, and the
order to "fall in!"
We had a captain and two lieu.
tenants. But the first Lieutenant,
aCrusty, good soldier, who was kill.
ed the next year at AnLietam, was
serving his turn on guard that day.
Just before dusk, we knew, no had
crossed the bridge with corporal
and private to go to the left along
the river and up the ravines, to sec
that all was in order at the posts
for the night. Ten Of the men also
from the Shanties had been missing
since early in the afternoon, and it
was supposed they had lodged the
posts in order to ford the rives, aud |
had gone 10 a hut in one Of the
ravines where an old negro had
been smuggling whisky for some
time and selling it clandesIincly
to our soldiers. The lieutenant
had intended to visit the hut in
quest Of the stragglen.
Minutes passed, aud though We
stood about ut the shanties with
arms in hand no sound came but
the murmur of the river cddying
along under the bridge, the signing
of the trees, and the cough Of a sen.
tinol pacing his beat down the
road in front Of the guard house.
Suddenly there was a challenge
across the river, HALT Who
comes thero?" Quick footsteps up
the road brought messenger, and
the captain ordered me to take
squad to the gGard.houso. Down
the steep road my squad and 1 went
at the double quick. The moon
was rising from behind the noun.
tains towad Winchester, throwing
hor hiiA l;,b, ,h,o,,h H.