The National tribune., 1886-09-16
AROUND LYNCHBURG.
Bald Of Three Days That Was Pretty Hard on


Eaid OF Three Days That Was Pretty Hard on
the Boys.
ToTHE EDITOR: The Spring of 1864 found the
LIST w. Va. Cav. at Charlestown, on the Kanawha
River, in the division Of cavalry commanded
by Gen. Averell. Our first campaign was with
Crook to Dublin Depot, on the Lynchburg and
Tennessee Railroad. We returned to the
Greenbrier River near Lewisburg; from there
TO Staunton, where we Joined the forces under
Gen. Hunter. From Staunton we went to Lex
ington, the home of Stonewall Jackston, and
quite number of the soldiers visited his grave
and the Military Academy. The evening of
June IL there was detail of 100 men from the
LIST w. Va. under the command Of First Lieuts.
Grim and Patton, of Co. i, to report at head
quarters. At headquarters we found about the
same number of men from the 18th Pa. Cav,
who reported to First Lieut.. Grim. We
started about 8 o'clock across the Blue Ridge
into Amherst County, having three of Aver
ellis scouts for advance guards, and moved
forward until daylight. When we came to
the First Division of Hunters Cavalry we
halted for breakfast and TO feed the horses
the last feed they got on that trip! The
afternoon of the 18th found US on the rail-
road between Charlottesville and Lynchburg.
After cutting the telegraph wire we pushed on
for the James River. East of Lynchburg, near
shutdown, when near the river, we passed. q rebel
soldier and ladies promenading. He wanted US
to go into camp and the officers to go to his
fathers for supper. Grim told him he would,
and on we went. 1t was dark when we reached
the river, but we forced darkey into service
as guide, and he piloted Us out to q wagon
road leading from Lynchburg to Concord
Depot. We had gone but a mile when the
scouts came TO q man sitting on his horse.
They asked him what he was doing there. He
said he was on picket. "What are you picket
ing2" was the question. He said Imboden
was in camp just down road, so we took him in
oh 49, &zII -. - III u
column and tell the boys not to talk, that we
were going through Imboden's camp. The
rebels were on both sides of the road. We
passed right through and they did not know
that there was a Yankee near there. Some of
the boys stole revolvers from them where they
lay. We took the sentinel at ImbOden's head
quarters. Some one az his headquarters asked
US where we were going? told him we were
going down the road to 60 into camp. Just
after passing camp man rode up to Johnny
Young and began to sing arebel song. Johnny
told him he had got into the wrong crowd, and
that he had better deliver up his arms. He
delivered, and said he had stopped back at a
house for supper, and was just coming up. He
was Major, ard we took him along.
About the middle of the night we got to
Concord, where we found train of cars on the
track loaded with rations-prineipall bacon.
We destroyed the train and tore up some Of the
track. Near here we were to burn a bridge,
but we found more of a guard than we expect
ed. Our course from here was south. We
reached Campbell Courthouse just after day
light, with the column badly strung out, as some
of the horses were giving out. Gen. Longstreet
sat ON an upper porch in that town and watched
US go by. Now we began to look out for fresh
horses. My eomrade Porter went into lot
after good horses, and a man ran out shouting,
Don't take that ar horse; blongs to Cap'n."
Tell Captain to come out The Captain came.
SECT on that old bareback and come along"
And we scoped in the rebel in spite of his euss-
ing He was awfully mad, and told US that
lmboden would have US all in HI before
night.
At 10 o'clock we stopped to get something to
eat and were truly glad to get few minutes
rest out of the saddles. On moving out took
the advance with four men. We struck west
for the Peaks Of Otter, which could be seen
plainly.
An incident occurred just before we reached
the road leading from Lynchburg to Danville.
We came TO house where we found young
rebel home on sick-leave. Two young ladies
were in the yard with him, with their arms
around him. Allison rides to the fence calls
Johnny" and we took him in. We moved
quite lively, and Johnny got warm keeping up
sfoot for four miles. Allison then said Now
you can go back, and the next soldiers that
come along don't try to make them wish they
were home with their best girls!"
About the middle of the afternoon Imboden
caught our rear and charged, but volley from
the lith Pa. and part of the lst w. Va. sent
them back. We had one man of the Nth badly
wounded and had to leave him. Lieut.. Pax
ton and Waite Karr's horses getting away they
had to take to the brush
Just before dark we captured dispatch from
Imboden to MeCauslin directing him to deploy
his troops across the valley and he would capt
ure 400 Yankee raiders, as he was close after
them. This compelled us to go south to get by
McCauslip. We moved on till in the after part
of the night, when we stopped until it began to
get light in the morning. This being the third
night without sleep it was hard to keep awake
McNeal, of Co. Il, was captured sitting on his
horse by the roadside the next day. The next
day we Joined the army at the Peaks of Otter,
bringing in IA officers as prisoners. All the
privates we let go, as we had no force to guard
them. That ended three days and nights
ride without sleep or rest. K. MCCOY, Co. b,
LIST West Va Cav, Medicine Lodge, Kan.