Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1889-01-24
.sT VIRGINIA. THURSDAY, JANUARY "a, Isse.

mire the melody. Reporting TO Col. Mass.e
made known the order of the general com
manding, and asked the detail OF my cousin
Charleyn iltshire e,oiCompany a ,whose>pien
did hOrsemanShip, unsurpassed dash an'
courage, and genial character commende'
him above all others OF my acquaintance io
the work before US. at his suggestion PR
vate Shepherd, of Company A, Was detailed
as the third man for the expedition into th'
enemy's lines.
Al this point must make digression, II
order to pay Il tribute to the memory %
Charley Wiltshire In DO, hood we went L
tie same country school in dear old Jetfer
son couniy, and on Saturdays often playe'
or hunted together. In manhood, lhougi
separated by distance, our iTiend-hip rc
maned unchanged Later in the war h'
was desperately wounded ina charge oI lh'
enemy near Moorefield. ". Va, being sfo
lhrough the thigh Ills Physicians sal,
ampulation was necessary 10 save lie, bul
| Charley said he preferred death TO ampula-
| tion, and successfully resisted the surgeon
! / he rtsuli was in short lime Charley WAR
again in The saddle, though Tor months .
Siuul cruich WAS Il necessary accompaniment
/ Afterwards he WAS transtrrtC Ia MOshy :
command, where lis gallanlry soon w"l
! him li,ulenancy. Ia MosUy's history o
hi, command Charley Wilishirr's name j.
| frequently mentioned in connection viii
deeds of daring aud personal proves. a
few davs before Lees surrender, while pas
| ing ihrough Clarke cnunly, lac WAS shot an'
killed from ambush 10y q Federal s"idi''
WHO SAW him approaching. aud who w'ut
not have dared to engage The dashIng yuuni
| Confederate IN open. manly combat. 1hl.
cusod the career of as brave a man as evci
drew sabre in defence OF cause which h'
be ievtd To be right " hat became ul Shep
herd never l,arhed, never aylng met hlh
alter our all night ride. lie Mas man q.
neIve, and bad he reputation uf being ll'
must successful "luragcr" IA his Command
" helhcr hc survived tie casualties OF wm
| know not
But to return to our expedition. Ina d.
rect l:ne from here the baltic was Then ~
slng, to the residence Of Col. \. WIS at leas
rIglt miles, Tut WI II the presence Ol the en-
eny, with It's night flank thrown far cut Z"
the wes,. Il ride of at least fifteen miles ~"
belure us before our destined point could To-
rrach, d, ~ il WIS necessary To describe .
half cncle in moving. :" just before sun
-el, break lastlesS, dInnerlesS aud supptrless
we lett tie regiment and moved wvS waI'
toward the Biuc Ridge, in order l.
steer clear of Tie cncuy tight Hank. Ihr
arcun un,plishrd, We faced norIhward aud pr"
ceed,d ri rs rapid pace rs pusSiblc. AZ
The county roads did not run IN Tie dirrc
lion We were heauiug, we took To The fed
Which brought H. 10 frequent contact viii
fences aud diiches But rs we were We
mount d. ILese offered hut slight inpCdl
ment, and our progress was rapid. In cross
ing the road leading To Madison Court llou-'
"a squadron OF tie ,neny's cavalry WAS seer
but "A shuIt distance oil ia tie direction O.
/ Culpeper, aud n events proved, they ai,'
saw -, Tor they make Il da>h ~ H.; but "u.
hor,cs were feet, and we soun gave our rui
suerS the slip. and moving n lIt.le iurlh'
towards the B.ue Ridge, resumed our jour
norihCnslwhrd. just as darkness set ~ v.
passed through an orchard which WAS mad'
fragrant by tue scent of luscious, iii
reaches, and tu these due attention MAS par
all the p0ckels at command being crammtG
But at best this WAS but temporary suh>l
lute for men who had not eaten anything
substantial since tie previous day, and wl o.
had been in lhe saddle since daylight, aGdc
to which was the chagrin of Confederate u.
treat Crossing the road lending To- Sperry
vile, Rappahannock county, we gained th'
information that the force Gen. Jones hac
hecn fighting all day was The command o
Major General Gregg, and lint the enlir'
Federal cavalry force WAS under the COM
nahd of Major General Alfred PleasautOu
Kilpairick. bufurd and Custer being anon;
tie suhurdinate commanders. The Feder"
cavalry had been out on the Sp,ryvillt
road. a considerable distance beyond Out
point of crossing. but late in the Afternoon
mad retired in The direction OF Culpepcr
Continuing across fields and over fences anl
dltches, and guided by the freIdly muOi
and STARS, as well ~ The conformation OF lh,
Blue Ridge with the various dcpressIOn'
and passes of which we were familiar, ",
suon struck the Culpcper and Fauquiel
" hile Su.plur Springs road. at Mr.. Major ?
about five mll,s north ut Cuipcper, ana 10
Il lew mules from The camp from which ~
mad been routed in tic early morning by Tie
Intrusion Ot "uur friends the enemy" luri
! Inr our course now towards tie town ",
cauiluu-y rudr until we came wiilnn lht
.otnd of voices. which proved L" be- Fed
, raj picket pu>i. although 80 far ia the rc.h
lhat the men on duiy evidently though
hcv were ont of all danger and u"i suljtc.
% that vigilance which u-uaily prevails 60
| lhc picket line, particularly ~ an cn,my
country Bur lhcsr pickles were IN no dan
srr irumus. We had more -criuus hu,Ine--
| Col A. lived hul p few niles from this point
between the White Sulp ur Springs roa'
and tie road from Cu'peprr 10 NciiUid p
.oId. We simply took tie back track for 8
! l,w hundred yards, and then struck for Q
cruss roads which led To the rear Of tie
point OF our destination
II was about midnight when We iunCt
! rom The road into cnrn field. which NJ.
lowed us 10 approach within short dIsianc'
Of Col. A. = residence. Gning within sai
distance Oi the rear fence Oi Tie lawn whici
-urrOuudcd the residence, We dIsmount'd 90
| The curm field, aud IL WAS agreed HAT
| .huuld eudrayur tu communicate with Col
A., because OF my greater familiarity witt
lie surroundings. ~ bad on mnre lliaf
une occasion luraged around that ho~piiahl'
nome Sl,alihny crossing Tie yard ano
passing ovsr .he rear porch on ilpi0e, 1 al'
most lost by breath on discovering by TIC
| light OF the moon formidable looking dog
stretched out on the porch asleep. But J.
WAS too ate to retreat, 30 took chances and
gently tapped on the window pane. Th,
watch dog, uniaithful for once as good
/ fortune would have it, slept on, having
perhaps. exhausted himself in barking
Il the Yankees who had been arouu.
ihe premises ali day. But it the dog SLEPT
/ f,ol A'-pood n lie evidently bad one eve q.