The National tribune., 1889-12-26

sioOIlNG Al THE RETEEATING GONFEDER-
ATEs
in the edge of the town aud told her folks that
Eliza was killed and the family we're in the
midst of their lamentations when in walked
Miss Eliza, laughing. and full of the story of
her flight and how she gave Yankee officer
a talking 60 up at the store.
Miss Eliza Triplett married n Scotch gentle
man after the war, and is now living happily
across the big waters, hut i'm letters 10 her
friends often mentions the incidents of war
times, and inquiries after the friends OF those
davs,
Mary, the colored servant Of the Richards
or Betty, herdaughter, ] have forgotten which, -
told me just after the Federal troops left here.
that when Gen. Hays first established his
headquarters at Richards. some of his staff got
an invoice of frewater" They proceeded to
celebrate-probably the victory Of Gettysburg
and sang and talked until they became bois-
ferrous, and finally ended by regular cutting
and slashing all around tho room. very likely
, Mt imaginary rebels. At any rate. several des-
perate charges were made on the parlor sofa,
and IL WIS cut and slashed terribly. and bears
the scars of this engagement until this day, rs
| have often seen them.
know Gen. Hays as a very nice man. Tie
commanded division in Gen. HancoCks
Corps. and / was very sorry TO learn of his be-
ing killed in tbs Wilderness; but the Misses
Rawlins and Rirkard aid not know of il until
L
them OF lt and they were very much gricved
TO hear of il, rs they said they had often talked
of him aud wondered where he lived and If he
wpuld still remember incidents of Stevensburg.
David A. Daggett Co G. 4th Va. (Coufcder-
ate), told me the following: 4" In June 1864
abont the time Sheridan defeated Mt Ire
Williams Station. Federal raidiug party en-
tered Culpeper County and commenced gather
ing up supplies. A large quantity of stores had
been accumulated at Culpeper Courthouse. des-
tined for the Confederate troops in the Valley
of Virginia. Fearful that the Federal troops
would get possession of these, Gen. Wickham
who had been sent from the Valley to bring
over the supplies. pushed forward rapidly with
his Confederate brigade and found the Fed
erals busy loading up the stores. He at once
attacked force posted on Green's Hill. south
of the town, which was fortified, and drove
them Off As the Federals were not in great
force, and were busy getting mp the stores
sort of a stampede occurred ont the road toward
Stevcnsbprg. until the Fcderals formed kind
of rear guard lne and
RUNNING FIGHT OCCURRED
for IL miles. TO Sim Shaw's place. about four
miles from Kellcy's Ford. The Fedoras had
large number of wagons and pack mules but
they kept losing them as they fell back, on
account of the animals giving out. The last
capture by the Coniederates was pack mule
that braced himself in the road with barrel
of flour on his back, and refused to go another
step. As the rebels passed him no tapped his
ears and looked pleased. rs much as TO say,
I'm all right. boys; I've got the -four for yon =;
and, sure enough. he recognized his old chuEls;
Tor there on his shoulder was branded C. s."
Daggett says also. that when the attack was
made on the Federals many of the horses must
have been uusaddied. as number of saddles
and brides were found On one OF the latter
was etched Capt John Brown the name Of
The ofhccr TO whom IL probably belonged He
also tells that at the Fleetwood fight Of June o.
lo63, there was one Federal cavalry regiment
which drove everything before IL in the various
charges it made on tho part Of the field where
engaged, but at last IL was charged and driven
back by Stuarts old regiment, the lst Yn Cav.
This Federal regiment turned out TO be the Sth
III. Cav. nnder Col. Farusworth. so the wound
ed men told them, aud he considered IL to be
THE BEST FIGHTING CAVALRY REGIMENT
he had seen in the Federal army. He said
that he was also in Stuart's light artillery in
the ChancelloFsvillc fight with Jack sons ad-
vance. He tells also, that in following up
Grants army after they left their camps in
Gulpcper County, Va, for the Wilderness, he
was with an advance guard OF Confederate cav
airy on a by-road down 10 Jacobs Mill. on the
Rapidan When they came near the river they
heard talking and noises. and the officer in
command halted the pnrty and sent him aud
They crawied down TO the river bank, some
distance below where the noises were col |
ninn of Federal infantry had crossed NJ Jacobs /
Mil, where the Rapdan River ran be waded.
but IL not passable for wagons or artillery on
account of the rocky bed Of tho river and tho
very steep bank on the south side. UP which ]
this Federal infantry had climbed They
crawed up along the bank, hidden by tho will !
lows, until they came close upon party OF 81 |
Federal stragglsrs who were bathing in the |
river. Their clothing on the bank and |
their guns were stacked aud some laid down
further back, about 20 feet from where they |
were bathing. The two Confederaies consulted !
what was best 60 do and being now about 90
feet or 80 IN the flank Of the bathers, decided |
10 rash on them, cover them with their cnrbines /
and take them prisoners as they would be be-.
tween them and their guns. After carefully /
reconnOilerng the opposite bank Of the river |
10 sec that 80 other Federals were around they (
put their pI8n into execution and took the Fed |
erals prisoners. ordering them 10 come out OF |
the water. While they were dressing. hurried |
by the two rebels. one OF the latter kept his /
carbine down on them, while the ether un.
capped some OF the guns which were Loaded |
aud then tied them up in iwo bundles, then
made two of the FederaIs carry them. aud
started back TO the woods where the officer
was waiting with the advance. guard. He took
charge of the guns aud told the two Confed-
over 10 Gen. Wickham. When they went back
a mile or 40 they halted 10 rest the prisoners
when Beasly commanded
FORM IN LINE, THEN OUT WITH YoTR
POCKET ROCKS"
Most Of the Fcderals laughed, being old sol.
diers, but one fellow, recruit, pulled out his
plethorIc pocket-book and handed il TO Beasiy, !
who at once slowed it away. After the prison
ers were rested they started again, and soon
met the brigade and turned over the prisoners.
Next day Beasly examined the pocse book
and found that 1T contained 5000 in greenbackg
This soon got nOiscd around in their campapy
and got 10 the officers ears. a couple of daVs
afterward the Captain came 10 Beasly and
calling him one gide said Look here Baasly.
hear that you've got 5000 in ereenbacks that
you took from one Of those Yankee prisoners
Now you know that it's against orders 10 pass
any OF that Yankee money, OF TO rob the Yam
kee prisoners Now, don't want to get YOU
into any trouble, Beasly. as your II good sol
der, and mo aud the Lieutenant have been
talking about IL, and we've concluded to keen
you out Of trouble. SO we've raised 81 900 in
new issue Confederate money! aud we'll give
you that ia place of your ercenbacks and the |
Lieutenant has jew in Richmond that he can
send 81 TO- 10 get our money back" Bcasly was
scared about the matter. and turned over his
gfeenbacks for the Confederate money few
days afterwards, near Orange Courthouse. some
Federal prisoners that were being taken South
halted near Wckhams Brigade. Some OF the
men went To look at them among them Dag
gctt and Beasly. The latter recognized among
them the recruit from whom lie obtained the