Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1889-02-12
a Story Corrected.
[From the stannton snoctator

lrIOlll Lu6 OIauuUOn SpCcCaCOr.l
Editors Spectator: Conference.-The "Good
Story of General Early" you copy from Louis
vile Courier journal is good deal of q story
in the childish sense. would not have sup
posed that paper coming from the home of
the McDonalds would have published such an
ahrOnt to every survivor of Rossers Brigade,
and such a slur on the memory or our gallant
comrades dead and gone. without being brought
to book, and 1 would not have expected you to
reproduce it. The record of its killed and
wounded is sufficient answer to the SANDER
The writer having served through the war.
two years in the infantry and two in the cav
airy as private and as officer. and under both
the general officers referred to in the Episode,
may be supposed to know something of both.
No one with such opportunities to observe
them, under the severest test, could fail to
recognize aud admire the fighting qualities OF
both. Rossers dash aud steady courage go
without saying as far as your paper is read
1t was illustrated on many a field, and 1 take
it the scribbler for the Louisville paper knew
as little of him and his Brigade as of the al
| legged IS Episode"
Mountain fight, nor in existence at its date
Reference was probably intended to the Toms
Brook engagement of October, 1854, which oc-
Cured near Cedar Creek. also near Fishers
HILL and not far from Winchester,-previous to
| the affair at Waynesboro'. all historic names
which ought to call up tender and pious mem-
cries in the breast of General Early, to soften
satire and tone down criticism on his part
i he ttntt mtDt is very wide of the truth if
applied to tliat.-'he only engagement of con-
sequence. to my recollection. in which the
Brigade in question ever failed to drive the
enemy or hold its ground.
On that occasion ii met under most nnfaVor-
able circumstances. in struggling order. and
with men and horses wcaried ont by the forced
march from Petersburg. an overwhelming force
of picked Federal cavllry-cavulry which we
had educated in a pretty severe school for sew
eral years, and which had improved on our in
structlon until III organization and discipline,
as in equipment and all appointments it was
well nigh perfect, led hY its best commander
little force on the back road failed to check
the onward sweep of brigade after brigade of
the fresh troops of Custer and of Torhert.
massed and thrown against them and finally
gave WAY III the disorder usually attending q
thin battle line. closely driven back without
support. was no nine days wonder. Aud to
pepper them with such newspaper squibs at
this late day RbOut il ia worse than Cnster's
turning Tuck Carriers guns on MS that 9th of
October. Its enough to make thntlittle game
cock cry again.
The writer was II prisoner At General Sher-
ldan headquarters. near MiddiTtown. for some
days after that fight, and some of the cavalry
regiments he saw in review there were big
enough to have eaten RosSer's Brigade on toast
That brigade wore the laurels by no less a
sanction than the order of General Stuart the
same brilliant commander who fllrlnughed its
leading squadron on the field at Jclfcrsonton.
Ctauquter White SULPHUR for charging and
capturing the burning bridge with its infantry
supports.-tenfold their number-under the
eyes of General Lee and his advancing lines
George Baylor and poor Tin-par. mobile fra
t1Unl-and "Old Seth Timberlake" in the
tront,-one of the many occasions when it won
those laurels.
Such publications, Messrs. Editors. arc un-
graceful and uncallcd for. We old Conteds,
cavalry, infantry or artillery, may pass our
good-humored jests, feeling common pride
in each other and our arms of service, while
we recall much that was ridiculous-but don't
encourage every idle ink-slinger in holding up
to public rfdicule such a record as of right be-
longs to Rossers Brigade. r.