Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-01-03

him They reached the SPOT in safety, got
back to their own ines again, and moved
towards the east.
oh, the stern necessity Of wari To pro
tect the city of Washington, all the fair
valley OF the Shenandoah must be stripped
and laid desolate, houses and barns burned,
crops and stores destroyed; till.as Sheridan
himself said, ss il a crow wants to fly down
the Wiley he must carry his own provisions
with him. Harry Winthrop's heart ached
as he saw the ruin around him.
So,with Early at its heels, the Union army
fell back to Fishers Hill, where Sheridan
turnedat bay. The village was in flames,
and half the time the men were fighting IRE,
80 that the position was untenable. They
withdrew to Woodstock, and there Sherl-
dan, like a lion tracked to his lair. rushed
upon his foes. With a roar OF rage the
Union army dashed forward where the
ranks were thickest, the enemy resisting
with the stubborn courage of men fighting
for the last spot of ground. So impetuous
was the charge Of the Federal squadrons
that they stopped not till, piercing the dense
mass of retreating columns, they reached
the open ground beyond, and Early's host
was ''sent whirling up the valley OF the
Shenandoah
One piece of the enemy's artillery alone
remained to rain death on the victors. Har-
~ Winthrop heard Sheridan's cry: " The
Ola
months leave and years pay?' and
rushed with his gallant troopers to the
charge, saberlng the heroic gunners as they
stood to the last at their post
Then all was quiet for a time, and Sheri-
| dan. called by important affairs, went to
Washington, leaving General Wright IN
| command. It was during his absence that
| Early, who had been REINFORCED, marched
| once more to the conflict
| Winthrop and his men were on picket
| duty, and were the first to realize this un-
expected attitude of the enemy, whose adj
| vanced guard suddenly charged upon him
! and put his men to fight. And in the melee
| this story was nearly coming to an end as Tar
as it's hero was concerned, for Harry's horse
in its mad career leaped right into the race
| of mill-dam with him, dislocating his
shoulder and half drowning him. Even as
| his pursuers were on the bank, he crept 10
the millN:'s house, where, luckily for him, a
| Northern woman reigned as mistress.
| "Quick!' she cried, Is into this barrel
with your and in a minute, as he lay
crouched there, she poured over his head
| the contents of a big bolster Of hens feath-
| ers. It was not a very heroic attitude for a
| hero to be in, but it served Harry's purpose
| as q place of concealment, and never q
| Christmas passes to this day but that good
| dame receives substantial evidence OF the
| Northern soldiers gratitude The worst OF
| the adventure was CQaG Harry IOSG us III
vorite charger, ''Selim,'' which, had
nearly said who-was as dear to him as a
human friend.
Back to the command again and Cedar
! Creek was reached.
Morning broke. A dense fog hung over
| the valley, so thick that you could scarce dis
Germ objects a few yards distant. and
through the sullen vail of mist Early's host
poured like an avalanche on the Union lines.
| Hour after hour the battle ragged, but the
| Federal troops could not recuperate from
| the shock of that first terrible charge, and
at last, with one hopeless effort for vic
tory, broke in flight.
But hark Along the road from Win
chester-fourteen, not twenty miles away,
as the history books say-came gathering
I the iron-shod hoofs of horse, and gallant
Phil Sheridan rides at headlong speed to
the rescue, with the cannonading of the bat
tie ringing in his ears He meets the hur
| rying fugitives, and, waving his sword
| cries:
"Back, men! Back! Turn with me and
you shall sleep in your own camp tonight.
| swear"
What magic there is in his presence
The demoralized force halts, reforms, and
led by that splendid soldier, rushes on tho
enemy, who are plundering the camp, and
literally whirls them from the scene; AND
| when night comes men and horses, just
worn out, fall asleep upon the battlefield.
| TO BE CONTINUED.