Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1889-01-24

I the Army Ot the Potomac, under General
ples.sanlOu, ana the ,ccuud cups of infant
a., und,r tie command oi Gen G X. War
rrn. The ialioT. a diStngui-lnd oih1er, had
..all,d al Col 4 lur Il r,st and lunch, aud
Aas ih,n Ia camp bat short distance of.
be balance col the army WAS Ia follow,
Ahich ii did il few days. These facts,
with some detail, we're committed 10 paper
IL an unsigned memorandum, and were
quickly transferred To Il position between
ny sock and the sole of my boot for better
safety.
naving thus far successfully accomplish
ID The object of our mis>iun. We bade our
riend, the Colonel, good night aud resumed
ur all. night ride. In urder 10 make aSsu-
ance doubly sure We struck lar towards the
vest before turning southwark. For must
4 the distance the ride WAS without partic-
Ilar incident. though was UnsaddleC at one
poin, IN at, mnling Ia clear ditch which
was rather too much Tor my sleed. But no
ZONES we're brnken, and Il renount quickly
.ollowed IL was luug. tires"me, exhaust
ng night ride, and DAYLIGHT WAS family
.treaking the eastern horizon when we
feached the road leading from Culps per to-
wards the Rapidan, about one mile south Of
lie point where we bad lief, the cOntendng
iusis in the evening. Our idea was that
lo,tilties had ceased about the time we lett,
nd that we were safely within our own
ines But we missed Tie f.ure. After
tossing small sueam aud beginning the
-cent OF steep Hill we were quickly chal-
,ng,d by ,haip WHO comes IhereG'
rom body OF ca,arymCn, and by advi nc
~ ten Steps more We were enabled 10 make
| 4 ...N Al. H. ID Al
| {. We did not stand NJ on the order of
ar going. lut went ut once, cur speed be-
ne considerably accelerated 10y Il volley
rom the party that halted Us. But their
in was high. and rs we were relreniing
lawn lill rapidly the leaden messengers
,ass,d larnr,s,ly over our heads. Now
nme apoihVr d,tuur la the west, and when
hc road waS stuck again We were just be-
Ween The picket u-ts ci the opl osng iurces,
uut few undr,d yards apart. Riding
,ulh, the Conl,d, rate Iickels halted W,
nj tie officer in con mand, Lieutenant PEN
%, ton, oi Cl;ike county, WAS an old ac-
luaimtauce, and after an explanation Ot our
Mission be permitted us 10 proceed To Gen.
,iuarl's headquarters, which were at Rapi-
AN station, about four miles from the pick
post aud Twelve miles from Culpeper.-
n hen We reached the station Wiltshire and
,hcpheid, tired aud hungry, concluded 10
urase ON their company quanermaster. and
pruc,e eded To Gen. Stuarts headquarters,
which were on u small tmincnce across the
ailroad from The Taliaierro mansion and
commanding Il magnificent view on both
id,s ol the beauulul kipidan Valley. By
his time the sun had been up an h ur. and
WIS splendid autumn morning. Riding
irect to Gen. Sluarts tent, / dismounied,
nd my horse was given 10 an orderly to be
I'd and groomed.
Giving Gen. Stuart the salute Of n SOL
iier. made verbal report OF The success OF
| hr expedition, aud at the same time 'sbuck-
- my boot | drew cut the written memO-'
andun, which be eagerly peril,ed. Alter
bricl conversation WITH me he had short
onsuitation With Li- adjulant- general, aud
IA iiitle while one oi his stall rode rapid
y of iu the direction of Orange Court
louise. Then tuning to me, Gen. Stuart
,ked if had eaten my breakfast. When
adorned that | bad been u stranger To solid
uod tor thiry.siX Lou ho ordered his cook
% prepare breakfast for me. III hat ! got
way with a square neal | need hardly
e. the Sufs rraders, particularly old sol
iers who could eat halt dozen meals
lazy aud still vow they hadn't eaten any
hiug Tor .orty.eight hours" breakfast
yer, Gen. ; uart again engaged me IN con-
yrrsaliun, and Was prOiu~e ~ expressions Of
I AM Tor Tie prompt and satisfactory man
ler in winch our nl>slLu in The rear OF the
n,my had been discharged. Noticing ny
.,haust,d appearance, Tor bad been 10 tie
eddie over iwruty -iour hOuls, he ordered
obc spread before lbe fire u ed for cooking
| breakfast ] we'll rtcOilcct that the late
| Rev Dabney Ball, who was on Gen. Siuarts
taft spread Tie roLe and kindly bade NE
| AXE morning sn0oZe 10 nqued no
ucklng 10 put ne ln sleep With recOllec-
ion uf ,uty at least faithfully discharged
md the approval of The great cavalry cap
tain Of the Army of Northern Virginia. |
.oun dropped into sleep, both sweet and
refreshing, from which / was aroused an
iuur or Two later by Tie tramp Of horses
rear by. Arousiug, / SAW Gen. Robert l..
lee, the great Confederate cbieitaIn, mount
| on bis famous iron grey war horse, in
| arne-t cuuvcr,. ton with General Suait.
\ moment later General Stuart called me,
nd wa, iuirnduc,d 10 General Lee. lie
! I, es .oued me cl' sely read The memoran-
.un,. looked me squarely in Tie cle, aud
| h,n placing lis haf "n my shoulder, said:
! Young man, YOU have done n good nights
! A.rk. thank YOU ] hr rtauer vii par
Ion me lr ~, ing this was tie proudest day
Il NY lie, through may haze felt little
uore OF - fiutt,r about my heart when a
.erlain black eyed girl III the "liill City"
! inually laid 'yes" alier my opportunities
/ 4 luO long YEAR,. " ben introduced 10
he great e neral mea-ured Fix !eet even
% NY stocking feet, blt the gracious recog-
on seemed 10 augment my stature sever
| u niche La er in the day, when went to
| axe l,a,c Of Genera Stuart with view Of
gain reporting To NY command. To my
.ieat surprise lie told me To consider myself
r,iniancniy detailed for scout service un-
.er bis direction: that / could 20 10 my
company but u, Ell not he .ubj ctto company
luy, and that Majof McCiviian, hi, adJu-
anl general. would take my address and
end tor ne when wanted. 1his WAS done,
md whom Gen. stuart was killed II the Vel
luw Tavern | Wa on scouting duty for him
n the line Of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
| road watching tie movements Of the Fed
raj troops. Ny assoc ates in that enter
Prise we're Capt Thomas ID. Ramon, now
prominent lawyer OF SiauniOn, Va, and
Mr. John w. McClcay, a whole.ale boot
and hoe merchant Of Baltimore. 10Th men
pf approved courage and intelligence. /
have thus told wiih some ninulene-s the
/ history ~ IAN al night ride and its reward"
with the hope that others, who have bad