The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-11-06

Mcclure, the Philadelphia editor, then q
lawyer of that town. Mcclure had been
on McClellan's staff at Antietam, and was
an officer of the Home Guard. Stuart had
put him on list of officials to be captured
and retained as hostages, but by accident
party Of Confederates stumbled upon
his residence early in the evening and were
Hospitality entertained OF course no stray
Cling patrol or search would trouble q
house where Confederate officers were en-
joying themselves, and the recipients of
hospitality would not betray their enter
tainers, and the night passed in feasting
and in discussion of the situation. The
raiders had cut the telegraph, and there
was no opportunity to send word abroad
for military relief. Col Mcclure accepted
the Inevitable calmly, talked frankly about
public sentiment and finally asked favor
OF the raiders in the return to his stable of
a favorite pony belonging to young lady
OF his household which had been seized as
legal capture. 1t was Of course returned.
The next morning, Oct. II, large quaint
ties OF military stores, machine shops, rail
road buildings and loaded trains were de-
stroyed. The railway bridge and trestle
was OF iron and could not be burned.
After accomplishing this Stuart set out on
the return-the most difficult part of the
raid: for while he had dashed boldly
days ride into Union territory with but
little opposition, it was not to be supposed
that with military lines all around his
course his passage would escape notice or
fail to arouse an army to cut off his re-
treat.
The first alarm sent out from the Union
cautlonary lines was given by the signal
corps near the point of Stuart's crossing
on the morning of the 10th. The news
was sent at once to the district command
ers, to army headquarters and to the cav
airy. Great uncertainty prevailed as to
the direction taken by Stuart, his strength,
etc. The day was passed in scouting and
conjecture. McClellan's cavalry was COM
manded by Gen. Alfred Pleasanton, and
was posted on the tanks and rear of his
army. It had not been recruited since the
Peninsula campaign, and for that reason
was in very inferior condition, suitable for
scouting and picked duty only Besides,
it had hundreds of miles of communica-
ton to guard, as well as the Potomac cross
ings.
The return of the Confederate cavalry
was the most difficult part of the daring
expedition. That short cut of twenty odd
miles from w illiamsport to Chambersburg
could not be made again. Cox's Kama
wha division was. known to be in that
vicinity, and there were thousands of Union
troops within easy call. Lee'sinstructions
had been that the crossing back be made
near Leesburg, some distance below the
territory occupied by McClellan's army,
and between fifty and sixty miles in di-
rect line from hambersburg The start
was made early on the morning of the 18th.
Nearly every cayalryman had an extra
horse led from his saddle, and being for
the most part newly shod and fed, the
whole cayalcade was in fine spirits. Along
the streets and on the farm roads wagon
loads Of goods andsproduce were left stand
ing without teams, the horses having been
impressed for the Confederacy. One
Virginian, who was expostulated with BY
some weeping women because he took their
horses, answered: Crying won't do any
good. Your folks took nine blooded horses
from my fathers STABLE"