Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-05-08
JcEersOnviIlc (O)., JOttiRgs.
APRIL 21sT, 1890.

CONTINUED.
Through the CLARION and also by letter
from comradc of Mechanicstown learned
of the Geath OF comrade Cyrus Moscr. About
the same time all the papers of the nation
h.adlincd and heralded the death of Major
General Crook and emula:ed his soldielly
virtues, all of which was proper; but, can
but remember the hundred thousand heroes
of the rank and file who are fast answering
to the roll call on the other side, and among
the brave, that man hoscr was one. knew
HIM, as a soldier, perhaps better than any
man of Co. d. now living. At Culpeppcr
G. H., Va, winter Of 1s6S-G4, at my sugges-
ton, he applied himself to the task of learn
ing to write 40 that he could conduct his own
correspondence with his wife, and in one
month from the time lie undertook the task
of learning lie was writing IFS letteis in IN
lcgiblc hand. Old Co. d. had many brave
boys, and while many met death unflinching-
ly ON some Of the hardest fought battle fields
from the Wilderness to Appomatox, and
others since deceased, she can still boast of
living heroes but an instance alone Of Cyrus
Moscr in one battle will tell Just tho stuff he
WAS made Of Twas Mt Winchester, under
Sheridan, Sept. 10, 1854, and every man Of
the old 9th Nd will remember the 3rd Div.
of the 9th Corps held the centre and left Of
our line. Our old 2nd Brig. with 9th Md.
and 10th Ohio in first line We formed in a
skirt of timber just north Of the Bcrryyille
& Winchester pike. Twas near II o'clock
NJ, when the command rang along the line
For ward Second Brigade As We cleared
the edge of the woods and passed over a
clearing, an immense black snake, scared out
of busl,-hcap Ivy the advancing column,
came hustleing back through the officers line.
Maj. c. A. Damuth regarding him rs an
enemy to lie destroyed gave Inn fearful
whack with his sabre, when 10 he struck
tho ground with such force US to break the
sabcr within ten inches of his hand. There
being no time then 10 lay up.for repairs, on
he went and no officer lid better service than
Mai D. with his bob sword. AZ VIC soon
crossed the clearing and advanced into an
open Geld. the "dou,lc quick" with the old
9th Corps yell was taken up when such
sight .s the advance Of that line presented
will never be forgotten by the living can
sec Bad Robinson vet. gun raised above his
head, shouting Come on, boys Come on
boys: that WAS his last rally: in less than
twenty minutes he WAS dead man and 20
was the other Robinson, his cousin, both
killed before VIC fired shot. The rebel
skirnlsh line in our front WAS posted in II
narrow grass ravlne between the highland.
which We were advancing over, arl the rebel
line of defense and battle ON II corresponding
elevation. We consequently could not see
them until we ncared the very brink of the
defile when the entire skrmsh line cmptiel
their mu>kcs into orr ranks and then threw
down their guns and held up hands to SUR
render but, too late then, az hundreds of our
men were killed or wounded by this murder.
Gus fire at not over thirty yards. Here tho
firs. yoley fro u oar line were fired and those
in accent Rebel nnrdcrcrs were shot down as
SO mSny quail. TAry again nptIcd their
lnuskcts into our ranks and then said I'VE
Surrender" Many fell at our first fire hu,
not all Of the living. The most broke and
ran up or down the rSvlnc where the crack
Of muskcts told the fit. they were meeting.
Without the least halt, our line pressed
right on for the rebel battery Immediately IN
our front again, having gained the high
ground across the meadow. 1t WAS just here
called to Sergeant Moscr and asked if he
had any water in his cantccn. just then he
raised his musket to fire when as the smoke
emerged from the barrel, SAW the rebel that
was running at full speed fall. Moser then
said Come on, Orderly, AM get drink"
When came up to him he reached down
and turned the man oyer. He was dead.
having been shot through the heart from the
back. He said you had better surrendered
before you fired on our line" When We had
taken u drint. the line, in good order was up
with us and 'twa. just beyond this point
Private JOSIAH Wllhidc claspcd his hand to
his hip aud said, II am shot Col. Rouzer
was just by us and said, show bad 'Shi'?"
: Can YOU go to the rear alone?' YES" was
his reply. Here then we were being riddlci
with grape and canister" from Tint battery
not 100 yards from us. We raised the yell
again and started for It, and every living
man of tho old 9th who WAS there Will tell
you VIC were so near it. that rs all the bat
terry horses had been killed the gunns-s were
pulling their guns away with ropes to their
new line to escape capture .IiSt here an
aide from Gen. Shcr1an's st.tf came dashins
up and ordered the corps to fall back and
Join lines with the 1911, and 9Th which WAS
too harl pr, seed to advance. We did not 60
back far, Int tore down fence, piled the
rails and laid down; and twas here Captain
EichelbrrEnr was wounded and Comrade
Jacob Freeze assisted him bSck to the rear,
went to f,rm h,psc and brou ght him fresh
water, applied cooling bandanges Of towels
to his wound, went with him to the ambu-
lance train, md then SAID" II will now 60
back to the regiment" an undertaking which
none short of hero would dare do under
such a fire. Just before we reached the
ambulance train, among the hundreds OF
straglers we passed, we ii,ct "Shl'' Willhidc,
pipe in mouth, going towards the front.
why, hello! hows this?" We said. ~
thought you had your hip knocked off. :"
"Wcll air. il WAS only spcnt ball was hit