The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-07-17
Webster and tho Rebel ieernI,ipg ofIlcer.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Seeing in your
issue OF April m article by NJ Ryrne in
which he spoke Of Charley Webster, thought
that would state some facts about tho matter.
] am, or was during the war, member of Co.
Of the Loudoun Rangers, 10 which company
Charley Webster belonged.
Before ] proceed farther let me state that
the Rangers wcro the only company of Union
soldiers raised in East Virginia during the war
The Rangers acted under orders from the Sec
rotary of War, aud were ausworabIe TO him
only for their actions, aud there were no
Ruerrillas among them going about numbering
deicnseless men, as Comrade Byrne seems 10
intimate. knew Webster we'll, and was with
him at the time he shot the recruiting officer
aud know almost if not quite as much about
u rs anyone else. Our company started out
after this rebel officer, whose name was Rich
ard Simpson, and who owned store near
Woodstock, Va. We went 10 the store, but
found no one there We then started for the
house, which stood in hollow, and, as We
approached from the timber, Simpson caught
sight OF us, and started across IN open field TO
q piece Of timber
Lieut.. Reyes, Webster and myself had be-
come separated from the Others In the pursuit..
As simpson ran across the open ground we
hred at him, one shot hitting him in the leg
lie fell on his hands aud knees but sprang up
and ran until ne reached the piece of timber
Reyes cut across to the timber. When we
rode up Reyes had emptied his revolver aud
was throwing stones We tied our horses aud
took hand in the fight, tho first shot from
webster dropping Simpson on his knees but
he tried to rise up TO shoot Webster, when he
shot him again, this time finishing him. We
theh examined his pockets and found some
important papers.
| rode back with Webster, and heard him
tell the officers wife that her husband was i'm
the woods there, dead Webster was "A man
about I'VE ieet eight inches in hight and strong
ne ala not know what 10 was to tire. fine
looking man, good Gomrado. and a better
soldier never drew bead on the enemy He
hated the sight OF n rebel. as We all did, aud
not many escaped hs shots, he being u splendid
marksman.
/ knew Webster's wife we'll when she was n
girl ana lived near my fathers house in Lou
doun, about two miles from the Point of Rocks.
ut what was called Downeys Mills. Her name
was Alice DOwney. She used to 20 on scouts
with her husband and was as good a rider as
he was. John Downey, q brother. was killed
whlie plotting deary's troops, the first that
crossed at Point of Rocks into Virginia.
think that Websters real name was Charley
Brown, and. from things that took place. /
thlnk That he was cousin of John Brown.
we were camped at Point of Rocks, and
while we were gone on q scout, some infantry
enchmped there. When we were coming back,
Webster and riding together, we met a couple
OF iniantrymen, and one says, Hello, Charley
Brownp'
Webster did not answer him, except to tell
MIN that he was mistaken, and he afterwards
spoke about the mans mistaking him for some
one else That evening | saw this man and
Webster going off down by the river and /
now think that Webster did not wish to be
known as Brown
After the death of Simpson our party went
to Uppervile and joined Mai Coles lst Md.
Cav; thence TO Gaines's Mill, and back TO
camp the next morning. If there are any of
the Rangers in existence let us hear from
them. Surely We have something to tell, as
we'll as the others-JAMRs III. BEATTY. Ser.
geant Loudoun Rangers, Campus, Ill.