The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-11-01
Mr.. WILLIAM L. ROYAL.
SOME or HIS THRILLING WAR ex-
PeRIENCES.

Scout and CavslrymaI Went
r,.o the Army When - Lsd-Hair
breath Escape From Death-shot in the
Hand.
One of the most adventurous and inter-
esting war experiences perhaps in the late
war was that Of Mr.. William l.. Royals,
Of this city. lie served CALAMITY both as
Confederate cayalryman and scout, and
gave the enemy much annoyance In many
WAYS. and did not hesitate to venture into
all kinds Of dangers. In March, 1862, at the
age of seventeen, Mr.. Royal volunteered as
a private. The young soldier was as green
as any other boy of that age, and mad
little idea of the duties, responsibilities,
and hardships awaiting him. But after
riding a long distance to the headquarters
Of the company in which he was to serve on
an inferior horse, armed with a double
barreled sporting shotgun, and equipped
with an old pair Of saddle-bags. in when
was packed snugly away an extra SHIRT.
an extra pair of socks, and a small gOurd.
upon which stockings could be darnod, ana
becoming initiated into the customs he
was to pursue, he soon learned many things
he did not know before.
IN STAFFORD.
During the winter of 1864 Mr.. Royals
Gown personal army" was very much can
toned in the county Of stafford moving as
convenience dictated. In one Of these
movements seven Federal soldiers were
captured while i'm pursuit Of buttermilk.
Il a a
eral prisoners to Richmond. When the
station was reached at which the soldier
in charge Of his prisoners was 10
board for Richmond. he found also,
hoping 10 get TO Richmond on the same
train, Judge MOncure, one Of the most dis
tinguished members of the bench In Viz
gnia at that time. The conductor put the
seven prisoners, the Judge, and Mr.. Royal
all in one Of the freight boxes and locked
the door. 1t was night, and after the door
was closed it was pitch dark on the inside
of the car. Mr.. Royal made the prisoners
all lie down together at one end OF the car.
and he and the Judge sat on the floor az the
other end. Mr.. Royal had two large navy
revOlvers in his belt, one of which he gave
the Judge and he kept the other, 50 that
they might be prepared in case Of an emer-
gency,
SHOT If THEY MOVED.
The prisoners were then notified that if
they moved so that the least noise could be
heard at their end OF the car they would be
fired upon at once and indiscrimnately as
long as anything was left alive. After this
announcement was made the prisoners
remained very quiet during the night.
The young soldier in charge Of the
prisoners was very much wearled
and in need of sleep, and having
made these mastery dispositions for the
nights campaign he laid down and spent
the night in refreshing slumbers while the
Judge sat up all night with his revolver
pointing IN the directios Of the sleeping and
harmless prisoners. The Judge and the
young soldier INDUCED in many laugh to-
gether after that-hOw the former had sacri-
need his sleep to let the latter enjoy the rest
which he thought he s0rely needed.
ENENY's AND NEUTRAL GROUND.
ON the 10Th of May, 1864, MIR. Royals
forces lay i'm the county Of stafford, near
the line between it and Fauquier, all of the
country on that side OF the Rappahannock
being either enemy's or neutral territory.
With his army Of eleven men Mr.. Royal
determined to arrange plan OF battle
for the capture or destruction Of a
squadron Of fifty Federal cayalrymen,
who were in the habit of going down every
other day into Stafford in the direction Of
Fredericksburg some ten miles. He posted
his little army in the bushes on the side OF
the road along the space which would cover
the flank Of a squadron Of fifty men. The
plan of the battle was that when the
squadron should have advanced so far as
that its flank reached from one
end Of the little Confederate company 10 the
other,i at "A signal from its captain every
l,t.
Ii was expected that thus taken by sur
prise the entire squadron would surrender
but if it did not. then they were all 10 lay
on until the enemy replied with too much
lay on, when they were to disperse through
the bushes and reconyene at an appointed
place.
MIN IN ADVANCE