Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-25

Unfortunately for him he awoke one morning
and the basket was down: Jackson was under
his guns. and he escaped with but single regi-
ment leaving the rest of his army in the hands
of the enemy. The confederate story is to the
effect that every precaution had been taken to
capsure Gen. Milroy in person. The confeder-
ate authorities had decided TO retaliate upon
him for what they deemed his harsh treatment
of the people. Dement'S battery was 30 placed
along the turnpike as to be able to completely
command every avenue Of escape. When the
regiment which Milroy commanded was seen
passing along in the dim light Of the early
dawn 1t was mistaken by the officer in COM
mand OF the guns for one of their own COM
mands and fire was withheld until they had
passed beyond reach. 1t was certainly most
fortunate for this regiment that the mistake
was made.
These Notifications commanded both the
northwest grade" as the turnpike is called,
which runs out toward Romney on the west,
and also shat good broad highway leading
down, and over which Sheridan made his ride
on the 18th day of October. 1t is only three
miles away on this turnpike to where we see
the little village of Kernstown, which like the
sister city of Winchester had been the scene Of
many confiicts. All this section is now filled
with the hum of industry and the fields give
evidence OF prosperous agricultural pursuits.
THE HEADQUARTERS WAGON TRAIN
Walking back down Kent street and along
the railroad track to the north we come to a
space which is now occupied by a large -four
ing mill and other buildings. This space was
at that time an open lot containing only the
ruins OF an old hotel and the unoccupied brick
building which had been .'Ginn's foundry"
In this old foundry the mules and horses of the
headquarters wagon train were stabbed, and in
the lot the wagons were parked. Any one who
was In Winchester that winter, or attached in
any way to headquarters, will remember the
ambulance drawn by four white mules which
carried back and forth daily the mail sent to
and received from Stephenson's depot, five
miles to the northward, which was at that time
the terminus Of railroad facilities in the valley.
All the people OF Winchester have good reason
to remember both the quartermaster sergeant,
Mr. Noonan, who lived to become good and
useful citizen, and Tom Wathey the forage
master, who married and settled down in that
vicinity Many story worthy of repetition
was told in Wathey's tent during that winter
regarding levies made upon suffers goods (con-
sldered common property by the transfers
who hauled them from the railroad depot at
Stephenson's to the tents or buildings occupied
by the suffers in and around the city.
The old court house. which is still standing,
was occupied by the troops who did provost
duty in the town. Its walls and ceilings gave
evidence OF the occupancy by soldiers of many
regiments on both sides. Characters drawn in
charcoal were of every conceivable description,
and the sentiments expressed bore testimony to
field. The Brooklyn zouaves. with their gaudy
uniform Of red petticoat and fez, did duty
there during most of the winter, and were as
much terror to the colored element then as is
the Pennsylvania militia during an Inaugural
ton celebration at Washington.
Adjoining the court house yard. and now
used as place of business, is the brick build
ing used then as a guard house and later on
turned into q variety theater hall by man
named Jacoby. Everybody remembers Jacoby.
MIMIC WAR.
Who will ever forget the fighting boys Of
Winchester The spirit of battle had become
imbued in the youngsters left alone with
mothers, aunts, grandmothers or grandfathers,
and while awaiting the time to take up arms for
the south they found it necessary to war with
each other. On this subject alone a volume of
great interest could be written.
The lines were not more strictly drawn nor
were conflicts more earnestly waged between
the armies Of Sheridan and Early than they
were between the two contending factions Of
boys in Winchester. The railroad boys con-
trolled the northern and eastern sections; the
Braddock street legion the southern and west
ern portions of the town.
The "Railroaders, as they called themselves,
had constructed railroad, together with
truck to run upon it, and this they guarded day
and night from depredation5 Of the Braddock
street foes. All the various methods of warfare
were employed between the two factions and
the conflicts at times grew to the proportions
of battles more serious in their consequences
than were those between the tribes of Delaware
and CatawGa Indians, held on the same grounds
years and years before. Many men of today
who were the boys in Winchester then must
bear scars in memory Of the fierce conflicts
then waged.
The leathern sling was one style Of weapon
and the missiles used by tho railroad party in
the sling consisted of one-haf of regular rail-
road rail spike broken by machine they had
constructed for the purpose, and these pieces
were sometimes heated red-hot before being
thrown.
could recite stories Of the conflicts between
these little bands of desperadoes, which to the
mind of most readers sound very Munchausen
like, but suffice it to say that the regular
troops had finally to be called upon to separate
and dispense them.
The prison house Of the railroad bows Is
worthy Of description. It had been formerly
known as "Chapman's ice house" and consisted
OF an excavation in the earth some twenty feet
square and about thirty feet deep.
Braddock street emissary found trespassing
within the bounds of the railroad bailiwick
was usually confined in this hole. subsisting
upon very limited fare for from one to three
days.
AGRAND REVIEW.
Sheridan's grand review before he started
down the valley in March, 1864, was probably
one of the most imposing spectacles aside from
the grand review at Washington that ever oc-
CURED in the history OF the army On the
broad plateau before mentioned, along to the
northwest of the town. was drawn UP in array
all the cavalry of the middle military division
including the troops of Custer, Averill, Cor
bett and Others all the horses, sleek and fat,
the men well clothed and well equipped, the
very best of camp equipage supplied 1t was
an imposing spectacle, and two days after this
review when they passed out through the town
and down the turnpike toward Cedar Creek it
looked to be an array of men that should prove
invincible.
The sixth and nineteenth corps Of infantry
rivaled the cavalry in appearance and Sheridan
had indeed great army. The struggle was
then to be brief was shortly proven But
that body of cavalry was in condition then to
have penetrated to the Gulf of Mexico, if neces-
sary.
THE END OF HosrILIrIEs.
will never forget the effect upon the Win
chester community, both the home population
and the soldiers lying in and around it, made
by the news of Lees surrender. This news was
received at midnight. and the drums Of every
camp beat the long roll. The soldiers who
sprang to arms and the people who heard the
familiar sound expected anything else but the
news that came. 1t was decided that the little
city should be illuminated in honor OF the
occasion, and the commissary department. was
called upon to furnish candles. Regardless of
the wishes of the Occupant the windovs If