The National tribune., 1891-10-15
UMBAUGH THE GUERRILLA
he vas KILLED by a Member Of Co. D, 55h Ohio.

Sd w. Va. says this in the issue of Aug. 20:
Our first introduction TO Gen. Fremont was
at Franklin, Va. the latter part OF May. lie
| had Just received the report OF Col. Downey,
Sd Regiment, Potomac Home Brigade Mary
land Volunteers, who had that moment re-
turned from a scout in search Of a party Of
gucrrillas who had murdered q number of con-
! vacsccnt soldiers while on their way from Win
] chester to Moorfcld. Col. DBwney had over
! taken and killed Capt. John limbaugh, Chief
Of Gaenilias, aud had killed and captured a
number Of his men,"
As Col. Lang has unintcntionally left ont the
ones to whom the credit Of this expedition be-
longs, for not member Of the 81 Nd. Potomac
Home Brgade) was in i'll will cndCavOr 10
give the facts in the case aud place the credit Of
this important expedition and its results, made
SO guriou,y successful almost by dispensa-
ti0n Of Providence where IL rightlully be-
longs--Co. ID, 18th OEIO, aud 80 men of Capt
Nm. Firey's company OF Maryland cavalry.
Op tho ith Of May, 1862, a Surgeon, who
had been ia charge OF Am ambulance Of wounded
men, arrived mt Mooricld, Va. lie said he
had been fired upon by bushThackcrs near
Wardensyillc, Va, and the men murdered.
Co. ID of the 55th Ohio. Capt. Il. A. Mlldman
commanding, were al MoorGcld rs guard 10 a
ford over the South Branch az the Potomac
Some cavalry were at once sent FOR as reinforce
Iuents 20 20 and help punish the gucrrlllas
On the night of the 10th 20 men OF Capt
Fireys cavalry arrived. bringing orders from
Gen. Fremont Go 90 and burn the town 81
Nardcusylllc, 30 miles from NooTiirid, near
which place a great deal o. discriminating had
been done. We started on this expedition at .
a. m, May II. A courier from Gen. Fremont
/ overlook us on the march, cunntcrmsnding The
/ order 20 burn the town, as il had been explained
TO him by citizens of WaT3cnsyile that they
had done all in their power 10 stop this firing
upon wounded men. We arrived 90 Naracus-
vile just atnight. Here we killed Lieut.. Ellis,
Of the guerrllas, and took 20 prisoners We
took quarters in an old church for the night
About r. M. OF the lSth we were awakened
and ordered 10 fall in quietly, and found out
that an old c0lorcd man had come in and re-
ported that a man had gone TO notify Col.
Ashby, who. we now found, was only 10 miles
away with GOO cavalry. of our presence at
/ MaTdcusvilic. As our force was too small 10
make a successful fight with SO large force, 50
ar from TciniOrcements our commanding oil
Ger gave notice that we were going 90 ROmncy,
VA, aud the command AZ once started of ln
that direction; but after going few miles we
turned Go the left crossed Lost River by wading
IL, aud took an old road of which the old
colored man had told us, which ran parallel
with the one we had gone 10 Wardensvile on,
range OF mountains being between the two
roads il has always appeared TO me as though
the Lord who watched over all, must have iu-
spircd and directed this movement; for, ms il
alterward appeared, this road had upon il the
headquarters Of Capt. John limbaugh, Chief Of
all the guorrlias in that section and was the
rendezvous Of other bands, who would cross the
mountain 30 the main road aud after doing
their murdcrOus work go back again 10 their
rendezvous on the by-rOad
After we had gone some eight or 10 miles we
came 10 au old farmhouse. from which regular
stampede Of graybacks went rushing toward
q 80. ]. Al M Il
away. We az once opened fire upon them. and
in less than 30 minutes the whole affair al this
place was over The results were, Capt Um-
baugh, Chief OF Guewillas and two men killed
aud i've men wounded and taken prisoners. A
very remarkable thing here was that although
Capt. limbaugh was armed with a huge pistol
and double barrcled Chotguu. he could not
make either OF them 20 of. When the loads
we've a.tcTward drawn from his gun fresh caps
were put on, aud swapping them enough
powder was still Jeff Ia the barrels 10 make a
loud report, the gun going OF on the FIRST trial.
The loads from his shotgun. which the writer
has az this time, consisted Of largo muskct-
bail shaved down until il would 90 ia the
barrel, and three rhe-balls on top. while the
other barrel contained j riae-balls When
killed .by a member Of Co d. 5jth Ohio Capt.
limbaugh was partly over a fence, aud the
builot struck him in the lower part Of the back,
passed upward aud lodged just under his
throat passing through his heart on its way.
ln addition 20 this his neck WAS broken as lac
fell from the fence
Among tho laughablc incidents was the per-
Torrance Of a rebel who, running for the
mountains, had cot so close TO them he Thought
he WAS safe, 50 DE made "a number Of insulting
gestures 10 u.s. The writer at that time was
considered a crack shot, aud was called on 10
sec what he could do to stop him getting 10 the
mountains that he was making for across the
/ heds. Watching for the time be went through
his insulting performance the writer fired and
that reb did not run again for some time as
the ball struck him IN the calf Of the left leg,
and another prisoner was added 10 our list.
We went II miles on this road aud halted
for the night On the 18Th we started on nj
a. m, killed one man, wounded aud took three
more prisoners, aud arlycd al M00rGeid al Z
O'Clock D. ~, where we buried Capt limbaugh
whom Sc bad taken along 40 q wagon with the
wounded. Col. Lang speaks truly when he
says Gen. Fremont was gratiGed, FOR the results
OF THIS expedition were Capt. john limbaugh,
Chief Of Guerrilas. killed also one Lieutenant
and three men killed with Is wounded aud
taken prisouers-tbc entire band broken up
without the loss OF single man.
is u any wonder that the writer wants the
credit Of this % 20 where il rghtfuily belongs
o. Co ID, 18th Ohio, and % men Of Fircy's
4 Maryla Cavalry, aud not 10 the Sd Nd. who
/ took no part ln ~ have been much Interested
10 Col. Langs article which is in the main
I correct.
/ Gen. Milroys Brigade at Cross Keys consisted
/ Of the "a. 30, and 9th W. Va and s2d Ohio.
and Gen. Schonck's Brigade Of the 2Jth. 5Jth.
4 13d, and 10Th Ohio regiments; the SD and
! 18th having been transferred. Tho writer
never had very good opinion Of Jackson AS a
! fighter, as be does not know OF one instance
where be made a stand against an equal force,
aud in a number Of instances being thoroughly
| whipped by Jess than Onc-half his numbers a.
witness Shields az Winchester aud his being
driven from the Valley by Fremont with only
/ half his numbers.
Col. Lang Is entitled 10 the thanks Of the
I entire command for the able manner in which
be bias written up that campaign
/ STACEY, Co. ID, BOTH Ohio, aud 9Th u. S. Vet.
Vol. Inf, Aorwaiz, o.
THE 9Th NJ Y II