Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-07-05
SPIRIT OF JEFFERSON.
TuEspAY MoRNINe. july 5. 1saa.
Hon. VIM. [. Wilson.
An Am,tsing Incident Ieeluted By One
Of HIS Army Companions.
IFrm the Baltimore snn.l

A Chicago dispatch pretends to
give true story of Hon. VIM. L.
Wilson, of West Virginia, in which he
is represented as being drummer
boy in Longstreet's corps at the bat
tie of Balls Bluff, Loudoun county ;
that the head of his drum was shot
out, whereupon Wilson retired from
action and was seated on the road
side; that being questioned by Long
street why he was not in the fray, he
replied that he could not fight with a
leaky drum. The story further states
that Wilson was given a gun which
did not leak, and that at the surren-
der he had risen to the rank of cap.
tain in the Confederate army. This
story would do very well but for the
fact that it has not the slightest foun-
dation in fact. Neigher General
Longstreet nor Mr.. Wilson heard the
roar of cannon, the rattle of musketry
or the shouts of Confederic victory at
Ball's Bluff, for they were many miles
away. Mr.. Wilson, accomplished as
he is, was never accused of any
special devotion to music, and to
those who know him the suggestion
that he had ever been a drummer
boy will be amusing.
But there is true story of Mr..
Wilson'S army life, which will bear
repeating, for it has already been
told in the Sun. He was private
in Company B. Twelfth Virginia Cav
airy, Ashhy's afterwards Rosser's)
brigade, Army of Northern Virginia.
The company was made up of young
men principally raised in Jefferson
county, with sparkling of gallant
young men from Maryland. The
company was commanded by Capt.
Robert w. Baylor and Lieuts. Milton
Rouss, George Baylor and Burhrod
G. Washington. The company had
the reputation of being one of the
bravest and most dashing in the cav
airy corps of the Army of Northern
Virginia, and on one occasion was
granted a two-weeks' furlough and
highly commended by Gen. j. e. b.
Stuart for distinguished gallantry.
1t was in this company that Mr.. Will
son, then very young man, won a
reputation for courage and all good
soldierly qualities equal to that of
any, man in it. He was the COM
missary of the company, which re-
lieved him from guard and picket
duty, but he frequently volunteered
and performed these duties. He
was not a captain or commissioned
officer, but a private in the front
ranks whenever the company was
called into action. The true story
of Mr.. Wilson is about as follows:
In 1868 Gen. VIM. e. Jones 8 brigade.
to which Company B. was attached,
made an extensive raid into West
Virginia, penetrating as far as Fair
mont, Clarksburg, and other points.
Whilst passing through an intensely
Union settlement, Mr.. Wilson en-
countered venerable Union woman,
who proceeded to ventilate her con-
tempt and detestation in general for
Confederate soldiers, and particu-
larly for these composing the invad-
ing command. There is a large
vein of hnmor in Mr.. Wilson'S COM
position. and he proceeded to guy
the old lady, which made matters
worse, and she finally let loose her
tongue with abuse. Finally Mr.. Will
son indnlged in some laudatory
language of the Confederates, refer
ring to their courage, good looks, etc.
and cited himself as an example of
those qualities. This was more than
the old lady could stand, and she let
out on Mr. Wilson. who was tban
small in stature, with a sparse mus
tache of very light color. .'You are
beautiful specimen, amt you2"
said the old lady. t'If you are a
specimen of good-looking rebel, the
good Lord spare me from seeing an
ugly one. Why, your mustache
looks for all the world like it had
been dyed an 6uttermi1k." Wilson
could stand it no longer, and for the
first time beat a retreat from the
Union forces.