Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-05-05
A Brush With Mosb5.

porei Frazier. who ia now lawyer at Car
lon, Pa, being the next man to me IS we
sat that day In line Of battle. told mo that a
MAJ FAMED Clark, Of Company 1, which Was
in the rear Of our company, had been killed
and had fallen off his hor5e. As looked
around toward Company 1, a bullet struck
me on the right eyebrow and gave me
black eye, which LATED six weeks. AS the
enemy was too strong for our cavalry at
New Market. We came back aud went Into
camp near Winchetter.
November oath being Thanksgiving, our
brigade. ccmmaode1 by General Ttbbet,
q sun of The richest man at Troy, N. Y {,
was presented with 1000 turkeys. wnich
had been sent from Troy By the Generals
ffIeads to cur brigade for Thanksgiving din
ner. As acldiers seldom knew when Sun
day cana, this was the frst hint to many OF
us thss that day was Thanksgiving. The
turkeys we're soon dressed and put on the
fire to cook. Many OF the boys we're telling
stories, az soldiers generally do when stand
Ing around camp fres Without one mo.
ment's warning, 'whlz. wh'z." came toe
bullets into our camp. "Mosby ~ yelled
soldier. The men mounted at once and old
not wait for orders. Many jumped on their
horses barebacked, and went after Mosby.
One soldier who joined In the chase had
neither saddle nor Bride. he rode his
horsa with the halter, and had neither saors
nor firearms with blm. was little better
of. did not take tine to saddle ny horse,
uor did pet nv sabre and oarbine. put
the b;ide on my horse, grabbed my pistol,
mounted and joined In the chase.
We could always tell Mosby's man. They
fought differently from the rest of the Oou-
federate cavalry. They we're quick 10 ed
vance and just as quick to get back come.
times We generally found Mosby's men
when We we're not looking for them. Ttey
were more liable to attack Us from the resr
or on the hinks than fiom the front. Sol
ders used to cay that 1t would take Eesi.
nent OF four-eysd men to watch Mcsby's
olmmsnd. Oar regiment had no love for
Mosby's mor. Perhaps Mosby's ocamsnd
killed more of our reg meat, the Fourteenth
Pennsylvania cavalry, tnan any olhsr regi'
ment In the army. Once O scouting party
from our regiment, near Berry7ille. Va, wss
attacked by Mosby, end twelve men were
killed. Another scouting party frcm our
regiment was attacked by Mos5y's men in
Fauouler county, Va., and ten men were
killed. Whsn Mosby attacked our brigade
take somehow. He first captured the pick
els and some OF the Sixth Army Corps veg
onp, which had been detailed for hauling.
He could have gotten away with all be cs p.
tured, but when he struck our brigade he
struck hornet nest Perhaps he got back
aoroes the Shenandoah river faster than
ever before. He lost ten men killed, and six
we're taken prisoners.
II Mo.by bad attacked Us one hour sooner,
when we had our horaes ssdd!ed, We nould
have captured nearly all of his men, Isoon
discovered that I had made mis- axe By
not taking time to saddle my horse. After
riding six mllcs came back. hers alec
came back The majority OF the brigade
followed as far es the river.
On my way back I came up with SOL
der walking, who wore Sixth Amy Corps
badge. He had bean with the wagon train,
had been captured by Mosby and Teoaptured
by our cavalry. l notiosd on his cap the
figures and lettere "139 P "" As the One
Hundred and Thirty-nioth Pennsylvania
Volunteers we're from the came neighbor-
hood from where I came 1t did not take
me- long TO form the acquaintance Of
tha infantry man. The Sixth Corps men,
pointing to house, eald that an Old man
who lived there had yelled at Mosby's men
to shoot every Yankee they captured, aod
ss BIS had been oaptutei and hen RECAP
turei, he would like 20 see the cid man. We
vent over to the house. A girl, sweet six-
teen, said her grandpa was not e. home.
The Sixth Corps soldier went on to join hls
command, while I remained to ia K to the
gill.
What is the matter with yonr cye7' she
asked When told her thai | bad bsen
struck by bullet 10 fight At New Market
two days before, she said: "Q1ite narrow
esoape-as narrow es grandma and made
on tn 10th OF September I'D you gee that
dcoi-how 1t lie ahat:sso6 Well, on tie daY
OF .he battle gran ina and we're citing a.
tas window Listening t, the roaring OF the
III tilsry. Suddenly Ysnkes she'll struck
our door and passed right out through the
window ever our head5;" and With her
black eyes flashing. che con,icued: L then
ran up stairs and looking ouo Of the window
I saw gray line of our boys coming
through the falds. how waved my hsnd.
kercbief at thsm knew they would drive
the Yankees back" I said: Mise, your
boys did not drive IA back. We routed
your army. The battle OF Winchester ives
a great victory for the Unicn army. The
South lost many men. and two OF their best
geperalE-Generals Rhodes and Goodwill
were both killed"
The girl became much excited, and sald:
"How many thousands did the Yankee army
Ioss ? IL Ia true that we lost two as brave
generals as ever came from Alabama. bu.
didn't you Yankees lose your Genera! Rus
ssl from the Wooden Nutmeg 8 ate, and
your Irish Gsneral.. Muligsn. the man Who
wore the green shiri?" Then began to tell
her something about being under General Averill
on the right Of the Union army at the b.ttle of
Winchester, she interrupted me by singing the
"Bonnie Bue Flsg" che was sweet singer,
and as that WAS the first time l hsd ever heard
the song, thought the tune lovely, tut didn't
tell the little sscesh" 30. said: "Who taught
you that song?" She said: walter Johnston,
member of Fitznugh Lees csvsley." Then, with
a ,igh she said: II wish Walter was here" l
s.id $50 do 1. I would take him back to camp
with me-"
After she had given me another strsrz, of the
B ,nnie Blue Flag" I Did her had flag song
too. did not sing mine, but recited 1t to her.