Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-04-13

successful Knoxville expedition, he was
ordered to take command of Thomp-
sons cavalry and advance eastward
and destroy the Virginia & Tennessee
railroad, now the Norfolk & Western
On March 20 he started on this expedi-
ton, but turned north at Boone, n. c.
Entering the valley at New River, in
Virginia, ne captured Wytheville and
continued along the railroad, destroy
ing it nearly to Lynchburg On this
raid he laid waste miles of adjoining
country. AS this hsf been the first in
vasion of northern troops into Floyd
and Wythe counties, the inhabitants
were very bitter against Gen. Stone
man The more the raid was talked of,
the more bitter became the spirit of
the people, and many were the threats
made against Stoneman and his troop
ers. William Beaden. who gave the
writer the facts while standing at
Bordunix's grave, said that a secret
organization, whose object it was to
be revenged on Gen. Stoneman, was
formed directly after the surrender of
Gen. Lee of all the young men who had
war, and of soldiers home on leave of
absence
In the meantime Stoneman continued
on his raid. which ended at Salisbury,
n G., prison camp three days after
Gen. Grants victory. Instead of re-
naming in North Carolina, as Gen.
sherman had ordered, he left and en-
tered Jones boro in the eastern part Of
Tennessee, April Is, where he received
the news of Lees surrender
On May IS Stoneman. with six thou
sand cavalry, ten thousand infantry and
twenty-eight guns, started on a one
hundred-mile march over the mountains
to the Virginia Il Tennessee railroad
at Christiansbarg to embark for Wash
ington.
Mounted couriers Of Floyd county's
little army were Immediately dis
patched from the different sections TO
inform the recruits in outlying districts
of the movements Of Stoneman's army
and to notify them to gather at Floyd
Court House under arms. 1t was the in
tention of the foremost in the scheme
to secrete the men in diff rent parts Of
the town and neighborhCod and at the
appearance of the army To fire on them
from their places of concealment and
thus harass the northerners for dis
tance of ten miles on each side of the
town. Early in the morning, on May
%. two hundred ex-confederate soldiers
and recruits had arrived at the town.
AS the advanced and no new arrivals
Z
ened and assertions were numerous.
Another hour passed and the advance
guard of Stoneman's army was report
ed within ten miles of Floyd's Court
House. BY the time the inform alton
was received about one hundred men,
al. that remained of the bold band,
were concealed along the highway.
But as soon as the federal column hove
in sight the seif-appointed protectors
of Floyd county deserted-except the
three men whose graves | have de.
scribed. Nerved by drink and a sense
of injury, they boldly entered the town
and with oaths boosted that they
would exterminate the whole of Stone
mans army.
In another hour the head Of the army
appeared at the outskirts of the vii
lage. BY this time the three were
crazed by liquor, and in marching
order, with Bordunix in the lead, act
ing as commander, boldly advanced to
meet the great army Of Stoneman with
as little fear as did David TO battle
with the mighty hosts of the Philis-
tines. When within stones throw
of the front of the column they entered
field thickly grown with bushes.
The march of the three men was
watched with interest by the inhab-
itants Of the town, who had turned out
in full force to see the army pass.
They had no idea the boasts Of the
men were more than idle threats
After entering the field Bordunix halt
ed his followers and, greatly to the
amusement OF the union troops, put
them through drill They were greet
al