Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-04-11
Sirginia FREE gress.
A VAR INCIDENT.
HO,C Lieutenant Charles 3. Wiltshire
Vas Fatally FOUNDED.

A story of war episode of the Shenan-
doah Valley, related in the Pittsburg Dis
patch and which has been extensively copied,
is corrected by DR.. James G.. Wiltshire, of
Baltimore DR.. Wiltshire is mentioned as
one of the participants in the incidents mar
rated, but it was his brother who took the
active part As related by the doctor this
is the story
"Iu the spring of 1865 my brother, Lieut..
Charles B. Wiltshire, of the Confederate
army was on scout with small party of
men and was travelling toward Winchester.
The same day | was sent toward Martins
burg and down toward Charles Town.
GAS my brother rode out of the woods
near the Bonham mansion, where he had
probably intended to stop, as he knew the
family, he saw a federal officer going from
the house toward a small stable few feet
away. Putting spurs to his horse, Lieuten-
ant Wiltshire dashed forward to capture the
Federal, Who it was afterward learned, was
Lieutenant Ferris, of the fifth New York
cavalry. For some reason my brother did
not draw his pistol but rode up to the
| stable door in which Ferris stood with q
pistol in each hand Ferris fired and my
brother fell from his horse with a pistol ball
in his left shoulder, just under the collar
bone. His men closed in on Ferris, who
kept on shooting, striking Gill and Bowling
of my brothers party. He fired again at
Lieutenant Wiltshire while the Lieutenant
lay on the ground wounded, but missed him.
| suppose my brother was also doing some
firing with a pistol held in his uninjured
right hand.
Lieutenant Ferris jumped on my broth
er's horse, which was magnificent animal
and well trained, and rode Off He was
followed by John Orrick and Bob Eastman
or "Bob Ridley" as he was better KNOWN
| All were firing and Orrick's horse was shot
in the neck so that he had to stop in the
woods aud let the federal officer get away
meanwhile my brother was cared for by
the Bonham family. Ferriss commander
sent him back after my brother, but he de-
clined to take man prisoner who was sc
badly wounded. Another detachment was
then sent in command of a major to take
Lieutenant Wiltshire dead or alive. My
brother was taken in a wagon six or eight
miles to John Gilbert's house. This was
within the Union lines but notwithstand'
ing this fact, guard was set at the house
door. Miss Lizzie Gilbert attended the
wounded man, who was able to sit up six
days after he was shot. A secondary hem
orrage then set in and he died. My father
and mother were at the Frazier residence, q
few miles away, and although my mother
was allowed to see her wounded son and
was sent for when he was dying, my father
was not allowed to see him at any time.
4 "At the same hour my brother was
wounded was in small engagement at
Colonel Baylor's near Charles Town, and
had my horse shot from under me- When
l heard of my brothers injury | wanted to
recover his body, thinking he had been kill
ed. When news came of his whereabouts
Colonel Mosby advised that we should wait
until Lieutenant Wiltshire was able to sit
up, and then Mosby would see to our recov-
ering my brother from captivity Unfortu-
nately that time did not arrive. That Col
onel Mosby had not sent my brother to
capture Lieutenant Ferris is certain as he
was on an entirely different GRAND, aud
only discovered the federal officer acciden-
tally.
GAS for Ferris being constant visitor at
the Bonham house and lover of Miss Bon
ham, as related in the Pittsburg Dispatch,
that is probably untrue He had not far to
GO when lie left the house on the approach
of my brothers men. The little stable was
built within few feet Of the house for
Colonel Bonhams choice horses, where he
could have personal supervision over them.
The place was not within twenty-five miles
of our army at that time, and the lines of
the Union army were probably six or eight
miles away.
"At the time of his death Lieutenant
Wiltshire was twenty-four years old. He
was six feet two inches in height and was a
fne soldier"