Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-05-19

plucky man. 1la, nextly, the mo men
we hev the less chance Of my bein hit
myself. Lastly, I've seen Captain Wyle
and Ike Baxter with their heads together
about yo', and I've heard that both
yo' and the captain was sweet on
the same gal. and I've sorter put two
and three together and made seven. I'm
goin to be right alongside o. yo' in this
fout, cause / like yo'r way o. fghtin,
but yo' jist mind what tell vol The
bullet which hits 20 today is liable to
come from our side,"
Jackson's command, numbering not
quite 5000 men, made a rapid march
of 40 miles down the valley to strike a
blow at General Shields command of
5000. They were waiting for the Con-
federates. jackson attacked at once.
Even while the rear of his marching
column was still two miles way he at
tackled. 1t was a fierce and bitter fight.
AS daylight began to give way to twi-
light ON that dismal March afternoon
the guards were ordered to charge a
battery which was making a portion of
the Confederate line ~untenable. They
dashed forward to be met by a yolley
which killed or wounded a dozen men,
and a swift move on the part of a Fed
eral regiment resulted in the capture of
nearly one-half Of the others. An hour
later jackson was ~retreating. He had
been defeated.
Ike Baxter was among the wounded.
With others he was taken to the field
hospital to be cared for, while the I'M
wounded were marched TO the rear and
placed under guard. Ike had been hit
in the shoulder. While his hurt was
being dressed he said to the surgeon:
"If a Yankee deserts to our side and
fights agin yo' uns, what happens to he
un if yo' captur' him?"
He'd be shot!'' was the blunt reply.
but s'posin he un also played spy
fur our side."
He'd be hung instead of shoti Do
you know of such a case?'
Reckon | do, and l feel it my docty
to tell yo' about him. Jist tell yo'r
gineral to inquar among the prisoners
fur a man named Kenton-Royal Ken
ton. He un's a Yankee deserter and a
spy fur Gineral Jacksonl'
but why do you tell of it?" queried
the surgeon.
Cause it amt a fair deal"
Half an hour later kenton was taken
before General Shields under the charge
made by Baxter. The latter had over
reached himself. Had only the two
been captured it would have been a diff
ferent matter, but there were 20 of the
guards who gave testimony in favor of
Kenton, though it came from NEST of
them grudgingly. A search of his per-
son brought to light a pass from Cen
eral jackson in which he was mentioned
as a scout.
while you are cleared of the
charge, " said the general after a long
examination, chow does it come about
that you, a northern man. are found in
the Confederate ranks?"
Il enlisted in the cause of Virginia,
my adopted state, was the reply.
But the cause of Virginia was and
is unjust. She is guilty of treason.
Every oHt VI you uHutr dIIlS IL d tfdltOT
to the government. The principle is so
plain that no one need doubt"
But there are doubts, sir. A large
proportion of the northern people are
doubtful, and some Of the most infiuen-
tial of the northern papers contend for
the right of secession"
The general could not gainsay that.
The government was rushing troops
into the field, and battles we've being
fought, but the principle was still being
discussed, and men eminent as ~jurists,
statesmen and journalists were still d.
vided. Kenton was dismissed to be re-
turned to his fellow prisoners. Only
one guard accompanied him.
Half way between headquarters and
the spot where the prisoners were be-
ing held under guard they encoun-
tered two men bringing in a wounded
man on a stretcher. The victim proved
to be the guards brother. For a mo-