Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-11-23
written for the Herald.l
WEBSTER, THE SC6aF.



In the years Immediately subse-
quent to the war at various times
there appeared in the newspapers
sketches in regard to Webster, the
scout, who was hung by the Confed-
crate authorities at Richmond, Vir-
ginia. He was for a time on duty
with Means's and Coles Cavalry, but
believe it never was determined to
which side he was loyal in the war.
He never marched with us except in
a Confederate uniform. He gave as
reason for this that in that uniform
he could be more efficient as scout.
cannot throw any light upon his
sentiments, but will simply give my
recollections of him on the occasion l
was thrown into brief contact with
him. Once he attached himself to us
in the region Of Waterford, Loudoun
County, when we had been sent to the
assistance of Means smen, whohadbeen
attacked henight before in a church in
Waterford by Whites Confederate
Cavalry. When we arrived at Water
! ford Means's men were some distance
out from the town pursuing their foes.
Webster dropped back from them and
joined us. Soon we came in sight of
frame house standing little off
from the road at the edge of field of
tall corn. A little distance from the
house was group of persons that
riveted our attention. 1t consisted of
three or four of Means's men ard one
or more women and children They
were standing around the body of
man recently killed. He had not
only been shot, but was also barbar-
ously mutilated, his skull being brok-
en- in as by blows from stones or clubs.
Webster knew what the matter was,
but we did not. The body was lying
upon arude sled on some bloody straw,
on which it had been placed to be re-
moved to the house. Webster gave
us statement about the killing, in
which as he said he had taken some
part. 1t was said to be for the killing
of this man that Webster was eventu-
ally tried and hung by the authorities
at Richmond All we could find out
about the death of this man was this:
He was said to have beena Confeder-
ate spy or soldier at home on fur
lough. On this morning Of his death
Meanss men had passed the house,
aud while doing SO some of them un-
dertook to enter. To avoid capture
the man jumped from window in the
rear and sought to hide among the
tallcorn. He was pursued, overtaken,
and ordered to surrender, but fired
at his pursuers. A shot from one
of the latter brought him down,
but he kept on firing, when, exasper-
ated at his stubbornnesS and a shot
from his pistol wounding one Of their
men, they mashed his head with
stones, in which work Webster took
chief part. When we arrived on the
scene the man had been dead about
an hour, and the women and children
had brought the sled to convey his
body to the house. Our men assisted
them in the work and soon joined
Means's men, where Webster related
his story about the matter, and said
the man deserved all that befell him
that he had been "a bitter and
malignant Rebel"
The only other occasion in which
met Webster was during an expedi-
ton into Loudoun County to break up
a band of guerillas, of whose move
ments he had some information. He
seemed to have correct knowledge as
to where they were to meet 1t was
at a large brick farm house between
Hillsboro and Waterford, a little off
the main road When we. came in
sight Of the house there was a wide
meadow between us and it, and men
were observed to issue from it and
rush into an adjacent cornfield and
disappear amongst the corn. We
4 threw down the fence and dashed
across the meadow toward the house,
Webster cheering us on. When we
drew up in front of the house there
was only one man to be seen, and he
the owner, whom Webster seemed to
know, as he called him by name in
the conversation that ensued, and
which | listened to. A number of
our men were securing the cornfield
for the escaped guerillas, and some
remained with Webster in front of
the house. The latter addressed the
owner thus: You are pretty scoun-
drel, amt you, Mr.. v! a base
traitor to your country, encouraging
the formation of murderous bands of
guerillas to assassinate your fellow
citizens. l feel very much inclined
to put rope around your ID
Rebel neck and swing you up to one
Of your own trees here in front of
your house. | shouldn't wonder if
that would be your end yet. Youl a
man of property and standing here,
to act the traitor to your country
Why, the devil ought to be ashamed
of you" and so on Mr.. V. said but
little under the blast to which he was
subjected. We did not capture any of
the men, and withdrew from the
premises without doing any damage
to them or the owner The worst
: treatment he met with was Webster S
lecture and threats.
never met Webster again; heard
that he afterwards served in the Con-
federate army, and that in the course
of time he was arrested for the MUIR