Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-05-09
From the n. y. World
AN UNEXPECTED ENEMY.

| AN ONENE GS EO
War has its lights and shadows, it's
serious and its comic sides. In no 9TH
er situation in life are there such sud-
den transitions from grave to gay, and
such contrasts of fortune that illustrate
how lear together are joy and sorrow,
the sublime and the ridiculous. The
daily life Of soldier in active war is a
poem--the blended spirits of II Pen
serosa and L L'Allegro-in which the
tragic features Of events are seen at the
time they occur, while the comic ele-
ments only appear in the retrospect.
The reaction that follows the mental
and physical strain that soldiers feel
in the hour of danger generally in
duces a disposition to laugh and be
merry, to enjoy the present, and, like
Alexander at Babylon,
Take the good the gods provide thee.
In an affair at Berryville, in the
Shenandoah Valley, in August, 1864,
an incident occurred which gave me
great vexation at the time, but which
afterwards seemed so comical that |
always laugh when | think Of it. My
scouts had informed me that large
convoy was on the way from Harper S
Ferry with supplies forSheridan sarmy
in the Shenandoah Valley, 1t was
heavily guarded by cavalry and in
fantry. AS soon as | heard Of it |
started off with my command over the
Blue Ridge to intercept the train be-
fore it got to Sheridan. AS was
going to attack at least ten times my
own number my only hope of success
was in surprise and creating a panic.
This would be impossible if the enemy
got notice that we were coming and
had time for preparation. We had
crossed the Shenandoah river and
marched all night About daybreak
we could distinctly hear the rumbling
of the trains on the hard pike. They
were marching at night on account of
the intense heat in the daytime.
| was riding a mile in advance with
John Russell, of Clarke county, who
knew the country well, John Beckham
and Stockton Terry, when about sun
rise we came in full view of the Valley
pike along which the train was passing
There was a heavy fog that concealed
us from the enemy. The white covers
of the wagons could be dimly seen
through the morning mist, One of the
men was sent full speed to tell Capt.
William Chapman to hurry up with the
whole command. We were within two
or three hundred yards of our prey,
but they were as unconscious Of danger
as the antediluvians were of the coming
food. We waited for Chapman with
breathless expectation. l felt some of
the oppression and awful forebodings
which it is said that even the great
soul of Caesar felt when he halted on
the banks of the Rubicon | was about
to do what all men would say, If /
failed, was an act of desperation. A
successful blow struck then at Sheri-
dams communications would, knew,
make deep impression on him and
have much influence on the result of
the campaign. Failure meant, in all
probability, the loss Of my command.
l played for a great stake-and won.
Chapman soon came up at trot.
The men, all ready and eager for the
fray. Silence was golden. All spoke
in whispers. 1t was an open pastoral
country with stone fences. A small
clump of trees concealed US from the
unsuspecting enemy. In a few words
the order for the attack was given
Captain Dolly Richards (now Judge
Richards of Louisville, Ky.) was sent
towards the head of the train with his
squadron, consisting of two companies
commanded by Lieuts. Wrenn, Joe
Nelson and Harry Hatcher. William
and Sam Chapman with their compa-
MES went down towards the rear OF
the train. | had a small mountain
howitzer, which, with Glasscocks COM
pany, was kept with me. The little
gun was run up on an eminence not
over hundred yards from the column
moving along the pike. They could
then see us, but no doubt thought we
were their own people, who were TAX
ing view of the beautiful panorama
spread before us. Lieuts. Fay and
Frank Rahm had charge of the gun.
Glasscock's company, which was sup
porting the gun, was kept out of sight
over the hills, as I did not want to at
tract the enemy's attention.
The bursting of shell in their
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