Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-10-23
The Killing Of Lieut.. Meigs.
MEIGS FIRED FIRST AND WAS THEN
SHOT DOWN.

by Col. John s. Mosby in the Baltimore Sum-
The soldier who killed Lieutenant
Meigs was George Martin, a member of
the Black Horse company. He is now
living in Fauquier county, Virginia.
met him few months ago when he
repeated to me the account he gave me
when he was suffering from his wounds
thirty years ago of his encounter with
Meigs. The truth is that when they
met Meigs fired first and severely
wounded Martin in the chest. At my
request he gave me the following writ
ten statement: -
DEAR COLONEL: In reply to your
request, conveyed to me through Gen.
VIM. H. Payne, that would give you
the facts in relation to the killing of
Lieutenant Meigs, send you the fol-
lowing statement, which is literally
true: In September, 1854, when the
Confederate forces under General
Early were defeated at Winchester and
had fallen back, a report came into our
lines that Sheridan's army was falling
back on Winchester. General VIM. q.
Wickham, to whose brigade we be-
longed, Company H, Fourth Cavalry,
Black Horse Troop,) ordered private
Campbell and myself to find out the
truth of the report, giving us as guide
man named Shafer, from the First
Regiment, who, being a native of
Rockingham county, knew the whole
country. We proceeded to execute the
order as soon as it was given, and
when we got in sight of the valley pike
saw large wagon trains moving by sec
lions and all heavily guarded. 1t was
a long time before we could effect CROSS
| ing, but at last passed between two
trains and struck the Dayton road. 1t
was now getting late and thick mist
| falling. We had put on our oilclOths,
which hid our gray jackets. After
riding some time on the Dayton road
and being in g. mile of Sheridan's head
quarters, we found ourselves in lane
with high, strong fence on both sides.
We were keeping a sharp lookout and
were riding side by side. On looking
back saw three men riding at q rapid
pace, overtaking us. At once we got
into single file (the formation in which
the men advancing on us were riding.
Campbell was to hold up the man in
the middle, Shafer the one in the rear
and let the one in front pass on and l
was to hold him up. We knew that in
the dusk and SO near Sheridan's quar-
ters we would be taken for some of his
men. l heard Campbell and Shafer
halt their men and heard the response
from each L surrender / halted
Meigs, who was the front man, putting
my pistol almost in his face. He refined
in his horse, but made no reply. He
had on military overcoat with a large
cape, which entirely concealed his sad
die in 'front.' He fired from beneath
his cape. his ball passing entirely
through my body, and l fired at the
report of his pistol. l thought when
he refined in his horse that he was my
lprisoner. When Campbell heard the
firing he rode up to me, thus giving
1.-The man he had arrested a chance to
escape, which he did. The man taken
by Shafer we brought into our lines,
together with Meigs' horse. l had nc
idea of shooting him until he had
wounded me. rode 10 miles after
was shot, but became SO weak from the
loss of blood that for the last four OF
five miles Campbell had to hold me on
my horse. Campbell was Louisiana
man by birth, who joined the Black
Horse Troop and was as gallant sol
dier as the Confederacy had"