Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-08-17
Written for the Herald
A BRAVE WOMAN.
A "REMINISCENCES OF THE LATE WAR.

andoah Valley had rough and danger
GUS experiences. Now one army ant
then the other was in possession o
this valley, and thus Union and Rebe
citizens alike suffered from spoliation.
by each army There were only in
tervals when it was safe for loyal mer
to be on the south side ofthe Potomac
hence Union men who had "refugeed'
to the North had to return by stealth
when they wished to visit their fam
lilies left behind to see how they Jared
They would not even hazard spend
ing night under their own roofs
! If they were compelled to remain
over night. the night was spent in
hiding in adjacent fields or woods OF
in some obscure cabin. What made
them more careful to avoid being cap.
tured was the fact that the Rebel au.
thorities sometimes would not accord
to them the treatment of prisoners Of
war; but they were liable to gross
abuse, and even death, for loyalty to
the old flag-which meant treason to
the confederacy.
| Among the most firmly loyal hearts
to the flag of our country in the Shen-
andoah Valley during the war, from
its beginning to its close, were w. S.,
Esqr., and wife, who owned and lived
upon farm in the Tuscarora Valley,
in large and commodious house,
some miles away from Martinsburg.
Mr. S., for his outspoken and active
loyalty, had to fly from his home
early in the war and remain away
until now and then at rare intervals
he could visit his family by stealth.
He did not dare however, to stay I'M
der his own roof over night 1t was
too dangerous athing to do. His fam
lily consisted of his wife and one chill d
"a son some fifteen years of age-and
an elderly lady who had home with
them. Mrs. S. was provided with
firearms, and used them too on more
than one occasion, when at night she
heard providers around the premises
after plumber. She once showed me
her weapons. They were in good or
der and always kept loaded. Many
an anxious night. in summer and
winter, during the dreary years of the
war, she spent in her house with her
littleson and the old lady for company.
Mr.. S. being so prominent a Union
man and man of ability and influ-
ence was elected to the legislature of
the then newly formed State of West
Virginia and was absent at the capt.
tai (Wheeling) a good deal, attending
to his duties as legislator
Very early in the war became ac-
quainted with Mr.. S. and his noble
wife, and greatly admired them both.
was well acquainted with the re-
spective families in Pennsylvania from
which they came, and Mrs. S. was
always glad to greet me. Intensely
loyal as she was, she loved every I'm
ion soldier and did them all the kind
nesses she could. In the spring of
the bloody year of 1864 when the
Hunter expedition to Lynchburg was
formed-of which my cavalry was a
part-I possessed a few valuable
books and wished them taken care of.
Itook them to Mrs. S. and left them in
her care, telling her that if l never
returned she should consider them
her own. She received them with
pleasure and said they should be well
guarded. This was in the month Of
May. did not see her again until
August. In the meantime the enemy
had overrun the valley. When l saw
her she had many annoyances to mar.
rate that she had suffered during the
occupation, and had lost many valua-
bles. but she had secured my books
by boxing them and burying them
in her garden with her own hands.
They were in her parlor when l ar
rived, and none the worse after resur-
rection.
The incident l will now relate oc-
CURED at her house in the following
winter, when my cavalry was lying
in camp at North Mountain Station.
A comrade (who was also an old
friend of her and her family and N.Y.
self projected visit to her one Satur-
day evening to spend the night and
return to camp on Sunday. Having
secured the necessary leave we started
and after a ride of nine miles over the
frozen and snowy roads we reached
her home near night. The region
having been peaceful for some time,
we were rather poorly armed, my
comrade having only a Colts army
pistol and | saber 1t was exces-
sively cold and the ground was cover
ed with snow. She was delighted to
see us. Her son took charge of our
horses and she ushered us into warm
room and a bright fire. After boun-
tiful supper we spent the hours in
conversation till time to retire, and
to bed. The moon was shining
brightly outside on the frozen snow.
We shivered i'll the frosty room and
got into the warm bed as soon as pos
sible. We were soon asleep and slept
for some time, when |. being a light
sleeper, was awakened first by a knock
ing on our door and the voice of Mrs.
S. in low and suppressed tone.
asked what was the matter. BY this
time my comrade was awake. She
! toldus to dress and come down as
quietly and quickly as possible in our
stocking feet. as the house was as
saulted by"robbers' as she called them
aud che did ,1nt u,art tha,,, ~ l,1av-