The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-06-18
HE PErpED AROUND THE STUMP.

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HE PEEPED AROUND THE STUMP.
The story leaked out that when the
skirmshers of the I'd Ohio fired the
first volley and fell down to reload, one
Of the rebels remarked TO his neighbor
"Hell, how they are fallingi" But as
they arose to FIRE again, the other re-
piled: I" But, hell, how they are getting
up again"
The rebels soon broke and fed pell-
nell toward town, except one old man,
who stood his ground and fred till he
was killed. The artillery was brought
up, and the first shot, percussion she'll,
passed over the town and exploded on
the hill opposite. The gun was low
cred, and the next shell fell short of the
toKs, striking the ground some 40 steps
from the brick Jail, fragment going
squarely against the Jail, tearing an in
dentation some three or four inches deep.
Soon
"A WHITE FLAG WAS RAISED
and tie artillery ceased firing, but the
skirmishers pursued the fleeing rebels
through the town and for some distance
to the north of it. During this pursuit
sad accident befell Col. John Halle
rigg, good Union man Of the town.
When the fight was coming near be,
with others fed out TO the north. He
had concealed himself behind large
stump, and seeing the rebels passing out
by him, intended waiting till the blue
coats came along, surrender to them,
and go back home. But he impru-
dently peeped around the stump, and
one Of the soldiers seeing him, and
thinking him one of the fleeing rebels,
fred, knocking a splinter into one of bis
eyes, causing him to lose the use of it.
Thus the battle Of West Liberty was
fought; the rebels falling back on Pres
tonsburg. The loss to Harris's COM
mand was one cavalryman wounded in
the ankle. The rebel loss, as far as we
could learn, was the old man already
mentioned, and a young lawyer Of the
town, found in a stable-loft, slightly
wounded. We remained there two days,
and went across to Halle Green, 15
miles south, reaching there just at night
fall. There we found Gen. Nelson with
all his force Except The I'd Ohio, con-
sisting Of the 2lst Ohio, Col. Fyffe; SD
Ohio, Col. Sill; 35th Ohio, Col Norton
Col. Charles Marshall, with a portion Of
what became the 10th KY; Col Met
calf with a part Of regiment; and
Col. Griggsby, Of our regiment.
Capt North's company was assigned
quarters in the village schoolhouse, a
neat little frame house nesting in a beau
tiful grove Of young oaks little way
out Of the village Col. Griggsby was
placed in charge Of the Commissary and
Quarfermaster's stores, and remained so
till the expedition ended and they were
removed. Capt North and his Lieu
tenants were sent back to the neighbor-
hood Of The Olympian Springs to recruit,
and the writer was left in charge of the
company The men were fully equipped
here, and
LOOKED VERY soLDTERLTKE,
and were proud that they were Uncle
Sans bows
Gen. Nielsen established his Head
quarters at the house of William Trim
bic, az old citizen. at the edge of the
village, and had lively time for several
days. Many Of those who had hoped to
help establish the Southern Confederacy
by lying around the rebel camps found
themselves being pushed into Virginia.
This did not suit them, so they crowded
Gen. Nelson's Headquarters TO "take
the oath" and generally received a
sound cursing from the old fellow. His
reom was literally packed at times with
"Ieiitent rebels, not sorry for what
they had done, but sorry they had been
caught at it.
On one occasion a couple Of influential
men from one Of the lower Counties, one
a rich farmer and the other a minister of
the gospel, were rushed into the Gen.
erals presence Addressing the farmer,
Nelson said:
"And what do you want, sir?"
Il want to take the cath and 90
eome."
"Where do you live?"
"I live in Bath County"
"What is your name?"