The herald., 1896-05-24
A LEE INVASION STORY

1t Is not as easy to stir Captain W. H.
Beech to story telling as it should be.
for he always tells good ones Those
who read that Lincoln Cavalry sEx-
plot" win enjoy this one. which the
captain told a few evenings ago:
After Milroy's disastrous affair with
the advance of Lees army at Winches-
ter, June IA, 1863 when it was on the way
to Gettysburg the greater part OF his
command, in scattered detachments, es-
capped across the Potomac, some at Har-
per's Ferry, some at WilliamSpoSk and
others at Hancock. The officers Were
obliged to assume responsibilities and
act according to their own judgment.
The enemy followed closely. Lieu
tenant Colonel Pierce of the Twelfth
Pennsylvania cavalry, commanding the
force at Hancock, proposed to go to
Cumberland and join the troops at that
place After marching a few miles We
found that Cumberland was occupied
by the enemy. The only thing to do
was to strike for Pennsylvania. After
hard marching over rough roads we
reached Bedford. The weather was hot.
The people of Bedford opened their
homes and did their best to supply the
hungry and thirsty men who partook
of 1t can never forget that generous hos
pitality.
"Quartermaster and commissary de-
partments had to be impoverished. A
sergeant of the Lincoln cavalry was
sent out to hunt up supplies for his
regiment. John Cessna. an eminent
lawyer and public-spirited man, gave
the sergeant information as to where he
should 60 Free from military restraint,
and after long and often severe SER
vice, the sergeant found this trip among
the hills very enjoyable. He was enter
tanned royalty among those well-to do
and hospitable people. He bought for
age in abundance and sent 1t to camp.
He was especially aided by Mr. Jones OF
st. Clairsville and Mr.. Trout of Mill
Spring. One day he met funeral-a
long line of carriages. The people had
been frightened at the report that the
enemy was coming into Pennsylvania
The procession stopped and many anx-
1ous questions were asked of the SER
geant as to how near the rebels WERE
and if the procession would be in dan
ger of meeting them. Returning toward
camp. at evening, he reached the farm
of Mr.. Stuckey, two or three miles from
Bedford. Mr.. Stuckey insisted on the
sergeant's staying with him instead of
going on to his regiment that night. A
nights rest in a comfortable bed was
luxury not to be declined. He slept
soundly, but long before dawn he be-
came dimly conscious of an unusual
rumbling along the stone pike But he
continued in his restful, half-awake
condition, all the while aware of the
rumbling, but not thinking or caring
what it might mean. All at once he
heard loud voice calling, Mr. Stuckey!
Mr.. Stuckey! Get up and look to your
horses! The rebels are in Bedford. so 900
strong' In few seconds the sergeant
was out Of bed, clothed and in his right
mind. In few seconds more he was
at the barn with his horse saddled.
Vehicles OF every sort, hastily loaded
with furniture and goods of every de-
scription. We're being hurriedhy driven
along the pike. People of all ages, whole
families. We're clinging to the tops of
the loads, while the drivers were urging
on the teams to their utmost speed as
II some avenging fury was close upon
them. The sergeant asked one of the
drivers the news. The man barely took
time to answer: The rebels are in Bed
ford, $4,000 of them!' and hurried along.
The stream of wagons kept coming.
The sergeant thought it hardly the part
of a well-armed cavalry man to join
the fleeing caravan. He faced his horse
toward Bedford. Riding along. he occa-
sionally asked Of the fleeing citizens
the news. At first there were $4,000 of
the enemy in Bedford: then 1000; then
5000; then they were not in Bedford yet,