The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-05
SOLDIER-LIFE EPISODE.
FEDERAL PERSONALS HEAhIILf
CHEERED CONFEDEKATEs.
Iucidents of Cavalry Life In the Late War
Showing Beautiful Touches of Nature
Courtesy W. Patriotism.

The following little episode in soldier
life In the Army of Northern Virginia is
said to bring out spots that, during an
active campaign, are like angels visits
few and far between" While In company
with a few old soldiers a short time since.
the writer recalled the incidents that
contributed to and constituted the cpl
sode in question, and referred to the clos
ing scene as one of the proudest moments
of his soldier life, and those present ex
acted q promise that the matter be writ
ten up for The Times, so as to effectually
preserve il.
Late in the evening OF August 30. 1862.
when night had interposed and called
cessation Of the bloody work at second
Manassas, Gen. Stuart directed the writer
TO report to Captain Samuel a. Swami,
OF the Ninth Virginia Cavalry at Gaind'
vile. without giving any intimation OF
the character of duty expected, other
than IT would likely involve trip In the
direction of Harper's Ferry
Any cavalryman, who participated IN
Tie active work and almost continuous
fighting of his command. from the hapl-
dan To the close Of the conflict OF the SOth
~
light with which detached service would
be hailed, when it was confidently cx-
pected that the dawn of the 3lst would
witness renewal OF the carnival Of
carnage.
Arriving at GAINESVILLE, a village shor'
distance west OF Manassas. there was lit
tie difficulty In finding Captain Swami,
but no sort OF reasoning succeeded in
convincing him that he had been select
ed 10 take command OF an expedition
i'm the direction Of Harper's Ferry, which
was then held by strong force OF the
enemy. But the developments Of the ear
~ morning dispelled the Captains skep-
ticisIn and brought a decided come
down to the visions Of an active scout
near and within the enemy's lines, which
had been decided on by our council OF
conjecture the night before. Gen. Stuart
directed Captain Swami TO take charge
OF one officer and two hundred privates
parolled prisoners OF war, and deliver
them to United States authorities at
Harper's Ferry, marching by given
route.
The section through which our route
lay had been within the Federal lines
from the latter part OF the winter. when
our army had returned TO the defence OF
Richmond, and the Confederate sentiment
had been lying dormant. with only an
occasional nare-up from some OF the less
prudent ladies. when worked up to me
point of evaporation. This sentiment.
so largely predominant all through this
beautiful section of Virginia. burst forth
with the widest demonstration OF de-
light as soon as our gray jackets were
recognized.
ONE GRAND OVATION.
In fact. our whole march was one
grand ovation. in which the ladies were
the most active and delighted partlci-
pants bestowed with such evident sin
cerity and enthusiasm as to blot from
memory the ills and dangers OF soldier
life At Front Royal Captain Swami was
mercilessly ridiculed when he proposed
to pay for the entertainment of the es
cort. and one Of the ladies actually pro
posed to drum him out of town If he
dared TO say another word on the sub
iect. Along the march TO Berryville these
demonstrations surpassed anything that
We had before witnessed, and so many
incidents, the spontaneity of which the
most skeptical could not doubt served
to animate and encourage. that Ii would
be impossible to particularize.
Some time during this days march
young cambridge. / think member or
the Seventh Virginia Cavalry, typical
Virginian soldier. chivalric and daring.
but very much in love, left the escort 10
20 TO Winchester for one glimpse at the
lady. who held a first lien on his affec-
lions. Winchester was at that time held
by Gen White, who afterwards surren-
dered Harper's Ferry, and was not in
cluded n our orders. This escapade OF
cambridge cost us good-siZed scare
about midnight, and brought down on
his head the wrath of the escort as much
for being soundly frightened as for the
loss of sleep occasioned by the disturb
aEce. our arrival at Berryville brought
out the town, the inhabitants OF wh.cn
seemed to consist of old men and beauu-
full girls. Here the hospitality. as usual,
was unbounded. only little more so,
the chief difficulty I'm the way OF full
endowment being that there were not
enough OF us to go around" IS this
state Of affairs would never do, under
such circumstances of hearty welcome
and irresistible importantly, Dick" Moo
cure-glorious old fellow. may his de-
clining years bc chcered by all that Is
glorious and bright i'm life-and the wri1er
concluded to help ont our paucity OF
numbers by trying 10 be ubiquitous The
immediate consequences of this piece OF
chivalric gallantry on our part was 10 he
absent from the elegant supper, whlch
Capiain Swami had ordered the escort 10
attend Tin a body" and thereby incurred
his cood-humored displeasure 10 the ex-
tent of being ordered TO post the guard
over our horses until a. NJ. Neither OF
us recognized this extra duty as any pun
ishment whatever as between the smiles
of bcauty and almost endless refresh
ments. benevoence was oozing out At
every pore.
MI . r ifvl
matter Of locality TO us was one Of su-
premc Indifference and hence. as a mat-
ter Of form, sought the stable where our
horses were being well guarded by bet
Predetermined men. Everything appear
ing 10 he In admirable shape. We were on
the point Of leaving the drudgery OF this
business to cooler heads. when tramp OF
cavalry and the rattle OF sa0rcs attracted
our attention. We had barely reached
the street from the stable-yard. and had
scarcely determined the direction IRON
which the familiar sounds proceeded,
when. Halt" rang out on the clear at
mosphere OF the night. The sudden APP
rearancc OF cavalry force. between ms
and our quarters. left Ms no time 10 de-
bate the adv.sability OF ncelling our
selves or marching boldly forward. and
from force OF habit and d modicum OF
discretion, We paused and answered back
"All right" though somewhat on the
Chinese order. from a Slight thickness OF
utterancc.
COURTING VS.. PATRIOTISM.
In moment there came from the head
Of the column the inquiry. "Who goes
thcrc:" Answering this satisfactorily. We
were ordered TO advance, and in about
thirty steps reached the head OF the col
umn OF United States cavalry. which was
In charge OF a lieutenant who had evil
IDENTIFY seen very little active service. In