The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-14
A HORROR OF THE WAR.
nov GEN. CUsrhR HUAG sOHE or
MOsBi'S MN.
Their Comrades Wish 10 Raise n"nu-
ment,o the Memory Of Anderson. Love.
Carrier. Jones. overly and Rhodes.

and talked OF the thrilling events OF their
lives on the frontier. they u'd not fan 10
recall the names OF those VINO had fallen
i, the arht hut especially the six soldiers.
who. after being taken prisoners, had been
| made the victims Of the implacable fe-
| rocitr OF General George a. Custer. OF
| Sberidan's cavalry. A committee was APP
| pointed TO raise funds for the erection
OF monument TO these soiu'e'S' ana 1Aef
| appeal is published below.
| The story OF this tragedy is thus told
| I'm the WarrentOn True Index, by an eye
| witness:
After the defeat Of General Early at the
| battle OF Opequm on September ls, 1861.
| his command fell back up the valley.
| The BRIGADE of cavalry, under General
| Wickham, occupied a strong position al
| NJ ford, twelve miles south az Front
| ROYAL. and Custer made repeated efforts
| TO Iolce him from the position without
| effect. About this time II was reported
| 10 Captain Chapman. OF Mo'oy COM
| mand. that a large wagon tain was en-
| route from Milford to Nncnesier' unicr
the escort OF a small body OF mca Vie
| immeditey made disposition Tor It's cap
ture at Front Royal For this purpose he
divided his men into parties One party
| was to attack the train At the p0l,
| where a cross road from Chcstcrs Cap
| intersects the Front Royal and Luray
| grade. The other. under the lmmedi ne
| command Of Chapman, was 10 iAI upol
| the front OF the train about six hundred
| yards from the town. where there is
! hill on one side and o. raNlne on the
| other II seems that Custer bad OWNED
IN some awy the Confederate plans and.
4 Of Goa TM Nn had
whole division behind the wagons lie
waited tn the attack was made upon the
front. when he threw a large force up on
the Manor Grade. a road running parallel
with tho Luray road and took possession
OF Chesters Gap. Ch8puan's line OF Pc
treat. The latter promptly attached the
train. when he IN turn was attacked I'm
his rear. lie Immediate turned upon the
force behind him. determined 10 cut his
way out. The Federals. who had preceded
him 10 the gap. had thrown strong line
across a. narrow defle under the COM
mand Of a captain or major. who stood
upon foot in the middle Of the road
Chapman formed his men IN column and
boldly charged through the line. I'm The
melee the Federal captain saw he would
be captured or ridden down. and offered
to surrender himself but the pressure be-
hind the Confederates wac too great for
them 20 stop 10 parlcy with one man. and
some OF those in the rear. not understand.
ing the situation emptied their rfvOycrs
into the captain. killing him instantly
The most OF Mosby's men succeeded in
getting away. but some had their horses
shot and others were cut or. Among
these were Anderson. Love. overly. Car
ter. and Henry Rhodes. Il the Twenty
third Virginia Regiment. Custer deter
ffa 20 NV
these men. Rhodes was dashed with
ropes between two horses and dragged
In plain sight OF BIS agOnized relatives 90
the open field north Of our town, where
one man volunteered TO DO the xii ing. and
ordered the helpless. dazed prisoner 20
stand Mp I'm front Of him while he emftied
his pistol upon HIM Anderson and Love
were shot IN a lot behind the court
house. overly and Carter were carried 10
a large walnut tree upon the bin between
Front ROYAL and RivertOn, and were hung
The writer saw the latter under guard
IN a wagon lot They bore themselves
Ike heroes. and endured the taunts OF
their captors with proud and undauntcd
mien. One Of them was a splendid speci
men or manhOod-taN wci-knit frame
and a head OF black. wavv hair floating in
the wind he looked ike 4 knight of Old
While | was looking ar them. General
Custer at the head Of his division, rode
BY He was dressed IN a splendid suit OF
SILK velvet. his saddle bow bound in silver
or gold. In his hand he had large
branch Of tams0ns. which be
picked. and ate a. he rode along
his yellow locks resting upon his should
Nrs Rhodes was my friend and play
mate and / saw him shot from distance.
but did not az the time know who it was.
y
Early I'm November Captain a. Z.
Richards. with ten men, was sent % the
rear of Sheridans army. then lying bee
tween Middletown and Strasburg. From
a position near the turnpike. I'm the
course Of the day he captured fifteen
prisoners. among whom were Captain
Brewster. Of Clusters staff and his
brother. a lawyer, bound on a canvass
ing expedition 10 the army IN the inter-
est of General Mcclellan. There were
also among the prisoners n ncws-boy
and a drummer-boy. The news-Doy haa
often before been captured by Richards
but had always been released and on
this occasion received the same elem
ency. The drummer-boy claimed his
liberty likewise. and pleaded hard for
IT: but Richards said: mo; the drum
excites men TO battle, but the newspaper
Is often the source OF Generalization and
defeat" AS the prisoners, IN charge or
DIT. Sewers. were passing through Ash
by's Cap. they were met by Mosby. who
when informed that they belonged 10
General Clusters division. determined 20
retaliate upon them for the death Of the
Rangers who had been executed AZ Front
Royal He therefore ordered tsem 20
be kept under close guard until his re-
turn to Fauquier.
In few days Mosby left Mountioy
with twenty-three men I'm the Valley and
proceeded 10 RectOrtOwn 10 execute hls
purpose. Meanwhile. another party OF
Clusters men had been captured iy
Mountjoy and left in charge OF Jhnm,
Chiffon. az the residence OF a citizen Oh
the Blue Ridge. These prisoners were
confined IN school-housc. ard au-
peared 10 be comfortable and cheerful.
expressing their surprise al receiving
such kind treatment at tho hands OF
Mosby's men. one OF them, especially.
was inclined 20 talk. He was young
handsome. intelligent. and gentlemanly
I'm appearance. The conversation was
so pleasant and friendly thar Jimmy
quite forgot the belligerent relation IN
which they stood 10 each other. But
soon the tranquility Of the scene was
rudely and painfully disturbed By the
entrance OF two Rangers. who. without
preliminary demanded OF the prisoners
10 whose command they belonged. sev-
eral promptly responded:
I'VE belong 10 Clusters Division"
Then" said the men, you are TO be
hung Come along"