The National tribune., 1897-10-07

crossed in safety; that at this point delay
of only few hours proved his destruction.
company composed largely of boys too
young to enlist in the three years service,
but vino were anxious to assist in crushing
the rebellion, had Joined hands at Athens
under Capt Fred Stedman. On Monday,
June % and on the 25th, at Marietta, o.,
these were mustered into the U. 5. service
and assigned to the 129th Ohio as Co. A.
Capt. Stedman was appointed Provost-Mar-
shai
There were only two companies, A and B,
in camp at Marietta and these were poorly
equipped with old, rusty muskets, intended
only for use in drilling. But on July 13
these companies, armed with those same old
muskets and provided with one blanket o
section of tent, a pocketful of ball-and- buck
shot, marched through the city and took
train for Belpre. They were transferred 30
the transport Twilight and during the
night dropped down the river two miles and
landed on Blennerhasset Island.
This they strongly fortified by digging
trenches and arranging driftwood that was
found in large quantities near at hand.
Nearly as soon as the works were COM
pleted it was found that with the intense
heat, all circulation being shut off, the is
land was untenabls, and, therefore, it was
evacuated.
Again embarking on the Twilight and
steaming down the Ohio so miles or so, on
the evening of the 18th they landed on the
Ohio shore at Burlington Island. During
the 18th the men were kept busy digging
trenches. This work was completed at about
5 p IN.
An hour later the head of Morgan's col
~, IN ,tof,, nf than n N a
mile distant; but there they remained, ap-
parensly placing artillery in position.
1t was evident that they were cautious
about advancing. Possibly they did not ex-
pect opposition at this point. Had they
known that less than 225 infantry, q half
dozen mounted scouts, and two old pieces of
artillery that had done service in the Revo-
lutioDary war; manned by another dozen
men, were all that opposed them, they
would have made short work of reaching
the ford. But this they discovered when it
was too late.
The small body of Union troops was un-
der command Of the Artillery Major, who
was evidently laboring under the Idsa that
each man was equal to at least n half dozen
of the bold raiders. 1t was about p. m.
when the Major retired to his tent, and
when the scouts returned to give warning
of the enemy's presence he was found sound
asleep.
At 2 a. m. Of July 10 few shots were
fred on the picket-lins. This had the effect
Of rousing the Major, and his orders to call
in the pickets were given to Lieut.. Lewis,
but before his return the order to retire to
the boats was given, and this was done
quietly and in good order. The stern
wheeler backed out in the swift stream,
running into the island and iDjuring the
paddle-wheel. The boat swung round,
headed down stream, and foated about two
miles, landing On the Virginia shore.
The Lieutenant, with the pickets, reached
the landing little too late TO board the
boat, and were soon exchanging shots with
Morgan's scouts. While most of the pickets
were captured and paroled, few escaped by
hiding. The Lieutenant improved an op-
portunity to mount fine gray horse, and
reached his home, later returning to his COM
pany.
It was barely daylight when the raiders
began crossing the river, and the arrival of
the little gunboat Moose was just in time to
make it very interesting. few broadsides
from this put an end to all chance of escape
at this point. This delay gave the Federal
cavalry opportunity to cut off the rebels
advance, and also allow the transports, in
Guiding the Twilight, to land troops in their
rear.
Morgan was surrounded, and it was only
by slick trick that he escaped with few
hundred men. The number of prisoners
taken at this point was about 1 300. Promi-
nent among them was Col. Dick Morgan,
who did his full share of grumbling on ac-
count of the fact that mere handful of boys
was the cause of their downfall.-C. II.
TOWNSEND, Co. A, 129th Ohio, Willimantic,
Conn.