The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-05

am Il % cent grconback, and for all
| know may he one of the unrcdCcmed.
but have had such varied experiences
and was able 10 do SO much good the
day Richmond was evacuated / feel [
must tell about it, for | was us much Il
subject OF dispute i'll my day as gold and
silver and bonds are NOW. | was sent
forth fresh and crisp from Washington
TO Il paymaStcr i'll the Army of the Pc
tomac on the Virginia peninsula. and
he delivered me. along with lot of
larger notes, to Il captain of the Fifth
Pennsylvania cavalry
The captain placed the big notes i'll IL
letter which he wrote to his wifo-l
sweet, loving lcttcr-in which be told
her he was going the next day on Il
raid up the peninsula, and that if all
went we'll he might slccpm Richmond;
that she must kcepup brave heart and
that he would be home soon. When he
scaled this letter, | saw the muscles of
his mouth twirch ana his bravo blue
eyes moistcn. and [ Struggled up within
for | knew the bravcst were the tcndcr-
est, and he was wishing that ne could
go with that letter.
But thcrc were no Drawer men i'll the
war than the Pcnnsylvanians, and 1
knew that, live on die, he would be
game ana do what was right.
The next morning we started off and
got along very we'll until about IL
miles beyond Williamsburg, and just at
the fork of the roads we were attacked
by the advance guard of Shinglcrs
| South Carolina cavalry. We had only 40
| men i'll our party, and the rebels were
| numerous The captain saw he had bet
ter retire, SO he turned his horse, order
| cd II retreat, and the men threw their
guns over their shoulders and dashed
down the road, firing us they rctreatcd
We went into Il new position behind
the college wa1ls-thc college had been
burned-and as the hot lead spattcrcd
against tho old English bricks | shud-
dered, and every time the statue of Lord
Botctourt was hit | felt rs if everything
sacred was being dcsccratcd and could
almost hear the British lion growl
While | was made for circulation | was
based on protection, and when charges
| We're made against me | feared I would
w VI
drawn.
Our enemies were re-enforccd, and
my captain, seeing discretion was the
better part of valor, again retired and
dashed down the main street. Before
he had gone two squares bayonet was
| thrust through his thigh, and he was
made prisoner. In Il very short time |
! was exchanged for bag of tobacco and
| became an ally and associate of armed
rebellion. A shinplaster has no affcc-
| tons or attachments, You know
| was put i'll what was called a pocket
| by my rebel owner, but it seemed to me
like Il rag bag. was so frightened l
| thought I would die and was sure I
[ laughed myself sick at the ludicrous
and hairbrcadth escape of my new
| friend
| lie was worn out with excitement of
the day, and as he passed Il house 10y the
college, just across from the president IS
house, ono of his friends asked him in,
! pointed TO II feather bed ON the floor,
and he sank down i'll it and slept az
| only Il Confederate soldier could, for he
had not seen Il bed of any kind for so
| long. He was 81 high feather at his
I good fortune. He was too tired to
dream. | was awake, studying my new
surroundings. Suddenly Il friendly
hand shook him up and said, You are
caught. He crcpt to the window, pull
ed the curtain aside, and there, sure
enough, were my friends of the Fifth
| Pennsylvania cavalry.
| If ever my Union soul longcd for u
voice, ii was then. He could have put
his hand on them. He double quickcd
| into his clothes and huttoncd me up
against his heart which was going faster
| than Wcavcr's shuttle 1t was Il bril-
liant moonlight night in April He had
| put his horse in an open shed and pushed
Il cart i'll front of it To keep him from
| getting away. He realized his danger
and The absolute necessity for quiet
just rs he stcalthily entered the she'd
u calf ran between his legs and beloved
as only Il calf can and threw him over on
the cart We'll, > thought |. II will Row
b. back with the Fifth Pennsylvania
cavalry. He clutchcd at the horse,
| jompcd on his back, dug his spurs in its
side and dashed down the road had
| been over twice before The bit was out
Of the horses mouth, and he was going
| like John Gilpin-and no possible way
Cor the rider to control his horsc-rght
TO the Confederate picIcts, who had or
ders TO shoot any and all cavalry com