Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1897-10-12

Editor of Spirit:
The letter written by me for the
NewY ork Daily News, at the instance
of an old comrade, has been so mutt
lated by that paper, and in its mutt
lated form copied in the last issue of
the Free Press, that am induced in
justice to myself, truth and modesty,
to request that you will publish it in
its original shape and composition.
GEO. BAYLOR.
The 90 Baylor Light Horse" Co. B,
Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, was or
ganized in April, 1862, and was COM
posed largely of men who had en-
listed at the outbreak of the war, and
served one year in the ranks of the
Second Virginia Regiment of InfaD-
try, in the famous Stonewall Brigade.
Its members were principally sons of
farmers of Jefferson county, Virginia,
mere school boys, who had not at
tained their majority or completed
their education. AS l now remem-
Der, there were only three married
men in the company. The Orderly
Sergeant, Seth Timberlake, brother
in-law of Charles Broadway Rouss,
was a widower, and called by the
boys 'UncIe Seth" on account of
his seniority, though then quite q
young man. In its ranks were youths,
who to-day stand in the front in var
ious occupations of civil life. There
was ex-Postmaster General William
L. Wilson Charles Broadway Rouss,
the merchant prince and philanthro-
pist of Broadway, New York Charles
Henderson, general manager of the
Reading Railroad Hon. w. d. Eng
lish, of California; Thomas d. Ran
son, prominent lawyer of the Staun-
ton bar; William S. Thompson,
leading member of the Atlanta bar;
H. d. Beall, of the Baltimore Sun;
Julian Hutchinson, capitalist and
member of the city council of Attain
ia; Undertakes, eight in number,
and all gallant soldiers. .Washingtons,
Mannings, Alexanders, Craighill,
Frazier, Mason, Sadler, Strider, Nc
Clure and many others, whose names
in Virginia suggest pride, prowess
and parentage.
My father, Robert W. Baylor, was
chosen captain, but served only a
short time, having been severely
wounded and incapacitated for fur
ther service in cavalry engagement
at McGaheysville, on the 27th of
April, 1862. Lieut.. Milton Rouss, a
brother of Charles Broadway Rouss,
second in command, brave officer,
was wounded near Charles Town in
September, 1862, and shortly after
wards taken prisoner and not released
until the close of the war. 1 was the
second lieutenant and B. G. Wa sh-
ton, a great grand nephew of the i'm
mortal George Washington, was pro-
noted for gallantry to Junior second
lieutenant.
No arms or equipments were fur
nished the company by the Confed-
crate government; the men owned
their horses, and Uncle Sam very
kindly provided us the very best pis-
tolls, sabres, saddles and brides, he
had in stock. Everything but our
selves was branded U. S. For the
carbine we had no liking and no use.
Early in the conflict we recognized
the fact that the Federal officer was
our equal. and that our chief strength
and superiority lay in our rank and
file. If we fought our opponents at
long range, we gave the officers op
portunity TO bring to their aid dis
cipliue and authority over the actions
and conduct of their men. When
we came in close contact they lost
control, and the men lacking individ-
uality, became sheep without a shep
herd, while with us every private was
a general and needed no direction or
guidance from his officer. In the
camp and in the field, the Confeder-
ate was ruled by affection and exam
pie and treated as an equal and not
an inferior. Especially so was this
the case in our com pany, where we
bore the relation of brother, cousin,
schoolmate, neighbor and friend
Being young, active and adveutur-
Gus, we were often selected for de-
tached service, though the company
bore its part in most of the great bat
ties of the Army of Northern Yir-
ginia. In 1862, after the battles of
Cross-Keyes and Port Republic, when
jackson joined Lee, it was left in
charge in the Shenandoah Valley,
and by its frequent raids and dashes
upon the outposts of the enemy and
breaking his line of communication,
it aided materially in causing Cen
eral White to evacuate Winchester
and retire on Harper's Ferry, where
he shortly after surrendered with
General Miles to General jackson.
In the campaign of 1863 it served
in the cavalry corps under General
Stuart and won atWarrenton Springs
the unique honor of being furloughed
by General Robert Z. Lee for gal.
lantry on the field.
/ was wounded in January 1864
near New Creek. when General Ros
ser captured General Mulligan'
wagon train and stores, but returned
to my command on the 1st of May
crossed the mountains with our bri
gade and joined General Lee. We
were IN the advance on the morning
onanPd fhf