Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-10-28
NEW VOL. 33.---NO. 1.

boys !" and we did. There was no halt
or hesitation among our men. 1t
seemed each one was trying to be fore
most. Lieutenant Holcombe, who was
commanding the attachment, tried to
rally his men, and at last, in very des-
peration, planted his horse across the
road to stop them, but they deserted
him, ard soon our boys, with well d.
rected shots from their pistols, rolled
him and his horse on the ground. 1t
was about this point in the melee that
our gallant comrade, Charles Broad
way Rouss, who was always in the
forefront in fight, as he is in busi-
ness today, bulged into a Federal
trooper, knocking him and his horse
down; but the shock threw his horse
also, and the bold rider landed about
fifteen feet off in the fence corner.
But the net spot cash vigor and nerve
was in him then as now, and, mount
ing again, he was soon among the fore
most in the pursuit, which continued
for three miles or more. In this en-
gagement we killed and wounded sew
enteen, captured thirty-fve prisoners
and thirty-seven horses and equip
ments.
On the next morning Gen. Tibbitts
reports as follows to General Sheridan:
HEADQUARTERS 2D CAVALRY DIVISION,
Dec. :. 1861.
Major VIM. Russell, Assistant AdJutant-
General Of Cavalry.
MAJoR-NcStcrday morning detach-
ment Of fifty men Of the Twenty-Firsl
New York Cavalry, under Lieutenant
Holcombe. was sent to patrol the coun-
try in the vicinity Of Morgan and How
cllsyile Fords of the Shenandoah, with
orders to return via Millwood. Full in
structionS were given to Lieutenant Iol-
combc and he was cautioned TO bc con-
stantlv ON the alert and ready for an
attack. 1t appears from the statement
Of an officer. who was with Lieutenant
Holcombc, that he was attacked when
near Millwood by party OF about thirty
of the enemy, who came up the road IN
his rear. Atthe same time another party
attacked him in the flank. There was
apparently no fight at all, but a rapid
and disgraccful flight. Lieutenant Hol-
combe was captured and about thirtyot
his men. The remainder have come in.
| transmit this AT the hands Of one Of the
officers who was with the party. The
men Will bc sent Immediately Respect
fully, WM B. TBBIrTs'
Breyct Brigadier-Gcneral.
Again on the same day he reports as
follows:
The scouts to the fords of the Shenan-
doah have returned and report all quiet.
Lieutenant IIolcombc was found at
house near White Post badly wounded.
Three of his men were killed; p cap
turcd The number of the enemy is es-
timated at thirty-ave.
WM B. TBBTTs,
Breyct Brigadicr-Gcncral.
A summary Of these fights, Novem-
Der 22d and 29th and December 9th,
will show that in fifteen days, with
company whose ranks had been de-
pleted in a hard campaign with the
Army Of Northern Virginia, fighting
on each occasion greatly superior num-
bers, we had killed and wounded
twenty-eight, captured seventy-hye
men and one hundred horses and
equipments. Before closing wish to
do Justice to Lieutenant Nelson B
Holcombe. In reading over the war
records I find the following:
KERNsTowy. VA, Dec. .. 1864
Maior-Gcncral II. W. Halleck, Chief Of
staff
| have nothing 10 report except the
surprise and capture Of party Of TWEEN
ty-scven men Of the Twenty-First New
York Cavalry. They belonged to a scout
ing party Of the Second Cavalry Diyis-
ion. The officer in command was Lieu
tenant Holcombe. He was wounded.
have dismissed him from the service.
p. H. SHERIDAN.
Maior-General Commanding.
l 10 not know whether Lieutenant
Holcombe is dead or alive. If alive
this nay be some consolation to him ;
if dead, as I had supposed from the
nature Of his wounds, a just tribute to
his memory. Ny comrades and my
self will cheerfully bear testimony to
the fact that Lieutenant Holcombe, Of
all the men in his command, bore him
self most gallantly in this fight. Hav-
ing used his utmost endeayors to rally
bis men, and finding his efforts Of no
avail, be threw himself in the breach
and, fighting, fell.
GEO. BAYLOR.