The National tribune., 1897-01-21
CAPTURED FITz-HUGH LEE.
The General Made Hostage for Three Untol
Prisoners Condemned to Death.

The General Made Hostage for Three Union
Prisoners Condemned to Death.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: We broke
up May 1, 1863, at Camp Getty. near Ports
mouth, Va, and went on board transports,
with the 11th Pa Cav. and two regiments
of infantry, and steamed out through Hamp-
ton Roads and up the Pamunkey River as
far as White House Landing. We disem
barked ON the Hanover County side OF the
river, and marched across country 10 han
over Junction. The weather was extremely
hot. and many of the men of the infantry
died from sunstrOke.
When we arrived at the junction We
found the place guarded by a stockade fort
and 100 men and four pieces of artillery.
After receiving their first fire we were Or
dered to fall back out of range. Then our
Colonel (Spear, 18th Cav. called for volun-
teers. to see if there was way to approach
the fort without being seen by the enemy.
Serg't Star stepped to the front and said
if he could have the pick of men he would
undertake the hazardous work. The Col
onel told him he could. The Sergeant
picked IL men from the regiment and
started on, with only revolvers and belts
They took q roundabout way, striking q
ravine thick with underground, following it
up to the stockade.
At the same time the troops in front were
making small charges to attract the rebels
attention the Sergeant and party were
devising ways of getting inside the fort.
They soon discovered that the spring OF
water inside was the cause of the ravine,
and that there must be an outlet for the
water.
The men soon found the place, and by
digging with an old saber bayonet, that they
had picked up on the way, and their hands,
they soon made a hole big enough to admit
a man.
After they had all gotten on the inside
they made grand rush, firing their revoiv-
ers as signal for the troops to come. The
entire rebel force threw down their arms and
surrendered, with the loss Of two men killed.
After the surrender q rebel saw the small
force, grabbed a gun and shot one of our men.
On the instant he was shot many times.
The prisoners were paroled on the same day,
and after destroying all Confederate property
and tearing up the railroads at the junction,
we went into camp fer the night.
On May we started on our return trip to
White House Landing, with quite a heavy
rear-guard to protect our main force. We
met no enemy TO break the mOnotony until
the rear-guard came across an old colored
man. He said that if we would go along q
certain road We might capture Fitz-Hugh Lee.
The Colonel ordered the rear-guard to 60
with the old darby as guide, and without
any mishap we found TIE General at his
country-seat. He had been wounded q few
days before in the Shenandoah Valley, and
was on sick leave for short time. As his
wound was slight, we soon made arrange
ments for taking the General with Us by
ordering out his family carriage team and
driver. After putting mattress in the car
rage and the General on that, we started
for White House Landing, arriving there
the same day and went into camp. The
General was put on board a transport. The
next day, May 4, 1863, we started for Fort
Monroe, arriving there on the same day, and
reporting to the commandment, Gen. Wool,
that we had prisoner Of war.
The old General said we had done the
best thing since the war had begun. He
said that our cavalry in scouting in the
guerrillas who had committed crime on
some of their own people that was punish
able by death, and they were hung for that
offen.e, and the rebsl authorities at Rich
mond, to retaliate, had ordered out 100 maa
from Libby Prison, all officers of high rank,
with Chaplain Mceabe with them, to draw
lots for three men to be executed in Tetalia-
ton for the three guerrillas' deaths. The
drawing was made, and the Chaplains dear
friend, Colonel, wa- one drawn out. They
were taken to the city Jail and confined in
the condemned cells, to be shot or hung the
next day.
To save these men Gen, Wool ordered out
a fag-oftrucs boat to the enemy. After
conference with the authorities at Richmond
exchange was made, we receiving the three
Union officers for the rebel Gen. Lee. /
thiEk that expedition resulted in great good
for the Union cause, with a small loss of life
and no loss of property for the Government.
w. B. PORTER, Troy, Pa.
Strong Pe0ple.-Occasionally, the
world is startled by the advent of some man
or woman who seems possessed Of an almost
supernatural physical strength. While such