Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-10-13
TIE GHOST OF THE BATTLE
FIELD.

FIELD.
Ga that eventful afternoon of the I'd
of May, 1868, wien Stonewall Jackson
buried his corps upon the right flank oi
the federal army at Charlottesville,
our battery was attached to the division
Of A. P. Hill. When we struck the
euemy the divisions OF R0des and Cel
ston, which were in the lead, broke
heir lines before A. P. Hill could de
poy, so that we simply followed 10 the
wake of the pursuit in column forma
lou. We proceeded along the plank
road for several miles. throwing a few
shells now AMI then at the flying ene-
my. We then turned of from the road
aud entered the forest and soon foun'
ourselves in that wild and weird sec
ton of country known as the wilder
ness." Night coming on and the bat
lie and pursuit having receded almost
out OF hearing of us, we began to look
around for suitable place to go into
camp. We had been passing the dead
aod wounded lying upon the ground,
d, we rapidly followed up the battle,
and coming upon one of those small
openings that occur here and there in
that section, we ''parked" our guns and
bivouaced for the night. | was sergeant
vr guard that night and was to 90 on
duty at midnight The corporal had
the first half of the night
and came to waken me at
l2 O'Clock. We had three sentioels,
que of whom was over the guns that
sere parked" near the skirts of q
dense wood. was sitting in the
guard tent trying to read an old news
paper 1 had picked up on the battlefield
ny the dim light OF lantern, and had
Just noted II at the time was one O'Clock i,
when heard the sentinel call sharply,
Sergeant of the guard, post numb, r
one" He repeated his call several
times rapidly as I ran towards his post.
| found the man with his drawn sabre
in his hand, pale and seemingly agitat
ed. He said that while walking up and
iown on his beat as he approached the
woods an object resembling woman
clad in white had come out on TO the
edge of the field and beckoned to him
aud that it bad happened twice before
he called out for me. The scene
around was lonely and wild enough in
Ill conscience to arouse the su .,ersli
ion of most any one, but this man I
knew was one of our staunchest soldiers
,ud l confess 1 felt somewhat puzzled
[ remained talking with him awhile,
{, ling him that he was no doubt mis-
taken, though instructing him to keep
'sharp lookout" and turned to walk
pack to the guard tent when my steps
we're arrested by the sentinel shoutinp
out, Look, Sergeant, there it is again y
Running back to him distinctly saw
on the edge of the VOID what appeared
TO be woman, as we'll as could dis
Germ in the moonlight, frantically wav-
lng her hands and beckoning to us.
Seizing the sabre out of the septinel's
hand / ran towards the woods with all
the speed l could, the sentinel calling
after me, "for the Lords sake" not TO
20. As 1 ueared the woods the "wo-
man in white" disappeared along what
il found to be a narrow path.
[ followed on the run and bad gone
about hundred yards when I pitched
headforemost over something lying
right across the path. Picking myself
up and STOPPING over to see what it
" as that had tripped me up sc''-
cred dead federal soldier. l felt OF
his face. 1t was cold and he had ev $
IDENTIFY been dead some time. l cou d
zee in the moonlight that the blood had
tnn down and made dark spot in The
sand and his musket was lying by his
side. then walked on little farther
and discovered another, live one this
time and an officer. He seemed badly
| wounded, his blouse was thrown OPT q
and his shirt front was all bloody. He
heard my steps and begged piteou ly
water. II will bring you water
said,n aud fastening back to camp
awoke the relief, ordered them to get q
litter, and catching up canteen Of
water returned to the wounded ofii ell
and soon had him comfortable in the
| guard tent. ArousiDg our surgeon, be
dressed the wound and staunched the
| blood and informed me that had the
officer laid on the field another hour he
would have died from loss of iood.
We sent him bsck 10 the hospital al
break of day, and 1 learned atterward
that he was duly exchanged. report
ed TO the captain what had occurred
on nv watch. He ordered me to send
out detail to bury the dead soldier in
the woods, but paid little attention te
nv account OF the woman i'll white
"saying that the battle had turned g.!
kinds of animals loose in the woods
and probably this was white horse.
The sentinel and l did not agree witt
him however, and to this day all
know is that the appesr Ince of tn;
spectre, or whatever it was, certainly
saved tnst officers life.
J. L. MARYE.