Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-04-10


began our march the ground was COW
cred to depth Of several inches,
which was added TO rapidly The
wind was high, and as we moved west
on the turnpike it drove the snow in
our faces and rendered PROCESS very
disagreeable. Night came on us, and
the snow became so deep that we
could not move our horses faster than
walk, and we suffered much from
the cold. Many Of us dismounted at
times and fioundered through the snow
to get up some warmth. And thus
we proceeded while the wind howled
through the leafess trees bordering
the bleak mountain road and continued
to drive the snow with violence into
our faces, enveloping us until we
looked like procession Of ghosts.
Il was, think, little past mid
night when we reached Hancock, and
we hoped to get at once some sort Of
shelter for our exhausted selves and
horses; but we found battery of ar
tillery stretched along the principal
street, the men and horses Of which
had not yet obtained shelter, and all
wrapped in a deep covering Of snow.
All was in silence except the sup
pressed voices of the men, for it was
forbidden to speak loudly, so that the
enemy might not learn across the
narrow river of the arrival of reen-
forcements.
We halted in the street just behind
this battery andwaited till our patience
was exhausted for some directing
power to order US into or tell us where
we might obtain shelter. So we set
about looking it up for ourselves.
Near where we halted, on the main
street, stood large brick house, an
alley leading to the river along one
side oft. Adjoining it on the main
street was oae-story brick structure.
evidently for use as an Office. We
tried rapping on the door of each
building, utthat brought no response.
and we obtained entrance through a
window into the small Office Here
we had the happy fortune to find a
stove and plenty of fuel, and also a
candle. This we soon lit and at once
made roaring fire in the stove, which
we very much needed, for we were
suffering much from the cold. Our
boys piled in here till the place was
| full; but as there was not room for
more than half of us, further explor-
alton had to be made. A door opened
from this Office into the large house
It was not locked and we entered the
house and found it abandoned. We
found more candles and lighte' it up,
and discovered that the house must
have been evacuated in the utmost
haste. as the looks of everything be-
tokened it, The beds were in dis
order, articles of clothing were lying
around loose, and debris of different
kinds Uttered the floors. The family
must have left in a great hurry before
hostilities commenced.
We made our way to very large
kitchen, and here we found bountiful
supply of every kind Of cooking uten-
sils No fire was anywhere, and the
house was dreadfully cold. AS an in
dication of the temperature, it is suffi-
cient to mention that several vessels
had been left on the cooking range
filled with water, and these were
frozen to the bottom. Some OF the
boys made fire in the range.
We then examined the capacity Of
the space in the rear of the premises
to hold our horses. We discovered
that gate opened into it from the
alley, and there was room enough for
all our horses. and we at once brought
them in and made them as comfortable
as possible. The writer of this had
occasion to step into the alley with a
candle to examine the fastening of
the gate, when the voice of a picket
came up from the river side with
more force than politeness: "Put
out that light, you idiot Do you
want your blasted head knocked off
with cannon balls" put out the
light, of course. to-oblige the gentle
man, and FASTENED into the house.
BY that time the fire in the range
had thawed out all the vessele on it.
and now the boys looked about fol
something to cook and eat. There
was large pantry at one side of the
kitchen, but the door to it was locked
and no key could be found. One O.