Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-03-06

eral days until transportation could
be had for us east on the railQad. At
length train offreight cars was made
up for us, inside Of which cars our
I horses were put aud we on the tops of
the cars. The journey at first was
pleasant enough, but as we entered
the mountains and night came on the
air grew uncomiortably cool. We had
also many tunnels TO pass through,
and had to be very careful to maintain
a recumbent attitude toavoid accident.
When we reached Grafton it was just
| breaking day, and there was frost on
the tops of the cars. We were so
thoroughly chilled that we were glad
when the train moved on again, and
we were going down the mountains
into warmer temperature. It was
warm enough when we arrived at
Martinsburg. Here we were unloaded
and received our horses again and
went into temporary camp.
1t was not long until orders We're
issued to march again, and we pro-
ceeded on the turnpike to Winchester
and on up to Middletown, where Sher-
idan's army were lying. 1t was some
time in the night when we reached
and passed through Middletown, just
little beyond which dispatch was
handed to General Dufiie, which he
read by the light ola cigar. Itspurport
was for him to Immediately march to
Harpers Ferry with his command and
from there to Cumberland, Nd It
was from General Sheridan. and ac-
cordingly we countermarched at once
and marched to Harpers Ferry, crossed
the Potomac, and went on to Point OF
Rocks, where we rested day. The
reason for this order was said TO be
that our horses and men were so
broken down with the hardships of
our late service that they were in an
unserviceable condition, which was
certainly true to large extent At
any rate we were ordered to Sumber-
land, and we went. We marched
from Point of Rocks to Frederick,
4 from there to Hagerstown, and on to
Cumberland. Here we went into camp
and were idle for a little time, except
as to the performance of ordinary
camp duty In the course of time a
large portion of Duties command
was ordered west to Gallipolis, Ohio,
and Coles Battalion was ordered to
rejoin the rest of their regiment on
Maryland Heights. They did SO, and
thus ended Hunters Raid as far as
we we're concerned.
\ cannot give the loss of men and
material on this raid, as / have no
data and cannot find any, but that
there was very considerable loss is an
assured fact. Some OF the prominent
officers connected with the raid have
"passed over the river" General
!, Hunter has been dead for some years.
General Duffie returned to his native
country-France-and died near Paris.
Colonel Strother Porte Crayon) is al
so gone. General Averell is also in
the silent land, and so, think, is
General Sullivan. The regiment OF
the coming President of the United
States was with us, but whether Mr..
Mckinley was with it cannot say.
The regiment of President Hayes was
also with us, but have been told he
was left back in Cumberland sick.
will close my imperfect account OF
this raid by quoting the remarks OF
of General Grant about it in his re-
port to the War Department July, 1865:
"On the 9Th of June, 1864, General
Hunter took up the offensive and
moving up the Shenandoah valley
met the enemy at Piedmont, and,
. after battle OF ten hours, routed and
defeated him, capturing on the field
of battle / 500 men, 3 pieces OF artil-
lery, and 900 stand of small arms. On
the Sth of the same month he formed
junction with Crook and Averell at
Stanton, from which place he moved
direct on Lynchburg, via Lexington,
which place he reached and invested
on the 10Th day Of June. Up to this
time he was very successful, and but
for the difficulty of taking with him
sufficient ordnance stores over so long
amarch, through hostile country, he
would, no doubt have captured that,
to the enemy. important point. The
, destruction of the enemy's supplies
and manufactures was very great To
meet this movement under General
Hunter, General Lee sent force, per-
haps equal to corps, part OF which
/ III. chart time he