Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-02-03
From the Spirit of Jefferson
"CO. g." TAKES TO MERCHANDISE
AND RAILROADlNG.
BY CAPTAIN GEORGE BAYLOR.

About the first of the new year
(l865) the Company was ordered to
report to the command, then encamped
near Swopes Depot, some five miles
west of Staunton, and, with sad hearts
babe adieu to our friends in the lower
valley and joined our regiment, where
we found neither suficiency of food
for ourselves or our horses. The
weather was bitter cold, and the
ground covered with snow. After
hungering and shivering in this camp
some three weeks, were again ordered
to the lower valley.
General Sheridan was still at Win
chester, and his name always recalls
to my mind Byron Corsalr:
ale left Corsair's name to other times,
Linked with one virtue and thousand
crimes
The character of warfare waged by
this commander can be best told by
his own orders, a few Of which he pub
Used below:
KERYsrowY, Va, Nov. 26, 1864.
MAJ.-GEN'L H. w. HALLECK:
will soon commence work on Mos
by. Heretofore l have made no at
tempt to track him up, as | would
have employed ten men to his one,
and for the reason that | have made a
scape-goat Of him for the destruction
of private rights Now there is going
to be an intense hatred of him in that
portion of the valley, which is nearly
a desert. | will soon commence on
Loudoun county and let them know
there is a God in Israel Mosby has
annoyed me considerably, but the peo-
pie are beginning to see that ne does
not injure me a great deal, but causes
loss to them of all they have spent
their lives in accumulating. Those
people who live in the vicinity of
Harper's Ferry are the most villain
Gus in this valley, and have not yet
been hurt much. If the railroad Is
interfered with | will make some of
them poor. Those who live at home
in peace and plenty want the duell
part of this war to so on, but when
they have to bear this burden by loss
of property and comforts they will cry
for peace. I. ii. SHERIDAN,
Major-General.
This cannot be excelled by Weyler,
and was written after laying waste
not only the valley but Fauquier and
southern Loudoun with fire and sword.
He did not frighten, but drove us to
desperation and retaliation. On the
night of the 29d of January, having
received information that several
stores were operated in Shepherds
town, under Federal permits, with
some thirty men, we entered the town,
sacked the stores, bringing off many
articles useful and necessary for the
men, their families and sweethearts.
AS these stores would not sell to rebels
or rebel families, and were barred to
us and ours, they were legal subjects
of capture and confscation. General
Sheridan heard of this raid, and on
the 25th wires General Stevenson:
Zone of my scouts from Shepherds
town reports that forty rebels entered
that place few nights ago and rob-
bed two stores. Have you any facts
in the case, and is it best to allow
stores to be opened there?'
And General Stevenson replies:
"a party of rebel soldiers and citi-
zens did rob store at Shepherdstown
of small amount of goods. saw
the party robbed, who promised to
furnish me the names of the parties
engaged. Ny information is that the
robbery was committed by some rebel
soldiers and citizens, and not by par
tv organized for a raid. There are
but two or three stores, and with small
stocks"
This dispatch from Stevenson seems
to have stirred the wrath of Little
Phil, for he Immediately wires Stew
enson:
"If you find any citizen harboring
or abetting these robber bands in your
district, drive off all their stock, and
burn all their grain. There are GER
tainly some such people about Shep-
herdstown and its vicinity.
Suffice it to say the goods were safe
ly brought through the enemy $ lines,
and served to gladden. the hearts and