Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-01-20

were secured, and the men soon had
one side of the track raised some dis
tance above the level of the roadbed.
This done, the detail joined the others,
and the party slept and waited, while
the horses fumed and pulled at their
brides in the clump Of trees near the
cut.
Colonel Mosby was stretched out on
the ground sleeping with his body
across the legs of J. West Aldrich.
Presently the heavy stiffness of the
country at night time was broken by
distant rumble, which grew louder
and louder each moment. Then came
grinding noise as the iron wheels
struck the broken track, and then an
awful crash as the locomotive tumbled
over. In a moment there was a scram-
bic among the soldiers. Men boarded
the train and began searching through
the cars, while guards took their posi-
tions at each door.
Mr.. Aldrich had gone through one
car and had got everybody out, WREN
he noticed dark object between two
seats. He kicked the object, and as a
glimmer of light from one of the blaz-
ing logs in the campfire flashed in the
window he saw the stars of an officer
glistening on the blue coat of the
crouching form of man. He pulled
out his pistol and at the same time
pulled the man out. 1t happened to
be General Ruggles, United States pay
master, on his way to pay Sheridan S
troops. Aldrich saw he was Union
officer and hurriedly turned him over
to the guard at the door. Just as he
did this he heard Colonel Mosby give
the order to fire the cars. He fired one
end Of the coach and started to 90
through the car, when his foot struck
an object. He picked it up and it
proved to be large tin box and quite
heavy. Mr.. Aldrich has this box to-
day. 1t was paymaster's safe and
contained much more than 100000.
Mr. Aldrich realized that he had
made rich find. The men were TAX
ing to their horses. He wrapped the
box in his gum blanket and threw him
self into his saddle. The order to
move had not been given. Just then
Charles H. Dear, one Of Mosby's men,
climbed up the bank with large
satchel in his hand. 1t was another
variety of paymaster's safe, and it
was heavy with money.
As Dear neared the men one of the
paymasters, now a prisoner, pointed
to the burning cars and remarked
"Well, there's 100000 or 50 over
in that bonfire You won rejoice over.
He had hardly spoken the words
when Aldrich unwrapped the tin box
and showed it to the prisoner. He
paled in the glare of the fire light and
staggered with astonishment as his
eyes fell upon the precious safe which
he thought the flames were destroy
ing.
The paymasters captured were
Generals Ruggles and Moore, and the
"greenback raid had been made and
over $l68,000 of Government money
had fallen into the hands Of Mosbys
men. it was found on examining the
contents Of the safe that, while it con-
tained a great amount Of money, there
was also a large quantity of military
warrants. These were drafts on the
United States Treasury and were not
valid until signed by the proper au-
thorities and the amount filled in. 1t
was the custom of the Federal gov
erament to pay It's troops partly IN
greenbacks and partly with warrants,
the latter being convenient to send
home 1t was suggested at the time
of the raid that the paymasters be
made to sign these warrants, but Mos
by would not have it done.
The raid over, the next thing for
the cavalrymen to do was to disap-
pear. There were Union troops not
far away, and Mosby made up his
mind to get his booty as far out Of
reach as possible. The men jumped
to their horses and scattered, leaving
the burning train and disgusted lot
of passengers shiverlng around the
fire. Generals Ruggles and Moore
were placed under guard, and sent to
Richmond as prisoners of war.
The money captured was placed by
Col. Mosby in charge of picked de-
tail Of men in command of Lieutenant
Grogan, who had orders to put the
river between him and the enemy as
soon as possible. With DR.. Wiltshire
as guide and Aldrich and Dear max