Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-15
A STORY OF boots.
Shimetts Hollow During the Civil
War-A Thrilling Experience.
Lexington. Va. January 2

thought l ought 10 write out and send 70
the Dispatch. 1t was this:
In many raids | made into the enemy's
country l respected the rights OF pro-
| perty. but in one / departed from my
/ wonted custom and as the sequel shows,
how quick retribution overlook me. The
evening we left Chambersburg. after lay
/ ing waste many OF its beautiful and sub
| stantial buildings about sunset we stop
| ped at the foot of a mountain AT small
! village nestled among the foothills Shell
| ed corn had been pressed and orders
! given 10 each company commander 10
| feed his horses in the street without
| taking the bits out Of their mouths. and
| TO the men to keep close to them TO avoid
a surprise from Averill, who was pursuing
us.
While standing there I noticed over the
! door Of one of the houses a sign when
bore this inscriptions Boots ana SHOES.
| These were articles | was much In need
of. A projecting porch was at the en-
trance-door Of the low squatty. building
and in company with a companion, w. H.
T.. of Blacksburg. Va, l Knocked on
the door. and was most cOrdlally III
1,ited i'm by a lady who met us. When
we were inside and seated glance around
the room showed a number OF sheNes'
! such as merchants use 70 Keep
I
shoemakers' benches. Supper was
announced. and the lady insisted on our
having something TO eat, Which we P"-
lltelv declined. In a few moments cam
into our room an old gentleman. ana an
other lady besides the one that met w
at the door. The family, as nnueTS'"Du
Il consisted OF this old man and the TWO
iadios about two and one-half times
sweet l6 I broke the news to them thaI
q few hours before we had burned the
haautif1l citv of Chambersburg; that we
had pIenty OF money which we Wahleu 20
lexcbanCe for q pair of boots Tor each oI
rs. The old man said there was nothlns
OF the kind about the premises. / loiu
him shoes would do that | was SUFFERING
from a plethora of greenpachs' Wm.u ,,1,,
wanted TO get rid of before returning
within our lines. Suspicious glanceS
i. fan1onq them led me TO believe tnat they
Thought 7 was lying. I had 81 in green
backs. which I had taken from the poch-
ct of a dead Connecticut man. ana that
twas really all l had. / showed II 10 my
comDanion and remarked that IL was
pretty money. but it would DE useless ~, -
when we recrossed the Potomac. ms
had the desired effect. The old man and
the two ladies retired TO a corner OF the
room and held whispered conversation,
and while this conversation was going On
remarked that no price would be con-
\ sidered large; that / had two 500 bills
that they might have for something We
could wear on our feet What they were
talking about l could not hear, but one
of the ladies resorted to my tactics, hard
living. and remarked in a distressing
wav that a man living in the backyard
had a pair Of boots and pair Of shoes
that he was poor, and would be gao 10
get so much money. She went into an
other room. and in a moment l hearo
steps descending a stairway, evidently
going into the cellar. In a moment sne
returned with pair OF boots ana pan
of shoes Ny companion T., was approach
ed first and he selected the shoes-a pan
Of Iow-ouartered calf-skn. that fitted hin
2 ia q nicely. The boots fell to me, and
at once proceeded to pull them on. II wal
a SPLENDID pair. such as would cost y OF
;. s. now. double Scotch soled square-toed
and ma le out of the best calf@skin. ON
one objection could be offered to them
they were q trihe large being No. JOS
when rs would have sufficed. After sl'
ting several minutes and chatting on sui
iects not connected with our newly-a(
ouired foot gear, arose and went TO IN
"A door. followed by my companion, ana ma
fairly opened the door. when one or IN
= ladies said blandly, you forgot TO pa
rs for those boots" | told her 1t "di
l. not suit me to settle this evening an
that l would pay her the next tlhe
came around" Her face at once turne
white with rage, and in loud tone e
claimed. Il knew you were lnlerIi'
rascals." ] at once passed down u
stems TO the street, and got on my hois
leaving my old boots sitting by the wa
as a souvenir Of the rebels visit 10 ChaH
bersberg. ,,,-,.s
Ten DAYS after 1 returned to Virgin
and was with my command, winch W.
ON the march to Culpepper. Near the :.
tbat CROSSES at Harrisonburg l met OF
of Rosser's men, who was badly "ouIIu'
in the arm. and seemed TO be "ahueiii
1istlceslv around Who he was. wh
e. regiment he belonged to, where he w
going. and what was his name ny
enouired but he volunteered me pit
inflammation. and that was he could le'
or me directly 10 a still-house in Shlilie'l
Hollow. where 1 could get some app
u lack at a very small cost cVHs1l1
Ia 90 with him. as he said could owe
,oLe tho regiment before it would &
off the mountain on the oppOs'o ~
II was nearly shutdown when we enter
,bie dark lonesome, forbdding mono
~. On our Journey, at frequent intervals
oo,,td hear the discharge Of firearms
,he mountain side This firing anu
wards learned, at the still-house'
done bv deserters, who infested tlese
4 ctiro mountain ldSlNSSS''' AiiN
cd the approach of soldiers by nrlhs ="
to warn those who had not dlse"N 80 -.
80 he on their guard. / never thous
an,,tbing of the matter. or that We w
m g., g. danger of being ambushed unui
L., - Who controlled the still-hoase :,
.hat we were in imminent Danger ol pr'
49, anv moment. Men those Gays we
snV' "aeiiv "skeered out" and after
Ia attained what we went ioi We
hdu II was very dark and ram
pts,ntiv occasionally our pain pe,
MgSted up with sheet lightning s p,as
llgh w. The heavens. 1t was discover
an Yosser's men that we were our Oh
~ ,h after wandering around tor 20
PAIN end end he said we would better )"
m un'g daylight in which suggestion l
guessed. tool, was visible about
nv '. esam where we were IL hau
raj, fe auS pcEeted our horses s built "a.
wen, l, a som p of the rails, fred some ca :"
out 81 and ate some crackers, anu
S Snwn with our saddles as pillow an,
~" nfcIoth 10 serve as cow, Ia, ah'
an INV companion 10 share !. Win VIZ
80 trotect him from the ofin ~ ..snoonn