Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-06-01
A WILD SCENE.

I q
A WILD SCENE.
All of sudden spurs were applied
to our horses and away we went down
the hill like whirlwind. The rebel
yell" never sounded fercer as it rang
out upon the quiet morning air. But
above the roar of the yell could be
heard the screams of the frightened
women and the rapid popping Of the
revolvers. The men were shooting up
in the trees, as half of the crowd were
women and the other half unarmed
men. Such a scene as ensued cannot
be described. Screaming women,
men and women running in every dl-
rection armed cavalrymen galloping
about among the tables, many Of them
upset the frightful yell intermingled
with the roar of revolvers, was some
thing I never saw even approached IN
previous or after service in the army.
There were $500 men in the camp,
and an effort was made to capture
them by the Sixteenth regiment keep
ing directly on, and not participating
in the battle with the women and ta-
bles, but they were unsuccessful, for,
hearing the firing the Yankees ran
for the block house, which was about
$50 yards from their camp. They
made no show of resistance until safe
ly ensconced it. They deemed it
place of safety. This house was
made of pine logs and was about 100
feet in length, and two stories in
height. 1t was impenetrable to our
sharpshooters who carried Enfield and
Belgian rifles. Portfolios were on
every side from which the Yankees
kept up constant and dangerous fire.
How were we to dislodge them ?
was the question.
A siz-pound cannon belonging to
our brigade battery was brought up.
Slowly it moved down among the
great trees, and every now and then
their sharpshooters would kill or
wound one of the cannoneers. A cap
tain in the Seventeenth regiment vol
unteered to handle the cannon. 1t
seemed almost instant death to have
anything to do with it.
THEY LET HER GO"
At last proper range and bearing
was gotten and they "let her go. l
have heard experienced gunners say
was as fine shot as any they ever
saw. I saw it shatter the logs, and in
a moment smoke was issuing from
every crevice, and terrible wall Of
lamentation came from the huge pile
of logs. In moment another one Of
the screeching shells was hunting for
them. This, according to the state
ments made by the Yankees, was as
effective as the first, for in an incred-
IDLY short time they swarmed out like
bees, waving white flags to inform US
that they were ready and willing to
surrender.
The first shell had burst Immediately
on the inside, and the second did like
wise, both working fearful havoc, A
number of them were seriously hurt,
and probably several killed. l saw
several of the wounded and they said
some were killed. If I recollect Alright
the commander of the six-pounder was
killed. l do not now recall his name,
but he was as brave as a Numidlan
lion.
The regiments of McCausland's
brigade formed around the fort and at
once the Yankees capitulated. They
were not hardened soldiers-indeed,
I believe they said they had never
been under fire before They were
from Connecticut and had enlisted for
one hundred days, which time was
about out, and their wives. daughters
and sweethearts had come down there
to accompany them home. But some
times how frail are human hopes.
The guns and accoutrements were
taken from them and piled in the
block-house together with their stores,
consisting of thousands of hams and
barrels of -four, as well as everything
contraband of war. We reserved
about ten days rations for the wound
ed and the women.
Another detail was busily engaged
in firing bridge on the railroad close
by, the bridge which these two regi-
ments had been placed there to pro-
tect. In very short time We had a
roaring FIRE. At frequent intervals
could be heard the discharge Of the
loaded guns in the FIRE. The soldiers
gave the FIRE a wide berth, asthey