The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-08-09

SEMI Lne WOunueQ ana PRISONERS Ddck
to Moorefield where they were taken
in charge by the infantry, General
Jones resumed his march, which lay
over mountain ranges difficult of as
cent, for the main roads, where there
were any, were avoided as much as
possible to keep the enemy in igno-
rance of their approach. Often the
troopers were compelled to dismount
and lead their horses along narrow
footpaths over which horses had
never travelled before.
Near Oakland, Maryland, column
was divided into three commands, to
take seperate roads, and all to unite
at a given point. Each was assigned
its duty, which was to collect live
stock and destroy the railroad at diff
ferent places along their route.
The First Maryland was ordered to
proceed on to Oakland, and next
morning early it charged into the
place, capturing so infantrymen on
guard there. The people of Oakland
had but little sympathy with the
cause of the South, and they took no
pains to conceal the fact, but the
boys of the First Maryland little
thought they were mean enough to
play them the scurvy trick they
did. These people impressed it upon
the commanding officer that he had
better avoid Kingwood, his next OBJ
jective point as the place was heavily
garrisoned, and that stout resis-
tance might be looked for. Major
Brown, acting upon this information,
delayed his march so as to bring him
before Kingwood long after nightfall.
Stealthily approaching the town the
battalion was halted on it's suburbs,
and every pistol carefully examined
and the sabers loosened in their scab-
bards. The men were breathless
with suppressed excitement, as a
bloody fight was apparently close at
hand. "Gallop; charge was the COM
mand, and the next instant the gal
liant Marylanders were dashing
through the street at headlong speed
yelling like Comanche Indians. Up
the street and down the street they
charged, but there was no response
from the enemy.
The citizens were aroused from
their slumbers by the terrible racket,
and poked their heads out of win
dows to discover it's meaning. Great
was the chagrin of the daring raiders
when these same citizens informed
them that there had not been Yank
in the town for a month. And this
was the little joke the people of Oak
land played on their brother Mary
landers in the Confederate service.
Leaving Kingwood, the battalion
moved on Morgantown. The citizens
had assembled in force to dispute its
passage, but upon being summoned to
surrender they did so, evidently be-
lieving discretion the better part OF
valor. That night the battalion
went into camp at Independence, and
next morning united with the main
body.
Returning to Morgantown, General
Jones crossed the river and began a
night march in the direction of Fair.
mont, before which place he arrived
about O'Clock next morning. A
body of 400 infantry was posted here
and drawn up in a field surrounded
by high fence. A demand for theil
surrender was met with refusal
when the First Maryland was ordered
to charge. 1t was desperate under
taking under the circumstances, al
the fence intervened; but neverthe
less the boys responded to the order
with yell as they dashed forward
The enemy withheld their fire unit
the Confederates had approached
within so yards, when every musket
was discharged, and strange to say
this terrific fire killed 80 horses anC
but one man, young Myers, of Fred
erick, not another man being struck
Before the Federal infantry could
reload their guns the fence was pull
ed down, and the Confederates were
upon them, when they surrendered
From Fairmont General Jones
moved upon Clarksburg, but finding
that place strongly defended, it was
flanked by way of Bridgeport, where
sixty men were captured.
On I'd day of May the column
reach Buckhannon, after several day.
of rapid riding, which was only made
possible by continually changing the
broken-down horses for fresh ones
found in the country.
On the 9Th the command moved il
the direction of Parkersburg, and a
day-break on the 7th struck the rail
road at Cairo, where fifty infantry
men were captured. After destroy
ing the railroad bridge at this poin
General Jones moved some sixty
miles further, haying made marcl