The National tribune., 1901-08-22
who Stole the Maref

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Not hear
ing anything from the 18th N. Y. Cav,
or, as they were sometimes called, Bob
Richardson's Guerrillas." of which / was
an humble member. in Co. B, write to
ask the boys who stole my nare2 / will
state the case, and IL the culprit will own
up will forgive him, although it was the
cause of my landing in Libby Prison.
In the Spring of 80 the 18th, together
with the rest Of Sheridan's troopers, and
under the command of that ideal cavalry
man, Custer, took up their line OF march
from in front Of Winchester for Rich
mond land / got there). After capturing
the remnants of Early's troops at Waynes-
borough we proceeded on our way to
Charlottesville, where the 18th was de-
tailed to destroy a large trestle railroad
bridge, and while on that march my horse
became very lame. Having reached the
bridge, which we promptly burned, we
went into camp for the night. l hoped
! that my old horse would be better able to
travel in the morning, but when morning
came he could hardly step on his foot, and
1 was obliged to fall out and lead him in
the rear of the column. After marching
some distance the column halted in a large
piece of woods, and as | sat on a log wait
ing for something to turn up fortune SEEM
ed to favor me, for l saw ine-looking
mare coming through the woods, and l
Immediately started to secure her. /
found her to be apparently all right, ex-
TANKS, and with no brand on her, indi-
eating that she was a Southern and
thoroughbred mare. l rode her that day,
leading my old horse, on whose back WIS
perched little pickaninny. Going into
camp that night long after dark, and in a
pouring rain, | turned my old horse loose
to shift for himself. / found l had Sc
/ h.
could evidently, if called upon, throw dust
in the eyes of the average army horse. In
day or two we went into camp near a
place called Columbia and as there were
no trees or stable line established, my
cousin, Serg't N. b. Wallace, and myself
drove stakes behind our dog tent and
hitched our horses to them.
| On the morning of the second day, at
the call of boots and saddles, we turned
out only to find my cousins old war horse
where we had left two hitched the night
before. Wei, to make a long story short,
| | had to foot it, and the sequel of it all
Twas that /, together with about 80 more
| dismounted men, was gobbled up at
Jericho's Ford, on the North Anna River,
and L got to Richmond and put up al the
Hotel de Libby.
Now, all that I have got to say in re-
gard to the matter is this, that / noticed
while on the march that certain Lieuten-
ant and a certain Orderly Sergeant who
shall be nameless, seemed to take a good
deal of notice, in sidelong glances, OF my
mare, and | always surmised that the
aforesaid individuals knew more about
her disappearance than the army regula-
tons and the rules of war would allow.
So write this article at this late day for
two reasons; FIRST, to see if the real culprit
will own up, and further more to try and
hear from some of my old comrades, for
whom l have a kindly feeling. l would
like to know what has become of Vas
burgh, Hardy Pitman, Greenbush, Willard
! (whose watch carried through Libby,
Jack Conner, Sandy Baldwin, and others
of our guerrilla band. Wake up, boys, and
write and give US some OF your exper-
| fences, which would be worth reading
G. w. WALLACE, Co. B, 18th n. Y. Cav,
| Borodino, n. Y.