The Somerset reporter., 1902-05-29
SHERIDAN'S
SPIES
A War Story

!" HE winter Of 1864 -65 IN the Army
b of the Potomac was not mark
cd by any particular liyeli-
ness, and the soldiers, suffer
Ing with camp ennui and hay-
ing growled out every subject that le-
Ultimately or illegitimately comes I'M
der the soldiers province TO groWl. now
looked anxiously as spring approached
for everything that indicated activity.
Finally 1t came and eliminated In the
surrender at AppomattoK.
General Sheridan. with about 10000
sabers, had been doing little raiding
and a good deal OF heavy standing
around up in the Shenandoah valley.
where Early, with small force, made
feeble attempts TO keep house occasion
ally-just enough TO be a nuisance and
not enough to keep Phil busy. and that
gentleman was mad accordingly.
Ii was then, with no little pleasure
that Sheridan received an order TO
make break up the valley and pounee
on Lynchburg II possible lie WAS ly
ing at Winchester when the order came.
and after waiting a few days FOR the
mud to become fordable he started
with two divisions OF cavalry travel
ing as light "a possible Three days
after he was in staunton, while Early
stepped back to WAynesboro and be
gan TO dig intrenchments Sheridan
rode after him, looked at his new work 3
and rode over the top Of them without
even the courtesy OF a reeonnoi ssa nee.
which wasn't complimentary to Early. 3
engineering He also captured "A eouz
pie OF full batteries 1000 Confederate
prisoners 200 wagons and L battle
| flags which made him feel so good thar
he was put down as having remarked
'I'll make Mr. Early get up Early -ef
than be ever did In his life before Tn
done with him. or else I'm not intimate
ly acquainted with myself which
atrocious pun is believed ga hnYc caused
the Confederate chieftaiu % teddle pre-.
clptately over TO the James river cenr
! try.
On the 81 Of March Sheridan was af
/ Charlottesville. where he organized Il
railroad strike aud tore mp THE Lynch
! burg and Richmond roHd shameulY
! Then be ciphered around the country
about Seottsyille New Market and
Dulquidsyille. destroying canal locks.
burning bridges and making himself
generally interesting Until the 10th
when he brought up al Columbia. Flu
wanna county. where be made the dis
coyery that the Coufederaey had teru
SO liberal In making bondres eut "
bridges that be couldn't go chassez ing
down south 10 Join sherman as he
wanted 10. and that his mtu and
horses didn't have any more 10 cat than
they wanted aud that there were only
TWO things TINT he could do one Uf
these was 10 90 baek 10 Winchester
whence he came. which he firmly d.
cliued to do upon the principle that he
would never return upon fuad he had
spoiled himself and the other WINS 90
slide around Richmond 10 tho White
House on the pamunkey. get faraecd
and ratloned mp aud then 90 across thu
peninsula TO join Grant
This latter plan was excellent hut
there was nothing Co meet him nj fhe
White House bul the bIcakness ~ desc
lauou
Aud yet singular as lt ma5 seem this
did not shake the soul of sheridan 90
any serious extent He Simply remark
ed.
ITS Internal cold amt IT. Where's
that man HoganY
James Hogan WAS produced and stood
before the general
"Who is here with you Mr. uogan|'
Archie Morgan. sir
well. II put sou aud Morgan across
the James river youder can You go
down to city Point and tell General
Grant / want forage nnd ratous for
this command sent TO White House in
side Of week.
Yes. sir
Then 20 aud do H. and the quicker
you get 10 City Point the better II viii
be Tor all Of US
This was on the afternoon OF March
10 Columbia is Ia Fluyauna county
on the outside of the horseshoes of the
James river. some forty miles as the
bird files above Richmond and distant
from City Point by the nearest pracu-
cable road not less than seventy five
miles. and this through the enemy's
country aud directly around General
Lees army at Petersburg
A soon as dusk settled down pom
toou WAS showed into the water. aud
the two men. with their horses. were
set across into Cumberland county I'm
piece Of brushwood They stripped off
the big oyercoats they wore aud stood
before the poutooners Confederate
major and his orderly with cavalry
straps on Then thu poutooners took
the oqercoats and their astonlshment.
returned 10 camp and left Morgan and
Hognu 70 such fate as the gathering
darkness and the enemy's country
might have iu store FOR them
Striking The main r3ad nj Carriers
Vile they kept down through Cum
berland county % The Court House, then