The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-01-31
bOIDIERS' STORIES.
"REMINISCENCES
OF THE WAR.

|
lfaphic Account of Stirring Scenes
Witnessed on the Battlefield and in
ramp-Veterans of the Rebellion Re-
Ute Experiences of Thrilling Nature.
l went into the service late" said NJ.
j. Crothers. Il enlisted in February,
l84, at Lakeport, Mich, and was sent
asa recruit to Company c, Sixth Mich
ig n Cavalry. In August OF the same
yer was under Custer in the opera
tids about Petersburg. In October 1
VS. detailed as commissary guard un-
de Captain Brewster, and in Noyem-
be l went from Winchester to Cedar
Crek alone to get my horse from
Ii utenant Cook. Up to this time my
experience had been along usual lines,
but when l returned I was sent on an
extedition as full Of unusual adven-
TUE as came within the experience of
men in the ranks.
Henry Brewster, brother Of Captain
Brewster, had come on from New York
camp, and desired to visit the bat
h-ground Of Cedar Creek Captain
fewster asked me if the road was
lear I said I found it so that day,
nut it might not be clear tomorrow.
lie asked me then to join him and his
BROTHER and several others who had
damned to visit the battlefield. l
greed to this, but didn't like the job.
We started about 8 a'clock the next
morning, Nov. 4.
Out 4 few miles we found General
Niger posted on one side of a little
OWN in an orchard with about 100 men.
here were two ambulances ready to
ass, and was told Alger was laying
trap for Mosby. This indicated to
le that the road to Cedar Greek was
OF good road to travel, but Captain
brewster soon became impatient and
uggested we move on. We started,
nd had gone only about a mile when
e met ten of Mosby's men dressed in
ne Union uniform, with Doc Richards
l charge.
I'VE were taken completely by sur
rise, and We're prisoners before we
salized that the men in blue were Mos
Us rough riders. They took us to the
>wn Of Ferris, in Louden valley, up
trough Ashka's gap, and kept us there
ntil Sunday, Nov. 6. Then they march
d US to Rectortown, and at II o'clock
hey told us to get in line. BY this
ime Mosby's whole command was
resent.
when the fourteen of us had been
'Uned in line, General Mosby stepped
Ut took his hat off, and said: Gen
era Custer hanged seven of my men
at 'ort Royal the other day and pinned
lper on the collar Of the officer in
Coz and, saying, ''This is the fate Of
lI6y's men," 1 propose to hang
sem Of you AS a matter of fact, Gus
/ tel note did not read that way, but
to bis effect: 4 hang these men for
NAting the advance guard after they
nd surrendered but, Of course, we
oud make no explanations. Mosby
Adhis own plan for selecting the seven
leh to be shot. Among the unlucky
as was a boy not more than 16 years
id who, after they had tied his hands,
explained that he had enlisted to sup
jpI his mother, who had but one arm,
and said he never had fired gun in
lis life.
This caused some commotion, but
:vexere put in line again and fourteen
pieces Of paper, thirteen blanks and
on number, were put in the hat, and
'th4hat passed along the line. The last
NH in the line got the number. He
bdnged to the Third Indiana Battery.
Obtain Brewster was next to the un-
LUZ " fellow, and I came next to Cap
tail Brewster. But it so happened that
btl of us drew blanks each time.
Catain Brewster escaped at Sperris-
vie. His brother was sent to Libby
AID 1 went with him.
Out of the seven selected for execu-
i'm Mosby's men hanged three and
sbt three. George Saul was the only
nj n Of the doomed seven to get away.
II lives now in Michigan, or did live
tkre few years ago. He, like my
sci, probably counts that attempt to
Wilt the battlefield Of Cedar Creek as
til most trying experience of his army
lifil Aosby tells different story Of his
cature of our men, but he didn't know
hat as much about our particular
sqald as I did. Some Of our boys have
toN me that he treated prisoners very
vii, and that he was very good sort
of)a fellow. But he didn't treat us
VIII"
i know" said the Major, "that Mos
by did treat some Of his prisoners in 9
wat to have them remember him
gratefully, and some of them lived Il
bef good service to him in later years
Bit the most interesting case Of kind
nets to prisoners coming back in kind
nets was that of Major E. A. Burke, .fo1
so many years prominent in New Or
lean During the war he was in com
maid Of detachment of Confederate!
that captured a part Of the Sixth Mas
saoausetts regiment.
burke treated the prisoners as kind
~ liz, o;ro,1rn ctanonc 1x-o,,l1 ,,or,,,;+ nv.