The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-09-10
WAR STORIES.
Camp Life and Picket Duty About Culpep-
per and Fredericksburg, Va, in 1 1863.

campaigns Of the army Of Northern
Virginia. I had gone home to ex-
change horses, for l always kept two
good ones on hand, and when one be-
came disabled or broken down l would
get permission from my captain, and
In "a or 49 hours would have made
the exchange and was back to my
command. My first mount was fine
sorrel mare, we'll bred and we'll suited
Cor the cavalry service, except at
times, when she became unmanagable,
taking these periodical spells and per-
sisting in going just in the opposite
direction from which l wanted to 70,
aud you can we'll understand that that
~as not pleasant experience with
cavalryman, especially when in close
proximity to the enemy. I was hav-
ing some trouble with her on one oc-
casion when under FIRE. General Nun.
fsrd passed me in a gallop, and, check
ing up his horse, said: "Be quiet
With her, corporal; treat her kindly,
and she will CO." I soon traded her
of. I had purchased her Of Mr..
James 3. Newman, of Barboursville,
Orange County, Va. He was a veal
thy planter and raised great many
6ue blooded horses, and, think, fur
nished to General "Jeb" Stuart that
beautiful stallion, "Skylark," that
We. lost on the Chambersburg raid.
Hls negro man got drunk, laid down
"a d went to sleep, when some one
'~4ole the horse. spent the night at
2ar. Newman 8 with his son, Barbour,
am the night Of the battle Of Slangh-
ter's Mountain, Culpepper County,
Va, and witnessed from the top of
the veranda Of house the pyrotechuic
display Of bursting shells from Stone
wall Jackson's cannon, as Pope was
rapidiy driven back from his onward
march TO Richmond. 1t was in the
spring of 1868 that Fitz Lee 8 brigade
was camped on the WalIaok place near
Calpepper Court House, Virginia.
Our camp was in beautiful piece Of
woods with clear streams on either
side. When I left camp for home
found that che horse I intended to
ride back was not in condition to be
ridden, and hence my father suggested
chat I take one Of the farm horses. I
selected one I thought would suit me
best. The next morning I started
back for camp, when on arriving in
the neighborhood Of Madison Court
House, and while riding quietly along
che road . wild turkey jumped from
the fence down into the main road
aud stepped. I was in about 80 yards
-of him. I quickly reined in my horse,
pulled my oarbine from tho boot on
the saddle, pushed in . cartridge,
raised it to my shoulder and fred.
Had it been an eruption Of Mt. Pelee
this horse could not have been more
frightened. He wheeled with me and
tried to run, but soon checked him
up and rode back to where the turkey
was lying IN the road With bullet
hole through his head. In attempt
ing to dismount from my horse my
foot caught under the leather cover
dag Of the big cavalry stirup. AT
that instant the turkey Topped his
wiczs in its dying throes. frightening
my worse and causing him to wheel
suddenly with me. In the next in
stant he would have dragged me to
death, but, fortunately, I kept my
hold on the reins and my hand in his
name, and with mighty effort sprang
into the saddle again, saving myself
from horrible death. Was that not
% "close oall?"
NJ relation, DR.. Alfred Taliaferro,
'liSed about mile distant from our
~camp near Culpepper Court House.
81 took my turkey to Mrs. Taliaferro,
who had ut sweetly cooked and dainty
served, and with corn bread she sent
to camp on the next day, that being
Thanksgiving Day. You can imagine
nov We enjoyed it, with that keen ap-
pstite that belongs to soldier. In
my company were two Mexican war
weterans, Captain w. Morgan Stroth-
'er end George L. Rivercomb, the lat
ter 'enlisting in 1861, and was in
short time honorably discharged on
account Of wounds received in battle
and afterwards enlisted under the
banner Of Colonel John s. Mosby, and
was made corporal of company f, in
chat famous battalion. The Carpen-
tter family was very numerous in Madi-
son County, and we had at one time
rs members Of the company as many