Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1903-09-15

= - - tSit sti1itSs IL lie COuiU
md out what was there. A coun-
81 Of war was held and Major
Davis volunteered to go to the vicin-
Ity Of Charles Town and find out
10 this the General agreed and
went into camp to take 4 short rest
before his return. The Major
knew two renegade Southerners
who lived within mile of the
place and he aroused one of them
about midnight and demanded the
information he desired. The man
told him that this brother (wlo
held a position under the bogus
Yankee Virginia Government was
in the town and that the (loyall
people there were very much in
censed against him and that he was
afraid he would be handled roughly
if he was captured But he said
that if the Major would allow him
to get his brother out he would give
him the information desired, This
was agreed to, and the Major OBJ
tanned the necessary information
and returned to camp in time for
us to get to Charles Town by day
break.
The rays of light from the APP
preaching day began to peep over
the Blue Ridge and a long stretch
Of fog hung over the Shenandoah
like lake reaching toward the
Ferry. The landscape around the
town was dotted with handsome
country residences, for Charles
Town is i'll the midst of a rich farm
ing country. The town lay sleep
ing before us, the inhabitants little
that their friends and de-
liverers were so close around them,
or that they would soon be awaken
ed by the boom Of Confederate
guns, and hear the joyful sound of
horselnen dashing
over their streets. | was with my
section on the Berryville pike, and
my orders from the General were
that as soon as the pickets were
driven i'll we should make a dash
for the courthouse, where he said
the enemy was quartered, and open
On it promptly, as there was no
time to lose.
My boys were enthusiastic when
sI,axy IanrI t1xa 0xIa. a.sJ mace. !
eager for the command to move.
The General sent Captain Mcneil
md his adjutant, Capt. f. B. Berke-
ey, in with a flag of truce to de-
nand an immediate and uncondi- 1
.ional surrender. Colonel Simpson, |
he officer i'll command, gallantly
replied Come and take us if |
you can. We met them just be-
'ore we got to the courthouse, and
hey said : Hurry up, Lieutenant, II
hey have refused to surrender
The building is loepholed and you
will have to be quick or they will
Kill YOUR men before you can un-
in1ber.
As we entered the town a small K
BOY came out of a house and I
,alled him 10 show me the way to
he courthouse. His eyes sparkled
With excitement and he said -
Take me up behind you, and !
will show you. When we got
near the courthouse he said: "As
soon as you turn that corner you
AN see it." | said to the youngs-
.er: Now, you get off, for they
will fire on us as soon as they see 1
IS and you might be killed" He
replied oh, please let me go along
with you; ! am not afraid" ] had |
% pull him off my horse, and as he
struck the ground he called after
me: | am going, anyhow" And
he did, sure enough.
As we turned the corner ! saw
The Yankees standing at the big
windows with their guns in their
hands. The courtroom was on the
second floor. Just as we got unlim-
bered ! heard the Yankee officer
give the command to fire, and as
gave the same command, they
poured a volley into us, but, strange
to say, did not kill a single man.
We fired several times rapidly, and |
soon the courthouse was obscured |
by the smoke. / discovered that
Concluded on fourth page.