Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1903-09-15
IHBoDEFS DASH INTO CHARLES TOM.
lContinued from first page.

firing. When the smoke cleared
away / saw that the enemy had
gone. We were SO close and the
room 50 high that our shots had
gone under them, and | found that
We had only wounded one man, a
field officer. Poor fellow he was
living, horribly wounded, on the court
house steps He had on beautiful
sword which he said had been present
Ell 10 him, aud which he asked TO be
allowed 10 retain. We fixed him as
comfortably as we could and laid the
sword by his side. The enemy had
gone out Of town by the Harper's Fer
nv road, but were almost Immediately
charged by the Eighteenth Regiment,
and threw down their arms. Capt.
Julian Pratt made dash for the color
bearer and secured the colors. Colonel
Simpson broke through our lines and
struck out for the ferry with Harry
Gilmor 10 hot pursuit, but reached the
troops coming to his relief before Har-
nv overlook him. A lucky man !
As soon as ! saw that the Yankees
were out of the courthouse | sent two
men with wagon aud four horses,
which We discovered hitched up near
the courthouse, TO 60 in and load up
with plumber. for the Yankees bad left
everything behind in their flight. ]
especially gave orders to get all the
kuapsacks and blankets possible. !
did rot see my captain any more until
the next day at Front Royal. We
we're looking forward 10 having sup
ply of blankets and clothing to last the
company through the winter, but to
our bitter disappointment the men had
loaded the wagon with drums-13
drums-drums OF all sorts and sizes. j
turned them over to Colonel Smith, Of
The Sixty second, and he organized a
fine drum corps.
The General came along and said
Hurry up and get out Of town, for
the enemy are coming 10 heavy force
from Harper's Ferry" Capt. Frank
Imbcden was put in charge of the prls
oDers and he took them through the
Town at double quick, followed BY
the small boys, black and white, Yell
ing and jeering at them. We follow
ed aud found the streets full of girls,
waving their handkerchiefs and cheer
ing with wild delight. but they soon
changed their tunes when they found
that we we're going to leave them again
in the hands OF the hated enemy. They
begged and entreated us to stay, and
although we hated to do it we had to
90, and go fast, for much larger force
than we had came into one end of the
town as we went out Of the other.
| tried to get the girls to leave the
streets so that | could rake it with a
parting load of canister, but they were
100 enthusiastic TO do so aud we would
not have risked a hair of their dear
heads to kill thousand Yankees. The
enemy followed US at far as Berryville8
aud made several desperate and gal
liant efforts to recapture their friends,
making it warm for us and giving us
running fight all the way. We fir
ed our guns en- eschelon, some firing
and some retreating Several times
they came near capturing them. AT
one place. remember especially, they
got on our right flank and within a
few feet OF US before we could turn our
guns about, when Major Gilmor charg
ed them aud saved Us. Just as he
made the dash at them his horse was
killed, but in a second he was on
another and right after the man who
had shot his horse. In the charge he
recaptured two of our men that the
enemy had taken.
The Yankee Major in his account
says: "Imboden. with half dozen
shells and a volley or two of carbine
aud pistol shots and considerable dash
had scooped in pretty nearly as many
as his own force numbered. Our folks
were never very proud OF that day Is
work. The whole day was a stern
chase, but occasionally, when Imhoden
was pressed too closely and was in
need Of time to keep the prisoners and
plumber ahead out of the way, he stop |
ped long enough TO give US a sharp
taste of fighting that showed the metal
that was in him.
In another page Of the Majors story
he says: "Our guns were at work and
as Minor was short of officers | was d.
recting one of his sections. when, with
whoop and a yell, out Of a thick IN.
dergrowth little to our rear, came
couple Of Harry Gilmor's squadrons
with that daredevil sabreur leading
them, not more than so yards away,
and of course, it did not take long for
them to git there The rush was so
sudden and unlocked for that our sup
port gave way and Gilmor made
straight for our guns, rode right over
and past them, sabers slashing and
pistols firing as they went. | had been
tagging blazes at my revolver, but
could not get the blamed thing out,
and as hey rode over US long leg
ged, red headed fellow made IA vicious
Slash al me over The wheel. ] prompt.
ly lodged under the muzzle of of the
gun and he did not reach me. sFours
lett wheel rang out and back they
came before you could draw your
breath | laid for the son of saber
that had reached for me before, for | /,
IL,
did not see my red-headed friend, but
handsome, dark muslached young.
sler. boy in looks, was making
point to run ne through bern my
buttons, gentlemen, if that saher did
not look as long as a fence rail. /
dropped fiat under the guns axle and
the boy swept past. As far as my ex.
perience goes that dash of Gilmor's
was one of the handsomest THINGS of