Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-05
AN OLD BAT T'LEF|ELD.
"reminiscences Of the War of
the Rebellion.
WE'LL SERVES AS GRAVE
UTILIZED By MAN EMPLOYED TO
BURY THE BEAD.
Stories Told by Old Timers With Vivid
Memories of South Noun
tain. Fight.
SERVES AS GRAVE
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Correspondence
BOoNsBORO, Md, March 8. 1908.
This picturesque little western Maryland
town, which snuggles down at the base Of
historic South Mountain, has been agog
with gossip and wartime "reminiscences
during the past three days. This condition
was brought about by the recent visit Of
several members Of a southern memorial
association, who were endeavoring to locate
the remains of confederate soldiers who
were slain during the battle of South
Mountain and the preliminary skirmishes.
What success the memorialists met with
was not disclosed
Some of the old-timers Of Boonsboro' and
vicinity related several interesting and un-
written incidents of the fight. One Of these
was Of particular interest to the members
of the Southern Memorial Association. It
was related by S. H. Reeder, who stated
that after the confederates had been driven
from the crest and slopes Of South Noun
tain, and while the bloody and stubborn
battle Of Antietam was in progress a few
miles away, an old man named WISE who
lived on the mountain not far from the
present Danlgren mansion, was employed
by the United States quartermaster' de-
partment to bury the dead of both armies
who had fallen in the famous fight.
Wise gave the union dead the prescribed
burial in long trenches. When it came to
the confederate dead the Old man had be-
come somewhat tired of his bargain. One
of the grave diggerS called his attention
to an old dry well near at hand, and sug-
gested that he convert it into sepulcher
for the dead soldiers in gray.
Wise adopted the suggestion and the
bodies of the confederatess were dropped
one by one into the uncanny vault. The
well was about five feet in circumference
and sixty-five feet deep. After it had been
filled nearly to the top with corpses about
1f Il ,1oa I,
opening.
Several old timers were asked II there
was any record of the number of bodies
that had been deposited in the old well.
Their replies were in effect that old man
Wise had received specified sum for each
soldier buried and necessarily he had
record Of those thrown into the well. But
the record died with Wise, who passed
away several years ago.
About two months after the burials in the
we'll, Mr.. S. H. Reeder, while traversing the
South mountain battle ground came across
the death pit. He said 1t was brought to
his attention by what appeared to be
dark cloud lowering close to the mountain
side. Approaching nearer he found the
supposed cloud to be an immense swarm of
flies over the we'll The covering Of earth
had sunk several feet and the terrible odor
in the surrounding atmosphere caused him
to beat a hasty retreat. Mr.. Reeder spends
much of his time in Washington, his resi-
dence there being at 222 I'd street northwest.
ALI He Had to Show for It.
An old Washington county farmer took
from the musty recesses OF an ancient chest.
a considerable quantity of confederate pa
per money. There were bills of every de-
nomination from So to $1O0
This pile Of blue-backs.i' he said, rep
resents all the provender i had about my
place-corn, -four. meat, vegetables chick
ems and eggs-just before the fight on South
mountain. 1t was given to me in payment
for my food supplies by a tall, handsome
rebel officer. He said the sconfederacy was
bound to win and when 1t did the paper
money he had given me would be redeem
able in gold or silver. i
''Of course objected to parting with the
supplies l had laid in for my family, but
what did objections amount to In such STIR
ring times? My goods were taken by a
squad Of men in gray, packed into wagon
and carted away to the commissary officer.
1 was not the only one in this neighborhood
whose provender was confiseated. Many Of
my neighbors have punches of confederate
bluebacks as reminders of the rebel inva-
sion of Maryland"
Another old resident Of the vicinity of
South Mountain is Mrs. Mahala Martz. She
related how she had been turned out Of her