The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-08-28
THE RICHMOND AUGUST

b y. -.
My company lA) was still 81, apecial
duty, and we were sent forward var after slx
P. NJ. to within some quarter OF inile of
the federal llncs.s Now comes the sad.
tdcst news 81 Ill, Col. Washington had been
Killed. Ha was With one or the Generals
Lee, and got exposed to the eilnniys
picket fire. ITS body was taken i INTO
the federal lines and al terward recovered
under Flag Of Truce, carried into their
iliiics by Col. Z Starke!s Il A.
Being on the extreme picket and was
the federal lines as Stated ~ lad al1iple
opportunity TO wi tress tie cotis titnmatlon
or this sad incident. events pointed to
active; operations aHFlawi, the next MORN
Ing. we thought ofHnotflng else but Vt the the
anticipated attack OH the ereriy's strong-
enen1y. would ait Intervals 9oll. Until II
appeared To mo the very Garth would
trenble; then they would fire by pm
stoors, II setf11ed. 1T was experience like
this which, nude us think OF loved ones
ut home and such OF us as had been me
recipients Of lines tender and sentiiiien n.
thought II would never go tIn case 9
these nilssIves 10 GOT iii tho hanos OF tho
enemy, And wes destroyed quito q batch.
/ Of these precious 'roilict.doux,'. What O
pity tl,atst iHusion Ike 8tliis should end III
smoke Yet IL was only n ypical that
eventually such would be the dsveloi,n1eeiit
OF S''itlany d vow spoken In Jest. CINE
our chngrln when. about midnight, . We
were withdrawn from this perllous? slt,'n.-.
ton and taken back some distance to the
rear minus the sentimental Documents
but living Just tho same. "a; e
~ we did not realzc ill VII tho next
morning that wo had 1'c1oincd our regi-
fnent from which We had been detailed
tho day before. for the meantime t'l our
wagons had not come UP, and ntiohs were
getting scarce. Across tho road from, our
camp tirerc was a beautiful held Of coln.
then HI THE soft roasting ear state. We
went for that cornfield ard soon had
nice ears In tho sf,tck roast ting before OUT
canp fires, tho smoke from which dis
closed our position to the enemy. and
they setit III shell Or two at long range
It was funny again but tito fros went
out. Nothing liz the way Of exti1gllissi,.
ing apparatus has over been invented
that co,tld do quicker work. NYt Wero
now convinced that no further dei1iol1-
strati0ns III front. was intended. ana II
seemed that d retrOgade was intended lac ! "
We were aligned aid commenced 70 4, re- rt
ira ce o,its first forward movement bncK 70
otil.S former haven OF rest. Valley Noun
tain. a wonderful forrnatio Of sen
titilent Ind developed iii our minds as TO
this lofty peak; the experience Ro had
since We 1eftSit wrought this change, we
were alive, and when once g gain IN our o
con1fortables wall II tents we could sing
'stVl1en this cfuol is over. =
demonstration for the present. Tho It..
tack at Crouches on Tygarts Va lley River
and the pass on Cheat Mount tain near BY y
wac virtually abandoned. This short and
utevcntft,l campaign OF i've days, except
as to the engagerne ts Wit tho en,tet,,ys
picket previously recited. was a Il faii-
,1te as to results beneficial to g ur cau US
Once again, as stated, back Mt ottr for
n1er oasis? The Install trend OF can't, duty
was on. At otir first dress> phrndo o we
were cornplimented In 8 general order Upon
the arduous? and apparent instirmotiii t. 81
able !? obstacles we had over come, tlolig n
regrettng the irrepurnb1e loss we. had stis-.S
tanned In tho death Of Colonel SsNYhsh illB-T
ton, ETC 1t was stated from best author
fity that General Loo. knowing tho eiicnty''s
position from natural strength 100 strong
sff,r hone Of success, would not in col,sid-sI
GRAFTON of the useless sacrifice Of life, orr
der ali attack. twas also stated mat
there was q difference of opinion between
General Lee and General LorinE aE to
tits Important matter, and flRd s not the
edict Of that grand oldr Chieftair Ore
vailed, tho bones Of tho writer might
now 30 slmoulderlnE in the dust OF West
Virginia. 4 II was consideration like this
for tho private soldier BY that peerless cries
man B5 } 33 3s53s
',,rl1at around theirs hearts spun
Threads OF love which cannot pc I'M
done. .sSJts Il :5iy..
Thus indeed the flrst active service
5of tho Twonty-fIrst Virginia Regiment
81 tho face Of tho enemy. The writer was
outlined for special duty, and sent away
from Valley Mountain and did not rejoins
the regiment Till after the battles Of
KernstownF Winchester, etc. Should any,
con1rade after reading this efldeayor2 Of
fniIic o#present the Incidents connected
Wits this afterWard formed orgahlza-2
ton be inclined to co tinue 10 further his
tory Of tsfe xpericnc 81 shall be pleased
to hear from them. VI III
very respectfully submitted.
s. s e Il u 5S II s. C;RlTH.
Roanoke, va
Adjts WIN. Watts Camp, Ms e. Y, NO.