Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1904-07-29
SOME EXCITING MOMENTS.
A Kentucky Soldier Tells How He
Looped the Loon on Loup Creek,
in West Virginia.


Speaking of campaigns in a noun
famous country" said First Ken
tucky man to Chicago Inter Ocean
reporter, II was one of those who
looped the loop on Loup creek, in
West Virginia, at the time of the
raid to Rolla. We started from
Camp Enyart on the Kanawha and
went up Loup creek valley, and in one
nights march crossed the stream 35
times. We made the march to Rolla.
80 miles away over one of the rough
est mountain roads in existence, and
drove the confederates out of Rolla.
1--WE were on the return march with
several wagons loaded with dry goods
and provisions, and 80 head of cattle.
and were not many miles from our
own camp when the confederate cav
airy overlook the column. The boys
were not expecting pursuit, and were
taking things easy. was with the rear
guard, and when we saw the cavalry
coming we formed across the road.
waited until they were in short range,
and blazed away. A good many of the
Johnnies rolled off their horses, and
the charging column stopped, giving
us time to load and fire again.
This second volley caused a change
of programme. The confederates dis
mounted and came forward on foot to
outflank u.s. On one side was Coal
creek and on the other a fence. We
were ordered to meet them, and we
met them. l was loading in haste
when Johnny parted the weeds near
me, and, revolver in hand, said
Now I've got you, Yank.' But as he,
had to turn the cylinder with his hand
l had my doubts and charged him with
the bayonet. He lodged and his pistol
went off, but the bullet missed me-
He still insisted that he had me, and
as the JohnnieS were climbing over to
my side of the fence, and all my squad
had by this time been killed or cap
tured, | retreated at full run.
Il ran across a field of red clover,
the confederate bullets nipping the
blossoms off as l ran, and then climbed
through laurel and holly bushes on the
mountain until l came to fence AS
/ sat on the fence, getting my wind
and taking observations, two confed-
crate cavalrymen came up behind me
and ordered me to throw down my gun.
| obeyed orders so energetically that
the old musket was bent double. This
enraged my captors, because a gun
was a gun in those times, but l told
them they ought not to scare a man
out of his wits. Later, when the COM
mand halted, | was permitted to go to
the creek to fill my canteen, and TAX
ing advantage of the situation l ran
at full speed for the road My guards
let loose with their shotguns, but l
lodged into a cornfield and ran on.
81 left the field when struck a ravine
that ran up into the mountain, and was
making great progress. when plunged
headlong into sort of a sinkhole of a
place, and came down on hundred or
more Johnnies lying in ambush. They
greeted me with Always room for one
more and BLANK you, keep STILL and
after a manner felt at home in spite
Of the odds against me. They were lying
In wait for my own regiment to come out
from Camp Enyart, but it didn't come,
and the ambassadors started back to
Rolla, taking me and other prisoners
with them. They tied heavy rope to
the rear end of wagon and carried it
back to the tongue of another wagon
Between the two wagons they tied the
prisoners in pairs, the escort riding on
either side of us.
1.-THE rain came down that night in
torrents, and all of us were miserable.
AS we nasSed through a thiclxet of under