The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-13
THE IL
CAVALRY
III ar Experience Of a Young
Virginia Trooper as 4; Told old
BY Himself.
5YERRoRs Of OUTPOST |. II > j 1. DUTY y D
Memorable Night in a Winters y
Campaign Anecdotes and X I5] Re
lniniscenses Of the War.
By 3, Dr. WILLIAM 3. CONWAY.

933E5 s4s2llll11lSCenSeSE OIL SLltH 5NN5 q - F
BY Dr.. WILLIAM d. CONWAY.
IA Corporal Company G. Fourth Regment,s
s83i Virginia Cavalry, Athens, Ga. Z
rime the destroyer OF all things anil
mate and iEanimate, is rapidly ylng It's
MAIDS unop the old soldiers OF the War
S between the States. and calling them 70
8 nnswer4roll call before the great Ga plain tai
ia or otir salvation. I. 55$
5& The minds OF many Of those vet living
IA are filled With Incidents Of n personal Y
mature which occurred curing those y
33$ Ing times f5, sSs s n Il 5&i !, HE s
E5S:s ,nllesc scenes are still fresh in their
M recol lection, and they can tell them TO-
yo,, with freshness and enthusiasm.
~ While driving through the country last
p summer on my way with my WHO 70 me
White Sulphur Springs III Georgia, q
stopped on the roadside In front OF an
l5hunlble dwelling to water my horse.
was soon engaged II: conversation with
nj, eS-Coniederatee soldier. who said:
..tI followed Marse Robert 5throushnut the
WE war a. a 5lnember of Wright's brigade OF
# Georgia infantry in the Army Of Northern
"a virginia. At once r became Interested
siu5 the&old man and he III. me- as we sat
S3,lpo1, the side of an old well and talked
3Sgi al over. He seemed especially Inter-
S{ csted in Virginia and her people: said
lie had received from their hands tokens
81 sriendshp which he could never lor-
Tss8 Ee. AT ORC tlmeSilie had been IL fine
~ ;f,i.i,l.. ma n OF over six feet. but war.
with all its horrors, had told upon him
lac had tbeen wounded five or SIX times,
# part OF a foot was gone; most OF his
lower teeth had hcen shot away by q
I# frag tnent of a she'll
y Indeed. the old maj, was physically
I,tetss 4
At active little old woman stepped UP and
said ''Yes, this Is my old man. Me and
him has been arlivins together ever since
Il fore de war, and, thank God, have
been able to keep the wolf away from the
door.
After expressing himself in the most
gracious terms in regard to the hospital
ity shown him by the women OF Virginia.
d he proceeded to explain. to me how and
when lie received his wounds In the
meantime his wife, seated by his side,
would interrupt him occasionally by some
word of explanation In low, sweet
& voice, that told Of her love and affection
# for her old man. He was in some of the
5sseverest battles fought in Virginia, and
Ii 1t was at the BATHS OF Petersburg, during.
the explosion Of tie Crater, July, 1864,
that he received his most dangerous,
wounds #
These old people were living alone on a
FIJldtl DNL LiilllH Wa
IN and neat about the house and yard.
They seemed unconscious Of the COM
mercial and political changes occurring
: In the world around them. Tho old man
spoke in the warmest praise Of his old
q officers. those under whom he fought,
q and with voice rising and swelling with
animation he said Robert H. Leo WAS
~ The noblost Of them all. Tie then babe
me farewell With n God bless you.'
3S 1t is q long stride In the march Of
time since those scenes passed before us,
& hut 1t all seemed fresh in his memory.
EXPERIENCE ON PICKET DUTY. is
1t was. II remember correctly. in the
month of February. 1863 that ! had my
first experiences With picket duty. The
weathea was bitterly cold, Ny COM
s3 rsny, with another from the regiment.
crossed the 1iappahannoci River at
United States Ford, above Fredcricks-
burg. for the purpose. rs learned af-
II forwards, OF locating tho Yankee picket
n posts on the Sta ford side of tho river.
5I had only been in tho army for a
few months, and therefore. ] was anx-
.0,ssly looking forward 10 my turn for
ricket duty. and to get a glimpse Of tho
III eren1y. We marched III column OF twos
from our comfortable winter quarters
through n binding snow that had covered
the ground some twelve or fourteen
inches, After hallints q short time at
the ford, we finally plunged into tho
II ley, cold water, oyer our saddle skirts;
the poor horses shyerinS from the cold.
r as they We're urged forward by The men;
\. 4gslinnsr of MS caplG out Oh the opposite side
y with boots filled with water, ana teeth
SCATTERING. Since then have always had
593 h fellow fecing for CfprHrHi Edward IA.
ii EtouEhton. Of the Federal army. who
was captured ny Colonel HIcsby during
raid about the time, the same montl,
II and year OF which am now writing
KS That daring raid was made during tho
IL night on Fairfax Courthouse, nnd after
TIC capture Of General stoughton, wiiila
on lbs way back TO our lines, lie WAS un-
tremendously forced TO swim bis horse
througha raging torrent, creet that
was out Of its banks. The General turr-
ss ms 10 Mostly, said:
This Is the first outrage that have
In complain Of"
II had any complaint to make am
n sure it amounted to about as much as
j@i did Slonghton's. We very soon found
that thai Kind az army Me was only a
t prelude 10 what We ola Cotfederates Of
ten encountered during that dreadful
Il war. After crossing tile river 80 sue
ii ceeded IN driving a small force Of Yany
lSnt sasI!fY from their posts back to tho
old Fredericksburg and Alexandria road.
d When night came. we blyouaced on the
north side Of the river. and threw out
n p,akets around us for protection.
AN EXPERIENCE.
My name was called among others.
aatd i was shattered on al outpost US
Il vedette The shadows OF night had