Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-02-02

river on loot above Mc~px loro, ,
capturing the pickets at the ford.
Col. NJ. @. Butler. of Haznpton's ad-
vance. added to this party Is. Robt.
Shiver. an experienced scout, and
six men picked from bis Own regi-
ment. Before daylight every man
was In the saddle-one section of the
battery with N. c. Buffers leading
squadron-the other section with
Col. W. e. Jones' rear guard
Shiver did not succeed fn captur-
ing the picket. but drove them in so
rapidly that they were cns of from
their reserve. At the first sound
from che other sI<zs s5ut u plunged
into the river. securing the ford. the
whole command making quick and
quiet crossing. We Immediately
pressed forward tothe National pike
which joins Hancock and Hagers-
town.
Situated upon Fairview heights
was Federal signal station. Just
before we crossed Gen. Cox's divis-
ion OF Federal infantry had preceded
US. Butler followed him so close
that he captured ten stragglers from
his command without his beingaware
of the presence of Butler In his rear.
Twenty men were sent to capture
the signal station, and got within a
few rods of the station before they
were discovered. The two officers
in charge of the station made their
escape, but two privates and all of
their equipments were captured.
There being no obstacles in our way
Stuart pressed on to Mercersburg.
About two miles from Mercersburg
/ met a agentleman from Georgetown,
d. c., who owned a farm in that To-
cality, usually spending q good deal
of his time there. He was very much
amused to see me on q mule, and
when he returned TO Georgetown it
was newsed through the town that
Mr.. VIM. Dodge had met Henry Mat
thews in Maryland with the rebel
cavalry en- route to Chambersburg.
Mr.. Dodge very kindly invited me
to his house, but not wishing to
summer, and perhaps winter in PIT.
Lookout, Ideclined with thanks, and
rode on until overlook the battery
just before entering the town of Mer-
cersburg, Pa.
Buffers command on reaching
Mercersburg equipped themselves
with shoes and other necessaries,
giving receipts for everything they
took. The terms ofGen. Stuart s or
der were strictly carried out. Not
thing was taken in Maryland, but
once we reached Pennsylvania the
seizure OF horses was prosecuted
with system and diligence. Six hun
dred men secured the country on
each side of the command, and eve-
ry horse that could be found was
taken. NY mule being very much
exhausted / exchanged him with an
old gentleman for sorrel mare, very
much against his will. Not having
time to enter into an argument with
the native on the rights of property
in hostile country changed sad
dies and bid my very angry friend
an everlasting adieu. Breathed fell
in love with my capture, but
could not persuade me that my beau
ty would not do me as much service
as him, so rode my mare to the end of
the expedition. Nothing ofany note
occurred during shas day except TO
note the astonishment depicted on
the faces of the natives to see live
rebels in their midst was beyond
what they had ever expected to see.
We reached Chambersburg about
dark on the 10Th in the midst of a
nasty. drizzly rain. cold and very
unpleasant.
Breathed's section was on the pike
commanding the town. Lieut.. Thos.
Lee with 9 men from the 2nd South
Carolina cavalry was sent into the
town to demand the surrender of the
place under penalty Of acannonade.
The men of the old battery were very
much disappointed i6 not being able
to show the people Of Chambersburg
what good gunners we had. Wagers
of hard tack had been made as to the
length Of time it would take to knock
the more prominent buildings into
pie. No resistance being made. we
marched into the town with flying
colors, perking the battery in the
public square, with the old battle fiag
tied to the spoke ofoneofthe wheels.
Col. NJ. @. Butler was ordered by
Gen. Stuart to enter the bank and
take possession of the funds, accom-
panied by q suitable guard. Butler
entered the building, but was in
formed by the cashier that the funds
had been sent away that evening.
Upon examination Butler was salts
fed that the cashiers story was COR
rect