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

plary that even Federal sources
joined in the praise Of Stuart, and
that voluntarily, among them being
Col. A. X. Mcclure. now proprietor
OF the Philadelphia Times, then q res
ident of the town. He was q men,
ber OF the committee that formally
surrendered the rown TO Stuart.
That night Gen. Stuart encamped
on the pike outside Of the town near
the Gettysburg toll gate. Rain, rain,
nothing but rain. Quite number
OF the boys on coming through Mer-
cersburg had provided themselves
with straw hats. the kind usually
worn by farmers in that section oi
Pennsylvania The appearance Of
the battery was grotesque, indeed,
SO that Gen. Stuart on riding through
the battery asked Pelham where he
got all the farmers from. The name
OF farmer stuck to Us for quite awhile.
The constant rain had the tendency
to make our hats quite limp, so that
they resembled Shaker bonnets.
We now started on our return to
the Potomac. The whole country
was aroused at the audacity Of this
bold ride OF Stuart. The Federal
army was on the alert and marching
to intercept US and keep US from
crossing the river. What cared we
when the noble Stuart was the guild
ing hand to steer US o'er the break
ers We had ridden with him be-
fore and been led into a safe port,
and why not now, also? The CON-
mand loved him to q man. II was
truly beautiful to see the devotion
of his command to him. Capt. w. S.
White, of his staff. was formerly
a resident of Poolesville, Md, and
on him Stuart relied to pilot him to
the Potomac river.
Thrice during the night did Stuart
advise and ask White IL he thought
the constant rain would raise the
river. $50 say his staff. white as
sured him that his troopers could
march as fast as the waters would
flow, and that he would have ample
time to cross the Potomac before the
waters now falling in the mountains
could swell the lower fords. Day
dawued az last and we started on the
home run, via Gettysburg. Colonel
Butler. who held the advance on the
previous day, DOW brought up the
rear. Butler was ordered to des-
troy the ordnance store house, and q
detachment from the 1st North Car
olina cavalry under Capt. w. Il. II.
Cowles was ordered to do the work.
When a short distance from the
town We heard a loud explosion,
showing that Butler bad done his
work well. The detachments from
Fitz Lees brigade led the column
from Chambersburg. A squadron
Of the lst Va. cavalry. under Capts.
G. r. Irving and T. w. Southall,
constituted the advanceguard Capt.
B. S. White was at the head OF this
squadron as guide. with Logan and
Harbaugh as assistant guides.
Marching on the direct road from
Chambersburg to Gettysburg we
crossed the Catoctin mountains.
Reaching Cashtown we turned south,
marching through Fairfield on the
road to Emmitsburg. All day long
the detail was busy collecting horses,
but as soon as the Maryland line
was reached that work stopped.
We halted, compactly closing up the
column, and the order was given TO
keep closed up.
We entered Emmitsburg, where
we we're received with open arms,
the whole town turning out 70 greet
these peerless riders of Stuart's.
The ladies God bless them) wept
with joy at the sight Of the dear
grey jackets. Basket after basket
of provisions (as an evidence of their
love) was passed around until the
halffamished artillerymen Grenade
to feel that they were in the land OF
promise and among friends. The
few moments spent among those dear
people were indeed happy ones, and
often during the war. when was
pinched with hunger, that beauti-
full picture at Emmitsburg would
be recalled to me. The old battle
SCARED boys OF the battery, with
their farmers hats, were indeed an
object OF curiosity to those sweet.
dear girls. Several of the boys could
not resist the tender smileslof the fair
sex q was one of the first victims)
so we gave them our straw hats as
souvenirs. / doubt not that some OF
those hats are still treasured by
some Of the dear ladies' In that local
ty yet.
Stuart reached Fmmitsbarg at
sunset, having marched 31i miles
since leaving Chambersburg at Q A.
N. We were still As miles from the
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