The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-05
CONF EDERATES IN
NORTHERN GRAVES.
Pathetic Story Of Three Sharp
shooters Captured After Bat
tie Of Gettysburg.
ONE WAS FROM VIRGINIA
Bodies Of All Three Now Lie i'll
Cemetery Of Little Pennsyl-
vatlia Town.
ONE WAS FROM VIRGINIA
Especial Correspondence of The Times
Na, n h \

Especial Correspondence of The Times
Dispatch)
AIERCERSBURG PA, November A.
Forty-two years ago last july the great
and decisive battle Of Gettysburg was
fought AS In the case OF all sucn gcon-
1llcts, the line or retreat Of the defeated
army through Southern Pennsylvania
was marked ny the graves of many VINO
feil by the way. The wake OF sucn retreat
as the Confederate Army maze during
those fatlciul Juiy days, is always more
terrible tntn the Actuai battlefield. There.
| in the GREATNESS red-nandeu ISht. the
struggle seemed universal; men torgOt
| tncniseives and the imminent perm ana
| death became, in q little wh.lc, TOO COM
mon a sight to be dreadful. But when
the wounded struggled from that scene,
turning thcir eyes toward the homeland.
how lew there were VINO ever reached
it, and how pathetic their lonely and un-
comiortcd Death.
The little town Of Mcrcersburg, Pa,
now known chiefly for the excellent pre-
paratory school tor boys situated there
tof which. By tho way. gifted Nirginian$
is commandment and cplnaran), just
seven miles over the Maryland border Of
the Mason-Dixon line, lies just in the
line Of retreat taken by the Confederates
q ftcr Gettysburg. For days. almost weeks:
after the battle, wagon trans streamed
through the town. bearing the wounded
southwark. The Yankees. ANXIOUS TO en-
ulatG the example OIL INC 1ossdShs. Wiz, q
on Napo!eon's retreat from Moscow, har-
ried the rear OF his army. commanded by
Marshal Ney, hung on the retreatlng
TANKS and rear Of the shattered Confed.
crate columns. The Union troops went
about this 'warily. however and most OF
their ptures consisted Oh men "ouhded.
sick or done to death. ~
At that time Marshal College was SIT
,iated in Mercersburg, and the main
building was turned Into q temporary
hospital II may be said to the credit
of the worthy people of the town thal
the wounded Rebels were treated ,., MIN
hosts were fldgety and uneasy at INC
very thought OF having even wounded
Confederate In such proximity. The iocal
militia hearing Of the apprdoaen o. ref,sse
in the near mountains thinking that
would be the safest way 70 avoid trouble.
and that, they understood was why theys
81 those who died and we're buried in.
this little Pennsylvania town, the names ,e
and graves OF two are preserved In the
NAV see three granite hcadstones; the In
| scriptions are lichened and dim with age;
| the graves unkcpt and sunken It Is g
ast Those oho who
Lost Cause and their Dixie land and were
willing to lay down their lives for her,
should surely have been buried with thelr;
faces turned towards home which, though
| they should never see 1t again. was still
| their home, yesterday, to-day and forever
| But one must remember that allen hands
/ laid them to rest. .- y
/ on entering he cemetery from the north
side the first grave one comes to is that
Of ". H. Quaintan nee. The Inscription II !tioI1
s., III. Quaintance,
/ died Aug. g, 1866.
| a member DIVA. Sharp Shoe ers'A #
Of Culp Courthouse, Va;
i The inscription on the stone at the head
| or the next grave is 'tUnknown. OF the
| three Confederates buried here Side ~
side, the history of the occupant of the
iidentity has never been establisheu.
II seems that he. together with two other
ene shaR oWaG
| the Maryland border. When about four
/ miles from this place they came upon
peaeefql bnt thoroughly nervous n gsntbe
ed REBELS, whose raids we're In this
section at least, more imaginary than
trouble afar Off. fled PROBATIONARY into
Mercersburg. The three Sharp Shooters
gave chase, shouting TO him to stop, but
he did not seem to be encined to do so,
evidently on account of some previous en-
] gagement. Right through the main street
| they tore until the town square was
s se from Milroy!s Infantry ii there. who,
hearing the noise, hid in q cellar. AS
1.-The Confederates came in sight one of the
.bushwhackers fired, killing one man and
| the horse Of a second, whose rider was
captured, 1T is said that some two hun-
| dred worthy citizens were engaged in this
famous capture having emerged from
/ hiding when the lone rider was endorsed.
The Third Confederate escaped. CA.
That Is. In brief. the history OF thesun
known man whose name will probably
J never be discovered.
The third and last grave is that OF j..
w Alban. He wills probably wounded in
the first days fshting at Gettysburg as
| he died in Mercersburg, thirty-six miles
away, on the last day Of the battle. The
! Inscription reads:
| J.. W. Aban,
died July g., 1863 81
member Of Cant Shira's Co.,
IL Va. Cav.