The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-01-11
ECHOES OF THE CIVIL WAR.
A Telegraph Operators RecoIlections Of
Stirring Times in McConneIlsburg.
THE REBEL RAIDS IN 1868.


at once reported to Governor
Curtin and was ordered to leave
town, as the authorities had rea-
sons TO believe my capture would
he effected through the pertidy
of rebel sympathlzers in the vi
cinity. | spread.the news, none
too soon, the people took alarm
and run their horses out into the
country, hiding them in out-of-
the-way places, leaving but one
horse in the town, belonging to
Undertaken Michaels, who had a
funeral thatafternoona at 2 o'clock.
AS [ was ordered by the govern
or to take a horse wherever
could find one and get away told
the undertaken to postpone the
funeral few hours, when the an
imal would be returned 10 HIM if
possible. The rebels not having
appeared up to 4 p M. | return
ed the horse to him, and remain
dat my post until s that even
ing, at which time the rebels sud
denly made their appearance and
ltook leave forth with, accompAn-
led by William Duffield. We bare
ly made our escape from the west
end of the town, the rebels get
ting close enough to fire several
shots at US as we ran through an
orchard on the slope of a hill. In
getting over the fence into the or
.rlrard l had the misfortune to fall
and rupture myself We wan.
dered around the mountain until
about midnight lhen sank down
to rest, thinking we had got quite
a distance from the enemy, but
after few hours sleep we awak-
ened to find we had travelled in an
irregular circle AMI slept within
a fourth of a mile of the point
where they had fired at us. We
could see them all around below
US. AS quietly and hastily as we
could we made for the far end of
the woods, finally coming out on
the old Baltimore and Pittsburg
turnpike at place called Belle
vue. Here about noon cut the
wires, connected my instrument
and reported the rebels at Nc
Connellsburg a second time.
About 2 p. m. the Twelfth Pa.
cavalry came along from General
Milroy's headquarters at Bloody
Run. Colonel Pierce requested
me to go back to McConnellsburg
with him. We got no further
than place called Licking Greek
(Harrisonviile), where after sup.
per | opened au office, remaining
until II that night, when sentrles
reported the rebels coming down
the mountain. All hurrledly
mounted and departed westward
again, reaching Bellevue and put
ting up for the night without hav-
ing seen anything OF the enemy.
I'VE crossed over to McConnells-
burg next day, Friday, the
Twelfth regiment leaving the
town Saturday, all returning to
Mllroy's headquarters except
part Of one company and myself.
Sunday afternoon Lieutenant
Budd Tourtellott asked me to 90
with part of his company on a
scouting expedition. We started
over the mountain toward Mer-
cersburg. The road makes an
abrupt turn directly on top. On
feaching this turn we were sur
prised to hear the command to
halt, and TO find ourselves facing
a body OF rebels. The lieutenant
gave some word of command, the
company wheeled, but only to
find themselves about to be cut
OFF by other rebel cavalry coming
out of the forest in our rear. A
dashing escape was all that would
save any Of us and we took the
chances. Out of thirty-nine men
all were captured except Lieuten-
apts Tourtellott and Stewart,
Priyates Jack Kelley and Tor
renee C) and myself. In the
summer Of 1902 / was in company
with several gentlemen in New
York city. One Of them, a Ma]-
or Austin, IN talking OF Lee s RAID
IN '63 gave an account Of his ex-