Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-11-03
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TEL SON. INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys of Both Armies WhiIed
Away Life in Camp-ForaginG Ex-
periences, Tiresone Marches-ThriI-
ling Scenes on the Battlefield,

wilson, was sent from in front Of Pc
terSburg by water to Washington in
August, 1864" writes COmrade W. A.
Rodgers, First Lieutenant and brevet
Captain of Cavalry from Pittsburg, Pa.
in the National Tribune. land while at
the Capital we were armed with seven
shooter carbines and marched to the
Shenandoah Valley TO join the army of
Gen. Phil Sheridan. composed OF the
Sixth and Nineteenth Corps. The pur-
pose of this force was to checkmate the
anticipated attack on Washington by
the army of Gen. Jubal Early.
We had hot old time of it scat
terlng Col. Mosby's guerrillas until we
arrived ut Winchester, Va. Aug Il,
where we found the Confederates drIv-
Ing our men through the Valley. We
were soon trying TO stem the tide, but
we were In turn routed, making final
stand at Harper's Ferry. The battle
OF Winchester, Sept II. gave us some
prestige, but not complete control I'M
til after Cedar Creek. Oct. 49, 1864.
when Gen. Early's victory In the fore
noon was turned into an ignoble defeat
In the afternoon by Gen Sheridan com
Ing up from Winchester. twenty miles
away
Gen. Early's stupidity was mani
fest that day by allowing his army to
break ranks and feast on the Yankee
commssary supplies captured early in
the morning. Sheridan's army rested
on their laurels after that wonderful
victory. Our base of supplies was Win
chester, that quaint and historical town
whose inhabitants witnessed eighty.
four changes in the occupancy of the
place as the Union and Confederate
forces successfully came and went
from its precincts during the four years
of the war"
Comrade Rodgers next describes how
he became the beau Of a pretty Sc
cesh' girl at Winchester by represent
ing himself to be Southern scout.
The girl had two brothers in the rebel
army. Once while paying clandes-
tine visit to her home he was chased
by a Union provost guard, and the fam
lily secreted him in hiding place with
real rebel Colonel who was hiding
there. He was deeply in love with the
young Virginia woman, and his com
rades could not understand his love
sickness and called him a dreamer"
Soon. however, the scene shifted. and
the Union army, to which he was at
tached, moved up the Shenandoah Val
ley.
"The second day out" he says. while
our brigade was on picket, we received
an early morning attack from the enc
my on Nov. II. 1864, and after spr-
tied engagement near Wiseganer Mil
"A lot Of us were captured by the John
MES. My hope was that our captors
would take us back by way Of Win
chester, as | would then be happy.
Our captors proved to be Gen. Tom
ROsser's Cavalry. Rosser was a fine.
handsome, youthful and gallant sol.
der. but he had some rough, dare
devil sub0rdinates A Colonel In par
ticular We had cause to well remem-
Der, for in thunder tones he yelled.
Line up. Yanks, and be ----- quick
about It.
HE accelerated some Of our slow
movements by the expert handling Of
his sword. We failed to learn that
Colonels name In fact, we were afraid
-, In.
His early piety had evidently been sad
~ neglected as he could pile up more
adjectives not Scriptural than any
soldier ! have ever heard What that
big. raw boned, cock eyed red headed
professor Of profanity did not sting
with his tongue he would slash with
his big saber He would have made a
Spanish Gen. Wcyler No. . lie was
not an American, either and could not
therefore lay claim to being either a
Northeruer or n Southerner
I'VE never met him after that day
when resolved mentally II my life
was spared to again take part In
cavalry charge there would he a Yam.
kee Sergeant looking for that Colonel
with two reyOlyers.
"Our captOrs promptly relieved us Of
our horses, also our oycrcoats, blank
cts. watches and money The swearing
Colonel rode Off on the fine horse " !
Lieut.. Biough without word Of
thanks My gray charger was appro-
priated by little private whom could |
have knocked out in the first round If !
I but dared Mounting my horse with !
grin he said In drawing tone
Fine boss, SarJint' Soon after these
prelimlnaries and reception By the |
Johnnies we were lined up and ordered |
to Forward March = We were pris
oners Of war and now on our way to |
Richmond
ION our way up the Shenandoah Val |
ley toward the Confederate Capital we |