The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-04-12
THEY WERE WARMLY RECEIVED BY AUNT LIZA"

Gen. Early's stupidity was mani.
fest that day by allowing his army to
break ranks and feast on the Yankee
commissary 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 81 changes
In the occupancy Of the place as the
Union and Confederate forces success
sively 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
'Secesh" girl at Winchester by repre-
senting himself to be a Southern scout.
The girl had two brothers in the rebel
army. Once while paying a clandes-
tine visit to her home he was chased
by Union provost guard, and the fam
lily secreted him in a hiding place with
a 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 "di eamer.'
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 ene-
my on Nov. IL, 1864, and after a spir-
tied engagement near Wiseganer Mill
q 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 i 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, devil
subOrdinates. A Colonel in particular
we had cause to we'll remember. for i'm
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
Colone's name. In fact. we were afraid
to open our mouths in his presence.
His early piety had evidently been sad
ly neglected, as he could pile up more
adjectiyes-not Scriptural-than any
soldier l 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. Weyler No. 2. He was
not an American. either, and could not
therefore lay claim to being either a
Northerner or a Southerner.
I'VE never met him after that day
when l resolved mentally IL my life
was spared to again take part in a
cavalry charge there would be a YAM
kee Sergeant looking for that Colonel
with two revolvers.
"Our captors promptly relieved us
OF our horses, also our overcoats blank
cts. watches and money. The swearing
Colonel rode off on the fine horse oil
Lieut.. Blough without word OF
thanks. My gray charger was appro-
priated by little private whom / could
have knocked out in the first round II
/ but dared. Mounting my horse with
a grin, he said. in drawing tone
Fine boss. Sarjint.' Soon after these
preliminaries and reception by the
Johnnies we were lined up and ordered
10 '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
saw many of Col. Mosby's guerrillas, who
invariably impressed US with the fact
that they were never bothered with
prisoners. This truth was more fully
impressed upon us by knowing that
fsrther up the Valley. in thicket,
cpuld be seen a dead Yank hanging By
- neck, while i've others had beek