Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-01-19

mountains, he returned to Monte
rey, on his way to General Loring''
headquarters at Huntersville, Poca'
hontas county.
The fall rains had turned all the
mountain streams into torrents, and
travel was cut off between Monte
rey and Huntersville. Gen. Lee
could neither 60 forward, nor
could he communicate with Loring
During this state of affairs, Arnold
came galloping in from Staunton
one day at noon, and having deliv-
cred dispatches to Gen Lee, who
was stopping at the home of Adam
Fleisher, Esq, he rode on to local
headquarters, and placed his other
documents in the hauds of those
who were to forward them to Allie
ghany camp, then went to the he
tel for dinner.
Two of Gen Lees staff olfic, re-,
who were at the hotel. sat at a
nearby table, and spoke Of the gen.
erals anxiety to communicate with
Loring.
Said one of them son account of
the high water, no one will volun-
teer to make the trip, aud Gen Lee
will not. under any circumstances,
order any one to undertake it. He
is TOO kind hearted for that" No
sooner was he through with his
meal, than young Arnold hurried
to Mr. Fleishers house and asked to
see Gen. Lee
As he had delivered several dis
patches there, and was well-known
TO all the guards as a courier, he
was soon In the chiefs presence.
He told the general what he had
heard, concerning his anxiety to
reach Gen Loring by message, and
wound up by Offering to undertake
the task.
The general. at first would not
listen to such proposition, but as
the boy was confident, and in deep
earnest, he finally yielded and told
him to call in half an hour for his
orders
1t is only necessary to add that
by sunrise the next morning, after
crossing innumerable floods, after
swimming his horse, Arnold rode
into Huntersville and up to the
door Of Loring's headquar ters, de-
livering his dipatch into the hand
of that officer, as he sat up in his
bed.
Meyer was an Office more as
founded than was Loring when he
learned how that boy ridin.
through the pitchv blackness OF
the night and swimming the threat
ening, roaring mountain torrents,
had at the risk Of life delivered his
message.
The one-armed hero of Mexico,
drew the boy, drenched to the skin
though he Was, to his breast with
the one arm he hal left and repaid
him for all his privatior, hardship
and risk. by words of thanks aud
praise that are as we'll remem Der, d
to-day as they were on that morn
ing they were uttered, forty. forr
years ago.
Nor will arnold ever craSe to
cherish the words of Gen bee, when
on his return toward Monterey,
twenty-four hours later, he met that
officer on his wav to Iluntersville
and when the noble Lee vii his
hand upon the couriers head, paid
him compliments for his pluck and
patriotism that any man would
we'll cherish and be proud of.
On the opening of the next CAM
paign in April 81, Arnold became
courier to Maj Com Jackson. a cou-
sin of Stonewall, who commanded
a squadron of cavalry, made up of
the Churchville, the Rock bridge,
Charlotte and two other companies,
with which still other companies.
became that winter, the 18th Va
Cavalry. Col Jas Cochran, COM
manding. and through all that re-
giment's active and useful partici-
patton in the war, up to Sept. End
1854. the boy bore his part.
On the raid into Ohio, the cap
ture of Summerville, two raids into
MARYLAND and PENNSYLVANIA, in The
advance to Gettysburg and in the