West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-02-15

night a young man named Tom Viii
Hanson, belonging to the Iath Vir.
ginia Cavalry, volunteered to per.
form feat of Indian strategy,
which proved a winner. The old
Westinghouse had big stone Chin
ney built on the outside. Under
cover OF darkness Williamson crawl.
ed along the ground until he reached
the chimney and then climbed it to
the top of the building, when he Sc,
the roof on FIRE. AS soon as the
enemy discovered their dilemma
they ran out the white flag and
gracefully surrendered. 1t was no
time to be burdened with prisoners.
so, after paroling them, we rode on,
leaving our prisoners to warm their
hands by the blazing fire OF the
burning church.
The first point at which we struck
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
was near Oakland, Md, but. owing
to the lack of artillery and blasting
powder. we were not able to do SER
ious damage beyond destroying
wooden trestles, building fires on
the iron bridges SO as to warp the
structures, and capturing few en-
gines and freight trains. We did
enough damage at this place and
other points to delay operation for
a while and to hold up the reinforce
ments for Hooker for a time, SO
that probably the battle of Chapcel-
lorsville was fought a month later
than the original plan.
Our next point of attack on the
railroad was at Rowlesburg. where
there is long bridge over Cheat
riverj but the enemy had concen-
trated their troops at that place in
such a number that after feeling
their strength Gen. Jones decided
to withdraw without offering battle.
L have always had an impression
that at this juncture Gen. Jones
changed his plans. Realizing that
without artillery or facilities for
blowing up bridges he was not able
to inhict more damage on the rail
road than had been done, and not
wishing to return without trophy,
concluded to go off on a cattle hunt
through the enemy's territory.
We turned northward and march
ed to Kingwood, the county seat Of
Preston, and from thence to Nor
gantown, The capital OF Monongalia
county. We are now skirting along
close to the Penasylvanis border
and fairly in the enemy's country.
The people of this section were I'm
ionists, who looked uponeus as in
vaders. Our orders were to respect
noncombatants and to protect pri-
vate property, except that we we're
to gather up all cattle fit for beef
and good horses to carry away with
US. Just before reaching Morgan
town the men constituting the ad-
vance guard browns Maryland
Battalion) we're ambuscaded by
bushwhackers. Maj. Browns men
charged up the hillside through the
thick woods and put them to fight,
killing several Of them. The brigade
got its first rest at Morgantown,
where a greater part of the day was
spent, and we had our first oppor.
tunity to unsaddle the horses. Late
in the evening we started on a night
march toward Fairmont. By this
time we had gathered a considerable
drove Of cattle and horses, and
could not move so rapidly as before
we had gone in the live stock busi.
ness.
Az Falrmont ii looked as 10 there
was to be brisk fight, for consid.
cradle body OF troops, consisting OF
New York regiment and a bunch
of militia, we're drawn up in battle
array on the south side of the town,
and we had information that reen.
forcements we're on the way from
Grafton. As we came 70 the top OF
the hill above town, on the road
from Barracksville, we encountered
the skirmish line, which retreated
before us, and drove them through
] the main street until they fell back