The Monte Vista journal., 1906-09-01

difficulty was able 10 get him OF q
walk Tor three minutes ut time.
The night was cold and clear until
about four o'clock. when a fog began
TO rise. passed through Milltown.
kernstown. Newton and Middletown,
| all places that the veterans OF the
shenandoah campaigns will recognize
by their names.
Just beyond Middletown l heard a
noise OF musketry away over to the
left. l stopped moment and then
rode on. thinking It was only some
casual picket firing A half mile fur.
ther l heard a volley from the same
direction, then faint sound O. what
we used to call the confederate yell"
was riding nearly in the direction
OF the sound, and ! now turned sharp
ON to the right. A short distance
over the meadows in that direction
saw small shed, and. obeyins an
impulse. rode into 1t. merely
wanted to stop and think what to do.
as It was pretty plain to me that an
attack had been made by the enemy.
and that battle would follow.
In the shed there was horse, with
no equipments but headstall and
bride. and fastened by the latter. 1t
was Just light enough for me to see,
and my eyes devoured the animal. II
was a Virginia thoroughbred; as
handsome a piece OF horse Iesh a.
had ever seen.
How did he come there? You must
ask some other person: | don't know.
can only suppose that, as Mosby was
operating on our rear that morning.
this animal must have been left there
for few moments by one OF his men.
Whoever left him, made no scru.
pie of appropriating him. trans.
ferred my saddle blanket. saddle and
mail pouch to his back. turned NY
Rosinante loose, mounted the thor.
oughbred, got a good grip OF the
bride, and was out Of the shed and
away up the pike Ike a shot.
| had not gone half a mile further
before heard a Great noise of mus.
kerry and yells. and | plainly saw
dozens of men dressed In gray rush
Ing across the pike ahead of ne.
l knew that / was running right
INTO the enemy's advance and l
wheeled and rode back. rode pretty
last, too: Il seemed as II thlng1 were
getting rather hot about there.
As my thorouEhbred went gallop.
Ing down the pike at a rate that l
certainly never rode before, saw
;hree or four soldiers by the roadside
with leveled rinos, and heard the cry
Halt" ! could not have pulled up
had ! wished to. rs certainly did not.
heard the whistllng of bullets abou,
my ears as | went on. but none Of
them touched me or the horse. and
we kept straight on to Middletown.
Just before ! reached that village
half dozen horsemen struck the
pike from the east. not more than
hve rods behind me, and gave me
their most pressing attention. I
heard them Gathering after me on tho
hard road. heir carbinc balls Gu, the
air around me. and cries OF Halt!
Surrender! you - Yankee" fol.
lowed me.
Just laid forward on the saddle.
shouted TO my horse. put on the spur.
loosed the bridle-and he did the rest.
II was not race: II was a clean
runaway. They had nothing to match
that horse. ] outran. distanced them
easily. and reached Winchester be.
fore any OF the s;rasglers.
! rejoincd the division with tho
mail after dark OF that night, when
the battle WAS all over. and We were
victorious.
Somebody will inquire. Of course.
what became Of that horse.
II makes my heart sick to think
that had to lose him.
I was merely . private infantry sol.
dier on detached service. Any horse
that l rode was supposed to belong
to the government. There were .
good many hungry eyes In our divi.
sion fastened on this one after the
18th. l was called upon to account
for him. and did 30 with = strong plea
for my individual property In him.
II was OF no use. I had 10 turn him
In TO the quartcrmastcr. and don't
know ~ha, became Of him: but who
ever rode him after that rode one %
the best horses In Virginia.
.ss~~1fsss~AIHsss>~Ifrss~NSs
worth reading. ! brought II home
again. determined TO use II some wav