Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-02-05
A THRILLING ADVENTURE
OF The CIVIL WAR.

of the the 7th, 18th and 18th Va.
cavalry and Whites Battalion,
moved out from Swope's Depot,
where the men had been camping
for several weeks.
On the preceding day, heavy
rains had fallen and the streams
were swollen.
That splendid Brigade, which
had followed Ashy until he fell in
battle at Cross-Keys, and which had
gone forth in the campaign of 1864
with matchless fortitude, under its
present gallant leader, now, how
ever, depleted by stern service and
impoverished resources.
The destination was Beverly,
where two regiments, 8th and Bath
Ohio, were in winter quarters.
The Brigade reached Mcdowell
the first day, and remained until
Monday, January 9th.
On Sunday we were on dress pa
rade and inspection, when Gen
Rosser delivered an address to his
men, the substance of which the
writer remembers to this day, He
alluded to the devastated condi-
ton of the country, and the inabil-
ity to secure supplies, and that he
was surprised that so many had
been able to report for service, He
also referred to their courage in the
past, and the readiness of his sol
diers to respond to the present
emergency, and THAT his remnant
of brave men was the cream of the
richest skimming;;" he further
said: eve will turn our backs up
on our desolated country andworth-
less qualter-masters and seek sup
plies from our enemies"
The morning of Jan. 9th dawned
and leaving the historic town OF
Mcdowell by 10 o'clock, we were
in the line of march through the
town of Monterey. The writer will
ever remember the weird appear
ance, rendered more impressive by
the deep snow which chung to the
trees, houses and fences, and the
desolation which had followed the
occupancy of the invading armies,
! adding to this the fact that the
day was exceedingly gloomy, you
may have faint conception of the
scene presented Jan. 9th, 1865
The writer little dreamed that in
after life some of the sweetest re-
membranes would cluster around
the noble people of your mountain
| town.
{; We ate our lunch and fed oul
horses at Hightown, then campet
for the night on the slope Of the
Allegheny mountain. The snow
was deep, and cold rain continu'
ed all night. Pine tops and cedar
brush, on which we spread oul
scanty bedding, were pressed into
service, using our old blankets as s
protection from the rain. We laio
down, if not to pleasant dreams
at least, meditating as to what The
issue of the following day would be
The line of march until our ar
rival at Beverly afforded an inn
pressive lesson to the soldier boy
which have grown more vivid a.
the wears have come and gone.
The route led us across TIT
| Greenbrier river, while to our LET
could be seen old forts and winter
quarters where part of the army
had wintered during earlier days o
the struggle.
Owing to the depth of the snow
there were times when we followed
lin single file. For a time thu
clouds parted, the sun shone bright
lily, revealing the iewel-decked can
opy of the heavens above us, but
again they are folded together ano
we have thunder, rain and hail.
A halt is made twelve miles from
! Beverly, near a residence of a Mr.
Hutton, believe. Just a LITTLE
farther on was the Tygart River
l. Il