Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-11-04
THE BATTLE OF NEW MARKET.

Mrs. !. V. Johnson, of the vicinity OF
Shepherdstown, has given us permission
to print the following letter received some
time ago from her friend Mrs. Grim, OF
New Market, Va, giving an account OF
the fight at that place during the Civil
War, when the cadets of the Virginia Mil
itary Institute acquitted themselves SO
bravely. Some OF the touching incidents
of that memorable battle are very beauti-
fully described by Mrs. Grim, whose let
ter is as follows:
Ny Dear Friend: Since my return to
nv home in the beautiful Shenandoah
Valley ! find myself thinking over the
pleasant time we spent at the grand Con-
federate reunion in the "magic city OF
Roanoke" 1t was one OF the most en-
joyable visits of my life, and | will ever
remember the dear, good people OF Roam
oke. will never forget those fine speech
es we heard in that grand hall. | cannot
find words to tell you my feelings when
we sat on the stage and could look over
the house and see the gray heads OF Our
dear old Confederates, knowing So well
that many would "cross the river" before
we meet again. The ranks thin out as
the years 90 by, and in few more years
none will be left to tell of the stirring days
of the Coniedefacy,
"a few more years shall roll,
A few more seasons come,
And we shall be with those that rest
Asleep within the tomb"
My dear friend, want ito tell you some
thing about the battle OF New Market.
| hope il will be Of some interest to you.
The battle of New Market was fought on
Sunday, May Is, 1864. The cannonad-
ing commenced on Saturday evening.
How well can remember it all, and how
it frightened my poor old mother and the
little children. They were taken to the
cellar for protection. On Sunday about
noon three Federal officers rode abreast
down the street OF New Market and or
dered me to the cellar. told them they
had better 60, as heard the old Rebel
yell and | knew that our men were not
far away. The gallant John c. Breckin-
ridge rode into town with the advance
guard. Oh, what fine-looking soldier
he was. He was superb that day, and
the handsomest man | ever saw. He
rode fine bay horse and looked every
inch grand Confederate general. He
rode on down the street. The Yankee
bullets came up the pike thick and fast,
but he rode on, it seemed to me, into the
very midst OF death. A terrible shell ex-
ploded quite near him, and the splnters
of the old gate post flew over him. The
old gate post stands today, or part of it,
and it has been monument to him for
many years, but we have one now of
granite to mark the spot where so many
fell that day.
The day OF the battle stood on the
doorstep. My little brother called me TO
come and look at the fine soldiers coming
down Shirley's hill. This was the first
time ever saw the Virginia Military Ca
diets. They looked so nice and trim as
they ran down the hill. yelled, "the
French have come, the French have comel
We will win the day, we will gain the
day" Just then terrible shell exploded
right in front of the line as they came
down the hill, and knocked a gap in the
ranks. They just ran together elbow to
elbow in an instant and closed up so
beautifully. | can see it now-l will new
er forget these brave boy soldiers as they
ran down the hill to victory and death.
| could see it all from the big window,
and the hand-to-hand fight down in the
old church-yard. They commenced car
rying the dead from the field as the cadets
passed on down the road. They carried
some OF them by our door, and the red
blood dripped and dripped on the pave
ment, could not stay in after saw this.
| ran on down TO the battlefield to help
with the wounded. was the first woman
to go there. Some came afterward and
did noble work. Oh, what a sickening
sight after the battle. Staid up all night
TO help the wounded. A cold rain was
falling and so many shivered with such
severe chills. We helped to carry the
wounded into the old Rice home. We
made fire and gave them warm drinks,
but many died that night Our poor SOL
diers, how they suffered and died that day.
Even now it brings tears TO my eyes, and
! can hardly see 10 write this letter. Old
DR.. S. p. c. Henkel, our old war doctor,
went to work, and staid all night with the
wounded. saw pile OF arms and legs
that were cut off and were buried in the
field. The Sixty-second Virginia Regi-
ment suffered and lost so many men in
the battle. The long rows of graves in
our cemetery tell the tale how these
brave men fought that day. left the
field to come home to make Tea for the
wounded. On my way up met the poor
little boy soldiers of the V. NJ. |. One
cadet wanted to borrow an ak to cut
wood, TO make fire and get supper. They
were too proud to beg. took them in
and gave them their supper. One said
he was Is years old. He wanted his
bread spread with preserves. He sat
down just like little child to eat from
mothers hand. returned to the battle
field with the hot tea, and on my way
down | met many cadets coming into
town. Nearly all were bare-footed.
They lost their shoes in the mud as they
ran through a plowed field, and all were
so hungry and fired.