The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1910-02-11
WHEN BOYS FOUGHT LIKE
VETERANS.
Incidents Of New Market Described
by Patriotic Woman Of Valley
Town.
CRichmond Times-Dispatch)

lRichmond Times-Dispatch)
Perhaps no battle Of the war, save
only First Manassas and Gettysburg,
has been more fully described than
the historic engagement AT New Mar
ket Something in the sight of youDg
boys. throwing aside their books
and shouldering their muskets hes
attracted the interest OF almost eve
ry historian of war The general
narrative has been told over and
over again; many incidents of the
engagement have been described 10
some half-dozen works; the whole
has become a part of every South
ern mans inheritance.
But the story that follows, writ
ten by Mrs Z. c. Grim. of New Mar
ket. gives the views of one who saw
the battle as a young girl The i'm
pressions made upon her mind were
striking. and her description OF them
forty-five years after the battle, 10
equally entertaining.
The battle Of New Market was
fought on Sunday, May IS, 1864.
The cannonading commenced on sat
urday evening How well ! can re-
member it all, and how it frightes-
ed nv poor old mother and the lit
tie children, They were taken to
the cellar for protection On SuH-
day about noon three Federal Off
GERS rode abreast down the street
of New Market and ordered me TO
the cellar. 1 told them they had
better 20. as l heard the old Rebel
veil and / , knew our men were NOT
far away The gallant John =
Breckenridge rode into town wiz
the advance guard. Oh what fine
looking soldier he was He was
superb that day. and the hahdsomese
man ever saw He rode fine
bav horse and looked every inch
GRAND Confederate General lie
rode on down the street. The yam
kee bullets came up the pike thick
and fast. but he rode Oh, il seemed
to me. into the very midst OF death.
A terrible shell exploded quite near
him. and the splinters OF the olo
gate most flew over him. The ola
gatepost stands today, or part OF IT,
and il has been monument TO him
>. for many years. though We have one
now of granite to mark the spo'
where so many fell that day.
ohio dav of the battle ] stood on
the doorstep. My little brother caii
cd me TO come and look at the flh'
eoldiers coming down Shirley's Hill
This was the first time ever saw
the Virginia Military Cadets. me
Looked so neat and trim as they raj
down the hill. yelled, The Frenc
:, have come. the French have come
We will win the day, we VIII gai
- the day" Just then a terrible sne'
exploded right in front OF the III
as they came down the hill' an
-. knocked a gap in the ranks lhe
inst ran together elbow TO elDo'
- in an instant and closed up so beat
tifully. ! can see il now WI
n
never forget these brave BOY 50
= diers as they ran down the NIL
" ,,ictorv and death. | could see
all from the big window. and tn
80, m hand-to-hand fight down in the ol
cburchvard They commenced ca
''' rving the dead from the field as ti
~ cadets passed on down the roa
'e' rhev carried some of them by OF
81 door and the red blood dripped al
=" dripped on the pavement. cou
'o' not stav in after | saw this ra
'' on down to the battle field to ne
'"O with the wounded ! was the if
woman to go there some can
J" afterward and did noble work. y
80 what a sickening sight after the Da
'"s her stayed up all night to ne
"p the wounded. A cold rain was Ia
"os ing and so many shivered with SUI
% severe chills. We helped TO car
the wounded into the old Rice non
We made a fire and gave them wa
'eu drinks. but many died that ng'
u Our poor soldiers, how they sure
~" ed and died that day.
i7" "Eyen now it brings tears 10
anu owes and I can hardly see to VII
oi this letter. Old Or. S. p. Z. He
'on kel our old war doctor went
sa' ~ work and stayed all night WIN
80 s wounded. saw a pile OF arms q
~, iO' legs that were cut of ana w "
Ia Ia buried in the field. The siX'y-o
llAn r,.~f,,auf suffered