The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1912-12-27
A Wartime New Years
Day Experience
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~ N New Years morning, 1864,
A when the thermometer was
below zero, probably the
most undisciplined body of
troops In the whole Union army march
ed into camp Mt Martinsburg, w. Va.
The men looked careless, fatigued,
sleepy and cold. Some Of them were
bareheaded, which showed that they
had Travelled day and night and had
fallen asleep on their horses. Many
had lost their hats and caps by their
heads coming In contact with the
limbs Of the trees In the woods. Some
had the front and back parts burned
out of their overcoats and trousers,
which had probably happened while
they were doing before the fire. A
few of them wore some Confederate
clothing. indicating apparently thai
they had captured some Confederate
quartermaster's stores and had re-
placed their own damaged garments
with their enemys clothing. Others
had their feet tied up with pieces CT
DlunkelS ana sneepSkinS.
Many of the men were dlsmounted;
others were mounted on wagon horses
and mules, with the harness still CD
the animals. This showed that their
wagon train had been destroyed and
that some of the men, who had lost
their cavalry horses. had mounted
these animals
The infantry and the citizens Of
Martlnsburg gathered around and star
ed at these troops In wonder This
was General Averill's command, four
regiments of cavalry and battery that
had just returned from the Salem raid,
The raldlng party left New Creek now
Keyser City, w ya.), Dec. s, 1868;
marched to Salem, Va, thence back to
Martlnsburg, w. Va, arriving there
Jan. /, 1864, travelling twenty-four
days. During this time the party tray
eled several hundred miles, tore up the
Virginia and Tennessee railroad tracks
to prevent General Lee from re-enforc-
ing General Longstreet, who was fight
ing General Burnside at Knoxville,
Tenn. At Salem the Confederate quar-
termaster and commlssary stores We're
destroyed.
On our retreat dozen or more Con-
federate brlgades were after us and
tried to head us OFF at every crossroad
At Covington, Va, after the bridge
over Jackson river was burned, our
regiment, the Fourteenth Pennsylya-
mia cavalry, which was the rear guard,
and a few dismounted men OF other
regiments that were with the wagon
train were surrounded on the south
side of the river One OF the Confed'
crate generals sent In Il flag OF truce,
demanding a surrendcr but we fought
our way through After we burned
our wagon train we swan the Jackson
i'Yer.
On our retreat we travelled through
severe snowstorm and slid down Icy
mountains, Our artillery was saved
by pulling 1t over the mountains with
ropes,
Our brigade lost on this raid killed,
drowned. trozen and captured, l40
men and i've officers,
A few men were SO badly frozen that
they died shortly afterward
Thus ON that New Years morning
we wore cold. hungry. tired, sleepy,
dirty and shabby. Uncle Sam soon
heard Of our condition and came to us
with outshetched arms. for on Jan, 10
he presented every one Of us with
brand new outfit, which included over
coat, dress coat, blouse, hat, cap. shirt,
drawers. stockings. boots and blankets.
We soon commenced TO get coneeited,
for we believed that We were the only
brigade In the whole Union army that
had ever received such magnificent
gift from the. United States govern
ment DANES p Hays In baltimore
American