Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1913-03-28

ing Sheridan's rear to prevent his car
rying out General Grants orders 10 cut
Lees railroad communications Dy
which supplies were brought from the
south for the Confederate army at re-
tersburg.
"And what has General Early done
with the prisoners he brought hereF
Gertrude inquired. with sinking hearI
"Sent them on to Danville. maybe 10
North Carolina. and the officers prop
! ably to Richmond" was the vague re-
ply she got. You see, miss, It's nara
enough scraping now to feed our own
men,"
Kerchiyal West was among tnese
prisoners, and SO was Captain Hearts
ease. and both were seemingly In con-
dition to bear transportation. This
much information was ELECTED on
trustworthy authority. and 1t compen-
stated for the hardships and anxietes
through which the dauntless Virginia
girl had passed. From Staunton sne
sent these reassuring tidings to Jenny
Buckthorn. who remained with her "a
Their at Winchester. and to machine
West, whom General Haverill had sent
with an escort to Washington.
Love alone must guide her IN ner
search, Gertrude declared, but she had
the courage to resolve that love should
win. Her home was broken up, the
valley desolated, and the cause upon
which all had been staked was mar
rowing down to a deadly crisis where
mere self interest. fortune, even life
itself. had to be thrown unhesitatngly
into the balance.
While she waited at staunton Tor
some clew, some enlightenment to de-
termine what direction her pilgrimage
should take now that the winter was
about setting in. detachment OF the
wild mounted troops came up the val
lev from successful raid ON the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad In West Fir-
rinia. A bearded savage rushed with
a clad cry at Gertrude-and she was
laughing and crying in her brothers
! arms.
"Oh. Rob-" she faltered, II was be-
ginning to think should never see
YOU again nor any one else l loved"
"Dont give up. sis" he enjoined, but
his tone was worried and serious. 1--WE
are not beaten yet. II we have to
leave the valley the enemy can't stay
here either He is trying to prevent
las from Joining General Lee at Peters
burg, but In the meantime we are
keeping him and an army bigger than
all our forces put together from going
to help General Grant. who, after all,
is no nearer to Richmond than Nc
Clellan was two years and q half ago."
.'Oh, never mind the armies now!
| Where can find those two poor prison
ers?'
Bob shook his head and paced the
| floor in troubled silence.
"Where Is Thornton now" asked
| Gertrude anxiously.
ITO my certain knowledge he Is
! keeping In touch with Mosby at Lees
burg or Upperville. 1t Is not at all
likely be even knows that KerchiVal
was captured at Cedar Creek. But he
Is such vindlctive devil that I sup
pose he will always be looking out for
the satisfaction Of his private revenge
before the interests of the service"
In the Federal camps at Kernstown
| and Winchester the hustle Of confident
activity and general air Of hopeful
| expectation were as marked as the
spirit Of grim. logged determination
was behind the scenes at Confederate
headquarters. At the beginning Of the
new year one Of the two divisions OF
the Nineteenth corps, under General
| Buckthorn. was sent to Petersburg, re-
| ducing the effective force Of the Army
Of the Shenandoah to one division OF
infantry and three of cavalry, General
Haverill's among the latter.
General Haverill's mood of somber
reserve was a matter Of inquletude to
his friends and puzzle to those OF
the army who knew him only In his
soldierly capacity. He Went about his
military duties in the silent, dispirited
manner of a fatalist. Not man In
the army dared to formulate the ques.
ton that was in the minds of many.
Did the general suspect that the he
| role Lieutenant Bedloe, who sacrificed
his life at Three Top mountain, was
his own disgraced son? Those who
knew best declared that he did not
and the famous dispatch to Washing
ton In praise of Bedloe's deed was adj
duced as confirming evidence. \
When Gertrude Ellingham wrote for
| particulars as to Kerchival Vests VIC
lation of the order Of arrest to par1ci-
| pate in the battle of Cedar Greek, the
| general replied with formal brevity
that he must disclaim responsibility as
we'll as any special knowledge In the
matter. When Jenny Buckthorn ques-
toned him personally in the hope of
getting some clew that might aid in
finding Captain Heartsease. wounded
and captured In Lieutenant Bedloe's
raid upon the enemy's signal station,
he was scarcely more communicative,
except on one point-that Captain
i Heartsease. following the practice Of
| Major Young's scouts. had worn q
Confederate uniform. which would put
him in the category Of secret service
officer or spy and therefore prejudice
his status as prisoner of war.
Evidently General Haverill had but
little comfort to give to others. and 1t
was certain he kept none for himself