Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1913-03-28
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Valley of Desolation.


~ reveling, the customary sad
truce was declared In order
to permit the removal of the wounded
from the field and the decent disposal
of the dead. Not only soldiers but
civilians from far and near focked
upon the scene. From Winchester.
Kernstown, Newtown. Middletown, up
from the valley. and down from the
mountains came men and women,
searching amid the heaped up horrors
where late the battle lines had stood.
Some came for love and some-alas-
for loot. Sunset Redeemed the CHASTITY
field: then fell the inky pail of night.
srd the lanterns OF the ghostly minis
trants twinkled In the gloom far be.
yond the circling camps.
, Gertrude dillingham;, Madeline West
and Jenny Buckthorn. led by Sergeant
Rarket and followed by the faithful
Josephus. made up one of the most In
defatigable groups Of rescuers. They
had ascertained that Kerchival West
was not among the living Federal
troops, either in the celebrating camps
or In the hospital tents. Now at last
they sought pitiful, uncertain COM
fort in satisfying themselves that he
was not among the dead on the field.
General Haverill told me-" said Ger
trude, that although our-I mean the
vouthern-troops were defeated they
managed to carry off a considerable
number of prisoners. l believe Colo
mel West is among them"
Il know Captain Heartsease Is"
murmured Jenny forlornly.
IF nothing worse has befallen my
brother than that" added Madeline, i
suppose I ought to be thankful. as at
least he will now be out OF the aWfu
fighting But 1t Is cruel injustice
If that wicked wretch. Captain Thorn
ton. is still to be at large"
They rode on in silence-for General
Buckthorn had seen to 1t that they
were provided with mounts-untl at
last Gertrude exclaimed:
81 can't rest anyway. I'm going on.
Josephus will follow me. You girls
will be all right-won't you, dears"
Where are you going?" cried the
other two aghast.
ION to the ford, and then to Fishers
hill, or Strasburg, or wherever they
have gone. Don't mind me. I'll bring
you comforting news, or / won't come
back at ALL Good night"
And before they could persuade her
that was what she fed from now, as
from unbearable torture-she rode OH
exultantly into the darkness OF the
mountain shadows like another VAL
kyrie bearing her stricken warriors
soul to the glorious and blissful Val
halla-
Belle Bosquet was deserted. For
miles around stretched the heart SICK
ening panorama of fenceless. trampied
fields, ruined farms and empty grana-
ries.
For Sheridan had accomplished only
too literally the fearSome task assign
ed him by General Grant:
I'm pushing up the Shenandoah val
lev y y it is desirable that moth
ing should be left to invite the enemy
to return. Take all provisions. forage
and stock wanted for the use VI your
command. Such as cannot be consum-
ed destroy"
The same restitution that compelled
Early to retreat as far as Newmarket,
forty miles south Of Cedar Creek. to sup
ply and reorganize the broken Confed-
crate forces prevented Sheridan from
following them into this region. His
cavalry, however. during this pause
i'm the movements Of the main army
was set about campaign against the
guerrilla bands Of Mosby and Gilmore.
1t was not until fortnight after the
battle Of Cedar Greek that Gertrude
dillingham; aud the small party OF
friends and neighbors who journeyed
with her and likewise followed the
path Of necessity. as we'll as Of duty
and affection. In moving southwark aft
er the army, came up with the corps
that had been General Ramseur's and
which included her brother Roberts
regiment.
But General Ramseur had been kill