The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-11

serve mention in the Annals, Is that
fought at New Market, in the sherman
doah Valley, on the 18th of May. 1864.
The great battles OF the>Wiiderness and
Spottsylvania, where Lee and Giant
were graphing in the death struggle,
quite obscuredt this little drama OF
death. But there were circumstances
connected with that fight calculated to
touch the tenderer sentiments of yir-
GINA more keenly than the loss OF her
Veterans. General Sigefs advance was
fated not to prove an exception to the
early Federal disasters 1t seemed as
X he had an; easy thing of 1t. The only
Confederate troops In the Valley at the
time. were a small brigade OF cavalry.
very largely made up OF men who only
volunteered In the cavalry at the last
moment to avoid CONSUMPTION and as
signment to tho depleted infantry regi-
ments Of Lees army, which WAS con-
sidered by these citizens as littel better
than sentence of DEATH. This brigade
was commanded by General Imboden,
man of capacity. and, notwithstand-
Ing the rather unpromising material
mentioned, could boast some as brave
and efficient soldiers ms could be found
in the service. Among these IT is pleas
ant to recall the memory of Lieutenant
Colonel Charles T. O'Farrell and Major
Gaines, noted for his courage, dash and
sasacfty as q scout. But Is this brigade
had been composed of Lees veterans,
so small were Its numbers that 1T could
have offered no effective resistance to
Sigcrs well equipped corps of some
six thousand men.
THE NEW oIARKET FIELD
IN PATH OF ENEMY
II Is needless TO enter into any con-
lecture as to the reasons of Sigers ad-
vance up the Valley; the propricty OF
IT liz plain enough to any, even semi
49,, nt,p r
the 18th OF May he had arrived In the
neighborhood OF New Market. about
ffty miles south of Winchester New
Market is village lying for three
quarters OF a mile along the VALLEY
turnpike. where considerable quaint
ty OF auartermasters and eommsssars
stores were coliected.s as we'll az other
materials of war During tho latter
days OF the war, residence there was by
no means pleasant The constant raids
and advances of the enemy. which most
frequently got that far. made II little
too lively for those whom the exigen-
ries OF the service had stranded there
IL WAS known that Sigel was near the
village. and every movable thing be-
longing to the Confederacy. as we'll as
much private property. such as horses
and cattle. was ready for a. fitting. Inn
boden'B batterS,of ar tillery was post cd
on a hill sohthw est OF; the Wills Sc, and
II J. Y
connoitertng party!of tho enemy. This
was mere show OF resistance and II
was generally understood that our peo-
pie, to use very expressive war phrase.
had to git"
Sunday morning, the 10Th Of May.
dawned bright on the magnificent land
scape. bounded east and west by the
North and Massanutter Mountains, and
the triumphant forces of tho enemy
were approaching, while sorrowfully
the noncombatant Confcder:atesS made
ready TO depart tNAs the morning ,ad-
vAnced 1t begun to be whispered that
Sigel was not to have altogether so
easy thing of 1t az had been antici-
pated. 1t was rumored that General
Breckenridge was on his way down the
Valley. and. though his force was small,
numbering, in fact. only about one-half
wonderful effect In Frightening up
our people. The country immedi lately
around New Market is but slightly and
gently undnla ting and almost bare of
forest. Never was a fairer chance Of
fered to witness the whole panoramic
progress OF fight The writer of this
happened to be near General Breckin-
ridge during much of the day, and Wit
messed pretty much every movement of
the battle. With all the anxiety of a
commander and the satisfaction he
must have felt as he saw his small
loECe, kTOH Tic very nFSI SnOut or
battle. press the enemy steadily back
and finally rout them. his face and
manner, from the first assault to the
moment when he sent his telegram to
the authorities at Richmond, telling of
a clear victory, was absolutely calm
and transformations 1t became neces-
sary for me to interrupt him while
debating his dispatch; though the Of
flee was thronged by n crowd of curl
Gus and excited people. he evinced no
Impotence. and the first word he said
to me was about tho comfort Of an
other person. These references to this
distinguished Confederate have carried
me lahead of the events OF the day
which have undertaken to relate
BOYS OF THE INSTITUTE:
ADD PATHOS TO BATTLE
The mere fact of soldiers going into
battle and being killed and one side
suffering & defeat had become so COM
mon thing by the spring OF 1854 as
hardly to make special reference to
such an event of Importance. The Pc
culiar feature that gave especial in
-terest to the battle of New Market was
the part taken In 1t by the boys of the
Virginia Military Institute, at Licking
ton. THE cradle and the grave" had
by that time supplied some recruits to
every regiment in the Confederate SER,
vice. but IT was reserved for the battle
of New. Market to be fought In part,
and in great part won. by bat
talon numbering about $50, composed
entirely of boys, with the exception of
n few officers:
Boys In their youthful prime,
Flowers OF "a radiant cline
Veterans in soul sublime,
Firm and undaunted.
When we remember that for many
years "Stonewall" jackson was a pro-
lessor In the military institute, it will
not be surprising that the eleves of
that institute bore conspicuous part
among the Confederate forces, especial
'ly those OF Virginia. The record is one
of which the institute and the State, as
we'll as it's excellent founder and SUI
perintendent, General f. II. Smith. may
well be proud. or the eleves of the in
stitute. ITO were killed or died in the
service, and these largely from profni-
nent families OF the State. 1t fur
,ntshed to the Confederate army several
distinguished major and brigadier-
generals or these, f72 died in the SER
vice. Eight were boys. killed in the.
battle of New Market " sts. q ~ ~ tessff