The Washington herald., 1914-06-13

I The stand they had made cost them
their college building: for, finding that
shots had come from the college. Gen.
Hupter ordered the buildings bombarded
and burned.
Took washington's statue.
In Lexington the Federals found copies
of a proclamation by Gov. Letcher. of
Virginia, whose home was In the town.
calling upon the inha bitants to resist the
invaders. Under an order directed
against persons ''practicing or abettins
guerilla warfare Gen. Hunter ordered
Gov. Letchers home to be burned. The
mansion. with all its outbuildings, was
destroyed.
works in the neighborhood. and to six
canal barges laden with commissary
stores
In the hall OF Washington College-the
institution of which Robert f. Lee was
the president in the last years Of his
life-the soldiers found a handsome mar
Bile statue of the Father of His Country.
This was removed and was put into an
army wagon, though IL weighed several
hundred pounds. and was taken along
on a precarious journey that was to
end at Wheeling. The zeal OF the Fed
erals in thus laboriously taking away
lic was IOuuucu OH Ine
belief that II was In unworthy hands.
At Lexington Gen. Hunter halted a day
to wait for the return Of a division of
cavalry which. under Gen. A. n. Duffie.
had been sent over the Blue Ridge to
break the Charlottesville and Lynchburg
Railroad. The cavalry had struck the
railroad at Arlington Station, had cap
tured about 100 Confederates, including
seventeen officers. had cut the road and
telegraph and had destroyed two iron
furnaces.
They brought little definite news of
the enemy. His strength at Lynchburg
could not be ascertained.
Past Peaks of otter.
Gen. Hunter had learned from prison.
ers that Gen. Lee was sending a strong
force from his own army to hold Lynch
burg. The Federal commander now de-
termined to push on and test the truth
of the report.
On June 1S. cavalry under Gen. Averell
was sent forward to secure the bridge
across the James River at Buchanon,
twenty-five miles ahead. This was held
by enemy's cavalry under Gen. Nc
Causland, who retreated and burned the
bridge. The fire communicated to the
town, and the Federal cavalrymen served
as volunteers 10 quench the flames
After destroying several barges on the
James River Canal. laden with military
stores, the Federal cavalry kept on. On
the evening of June Il the infantry
column reached Buchanon.
The roads were now getting more and
more hilly, and progress was slow. Ahead
lay the serrated, deep blue Peaks of
Otter. rising above a vast expanse of
mountain slopes.
Early on June Is the march was re-
sumed. The way led steepiy UP the
and as the column advanced
the cleaning lines of bayonets could be
seen, winding In and out in the dark
forest, like parts of a great steel-clad
monster.
The enemy had felled trees across the
road and there were delays while these
were removed. An occasional shot was
fred at the head of the cavalry column.
but the infantry saw nor heard any
thing except themselves in the grandeur
Of the peaceful scene to suggest the ugli- |
ness and strife of war.
All day the column toiled over the |
with details OF men helping TO
draw the guns and the wagons In the |
steep places in the road. Occasionally |
4 wagon was lost over a precipice..
That night the read of the cavalry |
sncamped at Liberty, on the roalroad, |
twenty-four miles west OF Lynchburg. |
and the infantry in the mountain gap |
Sen. Hunter and his staff slept at a |
hotel in the pass and breathed with the |
pure, cool air hope that on the other |
;ide of the range lay victory.
Gen. Hunters attack on Lynchburg |
IND repulse will be described June 49,
Tomorrow. AIabsma's Command
Ter Challenges KearsarKe to Battle.
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