Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-11-27
Tho Battle At Myerstown.

er at Myerstown, this county, between
a detachment of Union cavalry under
Captain Richard Blazer on the one
side and a party Of Mosby's Conteder-
ate daredevils in command OF Capt. A.
E. Richards on the other. The fol-
lowing sketch was prepared by DR..
George A. Davis, who was little boy
at the time, and was printed in a re-
cent issue OF the Charles Town Advo-
cate:
DR.. Davis at that time lived on the
Harris farm, half mile southeast OF
Myerstown, where the fighting began.
Capt. Blazer with about 80 picked men
from Shedidan's army was sent to this
section to put an end to operations by
Mosby and his men, who had given
the Union commanders no end OF
trouble by attacking wagon trains and
smaller detachments Of the Union
forces in the lower Shenandoah Valley.
All morning on November lS, 1864, the
two hostile commands, Blazers and
Mosby's, had followed each other in a
circle about Kabletown, each apparent
ly maneuvering for position.
Capt. Richards selected position on
the Harris farm directly south OF
strip of timber adjoining the road from
Myerstown to Myers Ford on the riv-
er, believing that it offered the most
favorable place for try-out. Here's
DR.. Davis report Of it:
Capt. Blazer had been in the neigh
borhood several days before the fight,
a part of the time being at our house.
On the morning Of November lS he
asked my mother to bake him some
pies. Our household consisted Of my
mother, two cousins, sister, myself
and a colored woman. Before the
pies were baked, a courier rode up to
the house and called Capt. Blazer out,
saving he was wanted on urgent ousl-
ness. "We have struck some OF Mos
bys men on the river road" ne said,
"and we are driving them toward
Johnson's factory" Capt. Blazer told
my mother he would soon be back to
get his pies. She told him ne would
have to be careful or Mosby would get
him. "No fear" he assured her, I'VE
are better equipped than they are arid
it will only be brush and will soon DC
over"
All remained quiet till about lO.o'
when we saw Mosby's men filing into
one of our fields near a strip Of woods
about 200 yards from the Myerstowr
and river road. There were about lOc
OF them. Several men from among
them were sent further back to throw
gaps in the fences through which tc
retreat if this happened to be neces
sary. Mosby's men formed four deeI
in a depression in the field. II was no
long before we saw Blazer with hi
men coming through The timber, tn
men dismounted, leading their horses
They evidently intended to use loni
range rifles with their horses or tn
trees for their protection. At sign
Of Mosby's men, Blazer evide ntly CAV
the order to mount their hors 'es. BE
fore all of them could get in tn cir sad
dies Capt. Richards ordered HI S me
to charge. In an instant Mosby's' me
were among the enemy, using r,'''o
vers with fine effect. Then ems w
one OF the most decisive small bait. 'e'
OF the war Blazer and those of h.;
men who remained in their saddles a
ter the first onslaught started hea
| long retreat out Of the woods on TO the
road in the direction OF Myerstown
1t was all over before we realized it.
In the course OF ar hour or two.
Mosby's men came back with their
prisoners, among them being Capt
Blazer himself, whom sgd Ferguso'
had captured near the farm home O.
Dan Hehebower, not far from Rippon
One private by the name Of Keith dice
at our house. Puryear, one OF Mos
| by's men, who had been held a pris-
oner in the Blazer party for day OF
two and had been unhumanly treated by
one 1t. Cole, who was chased by Pur
year who shot him at the Myersto r
blacksmith shop. Cole died at the
home Of Joseph Myers in Myerstowr
shortly after being carried in there
Puryear had told Cole he would gel
him for trying to hang him in order tc
| extort war secrets from him.
Only five Of the 80 rnen with whom
Capt. Blazer went into the field cs.
capped death or captur c. 1t vas The
most complete victory 81 the war. O
all the many engagements IN thi:
county, this fight ranlred third in tht
number Of casualties, the battles a
Bolivar Heights and Cement Mill be-
ing the two where more men were
killed.
Capt Blazer won the respect OF th'
civilian population about KabEetown
He told the people he never made wa
on women or children. After the wa
he was elected sheriff OF Beln1on
county, Ohio, bordering on the river
AS sheriff he was required to tax
charge Of steamboat which had to b
put under quarantine because Of a
outbreak Of yellow fever among mel n
bers OF the crew, the boat having ju S
returned from "trip TO the lower Mis-
sissippi, where tn fever was epidemic
The disease attac ked the sheriff and h:
died from il.
Blazer was a brave man, as were al