Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1921-02-18
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
(By. j. w. Bakery
BoisSevanc. Va Fob

Dear MIR. Editor:
The purpose of Jackson's Valley
cnmpnign WIS 70 threaten Washing
toll that rc;nforcements might not be
sent to Mcclellan at Richmond. In
tins 1T was great success. Forty or
ifty thousand soldiers prepared for
the attack on Richmond were detain-
ed for the defense of the capitol or
kept in the Valley.
About the middle of May from our
camp near Thoroughfare Gap we
took the road between the river and
the Blue Ridge Mountains. Silently
and rapidly we made our way = to
Front Royal, surprising the enemy.
We soon routed the whole force, cap
turing some. Then we marched with
great speed, across the country to a
point Oh the Valley pike not far from
Middletown. Before we got there our
people had cut their train, and cap
tured lot of stuff Then to Win
chester, where great amount of
war material fell into our hands.
From this point we followed Banks
to Harpers Ferry. Soon after our
arrival our guns were throwing shells
into the town, and when we were
looking for orders to assault the
place, there came Il runner with or
ders for us to get into the Valley
pike at once. Then it was that Gen.
Jackson first got news Chat the en-
cry were making desperate efforts
to trap him. The Shenandoah river
was booming and only one bridge
about one hundred miles up the
liver. Fremont. Milroy, Shields were
much nearer that bridge than we
were. Why they did not join forces
there and make the fight of thci.
lives | do not know to this day.
When we got well in the pike, do
ing good work, an aide of Gen. Jack
son, without q halt, told us that the
Gen. wanted us to be good to him
and march every foot we could that
day. That night our regiment rested
thirty five miles from Harpcrs
Ferry. The next morning before day
we were on our way to Strasburg.
There we took the Capon Spring
road due north to n gap in the AL
ieghany Mountains, with orders to
hold that gap Mt all costs. We found
Fremont there ready to come thru.
We put up big bluff, played the
game as if we held all the winning
cards, when he had only seven or
two and some trays.
Sand pays if. you have enough
We held the gap all day and until
about ten o'clock at night. Then we
were told that near thirty miles of
wagon train-including rail road
engine captured on the c. & o., and
all the army had passed up the val
ley and we were left out in the cold
We soon got to the pike and march
cd all night. AT day break we halt
ed to rest and eat cracker or two.
Few men were up when we halted
but after an hour or two more came
struggling i'll. Flesh and blood has its
limits. That day or the next We saw
Turner Ashby on the pike. He was
doing all he could to save the sick,
the exhausted. the helpless. He loved
that work. Worn to FRAGILE, half
starved, we reached Cross Keys.
All this time Fremont was at our
heels. AT this last place he so crowd
cd us that three or four regiments
were sent to drive him back.
One of the colonies was utterly
and inefficient. Seeing this !
Turner Ashby rode forward and led
the regiment to victory, but it cost
him his life. Then great and grand !
man offered his life upon the altar.
AT this time we were on the road to
see the captured as they were brought
in. Bob Wheat, the tiger battalion
man, stood near me.
AT the head of the first group,
walked an immense giant of a man,
with long, heavy ruby colored mus
tache. When he got opposite Bob
Wheat said "Hcllo Percy"-the re.
spouse was "Howdy Bob" This man
was Sir Percy Windham. He and
Wheat had fought in Italy under
Garibaldi. The last time | heard of
Sir Percy he was in New York and
had thrown waiter through a
window to the pavement below. He
must have been drunk.
The next day at Port Republic we
fought the gang, except Shields who
was on the other side of the river. |
There was a hill near the bridge. On
this hill were placed a lot of guns
overlooking the bridge and both
sides of the river. The 18th Va. was
selected to support this artillery.
From our position we saw the whole
fight. The scene was magnificent
finer.