Evening star., 1922-07-02
Hitherto Unpublished Story of Thrilling
CimI War Incident in Shenandoah Valley

| hhC udiuS u So Out anu close tHe
door. He then asked me what l
wanted and l told him that / had a
letter from Col. Mosby as well as
about a hundred letters from some
federal prisoners who were under
sentence to be hanged. l handed him
the letter and told him / had been
ordered to put them in his hands. and
had done SO. in spite Of the effort
of the officer near Pagebrook. Gen.
Custer at his headquarters. the pro-
vost marshal at Winchester. and fin
ally Gen. Russell. to get me TO give
them up to them.
He smiled and said that no man
could fail in his duty if he obeyed
his orders. He asked me to sit down
while he read the letter from Col.
Mosby
When he was through reading he
looked over the letters from the pris-
oners and then asked me whether l
Idid not think it was cruel and in
human to hang these men? l told
him certainly did. but that this exc
cution, as well as others that had
taken place on our side. was in re-
taliation for the same work on the
part of his men and that the latter
had started the whole wretched busi-
ness by executing the man in Front
Royal for ambushing the train.
HE asked me whether I did not
think it a breach of civilized war
fare for our men to have fired on the
train in the first place. and told
him that / did think 80 but for the
fact that it had been done under a
Misrepresentation and that the men
engaged in the ambush had no idea
the train contained anything but
suffers and supply wagons; that these
P men were simply trying 60 get a
chance to get some of the supplies
contained in the wagons by stamped
ing the wagon guard
"At this Gen Sheridan laughed and
remarked. Just like Mosby-always
looking for a chance to get at the
eatables.' l laughed a little also. for
there was some truth in what he said.
He asked me as to how i was able
to get to Winchester and | told him
fully: also about being fired on SO
briskly when / was waving a flag of
truce.
l"AT this he became very grave and
stated that there was no excuse
for such conduct. the only explana-
tion being the state of mind of Gen
Custer. always hot head. and his
men, who were% of the self-same
Michigan cavalry which had figured
in the Front Royal affair
However. he said that he would
see that nothing like that happened
again and complimented me on keep
ing on with my mission when I hao
every excuse for going back. I told
him that / wanted to GO back. but
could not get the faces of the prs-
oners out of my mind.
He got up. stuck out his hand to
me and complimented me on doing
what I had done and the way l felt
about II. He said I was to go to the
Taylor House, where / would be given
room and fed. and to wait there
till he sent for me. as he would haN
to communicate with Gen Grant be
fore he could answer the letter re-
ceived from Col. Mosby. He bid me
, goodbye. shook hands again. called
in the guard as well as one OF his
aids. and told the latter that I was
to be put up at the Taylor House.
and. turning to me, said. of course.
. with the understanding that YOU will
. give me your word not to leave Win
chester without my permission !
: gave 1t.
It was fed. wined and dined, as well
as visited and talked with by officers
of all grades until the next day. when
, about II o'clock I was sent for to
report at Gen. Sheridans headquar-
! ters
The general had a letter addressed
| to Col. Mosby and sealed, and he said
/. he wanted me to deliver it. He said
{ that he would send an escort of cav
, airy with me as far as Millwood in
order to protect me from annoyance
: by the federal troops. for feeling
, against Mosby and his men was run
ming high at that time. He asked
me IL 1 could guarantee that the
escort would not be attacked when
Millwood was reached. and although
I had Col Mosby's word that none OF
5 our men would be allowed on the
, west side of the Senandoah river
until my mission was finished one
: way or another. l did not think 1t
, necessary to tell the general this
I fact, and therefore told him that L
, could not guarantee the escor.
, against a sudden attack II the two
parties met on the road and before L
, could stop our men. He said that
, was true enough. l told him that il
/ he would send ne with small escort
to Berryville l would guarantee that
/ they would meet none of our men
going around in that way and that
we would miss any federal troops.
as Gen. Chapman Of the federal army
! was at Kennon's Shop with his bri-
, gade and we would not run into them,
: for they were three miles north of
j lBerryville. Gen. Sheridan smiled and
) asked me how 1 knew where Gen.
Chapman was. but l also smiled and
: said nothing.
) after agreeing to ~ proposal he
, bid me goodbye and 1t was not long
before I was back at Paris with the
, answer to the coloners letter. The
escort treated me like a prince all
the way and we had quite time OF
1t, for they had more than one bottle
/ NJ chamnaRne and put three in my