Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1922-09-12
MILITARY OPERATIONS IN
JEFFERSON COUNTY.

veterans, extracts from which we
will give from time to time.)
Smith6eld.
On the 18th of August, 1876 !.
Early's cavalry that had been To-
Gated near Charles Town, was driven
back through Middleway and COM
PEELED to cross the Opequon, Fitz Lee
retreating towards Brucetown and
Lomax towards Bunker Hill.
The enemy occupied Middleway,
where they burned several barns and
houses. 10 put stop to this fend-
lsh work Ramsey crossed the
Opequon and drove back the Federal
cavalry. General Early also crossed
the Opequon with infantry and ar
tillery and drove the federals from
some rude works they had construct
ed In front of the town.
he then returned to camp over
the Opequon leaving the cavalry be-
hind. The enemy attacked this later
IN the afternoon and drove them
back across the stream. There was
considerable loss in these actions.
In February, 1864, General Rosser
with all his command except a small
portion which were picketing the
outposts down the valley, was west
OF the mountains on his celebrated
cattle raid.
Captain Kearney, with part of
his company engaged in picket duty
at the time, and being relieved too
late to join Rosser, asked permission
to make scout to jefferson. The
request was granted. He got to-
gether nineteen of his company and
started, early on the 4th of February
1864, from New Market; and by 2
a. m. of the fifth, eighteen of his
men were hidden in the pines and
cedars along the pike, short distnce
north of Smithfield
A picket was placed on the Charles
Town pike, and one on the Shep-
herdstown pike, with instructions to
report in haste, the approach of the
enemy, and count the number, if
possible. 1t was known that every
day squad came from Shepherds
town or Kearneysville on that pike
to Smithfield, and battalion came
from Charles Town three times each
week. About sunrise, both pickets
came at gallop, and reported that
% federals were advancing from
Kearneysville. Kearney kept nine
in charge of sergeant, down a back
street, to meet in the centre of the
town; and he started these nine
moment ahead to allow for distance.
Just at this stage, with the nine gone
on their mission, some one exclaimed
Look there on the Charles Town
pike, there comes the BATTALION"
which unfortunately, was true.
Kearney, equal to the emergency,
said, "boys, we will charge through
the yanks in the town, but don't
STOP" Forward and away we went.
We were on them so suddenly, and
| the surprise was so great, that nearly
| all surrendered without a shot, not
knowing that several hundred of
their own men were at hand. We
had not time to disarm them. A few
took our direction ahead of us; and
as soon as we passed those in the
street, they, seeing he situation, with
the whole battalion, gave chase, and
began firing with their carbines, kill
ing one of our best men, David Hoff-
man. The squad that tried to escape
ahead of us on Main street had one
killed and several wounded. Two of
our squad, wanting remount,
stopped long enough to disarm and
dismount two yanks, and, taking as
they thought, a near cut to overtake
the company, were captured. The
horses would not jump fences.
We were thirty-five miles outside
our lines. A ruse saved the rest of
the company. The Major inquired,
| Il, haI 4lo+
command the reb thought quick
ly, 'the truth will be the best
answer" and replied, Eighteen,
"you are lying, he said, Eighteen
men would not come SO far out of
their lines; and he would not fol-
low.
Our horses were nearly worn out
from hard service and the long ride
from New Market the day and night
before, they could have easily over
taken, at least, some of the men.
Our scout was a failure, as was
Captain Baylor's the year previous.
II February 18th, 1868, 81 men of
the Twelfth Pennsylvania cavalry
were scouting in that section, and SO
was Baylor with 10 of his company.
Baylor completely surprised and
routed them, killing four, wounding
three, capturing seven men and II
horses. But on their return south
of Charles Town, they encountered a
large body of federal cavalry, and
lost all they had captured, and Bay
lor and two of his men were made
prisoners.
In August, 1862, Lieutenant Rouss
and Baylor, with seventeen men,
captured seventeen yankees with
their horses and equipments COM
plete, in the Main street of Smith
field, not losing man.
MARKER NUMBER THIRTEEN
An Account by Col. Harry Gilmor of
His Fight with Somers Near
Summit Point.
About the close of September,
| 1868, l took SO men from my camp
at Mt Jackson with the intention of
crossing the Potomac to capture a
lot of government horses and mules
which my scouts had reported to be
grazing in the neighborhood of Hag-
erstown. Their picket lines extend
ed to and beyond Charles Town,