Year: 1863

Editors InteEEigeneer


A day or two since as we we're on our road
home from Cumberland fell in company
with one of the soldiers that was engaged
in the battle at Msrtinsburg. He told me
several things that will perhaps interest
your readers. had not proposed making
known the facts stated by our travelling
companion until l arrived at home and
friend showed me a paper containing an
inquiry: "What has become of Maulsby's
batteryH" Mr.. William French, our in
formant, Is a cavalry man and had been al
Martinsburg for some time previous to the
engagement on the 18th of June, and es-
capped from there to Harper's Ferry with
most of his company. ae said they had
been expecting the enemy for several days
and chad orders to prepareto march at any
time, which order we obeyed. We slept
op-our arms, when we did sleep, for. two
or three days and nights. We expected to
have been attacked Saturday evening but
the enemy did not make their appearance
until Sunday morning. Gen. Tyler was
in command of our force and We felt every
confidence in his judgment. The enemy
sent in flag of truce to as to surrender
the city but General Tyler refused to do so.
All day we were skirmishing, Tyler COM
manding the infantry and cavalry, and Col.
Smith the artillery. Our force did not ex-
coed thirteen hundred, while that of the
enemy could not have been less than Eve
thousand in the first place, and was after
wards reinforced by not less than ten or
fifteen pieces of artillery. Gen. Tyler saw
the necessity Of our forces retreating and
accordingly gave command to the infantry
and cavalry to retreat to Harper's Ferry,
and told Colonel Smith to command the
battery to retreat but from some cause he
failed to do so. Some half hour afterward
General Tyler, in person, told Capt. Mauls-
by, whose battery was engaged, to retreat
after firing q few rounds to confuse the
the enemy. Accordingly they attempted
to do SO, but they found the city full of
gray backs crying surrender, which of
course they refused 70 do. Being deserted
by both infantry aud cavalry some half
hour before, they were in rather q bad fix
but they would not surrender. IL was fight
or die or be taken prisoner, which is pretty
near as bad. heard General Tyler say
the next day that he never saw men 6ght
so in his life. The Captain was wounded
in getting out of town but would not de-
sert his boys till the last when he was faint
with loss of blood; his horse was shot
through the neck but he succeeded in max
ing bis escape. a3-s.


"a Lieutenant from Williams post told
MS next day that he saw him at that place
en- route for Harrisburg. Subsequently
We learned that most Of the men escaped
but a number of them were taken prison
ers." ~


We were shoWn,s letter from one of
Aaulsby's men yesterday, and are permit
ted to give you an extract:


DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER lit Was with
heartfelt gratitude that received your
kind letter OF the 18th. 1t was the frst
received from you since our defeat at Mar
tiusburg, of which told in my letter to
you on my arrival at aarpsr's Ferry. We
left that place by order on the second
Of this month for this city. We had q
hard time of 1t, ct least we thought so.


We travelled by railroad, by canal and on
foot for several days, making a cucuitous
route by Philadelphia In order 70 keep out
of the enemy's way as much as possible.
We had nothing to eat except crackers and
water, as our supplies were cut Of but
most of Us had money so we provided for
ourselves. We had never known what
hard times WAS before that trip. Our
captain, who had always been with as be-
fore to attend to our wants, was wounded
and suffering far away from us, not know
ing whether We were provided for or not
Father We missed our captain do assure
you. He never let boy of his suffer for
anything when he bad money, no difference
where we were. But q soldier must not
complain, and thank God Il Is no worse
with Us than it ia. We lost all Of oar
guns but one. We saved eighty horses in
aIl-and several other things belonging 70
the battery that cannot name. We fought
hard to save them all, but did not succeed.
II we had to retreat we do not feel our-
selves disgraeed, for We know we did our
duty to the last. ne are expecting 70 be
ct Wheeling or Ciarsksburg soon 70 recruit
up and capture some guns from the rebs
for those they took from u.s. Lieutenant
Herr received to-day list Of the names
both Of the wounded and prisoners, which
perhaps you would ike % see, so will
send them 20 you; also q list of the names
Of those here Belonging to our ba ttery.


Father aad mother be of good comfort,
the war will soon be over now aud then
We will Paat M hnma In naaea We iii