Year: 1863




There are very many incidente in the history
of the With Virginia which are worth calling to
mind. and may be remembered with pride and
pleasure. remember one, the particulars Of
which would probably occnpy too much space
for the history. f


Early in May, 1862, our regiment was at Pc
tersburg. in Hardy county, on the way to REIN
force Gen. Milroy. then in tight place in High
land county, sixty miles distant. We were on
the north side. of the South Branch of the Poto-
mac, and must cross the river to get to Frank
lin. The recent rains had swollen that stream
SO that it appeared impossible. We were then
under the command of Gen. Schenck On the
morning when we were to leave, the General
was down to examine the crossing. The river
was deep and swift, the bottom very rocky, and
it did not look as though brigade could cross
at all, certainly not without serious loss of bag
gage and government animals, and perhaps Of
the lives of somesof the men, The General de-
cided that we must wait one day. when the
crossing wouldjbe more practicable Our ener-
getic Colonel. zeigler, waited upon the General
and told hif IN many of his "boys" were RATS
men, used TO high waters. a go-ahead crowd
any how land begged permissionto attempt tho
crossing that-day>--He assured the General that
he really believed he could cross with his regi-
ment and train. The General replied that If
the crossing could be effected it would be of a
good deal of Importance, and IL Col Zeigler
felt sure he could make it. he might go ahead.
The Colonel gave the order and his men DID go
ahead. 1t WAS dangerous crossing. but by
o'clock that day the regiment and train were
all over, with the loss only of one wagon and
part of the harness The wagon master. 10.
Shepard. came near being drowned in his efforts
to save the wagon, but after swimming under
water between the horses legs and through the
wagon wheel, he came out right side up. We
were followed rapidly by the balance of the
brigade. and the next day were all on the march
towards franklin.


DuBeck's battery was in our brigade. Du-
Beck had fine lot Of high spirited horses
When the first gun was in the middle of the
river, the rough bottom and swift torrent rem
dered the horses unmanageabie. two were drown
ed and the Others cut loose and taken out. and
the esplendid IL pdr. was left in the river. None
of the officers could tell what should he done
except to abandon the enterprise for the day or
until the water had fallen. The 5th was biv-
ouacked on the other side they saw the EN-
barrassment Of the officers. and number Of
Co. B. boys with q shout rushed into the stream,
hanging by rope to support themselves in the
swift current. attached the rope to the gun and
in FIVE minutes had it safely on dry land. This
decided the work Of the day, The General
concluded TO get all over at once, and the coll
umn was in motion twenty-four hours sooner
than it would have been but for the prompt and
energetic work Of, the Fifth Va. And it was.
without any doubt. the promt efforts of this reg
iment that saved Gen. MiIrOy. He was in
critical situation, and If the reinforcement had
been ten hours later he and his whole command
would doubles have been captured. @. B. ".