Year: 1862

1
would be surprising if an agile wary, always
on the alert foe, did not capture just such men
under just such circumstances.


To-day, party of three hundred cavalry
went to Leesburg about twenty miles from us.
across the Shenandoah Well, they too were
surprised! One hatless fellow came dashing in
TO town, saying only himself escaped, and he
was desperately wounded. Upon examination
however, it proved that his horse only bore
honorable scars. The blood upon his hands
and face, was that Of the horse alone.


In less than an hour four others came gal
ioping in saying nine had escaped, and nine
only! but all the afternoon squads came in and
tonight conductor in the b. g. r. r. says he
saw large squad of the same company at the
Point Of Rocks some twelve miles below the
town. Doubtless, in the morning, the remain
der of the troop, greatly to their own SURPRISE
Will find their way in. Notwithstanding the
panic and the excitement, can but laugh at
this burlesque upon modern warfare.


Now you see why want commission, and
desire company of women too old, and too
familiar with the world, to be easily surprised
by anybody or at anything.


With such squad the valley of the Shenan-
doah would be perfectly safe, and l would
pledge supplies of all kinds from its fertile
fields, for the support of the "Army of the Po-
tomac," as long as it chose to "keep quiet"


There! l feel somewhat better! see men
volunteering women toiling; stitching as it
were their life blood into shirts-and families
utterly desolated-and all with spontaniety
OF faith and feeling, worthy a martyr crown,
and all this sacrifice on the altar of patriotism
wasted because of the villainous cowardice, or
treachery OF - the Lord knows who. can
fully symipathize with the spirit OF the child,
who, being in the room with only relative
whohad offended her and kitten said, "There's
somebody in this room that wont go to heaven,
and faint you pussy! and 'taint Inc pussyw


Sure as you live, some of the people engaged
in this war, want to go nearer, even though
they do fortunately fall on the battle field


Whizz, bang, splizzl goes shell right over
our roof as l write. 1t is half past 10 o'clock,
and the camp lights are all out; yet keen eyes
on the mountain have discovered an enemy,
and the Parrot gun has spoken. will wait
and hear it again. There is no more sleep in
this town tonight. Hark the long-roll is
being beaten


w ednesday. A. M. We did sleep after all
As guessed, the remainder OF our surprised
Cavalry" came in last night with such hur-
rah, that they met with warm reception
from our fifty FOUNDER. Well, doubtless we
shall hava nd Of 4.
some time to come. What a pity that some of
our powder cannot be used as freely on our
enemy as upon our friends.


Alaughable incident has just occurred. One
Of our buildings, being few rods from our
kitchen. was taken possession of last night.
The guard brought in three sick men and put
them into one of the rooms, they being too i'll
TO do duty-as was supposed. This morning
the guard are on the search for the "poor. sick
soldiers" They came into my kitchen to find
them, saying thay had searehod the ulner
house through and through. That gun doubt
less operated electrically and the sick men
have undoubtedly found their legs and are
running yet.


The surprise on the face of the guard when
he found they had really gone, was ludicrous
1t reminded one Of scene in Winchester last
spring. A German Catholic woman died, and
as is the custom there, was placed in the
church over night Some villains, having no
regard for the feelings of the friends, removed
the body from the coffin and hid it. The next
morning the friends came in and seeing the
lid loose, exclaimed, "Nancy has risen and
started for home! head her off! head her OFF,
And they started in various directions to head
Off the home return of their deceased friend.
So with our guard, ten hours after their sick
men had flown. They are now trying to head
them off, and |, meanwhile, am concluding
they played sick, for fear of being obliged to
do duty. l hope they'll "head 'em off" though
AS close to the shoulders as the case will ad-
init, when they are caught.


1t is lovely morning, our guns are silent,
and our house will today be emptied of us as
occupants. If the enemy don't catch me with
my plumber, and don't think they will, anoth-
er morning will find us safe out of Dixie.


When l return with my regiment, and myself
duly commissioned as Brigadier will try and
surprise the enemy by one exploit, as emphat-
ically as they now seem to be surprising our
forces-see If don't!


If l write longer shall tell you more, so
had better stop. Yours, A. A. G.