Frank M. Myers

“ It is true, that in passing what is known as the "Shades of Death"—a dark and gloomy gorge in the Shenandoah Mountain, which is shadowed to twilight gloom even at noonday, by the rocky wall which on either side is covered with the hemlock, the cypress and the towering white pine—the advance guard had skirmished with and captured a few of the “Swamp Dragons,” as they termed themselves, but at Evansville bands of armed men, in hunting shirts, could be seen on all the mountain crags, viewing from a safe distance the army of rebels, lying quietly in their country ”

“ Myers to “send some men down there to stir up those fellows,” and a party of half a dozen was instructed to ride down and drive away the pickets below Paris. This party went down, and making a dash drove the picket out of sight over the hill, but in an instant was seen coming back at full speed, while along the hills, a blue line of infantry, deployed as skirmishers, sprang up as if by magic and advanced at a quick march towards the Gap, and in the pike beyond, at least a brigade was seen marching in the same direction. ”

“ About dark the command of White reached the main army, which was still wearily plodding along the muddy road towards Lynchburg, and now the brigade lay in line of battle until midnight, waiting for the slow-moving train to pass, while less than a mile away the camp-fires of Grant’s army shone brightly through the gloom of that dismal night. ”

“ There is no attempt either to conceal or parade the grief we, as Confederate soldiers, felt at the furling of the “conquered banner.”
“For though conquered, we adore it,
Love the cold, dead hands that bore it.” But while we do love so dearly the battle-flag of “Dixie,” we regard it only as the emblem of the “storm-cradled nation that fell,” and as the winding-sheet of its dead and buried glory, over whose gloomy tomb the brave, true-hearted men of the southland have raised a monument of noble deeds, which will defy malice, oppression, and time. ”

“ Two hours after the last wagon had passed, the old Valley brigade marched silently along in rear of the whole army, but it was as slow as ever, for the rain was again falling, and the bottom of the road sinking deeper and deeper beneath the mud, so that, although the enemy had rested during the hours of darkness, their advance was up with the Confederates by 9 o’clock on the morning of the 7th, and the latter, who had toiled on through all the weary night, were forced to renew and continue the same old story of turning at bay on every hill along the route. ”

“ Shortly after sunrise White’s battalion marched down to the line which Gen. Hampton had fortified, and found the dismounted men quietly lying behind the hastily thrown up piles of rails which stretched along the side of a hill that rose gradually from a creek, both flanks protected by heavy woods with thick undergrowth, and the country in front perfectly clear as far as their rifles would reach. The artillery was posted on the high ground along the road, and could command fully half the circle around them, in fact, it was a splendid position in which to receive an attack ”

“ White himself was naturally much better qualified for the stirring and active life of a partisan, whose parade ground is the enemy’s picket line and wagon camp, than to command the choicest body of troops behind the army lines; and experience gives as a rule, that as the Colonel is, so is the regiment, and it is one that holds good under all the circumstances of the camp, the march and the battle-field. ”

“ Shortly after the firing ceased Maj. White, with a party of his men, crossed the river again, and found the mountain road literally running with blood, while the dead lay thick along it, and the busy ambulances, as they carried their mangled freight to the rear, left a trail of blood on the ground. The fight was over, for while moving the wounded and dead, the Yankees continued to take their sound and live ones back too. ”

“ About twenty bridges and tunnels on the Baltimore and Ohio and North Western Rail Roads had been destroyed, and the Southern sympathizers, of that country for a time relieved from the domineering rule which invariably characterized the home-made Yankee, wherever he had the power to annoy his Southern neighbor, and finding by this raid that it was not as impossible as they had thought, for the Confederate troops to come among them, these tories took the lesson to heart and acted more like men towards the people who differed with them in opinion and feeling, than before. ”

“ Most of White’s men pushed on after the cavalry, who were finely mounted, but they had been on the run while the others were losing time in the camps, and were, of course, too far gone to overtake, and the battalion rallied in the town, where the citizens gave them all they wanted, and more, so that in a little while all who ever did indulge in the ardent were in a half-horse, half wild-cat condition, and each man imagined himself to be the greatest hero of the war ”

“ October 2d.—Marching all day through the mountains, along the James river and canal, and it is worth a whole year of life to ride for the first time through this wildly picturesque country, but for the men who love the mountains as we do, and have not so much as seen them for five months, it is more than glorious to find ourselves in their very heart. ”

“ The 13th Virginia infantry was lying on the railroad, and White’s boys gathered on the bank of the river, when soon, in the distance, appeared the most singular looking affair any of them had ever seen on a railroad track. It was a train of cars certainly, but high up over the locomotive was built an affair that looked very much like a barn, being made of plank and very long.
The general impression of the men at first sight was that it was a contrivance from which the Yankees could fire at any rebels they might discover, and thus keep the track clear ”

“ Those raw men didn’t know anything at all about being whipped, and had no idea of anything but killing all the Yankees in sight, to which interesting occupation they bent all their energies, and made their rail piles look as if they were on fire, so incessantly did they burn their powder. ”

“ The Yankees were driven over the field and about a hundred yards into the woods, where they met fresh troops coming up, and White’s people were in turn compelled to retire, but rallying at the edge of the woods, they again charged upon the overwhelming forces of the enemy, and not only checked their advance, which was all the Colonel hoped to do, but completely routed them and drove their demoralized line for half a mile through the pines. ”

“ I can lead my own men, all I want is a guide;” and Col. Hunton turned to White, saying, "Lige, my boy, won’t you go with them?" which settled the question of a guide, and “Lige” rode forward in front of the Mississippians, soon finding himself between two fires, the foe in front and friends behind; but the Yankees soon gave way, leaving a splendid brass 24-pounder rifle gun as a trophy to the gallantry of the noble 18th Mississippi. This closed the battle, and Col. Hunton again sent “Lige” on a scout to the left to see what the enemy was doing in that direction. ”

“ The dense body of timber through which they had to pass was all on fire, and the dead pine trees 274were momentarily falling like flaming columns around them, with dark masses of smoke draping the wild scene as if Nature had thrown a funeral pall over the withering tide of desolation which contending armies were sweeping athwart the land, while along the Rail Road to our right, as we marched, we knew the Yankee line of battle was waiting. ”

“ The Yankees poured a heavy fire upon them from their carbines, but Company B was moving at a gallop and on the lowest ground, so that most of the bullets flew over the heads of the men, while those that were low enough only tore their clothes or wounded their horses, and the fact that Cole’s men had not been drilled to fight at sabre’s length was soon evident, for the moment that Crown’s boys gained their side of the creek the Yankees broke, and notwithstanding the efforts of one of their officers fled like sheep from hungry wolves. ”

“ After getting all the men together, and taking plenty of time to secure the plunder they wished to take away, the Colonel marched his battalion to Loudoun, and encamped near the Blue Ridge, above Hillsborough, where his people enjoyed themselves finely until the order came calling them to join their General, who was now leading the advance of Lee’s army through Maryland and opening the way for the brilliant but fruitless campaign in Pennsylvania. ”

“ In a few minutes the enemy’s column appeared in the road just above the town, and on the instant, the little howitzer blazed forth its “thus far and no farther,” in the shape of a three-second shell, which exploded precisely in the right place, killing and wounding several men and horses, and causing the remainder to retire in great confusion, which was increased by the fire of Grabill’s infantry.
Before the gun could be reloaded the Yankees were out of range, and the fight over, for Gen. Pleasanton took up his line of march for the Potomac at once. ”

“ For two days the battalion was on picket in this country and during that time the men were constantly picking up the scattered raiders and negroes, who were wandering in the pines almost starved and yet too much afraid of the Rebels to come out of the woods. They had passed through a fiery ordeal during the raid, having been badly whipped by militia at Staunton river, then cut up severely by W. H. F. Lee at Blacks and Whites, and in endeavoring to escape at Reams’ had been met by Fitz Lee’s cavalry and worse handled than before. ”

“ The army lay quiet all day, and the next moved towards Port Republic, encamping near the old Church at Cross Keys. Some of the men became very impatient at the constant and rapid marching, and one of them asked Gen. Jackson, as he passed along the column, where he was going to fight the Yankees. The General, with a half smile, replied, "We’ll fight them in Brown’s Gap," and the soldiers at once became exceedingly interested in that place, continually asking each other “how“how far it was to Brown’s Gap. Would the Yankees follow them there?” ”

“ The Yankee force in the road was driven back for two hundred yards, but the flank firing compelled the battalion to retire, and now the whole Confederate line, from the Valley pike to the back road, gave way, and what had before been a boasting advance of Rosser’s men, turned into a shameful rout and stampede which continued for several miles, although only a comparatively small force of the enemy pursued. ”

“ General Rosser moved forward about half a mile and halted to wait for a demonstration which General Gordon, who now commanded all that was left of “Stonewall” Jackson’s old corps, had arranged to make with his infantry, in order to draw Sheridan’s force towards the left, and about 7 o’clock the signal was given in the rattling rifles of Gordon’s men, who had followed Lee and Jackson through victory after victory, from Manassas, where they had made “Stonewall” immortal, to fire their last shot and lay down their arms in surrender at Appomattox Court-house. ”

“ After listening for some time to the manner in which each division of Lee’s army was tied up by a stronger force from the other side, “Stonewall” ventured the remark, "But suppose Jackson’s army should move from the Valley and strike McClellan in flank and rear while he is engaging Lee in front." “Oh,” said the Major, "there’s no danger of that, Jackson has been badly crippled in his engagements in the Valley, and is now hemmed in closely by Fremont’s army, so that he can’t move." “But,” persisted the Confederate, “suppose he should getaway and come to Richmond.” ”

“ This opened the eyes of the men to the fact that they now had something more than militia to deal with, but no one imagined that it was anything but the army of Hooker, which had been beaten on the Rappahannock, and no people were ever in finer spirits than those who had followed the stars and bars to Pennsylvania. ”

“ White laughed and shook himself, exclaiming "I golly! I believe I’m demoralized myself;" and every man there felt that they would be willing to exchange places 270with the famous Light Brigade at Balaklava even, for literally the guns volleyed and thundered on the right, left and front of that little band which was standing—and dying—at ease, without an opportunity to strike a blow or shelter themselves from the murderous fire that was literally ploughing the whole field with cannon shot. ”

“ White’s company was in splendid condition, the ranks full, the horses thriving and the men all 70armed equal to any cavalry in the army, and all they wanted was for their Captain to come up and take command again. While at Mount Meridian Gen. Jackson had divine service regularly, and appointed times for praise and thanksgiving to the God of battles who had crowned his arms with victory; while from all around our borders came news of Confederate successes, and rumors that foreign nations had recognized the independence of the Southern Confederacy. ”

“ Henry and his party forced them to surrender, after which, by blowing a horn, yelling, firing, and other equally characteristic operations, they induced the people in the neighborhood to believe that they were the crazy advance guard of an army of lunatics about to be turned loose upon the country, and securing whatever of rations they wanted, the scouts returned with their prisoners to camp without being molested by the “Dragons,” a performance which no other man than Henry Simpson could have accomplished. ”

“ However, it is not with the Stuart Horse Artillery that we have to deal now, and to return to the 35th Battalion. As soon as the artillery had checked the enemy, the Colonel commenced to rally and form his people in rear of the battery as a support to it, but no one thing in the duty of an officer is harder to accomplish than to form broken troops under such a fire as now swept this same old field of sedge. All the regiments of the brigade were trying it, and with about equal success. ”