Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 28.djvu/104

 98 Southern Historical Society Papers.

[From the Richmond, Va, Dispatch, July, 1900.]

THE BARN-BURNERS.

A Chapter of Sheridan's Raid up the Valley.

MUCH FIRE BUT LITTLE FIGHTING.

Scouting in Rear of the Enemy -Close Calls and Hair-breadth Escapes Interestingly Related by a Participant.

In September, 1864, Sheridan advanced up the Valley of Virginia as far as Harrisonburg. Here he lay perhaps two weeks or more, falling back on the morning of the sixth of October, burning everything before him every barn, mill, or other structure contain- ing food for man or beast, driving before him on all roads from mountain to mountain all the live stock that could be found, thus ex- ecuting that famous order which was intended to make this section a waste, which a crow could not fly over without carrying his rations with him.

BEHIND THE LINES BEFORE THE BURNING.

While Sheridan occupied Harrisonburg, his wagon-trains and their escorts were constantly harrassed along the Valley pike by a small, impromptu troop led by the gallant Captain John Q. Winfield, of Broadway. This handful of men was composed of members of sev- eral cavalry commands, who happened to be on furlough or cut off by Sheridan's advance. Some of these were McNeill's men, a num- ber of them were Linvill's Creek boys the Pennybackers, Bow- mans, Shoups, Sites, Shovvalter's, Houck's, of Harrisonburg; the Ackers, one of them being the stalwart Jake Acker, kindhearted and gentle and true, but when aroused, brave beyond prudence.

Rendezvousing always by appointment somewhere toward the Valley pike, they broke ranks every evening, and retired for the night about the mouth of Brock's Gap, out of the way of scouting parties of the enemy.

One day we hung on the flank of a wagon-train all the way from Mount Jackson up to Tenth Legion, but the train guard was strong and kept too well closed for assault. We usually had twenty-odd men. At another time we made a dash on a train and guard of ap-