Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/298

 -90 Southern Historical Society Papers.

TELLS OF THE ATTACK.

From Dr. Price's diary the following explanation is given of the attack on Philippi:

Saturday was the first day of June, 1861. On the second day of June there was an open-air preaching service for the Virginia soldiers in Philippi. At the conclusion of the service two young ladies, a Miss Mollie Kerr and a Miss Mollie McLeod, rode hurriedly into Philippi on horseback, and asked at once to be shown to Col. Porterfield's headquarters. These youn^ l-adies by some means had come in possession of the plans of the Northern generals, and knew when the attack was to be made on the Virginians.

The homes of these young ladies were down near Fairmount, and on Saturday by some means they had discovered the plans of the Federals, and under trying circumstances on Sunday had come to Philippi to tell Col. Porterfield that the plan was either to attack him Sunday night or Monday morning. Col. Porter- field at once gave the order to be ready to march at 5 o'clock P. M., and Dr. Price here narrates: "When the troops were promptly in marching order Sunday evening, June 2, 1861, in- structions were given to eat supper and await further orders. The officers in charge of the pickets and scouts were directed to bring all in by midnight, and if it was not raining the march to Beverley would begin. The scouts reported at 12 o'clock and the pickets were withdrawn, and so from midnight on neither videttes nor pickets were on duty.

"It was raining in torrents, and Captain Sterrett, of the Churchville Cavalry, had supposed, from the character of the instructions received by him, that it was his duty to await further orders, and so did Captain Stofer, officer in charge of the pickets.

"In the meantime the Union troops were advancing unobserved and unmolested, and prepared for the attack at dawn. The first intimation the Virginians had of the Union men's ap- proach was the firing of artillery from an eminence beyond the bridge on the opposite side of the river from the cavalry camp.

"It appeared that the Unionist had adopted this plan of as-