Visit of a Confederate cavalryman to a Federal General's headquarters.
by Robert W. North.
In the summer of 1862, Ashby's brigade was encamped below Harrisonburg, about two miles distant from the town, on the Valley Pike. One Friday morning I was feeding my horse, when Lieutenant Rouss, company B, Twelfth Virginia cavalry, ordered me to report to Headquarters of the regiment.Upon my reporting to the adjutant, he informed me that I was to be the safe-guard to a captured Federal surgeon; that I must report in an hour, armed and mounted, and that I was to protect him from any violence while he was inside of our lines. He said that the surgeon was expected to take care of himself while traveling the fifty miles of neutral ground that lay between our pickets and those of the enemy. On my return to the company, I told the men that I was going to Winchester with a Yankee surgeon, and that if they had any letters they wanted sent home, now was their opportunity. The homes of a great number of our company were inside the enemy's line, and such an opportunity to write home was eagerly seized. In an hour my haversack was pretty well filled with letters, and I was ready to accompany the surgeon.
In conversation with the surgeon, I found out that he was Dr. Franklin, of the First New York mounted rifles; that he had been captured between Front Royal and Winchester by Captain Myers's company of the Seventh Virginia, and that General Robertson had ordered him to be sent back to the Federal lines. He was greatly suprised when he found that I had no pass or even verbal permission to go beyond our lines; and upon my representing to him that the country between the lines was filled with irregulars, to whom anything or anybody in blue [536] was lawful prey, he was greatly troubled, and insisted on my accompanying him to Winchester. I consented to do this, but before I would consent, he pledged his word, as an officer and a man, that I should return unharmed.
We came to our pickets about three miles below New Market. Jim Templeman, Company I, Twelfth Virginia, being on picket, and no officer or other soldier being with him, no difficulty was opposed to our passing. That night we staid at Woodstock, he putting up at Schaeffer's hotel, and I with some friends. As he had got outside the Confederate lines he felt more independent, and before we reached Winchester he acted as if he were protecting me, and had become my safeguard. About the middle of the afternoon we came to the pickets, which we passed without any hindrance. They were just in the edge of the town, a cavalry vidette being on the hill north of them. I remember well that the Sixth Ohio (infantry) was on picket. I met many acquaintances, among them the Logans, Rev. Mr. Eggleston, of the Methodist Church, and the family of Dr. Murphy. We stopped only a few minutes in the town, that the doctor might buy a few cigars. On our way to General Piatt's Headquarters, we fell in with some mounted artillerymen, and it was amusing to see how anxious Dr. Franklin was to prevent their giving me any information, and how determined they seemed to tell all they knew.
We soon reached General Piatt's Headquarters, which were to the left of the Martinsburg road, and distant hardly a mile from the town. Throwing my bridle-rein to and orderly, as if I were acustomed to being waited upon, I walked into the adjutant-general's tent, Dr. Franklin going in at once to see the General. For the first time, then, I realized how little stood between me and Fort McHenry, and although I tried to appear cheerful and composed, I felt that it was very doubtful whether I would get back except by the way of Baltimore and Richmond. General Piatt was in his tent, and I could not see him, but after a conversation of some length, I heard some one call out, “Give that soldier a pass.” Upon this the adjutant-general came out, asked my name and to what point I wanted a pass. I replied to Camp Ashby. He replied that he did not know where Camp Ashby was, and that he had no authority to give a pass beyond their pickets. Now feeling certain that I would get a pass, I became more confident, and told him that a United States officer had pledged his word that I should return in safety. At that time a detachment of Pope's forces occupied Luray, and I insisted on having a pass that would protect me from capture if I should happen to meet any of their troops in the main Valley. [537] This gave occasion for a second conversation, this time between the general and his adjutant-general. Upon coming out, he again asked me my name, gave me my pass, and bidding them good evening, I started back to town.
By her invitation I took supper with Mrs. Heironimus, and at sunset rode out of town, showing my pass to the pickets, who permitted me to depart undisturbed.
This adventure is remarkable in the following particulars: A Confederate soldier, armed, and in full uniform, was allowed to enter a town garrisoned by several thousand soldiers, to go to the general's Headquarters, to stay in the town and visit his friends for more than two hours, and then to depart on a written safe conduct to his own command. It is probable that no other soldier had such an adventure except under a flag of truce.
Rocky Mount, La.
