Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1911 — STORIES OF CAMP AND WAR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STORIES OF CAMP AND WAR

CAPTURE A PROVOST MARSHAL In Raid at Fredericksburg Officer and Escort, With Trainload of Tobacco, Captured. On March 4, 1865, the Third Brigade, Third Division, Twenty-fourth Corps (formerly the Eighteenth Corps), composed of the 58th and 188th Pa.,. 40th Mass., 2nd N. H. and 21st Conn., broke camp near Fort Harrison, on the James river, and embarked on transports for Fredericksburg, then in possession of the Confederates, writes W. R. Schaffer, of Volier, Pp., in the National Tribune. On arriving at that place we surprised and captured the provost-marshal, together with an escort of cavalry and a train loaded with tobacco, ready for shipment. The provost-marshal ■was found hiding in an upstairs room under a bed, but our boys found him. After destroying the tobacco and setting the place in repair, we reembarked for Fortress Monroe, meeting with some opposition on our way down the river; but our gunboats soon opened the way with shot and shell among the surprised Johnnies, who were not aware of the large guns on board. We soon arrived at Fortress Monroe, and went on to Norfolk nnd Portsmouth and coaled up for further orders. Our next move was up the Potomac river to Kinsale, where we marched out in the forenoon with strict orders to touch nothing along the route. But after some hot coffee for dinner we marched back to our boats on the river, receiving orders to take anything eatable, and we certainly did ourselveß Justice in the eating line. On our return trip we marched through a strip of thick woods with heavy underbrush, where a band of Confederates lying in ambush struck the rear company of the 21st Conn, (the rear of the Column), and before the regiment could resist several of the comapny “were* killed with the saber. The Confederates fled through the brush and made their escape. On our arrival at the river In the afternoon we received orders to butcher and eat. Our supply consisted of cattle, hogs, ducks, chickens, turkeys and honey, and it was an easy matter to prepare supper. Before embarking for the return trip our gunboats opened on the guerrillas, who made themselves too prominent. At Fortress Monroe we rested at anchor over

night, and on the following day our expedition went up the York river and the Pumunky to White House Landing and went into camp. We repaired the bridge across the river, so Sheridan could cross his cavalry coming up from the Shenandoah valley to Join Grant at Petersburg in the latter part of March, 1865. After resting his army a few days at White House, Sheridan continued to the James River, and our brigade marched across the peninsula and went into camp on Spring Hill, near Fort. Harrison, within a few miles of our former camp.

The Provost Marshal Was Found Hiding.