on which they moved, was there a halt. After pausing at this point for a few minutes the column was set in motion again up the road on which we were posted. As yet no Federal skirmish line had been deployed, and only a few mounted men were visible. Infantry and artillery composed the heavy blue column. The foremost file of these troops had approached near enough almost to count the buttons on their coats, when our guns opened from the covert a rapid fire, and thus began the bloody battle of Sharpsburg. The Federal batteries were hurried forward rapidly, and our guns were soon withdrawn. In retiring we passed after dark through the valley on the farther side of which Hood's division rested on their arms. The Federals were now discharging a deafening fire of artillery, and a few guns on our side were answering them. As we moved through the valley the shells from two directions were passing over our heads, their burning fuses gleaming like meteors, and the whole making a comparatively harmless but brilliant spectacular performance.

If I learned at the time to what battery the guns belonged that fired these first shots at Sharpsburg, I have quite forgotten now. I hope some reader of the Dispatch, whose eye may fall on this article, may know. The information is earnestly sought by the Antietam Battlefield Board, of the War Department. General E. A. Carman, of that board, writes from Sharpsburg on June 5th:

"For some time I have been endeavoring to ascertain what force opposed Hooker's when he crossed the Antietam, on the afternoon of September 16th, and before he came in contact with Hood's division, but have been unable to get anything satisfactory. He was opposed by artillery, yet I can get no trace of any artillery within a mile of where he was first fired at. I have come to the conclusion that the gun, or guns, opposing him, must have been one or more of Pelham's, but I cannot verify my conclusion, nor can I communicate with any survivors of that battery."

THE NIGHT CANNONADING.

The cannonading at nightfall was of short continuance, and it soon became almost as quiet on the field of Sharpsburg, as though no armies were there confronting each other. The movement of the troops was made as noiselessly as possible. Our brigade was on the march for several hours, and through the mistake of a blundering guide, was led to a position very close to a line of Federal batteries. Here we slept unconscious of danger until nearly dawn. Before day

light, General Fitz Lee ascertained the situation of the command, and endeavored to extricate us as quietly as possible, going around himself arousing and cautioning many of the men. We had got a quarter of a mile away, perhaps, and had nearly reached a position of safety beyond the crest of a hill, when we were discovered, and the enemy's guns opened on us. This discharge began the fray on the memorable and sanguinary 17th of September, 1862. One of the first shells fired, striking the earth near us, exploded, covering some of us with dust, and inflicting on brave Colonel Thornton, of the 3rd Virginia Cavalry, a mortal wound. The writer was near him at the moment, and witnessed the shrugging of his shoulders and quiver of the muscles of his face, as he felt the shock of the piece of shell shattering his arm close to the shoulder.

We had been, thus far, on the extreme left of our line of battle, and early in the day were ordered to report to General T. J. Jackson, who commanded on the right. Our men, without a round of ammunition left, were seen leisurely retiring towards the rear, singly and in groups. Some of our batteries, having shot their last round, were leaving the field at a gallop. General Jackson's order was that we should take position in rear of his troops, intercept the stragglers, and direct them to stated points, where they were refurnished with ammunition and marched back to the line of battle. Motioning to our captain to give him his ear, he directed him, in a whisper, not to halt any men of Hood's Division, saying they had liberty to retire. General Jackson's position was in the open field, near a large barn, that was burned during the day by the enemy's shells. He commanded a full view of the contending lines in the valley below, and of the Federal batteries ranged one above another on the hills beyond. The shells of the latter were passing thickly, and bursting near him, while he sat on his steed giving his orders, as serene and undisturbed as his statue in the Capitol Square at Richmond.

G. W. B.

[From the Rockbridge County News, February 5, 1897.]

THE SECOND ROCKBRIDGE BATTERY.

Its Roster and Career.

Compiled by W. F. Johnston. Valuable services were rendered in getting up the lists by Captains John A. M. Lusk and W. K. Donald, and Orderly-Sergeant S. W. Wilson.

The Second Rockbridge Battery was called such on account of being the second battery as to date of organization in the county. The list of officers and men who served in the company is given below. Being made up chiefly from memory, after a lapse of thirtytwo years, it is probable that some omissions and inaccuracies may occur. This company was organized as an infantry company, owing to the want of artillery equipments at the time, and served as Company B of the 52nd Virginia Regiment, then under Colonel Baldwin, and was a part of General Ed. Johnson's Brigade, doing service on Alleghany and Shenandoah mountains until the fall of 1861, when it was made an artillery company, and was attached to the same brigade till the artillery was made a separate command. After this it was a part of McIntosh's battalion, in General A. P. Hill's corps, until the close of the war.

It was mustered into service as the "McDowell Guard in honor of Miss Lillie McDowell, then of Lexington, Va., a daughter of Governor James McDowell, now Mrs. E. P. McD. Wolff, of Georgia, who made the company a present of a pair of horses, harness and ambulance, besides furnishing a considerable amount of means for clothing equipment of the company. She also paid a bounty to a young man who was under military age, to go as her personal representative in the war. Her substitute, Alfred Sly, proved himself faithful to the trust until a few days before the fight at Gettysburg, when having been sent out with others on detached service, he was captured and held in prison until after the surrender of the army.

This company was made up largely of farmers and farmers' sons and laborers. Practical knowledge of caring for and driving horses gave the battery an advantage over many others; being able to move with promptness under the most unfavorable circumstances. Quite a number of the men were from the Blue Ridge and vicinity, without the advantage of education, and nothing but principle to fight

for; yet none bared their bosoms more willingly to the foe nor stuck to it more faithful to the last than they.

The company was organized at Fairfield July 10, 1861, with Rev. John Miller captain, and Lieutenants Samuel Wallace, J. A. M. Lusk, and J. C. Dickinson, in the order named. In the reorganization May 1, 1862, J. A. M. Lusk was made captain, and W. K. Donald, Samuel Wallace, and A. J. Hayslett lieutenants in order named. Captain Lusk resigned June, 1863, on account of ill health. W. K. Donald was made captain, and served as such until the end. A. J. Hayslett, previous to May 1, 1862, served as company surgeon, and in 1863 was made surgeon of the battalion, and William T. Wilson, then a member of the Danville Blues, of Eighteenth Virginia Regiment, was elected lieutenant, and served as such until the close. After the promotions in consequence of Captain Lusk's resignation, Daniel Paxton was elected lieutenant, and remained such to the last. The battery did a great deal of hard service, and certainly deserves to rank below none in the faithful discharge of duty with alacrity to the last. Owing to the capture of a large number of the members on the morning of April 2, 1865, where the Confederate line was first broken, near the P. and W. railroad, there were only about forty of the company in the surrender.

LIST OF MEMBERS.

W. P. Alexander, James G. Allen, William Allen, B. F. Barnett, Hugh S. Beard, William Bartley, John Bowman, M. B. Campbell, James A. Campbell, W. A. Campbell, Sr., W. A. Campbell, Jr., N. M. Campbell, W. H. Cash, William Cash, J. W. Cash, John Cash, B. D. Cash, Joseph Cash, James P. Cash, Valentine Carver, John Cave, William Chandler, W. L. Clemmer, DeWitt Cline, A. A. Cochran, P. J. Coffey, Robert Coffey, Marvel Coffey, William M. Coffey, William M. Crist, Z. J. Culton, James B. Culton, J. W. Cupp, H. W. Decker, John F. Doyle, J. E. Drayton, J. L. Drawbond, L. C. Drain, Eugene Durham, J. M. Eakin, John T. Ford, William A. Ford, James P. Ford, Gaylor, William C. Goolsby, James Goolsby, Thomas Gordon, A. J. Griffin, W. L. Hamilton, Harvey Hamilton, John F. Hamilton, J. J. Hamilton, Henry Ham. ilton, George J. Hamilton, Joseph Heslep, Ed. N. Heiger, John M. Hite, Samuel Hite, W. N. Hite, W. P. Hite, W. H. Hinty, George Hoyleman, John B. Hoyleman, Jacob B. Holler, Houchen, James A. Humphries, E. M. Hughes, J. P. Hughes, Calvin Hughes, James E. Jarvis, Churchville Jenkins, R.W. Johnston, Henry Keffer,

L. D. Kerr, W. D. Kerr, L. T. Leech, J. G. Leech, Preston Lawhorne, William Lawhorne, William M. Long, William Lovegrove, J. Ludwick, J. C. Lynn, - Moore, J. A. Mann, Nat. Moran, Dudley Morris, S. S. Miller, D. L. Miller, John Miller, R. S. Miller, J. P. Meeks, Thomas N. McCormick, William T. McCrory, Ed. H. McCrory, James H. McCown, Thomas P. McDowell, William W. McGuffin, S. R. McGuffin, Thomas P. McManama, Robert McNutt, David A. Ott, L. O'Brian, William Orenbaun, James H. Painter, A. J. Paul, Wm. D. Patterson, Wm. A. Patterson, John Patterson, S. D. Paxton, Jas. T. Paxton, Jas. P. Paxton, John Paxton, Wîn. H. Paxton, James H. Paxton, Thomas Paxton, Sam. Patter, John Pearl, William Pugh, James H. Pugh, John W. Risk, James P. Risk, Dabney Ramsey, William H. Selvey, Franklin Shewey, William C. Shields, Franklin Shaver, Cooke Sloan, Alfred F. Sly, Adolphus Sly, William A. Smiley, John B. Smiley, Joseph Sorrels, Geo. Sorrels, James E. Steele, Arch. W. Strickler, J. Ed. Taylor, Joseph Taylor, George W. Taylor, William P. Templeton, Benjamin Templeton, Job Thorn, R. R. Tribbett, F. M. Tribbett, Matthew Vess, C. D. Vess, Albright Wallace, Ed. Wallace, J. W. Wallace, George White, Robert White, I. M. White, John White, J. W. Whitesel, E. M. Wiseman, James A. Wine, John A. Wilson, S. W. Wilson, Joseph M. Wilson, J. Womeldorf, George Wood and Cyrus With

ers.

LIST OF CASUALTIES.

Killed-J. H. McCown, Alleghany Mountain, December 12, 1861; W. P. Templeton and J. Ludwick, Cross Keys, June 8, 1862; Adolphus Sly, Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863; Preston Lawhorn and Robert Coffey, Bristoe Station, October 14, 1863; George Hoyleman, William J. Bartlett, and George White, Gettysburg, July 3, 1863; Cyrus Goolsby, Thomas N. McCormick, and John T. Ford, Petersburg, July 30, 1864; John L. Drayboud, James T. Paxton, Franklin Shaver, and Lieutenant Samuel Wallace, Petersburg, April 2, 1865.

Died from Wounds-W. H. Paxton, wounded at Strasburg, June I, 1862; Houcher, wounded at. Cross Keys, June 8, 1862; James P. Risk, wounded at Bristoe Station, October 14, 1863; James B. Culton, wounded at Bristoe Station, October 14, 1865; A. J. Griffin, wounded at Alleghany Mountain, December 12, 1861; Gaylor, Cross Keys, June 8. 1862.