Show STOfelE loA lo-A fMT w r APP r v ri i I H r trCl fd THE PAYMASTERS TRAIN Mosbys Guerillas Were Driven Off After a Hard Fight There are almost as many versions of n battle us there are soldiers engaged en-gaged In tho conillct Each sees from a different angle each encounters different dangers and experiences each is able to add some detail which goes to make up the complete story of the conflict How true this was of the civil war and how through the years since then stories have been told and the discussion of the details of different battles has f continued con-tinued Recently J W Munson ono of Mosbys raiders told in Munseys Magazine of the capture early In October Oc-tober 18G4 by Col Mosby and his men of 170000 from paymasters of the federal army between Harpers Terry and Mnrtlnsburg Robert Welch a veteran of tho One Hundred and Eta o L r Sending Shot Into Mosbys Cavalry Sixtyfifth New York regiment who was in that engagement quotes another an-other version of the Incident from his diary written nt the time Ho says Oct 25 started from Martinsburg with large train with many paymasters paymas-ters and money in ambulances to payoff pay-off troops While resting near Bunker hill rot dinner Mosby attacked us with a large force of cavalry some 400 The men were soon in Hue the Ono Hundred and Thirtythird to tho right of the road tho One Hundred and Sixtyfifth to the left and then ordered to deploy as skirmishers on double quick The movement was quickly made In tho meantime Col Currlo had massed the train In close order tipd ns soon as deployed tho order Forward March was given The men sprung to the work lively firing commenced soon two pieces of artillery passed quickly to the front and unlimbered sending shot Into Mosbys cavalry This the enemy did not expect and cleared out to the loft in a piece of timber It seems from what we learned afterwards that they knew a large amount of money in charge of six paymasters was going to the front In this train to pay off tho army Mosby expected to capture it but did not count on our having a reconstructed battery along Wo did not know It ourselves and Its appearance ap-pearance was a surprise to us as well Mosoys men did make a dash down the road and captured some men In the advance Col Currle handled everything well Arrived at Winches tel late at night In answer to a letter written by Mr Welch to Mr Munson calling his attention at-tention to this fact the latter replied I remember the affair of October 25 11 I very well for wo captured Gen Dufllo that day In sight of your men When we attacked your cavalry guard they fell hack on your Infantry and I sup mso Currie had orders to Pj tect that money or dlo In the attempt at-tempt for bo stuck to the wagons and drove us off You were too much for us If wo had known thorp were greenback In time train I dont know but what the boys might have put up a better light for they usod to lake all sorts of risks for sutlers trains or greenbacks I romembcir as well as if it wero yesterday my feelings when your first shell came bursting near us I know then we wero up against a hard proposition and I was afraid you would recapture General Duffle When wo first saw his wagon wo thought It was a sutler and chased I him almost Into your lines There i I nro full reports of It all In the war IecordsJ W Munson I So we wo how the acctmnlH of tho civil war aro still being amended and corrected and that us long as there remains an old veteran to talk there will be now light thrown upon I tho incidents of tho great struggle I |