Narrow Escape Story #14
Interesting War Experiences

Submitted by Debbie Meinhart

Thursday, February 17, 1887 Ironton Register

Sam Van Horn's Experience

"My 'Narrow Escape' happened on the 20th of July. 1864, but to better describe it I must go back one day. On July 19th, while on the march up Loudon valley the lumber chest to my gun exploded, killing two or three men and the two wheel horses, and completely destroying the carriage of the gun. After this, the remaining four horses were attached to the caisson of the same gun, making ten horses to the caisson, of which I was placed in charge.

The next morning, we attempted to cross the Shenandoah River at a ford, coming out of Ashby's gap. The Calvary went in the advance. While they were in the river watering their horses, the artillery and infantry being on the bank behind, quite a number of Johnnies on the other side of the river who had been concealed now stepped out on the bank and began firing on them. This caused a general stampede among the cavalry, infantry and artillery. The whole command temporarily demoralized by the unexpected attack, broke now into confusion. Capt. Jno. V. Keepers, our captain, who at that time seemed to be the only coolheaded man present, undertook to get some of his guns into position on a narrow ridge dividing a ravine from the river. I undertook to follow him with my ten horse caisson.

The captain succeeded in getting his guns on top of the ridge and I got part way up with my caisson, on to a small knoll where there was a little frame dwelling, house, but could get no further. Seeing that the caisson was of no benefit there, and it being seemingly almost impossible to get it down again, I halted the boys and, riding up to where Capt. Keepers was, asked him what I should do with that caisson. He replied: "Do not bring it up here for we haven't enough room to get the guns into position." I told him I did not believe I could turn around where I was and go back down. He answered in a quick, sharp tone: "If you can't get it back up into the gap roll the d--n thing into the river."

I went back down and examined the ground again. I found a narrow path which looked like it might have been a path to a spring from the house before mentioned. Maybe in ante-bellum days it had been trodden by the bare-feet of some pretty Virginia lass. However I didn't think about that then. No time for romantic imaginings. I told the boys to pull around the house by that little path and they could get out of range of the enemy's fire behind the ridge. This left me on the side of the building next to the enemy with no chance to shun fire until the boys moved the caisson out of the way. I knew I stood in the way of where Johnnie wanted to shoot, where they not only wanted to shoot, but did shoot without even telling me to get out of the way. About 15 or 20 of the stepped out on the bank on the opposite side of the river and, taking deliberate aim, fired at me. My position was not very inviting, to say the least. I think every shot they fired struck that building around my horse and myself. I shall never forget my feelings at this time. I could distinctly hear the balls strike the building within 4 or 5 feet of where I was sitting on my horse. I felt very lonesome. I took my feet out of the stirrups so I would have a clear fall, because I thought it was impossible for them to miss me as they were in close range---not over 200 yards away.

It has always been a mystery to me why they didn't hit me. So there you have my 'Narrow Escape.'