M
ajor Jerry Davidson was badly wounded on the 24th of
July, 1894, near Winchester, Va. The circumstances
surrounding his misfortune were of a character that,
notwithstanding his wounds, made his experience a very
"narrow escape." So the REGISTER tackled the Major for
a rehearsal of the little affair which was modestly
and hesitatingly given.
The rebels had retreated down the valley and the union
forces had concentrated at Winchester, for the purpose
of following them up. But this "following them up"
didn't last very long, nor continue very far. Our
advance had got no further than Kernstown when they
found the rebels coming up in force, and in a style
that meant business.
Our troops retreated as the rebs steadily advanced,
and it was during this retreat that Major Davidson met
with his little accident, which we will tell
substantially in his own words.
"Our regiment, the 2nd Va. Cavalry, was on the left of
the pike and about a mile and a half from Winchester.
We were moving in column, my company at the head, when
Col. Powell ordered us to charge a battery that had
taken position on the other side of a field. In coming
to the front, the Regiment galloped to my left and we
swept toward the battery; but for some reason the left
kept going further to the left, and as I tried to keep
with them we got from the front of the battery, and
soon found ourselves charging infantry in the skirts
of the woods. The country is rolling, with many little
ups and downs, but on we went, and when we were within
a hundred feet of the enemy's line, there fire was
pretty hot. Here it was that Capt. Barber, Ed. Thomas,
Press Lunceford and others were killed, or mortally
wounded.
Here too was where I caught a ball. It struck my
breast bone, went through, ranging to the side, and
came out beneath the right shoulder. At the same time,
my horse was shot and fell, and down I went with him.
I immediately got on my feet again, for though I was
bleeding freely, from the mouth, I determined to try
to escape. But just as I stood up, a musket ball
struck my left thigh and down I went again, and then I
thought I was done for. Some of the rebs. Came to
where I was, took a look and went away. There was a
log cabin about 50 feet distant, and I concluded to go
to it. |
So I managed to get up and staggered toward it. When I
got to the door, a couple reb. Soldiers helped me up
the steps, and when I got in the room, I laid down on
the floor. Great gulps of blood came into my mouth and
I came near being choked to death. A reb. Surgeon came
in, looked at my wounds, and went away without doing
anything for me. Some rebs. Took my boots, my hat, my
haversack, and my pocket book that contained about $60
in money. Some of them talked a little rough. I had
$40 in my watch pocket that they didn't happen to
find.
Well, I stayed there in that cabin about two weeks.
For the first eight days I didn't eat a bite. The old
lady who lived there treated me well. I gave her
twenty of the forty dollars, and with the other
twenty, sent to Winchester for a doctor. He came, took
a look at me, said I was doing well enough, didn't
give me a thing, but got the $20 all the same.
The reb. Army had passed on down the valley and into
Maryland. What I feared was their return, when they
might take me in, and off to the South. So an old
colored man told me he would take me to where another
fellow was hiding to keep from being drafted into the
rebel army. That was a mile or so distant in a heavy
pine thicket. So I went there and spent ten days or so
with that man. The old darkey brought me something to
eat, and we slept under the blue canopy of heaven, but
it was comfortable enough for it was mid-summer. It
was a little rough on me for I had no hat or shoes.
Once when we thought the rebs. Might have passed on up
the valley, we sallied forth to the pike, but saw
nothing to encourage us to relinquish our hiding
place, so we returned. A day or so afterward, I
concluded to risk a trip to Winchester, which was
about two miles distant. I could only limp along very
slowly, and then would tire quickly on account of my
wounded lung. I was bootless and hatless and so
presented a woe-begone appearance, and my appearance
was by no means deceitful. As I thus trudged along
through the woods, not knowing whether I should meet
friend or foe, I ran across some boys of my regiment
who were out in a little ______. They were agreeably
surprised and I was corresponding happy. They took me
into Winchester where I was amply provided for, and a
leave of absence added to my joys."
"Well, Major, I'm obliged to you for your interesting
experience."
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