The Great Train Robbery

Treating the Wounded

The Rebel Ladies

Private Cylik

It was a warm and sunny day when Miss Brenda and I took our wagon to the train depot in Manasses Junction. The children, Ashley and Benjamin we alight with excitement at the thought of a train ride through the Virginia countryside. To our delight, traveling on the train was my cousins, Private and Mrs Cylik. We were quite flustered to learn that the train had been commandeered to carry the Unions pay for soldiers station near Harper’s Ferry. I had traveled there many times with Papa in my youth and was familiar with the small town. The train, as often is, ran late leaving the station and it was easy to determine there were many Southern sympathizers aboard. We barely had time to settle in for the long ride when a group of Rebels were spotted near a key bridge. I thought I would have the vapors when the gun fire started. But when our daring boys in blue were wounded, I had to put aside my own fears to aid them. Poor Private Henry had a bullet in the chest which I removed with Mrs. Cylik’s knitting needle. The rebel ladies only flirted, shouting cheers to the Johney Rebs!. The Rebel surgeon, would only give out poor wounded opium tablets...not even a drop of whisky! Thank goodness for Mrs Cylik’s medicinal elixir. Private Bray and Private Cylik’s wounds were not as severe. Bravely they refused to allow the surgeon to touch them. Our lads were paroled to return to Manasses Junction and in the end, Brenda, the Children and I decided we would make the trip home by wagon from now on.