Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-08-22

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distant about threefourths of mile. One
of them was armed with sword and seemed
to be using glass. While the men marched
slowly forward, ran ahead and reported
what | had seen, and suggested to Smith the
propriety of returning and making recon-
nossance of the supposed enemy through
his glass. This he refused to do and ordered
us on, assigning that the persons we saw
division which be supposed was, at that time,
advancing on the other road.
We marched on, perhaps half mile far
ther, and halted the reserve corps in the
road. The left fankers at this moment were
out of sight, having penetrated deep wood.
never saw them atterward. They we're
met by at least twelve times their number,
and resistance would have been worse than
madness. A braver set of men than they
were do not live, nor was there more prom
ising officer of his age in our brigade, than
the one who commanded that day, viz: End
Lieut. John B. Hutchison. Just as we halt
ed, and evidently but a few moments before
they were made prisoners, one of the men
was sent in by Lieut.. Hutchison to say that
two or three dragons had been seen, but by
order of Lieut.. Smith he was sent back to his
post.
Notwithstanding Smiths constant assu-
RANGES that there was no enemy there, and
that the party seen were part of our own
cavalry force, deemed the position that we
then held an unsafe one, and intimated to
Smith that we had better draw nearer the
column, as it had halted also, and was now
about half mile in our rear.
This did not seem to him to be necessary.
Adapting ruse, that here suggested itself
to my mind, by which we could draw nearer
the column when it again advanced without
seeming to disobey my superior. left
Smith with the men in the road and went to
the head of the fankers on the right with the
intention of instructing the Lieut. there in
command to hold his men in check, when
we again advanced and marched forward but
slowly while I would dress the centre on
him and thus before proceeding far we
should regain our proper position within
three hundred yards of the head of the bri-
gade. had scarcely commenced giving
these directions when brisk firing COM
menced in the road. | looked around to see
what was wrong. when. saw Lieut.. Smith
and the guide coming in full flight, hotly
pursued by two or three of the enemy's cav
airy. Ten or twelve of my men, aid Lieut..
Haskings were now near me. We formed
them, and occupied as soon as possible an
advantageous position, and awaited an attack
| from portion of the enemy's cavalry who
| were maneevering in one of the fields sepa-
rating US from the main body of our troops,
and holding position that entirely cut US
off. He evidently expected to draw our fire
! at too great distance to insure accu acy of
| opA fhan haiun her
and well armed, charge upon US ard make a
sctole company job Of 1t. This, however,
| did not permit him to do, and our own cav
airy being momentarily expected, his position
became dangerous one and he rapidly re-
treated. The guide since told me that he
and Smith saw the party approaching thrO
| the fields on the left of the road. There was,
| he supposed, between sixty and seventy in
number. bat upon examining them through
| his glass Lieut. Smith observed that they all
wore the g., S.. cavalry's uniform, and be
| thus mistook them for our own troops.
My anxiety to avoid an action with the en-,
emy's scouts on that day arose from the fac'
that my company had been placed in such a
position that in case an attack from him on
either flank it would have been impossible tO
have ra HE'D the men on the right or left. or
centre, and, consequently, it would have been
impossible to withstand an assault or even
| to retire in order. The men in the road, at
+ the time they were attacked had not ground
| ed or stacked their arms, thsy were not away
| from their gans as some simple fellows pre-
sumo, but on the contrary were ct their posts
| an ranks. know the men | had the honor
to command, and when on duty they kneac
nothing but daty.
Viewed in military light alone, it was
an unfortunate afiir, though a common mis-
fortune of war. Viewed in a social light it
was sad indeed. Parents are left to mourn
the loss of afeetionate, doating sons sisters,
the absence of their loved, brave brothers
and little children gather around maternal
parents chair and vainly ask when long ex~
pscted father will return. But the keenest
reflection to the hearts OF their patriotic
friends is that they are rot only debarred
from the pleasure of their association for a
time, but that suffering country has lost
their brave support. And deeply do SYM
pathize with them all. All that can do to
insure their speedy reease-which is simply
to re enlist and return to the seat of war and
aid in subduing our common enemy-shall
be done. I cast 10 reflections on any one.-
The great error that led to such disaster on
that day has since been committed by others.
They are before ger erous pubH;. I epeo-
pie shall deduct their own conclusions.
FRANK. W. HESS.