Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-11-07
How We Thrash the Rebels.


Orpheus G. Kerr has communication in the
New York Mercury, describing q remarkable
battle, in which the rebels, as usual, were
astoundipgly castigated:
FROM WASHINGTON.
Editor T. T.:-At an early hour yesterday
morning, while yet the dew was on the grass,
and on everything else green enough to be out
at that matinal hour, my boy, saddled my
gothic steed Pegasus, and took trot for the
benefit OF my health. Having eaten a whole
straw bed and piece of an 1rishman's shoul-
der during the night, my boy, and as he snuff
ed the fresh air and unfurled the remnants Of
his warlike tail to the breeze of heaven, was
reminded Of that celebrated Arabian steed
which had such a contempt for the speed of all
other horses that he never would run with
them-in fact, my boy, he never would run at
all
Having struck match on that rib of Pc
gasus which was most convenient to my hand
| lit cigar, and dropped the match, still
burning, Into the right ear of my fiery charger
Something of this kind is always necessary to
make the sagacious animal start; but when
once get his mettle up he never stops, unless
ne happens to hear some crows cawing in the
air Just absve his venerable head. 1 am fire.
quently glad that Pegasus has lost his eyesight,
ny boy for could he see the expression on the
faces OF some Of these same crows, when they
get near enough to squint along his back bone,
r
fully.
On this occasion he carried me. at a speed of
2.4O hours mile, to point just this side Of
Alexandria, where the sound of heavy cannon
aiding and cussing made me pause. At frst,
my boy, remembered an engagement had
In Washington, and was about to hasten back !;
but while was pressing the lighted end of my
cigar to the side of Pegasus, to make him turn,
Colonel .Wobert Wobinson of the Western
Cavalry, came walking towards me from a
piece OF woods on my right, and informed mo
that ten Of his men had Just been attacked by
fourteen thousand rebels, with twenty coIum-
oiads. The Odds" says he, sis rather
heavy; but our cause is the nobiest the world
ever knew, and if my brave boys do not van
qulsh the unnatural foe, an indignant and
decimated people will at once call upon the
Cabinet TO resign"
told him that I thought had read some
thing like that in the Tribune =; but he didn't
seem to hear me.
By this time the cannenading had COM
menced to subside, and as trotted alongside q
OF Colonel Wohinson toward the field of battle,
asked him what he had done with his horse
He replied, that while on his way to the field,
his sagscious beast had observed hay-stack,
and was 30 entranced with the vision that b @
refused to 90 step further; so he had to leave
him there
Upon reaching the scene of strife, my boy,
| We discovered that the ten Western Cavalry
| men had routed the rebels, killing four regi-
ments, which were also carried away. On our
side nobody was killed nor wounded. In fact,
two OF our men, who went into the fight sick
with the measles, were entirely cured, and
captured four good surgeons. / must state,
however, my boy, that although nobody was
killed or wounded on our side, there was one
man missing. 1t seems that when he found
the balls flying pretty thickly about his ears
ne formed himself into hollow square, my
BOY, and retreated in good order into the
| neighooring bushes. He formed himself into
a nolloW,square by bending gently forward
until his hands touched tie ground, and made
his retrogade movement On all fours Colsnel
Wooinson remarked that this style of forming
/ a noiioW-square was an intensely immense
| thing on hardee.
believe, him, my boy!
Yours, martially, ORpHEus C. KERR.