, 1863-07-22
Mut0r,9 mediIl at t7ac Esuttle OF
:5:E44ae.7 A16fA

:::Ss*f= A1dfe.
On the 3oth Of June we published con,
muntcat1on from soldier Of the 6th Illinois
cavalry, describing the hard fight at Upper.
yllle between the Federal cayalry under Gen.
::Buford and the rebel cavalry under General
Stuart, In which the Sth Illinois bore of the
honors Of the day. On that occasion Majo1
VIM. Il. Medill particularly distinguished
himself for bravery and GOODNESS. We repro
friends may not hare read it:
NEAR AIDE, Va, June q3, 1859.
By O'Clock We had driven the rebel
tancs Of the Gap: Here IN splendid position, in q
number ofdelds fenced with stone, We came sud.
denly on their line Of battle: never saw so many
t,oO0 Of them. Our force was bat handful in
comparison. The gap through the mountain WAS
directly in their rear. aud the mountain protected
AS toon as Gen. Bnford saw the rebels he or
dcrcd the 8th Illinois to charge them. It looked
to me like foothardY order. The I'd Indians
cavalry was acting rs ekrmiehers to our brigade.
ln front, ready to advance as Boon as We entered
the field which they occupied. The1r artillery was
adtantaseous]y posted, and reserved its fire till we
Gamble was in command Of the brigade. Lieut..
col clsndenin led the erh Illinois at the outset
was Killed under him By piece Of slell. pitching
me colonel hcadlong to the ground. He mounted
snotnes, returned to the deld, and continued to
eonlmand eo bis brigade, until ,thc battle was
oFer.-ED. TR1B.1 C1endcntn's horse was struck
at qnn somewhat wounded, and be retired from the
Agh1- Major Medill then took command. He saw
A. once that the only chance to- save hfs men from
INT tle attery Would Ire oves item. q at leass S:n
sttke put few In front Of the line Of fre " For
,sa ware. vas the word, and the gallant sth, that
.na fey horses leggths OF the front line Of tho
fc6s Carrying ONT carbines at the aim, ," fire."
s,!outsd TIE Major: and ss1ea hundred pieces
II, q scores OF men and horses. n an instant we
':e npon them with our reyolvcra, cracking at
4em right and left: They broke and Aed out OF
the hit heid In hot haste. Just az Major Medill
hitting man or horse. There ia nothing like
coming to close quarters With The DntteFauts.
Some tfesh regiments Of rebels came forward to
ID Indiana and 18th Illinois came to our support.
We quickly formed ranks to receive their charge,
E,siy csshine was loaded, and our line stood 6e:.
gave them one deadly volley, knocking over q good
many, when Major Medlll ordered cGarge, aiil at
i We went, chiefly relying on our Eevolvers, and
The enemy was the 9Th Virginia cavalry, one Of
their crack regiments.
They seemed determined to whip us, and held
their ground for some time. 1t was very exciting;
but shot from ei1-shooter ut close quarters,
ain,edb Western man, IL more than match for
sword IN the hands Of the chiralry. We finally
killing and woundiug great many and taking
quite number prisoners. We had in return !
good many men wounded, but strange to rel4te,
e~ord cuts. During the fight, an attempt was
made to get on our dank, but Capt. Hynes, with
battalion Of our regiment, galloped to the Left aud
etlecsually repulsed the attempt. Hynes, BY the
and cali always be depended upo, In an emergency
Three times more the rebels I'D to regain thcir
lost ground. aud drive us ba:S. but Ii each al
Individual members Of our cavalry would he taken
lr.sonc1s, but by vigorous dashrs We recovered
Them al. not losing a prisoner: There las long
tho Virginia 18th, which is the crack regiment in
Stuart's division, while they have made many
boasts 0f the way they would chaw us up some
aay. We'll, We ~ mt, and aog;ed them eouudly,
met They fought us Il little harder; that was all
The difference. We wounded and captured their
Lieutenant Colonel Lewis. who commanded tho
regiment and took humber Of them prisoners.
We took over ono hundred prisoners during the
1.lt, at1d killed and wounded mo1e than two hun.
Our loss, strange as 1t may eoem, was but forty
u.cn wouDded-nonc being killed or taken pris-
oEcrs, 1must relate an incident here to the cred
IL OF our Major. While he vas ralying after ono
dawn sword. chasing our sergeant-Major, S. ".
Smith, who had got mixed up with the "rebe1s."
Major Medill, who happened to no near, put spurs
to Ills hofee ard In lew bounds. was close to tho
"1cb., !" who raised his sword and shouted sur
rtnler!" Major Medill brought his revolver to an
aim, when the fellow threw .loru hia sabre, and
cried out " surrender-don't ehoot." He saved
liz life By just one second, rs more than one bull
lstwcu'i havc lodged IN Eis body the next Instant.
The prisoner proved to be Maior in the 11th
bsye wh'pped t%o ot or Major; bat on TIC asld
relate scores 81 other instances whare our boys
took prisonersi in single combat.
The route OF the rebels wa8 complete. We learn
frum headquarters that the enemy lost, in Sundays
fighting. 500 killed and wounded, and 30 prison.
cre; two pieces Of artillery were captured, two
caissons blown up, and one cannon ,sas dismount-
ed. It Is conceded by Gen Pleasanton to have
been the ha.1e+t cavalry fight Of the war, and he
brstows high eneomsums on our regiment. But
Justice requires that equal credit should be given
t. those oi tht 81 Indiana and 18th Illinois. who
h'1p'd rs. They fought just as b.avely. as our
boys They mixed up with us. and we all tonight
as one regiment. Thsy arc Western men, like
ourselves, and made Of just rs good stuff.