The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-03-31
GALLANT FEATS OF A SCOUTING
PARTY

PARTY.
A correspondent of the Charleston Courie
gives the following account of the extraordinar,
exploits of the Confederate cavalry scouts: +.
William \. Mickler went out to Virginia in tn,
Hampton Legion, q private in the Beaufort Dis
trict Troop, Second South Carolina Cavalry Hi
many soldierly qualities, aud his constant attea
tion to duty, at length caused Gen. Hampton t.
appoint him Commander of Scouts for his Brigade
ln this capacity he has more than fulfilled the ex
pectations of his Commanding officers, and ha:
been recommended to the Secretary of War By
Gen. *. Il. Lee for promotion. The dashing affair
in the streets of Brentsville; his fight in Cedar
Run, where with ten men he engaged put te
flight and pursued for five miles sixty four IAN
kee dragons; his encountering and totally routing
two hundred Of the, enemy's cavalry with fifteen
men at Greenwood Church, are few among the
many daring exploits which he has performed -
The last affair in which he was engaged was the
most successful of all. The facts are as follows:
His entire party consisted of Sergeant Sparks,
corporal Doolin, sergeant Henderson, corporal
Micker, privates Beck johnson and Schoolbred,
sergeants Butler and Shirer, privates Grafton,
Hernegan and Hogan, and privates Miller and
Willinghan,, all picked men, and, with a single
exception, from the troops composing the Hamp-
ton Legion Cavalry. In addition to the men from
q
mep from the First North Carolina Cavalry, un-
der Sergt. Hanly, and three volunteers from the
Prince Williams Cavalry Having stopped for
the night in the neighborhood of Deep River,
and waiting the next morning for bis mer to
assemble, he learned that party of ten Yankee
cavalry, under lieutenanty was making its way
towards Wolf River Shoals. Corpl Micker had
already been detached with party of men to
scout the road in another direction after some of
~ rkoI h.
hearing this information, Sergeant Mickler imme-
diately sent Hany with his North Carolinians to
pursue them, while he pushed on to cut them off
from the ford. Hanly soon came up with the
enemy and gallanty charged them, driving them
before him and capturing prisoner. The chase
was kept up for about two miles, when Hanly's
men, their horses not being able to keep up, be-
came so scattered, that but two or three remained
with him. The Yankee Lieutenant seeing this,
rallied his men on the crest of hill in an open
field and returned the fire of the North Caro-
linians. Sergeant Mickler, who had heard the.
firing when Hanly first charged, had come at
break meek speed for two miles, and now appeared
on the scene. So rapid had been his speed that
only Sergeant Henderson and Hogan had kept up
with him. He rode up to Hanly and asked why
he Gid not charge them. The reply was that his
men had got scattered in the pursuit that he had
not been able to get them together for charge
charge, and, followed by sergeant, Henderson,
Haply, and Hogan, dashed upon the enemy Re-
gardless of the balls which whizzed around their
heads, they held their fire till they got within fifty
Yards, when they opened with their revovers and
the Yankees broke and fed. Over the hll across
the fields they were followed by their dauntless
pursuers till their flight was partially arrested in
attempting to pass through gate, and Sergeant
Mcklep's party came up with them. The fight
now became hand to hand four against nine. 1t
was desperate but short. One of the Yankees was
wounded in two places, and four others were un-
horsed and taken prisoners. The Lieutenant,
with his remaining three men, escaped through
the gate and continued their rapid flight across
the fields They were closely pursued by Mick
ler and his men, and, at last jammed in the corner
Of fence they could not jump, they yielded them
selves prisoners to foe they could not elude.
Sergeant Mickler now received information that
party of forty-six of the enemy's cavalry were
on the way from Brentsville to Manassas junction.
He determined to attack them and sent off the
prisoners under guard, keeping with him seven
teen men. He laid an ambuscade on the road
between Broad Run and Manassas, and awaited
their approach. Sparks, Hanly, Hennegan and
Doolin we're kept mounted, with orders D charge
the rear of the enemy's columns as they came out
remainder of the party were dsmounted and
secreted in the woods along the road. The Yam
KEGS came on with drawn sabrcs, the lookout
for Mckler and his men. When they got in the
ambuscade one of them, noticing the tracks, re-
marked, "Soms ID rebels have been along
here" Another replied, "No, our boys passed
here" Scarcely had he spoken when the signal
gun was fired from the rear, and rattling volley
answered along the whole column. A scene of
indescrbable confusion ensued. The cries and
groans of wounded men, clinging 10 terror to their
lnadly rearing and plungng horses, the faint
means of the dying, as they were trampled under
the hoofs of their own chargers, and the wild,
fearful rush to escape from this scene of death
and horror may be better imagined than described.
The mounted men, without waiting for the
column to pass, charged impetuously on the enemy,
and engaged in desperate hand to hand conflict
with three times their number. ilanlys horse
was shot dead under him. Hennegan's charger
fell with him in the road and instantly several
Yankee dragons and horses had fallen over him. ,
He extricated himself from the struggling mass,
and crawling up the steep bank, began coolly
firing with his revolver at the Yankees as they
stumbled over the fallen men and horses. Doolin
captured and brought off two prisoners; Sparks
followed Yankee Captain and ordered him to
surrender. The reply was, 81 surrender, but l
can't hold my horse" At the same moment
another of the enemy cried out, "Captain, why
don't you shoot the id rebel?'' and, turning in
his saddle, fired his revolver. The ball passed
through the body of Sparks. piercing his right
lung Surrounded by enemies, not single one
of his friends in sight wounded painfully and