Maryland free press., 1866-07-26
acts from Colonel Harry GiImor's
Book.
-FOUR YRARsiN THE SADDLE"

MAY, 1s64.--About p. M. fifty or sixty had
come in, and were feeding their horses when |
hearu sharp firing at a short distance and saw
our pickes rctreating, but fighting rs they fell
pack. 10 TWO minutes my men were all mount
ed, formed in line, counted Off and moving ont
in columns of fours: heading down to help our
pickes. AT this moment Major Davis rushed in
telling nae 1t was useless to fight as there were
tnily hye hundred, and / should lose every man.
l therefore merely charged the advance to give
Dtvis time to form Grove { en- back on the main
pody; then whee!e and retreated under heavy
hre from squadron carbines, who were iu front,
with their brides hooked up to the saddle, and
peppering US AZ every jump. ,.nt
ihey ran US handsomely for about two miles,
Wheh, seeing them pretty well strung out, /.
thougnt IL high time to put a stop to it, Ny men
had retreated at full gallop, but had not broken
u single sectiop, although three men were severe
ly wounded. Just as We ran into IIaw kinstovn
gave the order. by fours, right about wheel
;marcif--chargel' and we went at them with
yell. They were we'll mounted, well handled.
ana had evidently been selected for the occasion.
hen we wheeled their advance wheeled loo,
and then retreated half mile to q bridge. where
the commanding off er., Major C!arlcs! Otis of
.ae 5ist New York Cavalry, had formed his scat
Tered column In u narrow way, no doubt expoct-
ing something Of the kind. AS we approached
ne gave us volley from his carbines; and their
oeihg no room for sabres there / had to beat n
retreat but in good order. Oils pushed forward
In gallant STYLE, at galiop, but could not get
near enough TO do us any damage. "a ll.l-e .
., we kept on to a mile beyond iIawknstown,
hind small house to let the advance pnss when
lsprangsout into the road and fired at the fore
most man, wounding him. The next Shot brtup,,t
uoWh % q horse; and began to retreat, firing as
'Wenf. rms affair was so sudden that the whole
"a"aliee stopped for while in front of the house
z Erode Oft rapidly for fry Or sixty yards and
.pen Whceied again to give another shot. AT
ina instant saw aniohicer dismount, seize the
carblre from man, rest il ON a post and, take
ueliDerate ann at me. (et that herwas going to
strike me, wheeled, struck The spurs into INV
horse, and dashed of at full speed. feeling n
niue mean that had not kept FROM Till he fred.
An All this occurred in a few seconds, but il SEEM
-eu ahJage 10 me until the carbine cracked. / was
net surprised whdnthe ball struck me i'm The back
within two inches of the spine, on the upper part
oI !he right hlp-bonc 4 he force with which il
s.raGk nearly knocked me over the front of INV
saoole, and made mo deathty sick; besides. | felt
S9It ot lhe paralysis of,the spine and right hin
ana I;g. LeNpeeted to fall every n,inute;\ nor
n"ui s,rchgtn TO manage the horse who had IA
hou.h IKE IRON. Il thought the bullet had gone
through, and MY great desire was to reach the
column before fell. cThrec.mcn had turned back
WIN me when when commenced firing; two had becn
shoi, ana my horse outran the third. which left
me an the lead as we tried to rjoin The column.
Inc me men had by thisiime come down TO a walk.
anu Mneh overlook them my flntncss had
somewhat So passed on and my horse stopped when
ne joined The rest. The pain was severe, but the
wound bled but little; SO i said nothing about II
10 the men until some one saw the hole through
myIovercoat. ran ~ To IsI-o : = ~ Se's-
"A When within half mile of Mount Jackson. /
matted, determined to have fight before tujpe
,npoagn ,ne town. Major Otis came pretty near,