Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-10-08
OCTOBER 8, 1869.

horses rs had made their escape anu they
were easily caught, as having recovered
from their scare, they weremostly graz
ing by the roadside. The fellow who
tumbled at the camp had been captured
by Ned and his comrade. Four OF their
number were hit, one badly through the
body, the others slightly; one being a
fellow | had cut in the arm with my sword
rs he raised his revolver at mo when We
ran upon them at the close. Only one of
our own men was hurt, sergeant, who
was shot in the leg by one of the guerillas
before he could club him down with the
musket. This was doing very well, con-
sidering the hand to hand fight we had
had, and especially rs we had captured
eight men. The three others had been
sent further on by the officer of the gang,
on plundcring tramp, but not thinking
il best to pursue them myself, | sent the
unhurt sergeant with six men TO hunt
them up. Three Of the horses had been
hit or famed, 50 that we had TO leave them
behind, to the no small qualification ofthe
negroes.
Then mounting such Of the wounded
men rs could still ride on the remaining
horses, and taking the door of an adjoin-
ing barn of is hinges, and covering it
with blankets, rs stretcher for the badly
wounded man. made the four able
bodied prisoners hoist it ton their shoulders
and carry him along in the centre of the
column. | need not say that took care
to choose the best beast for myself; hav-
ing done which we set out on the home
ward journey, pufied up with vanity in no
small degree
twas row fall daylight, and rs we
could see for some distance over the
sparsely wooded country, ldispensed with
the harrassing duty of hankers, and under
the influence of success, my men, despite
loss of sleep, a long march and an excit-
ing combat, made along at Il pace OF two
miles and half an hour. The negroes
followed Us some distance with their cries
OF "Ilallclujah" and Lord be Slorilied, "
icasting the eyes quite rs proudly rs we
on the crest fallen prisoners.
BY breakfast time we reported Mt camp,
.: I IL. lii l., ,..I, ,ca,;,pl ~ Jnl;crht
and gratuations from our comrades, who
now, tor the first time. saw Live rebs,
and enyied our success not little. And
here occurred little i'racas. which iluSira-
ted so well Colonel Stradclla's idea Of dis
cipline and the rights of officers that |
NAV as well mention the affair.
As we filed into camp we were, ot
of course. instantly surrounded by crowds
OF enlisted men. and a group olthc officers
stood little further of. While lett my
squad in charge of the prisoners Tor an
instant. 10 step up and report To the
Colonel. one OF the men began taunting a
rebel. using towards him some very mean
and unsoldicrly epilhcts. At first the
prisoner answered no word bur, finally,
ne,tlcd nj the unmanly insult. he turned
upon his aggrcssor. eXclaiming; "D-n
Won, You're too mean Iank TO notice,
ANYHOW - Whercupon our man, brute as
he was. stepped up and deliberately slap
ped the dcfcnceless prisoner in the face.
Col. Stradclla, with his characteristic
sharpness of eye, had been keeping a half
watch upon these proceedings while
listening to myrcport, and if he couldnot
hear the words that passed, could easily
guess their purport from the gestures.
No sooner did he see the bastard step up
to the rebel prisoner with upliited hand
than he drew his pistol on him with a
Santa Dia volor' and the fellow had no
sooner committed his mean assault than,
with veil. he lay sprawling on the
ground. On picking him up we found he
had received nasty wound through the
shoulder; but as it was a proper requltll
for his cowardly blow, he had little pity
wasted upon him. and was carried off to
the hospital with the other wounded, TO
be examined and dressed by the surgeon
And, though the Colonelhad no manner
of right, according TO our views oil dis
cipline, To use his pistol in so reckless II
manner. the case was so evidently one OF
speedy retl bution that it was never
mentioned except with "Served him
right"
This first affair of mine was peculiar in
many respects. With ono exception it
was the only hand-to. hand fight | ever
had. and was one of the most successful
exploits in which | was ever engaged. l
can scarcely be said to have been under
fire. for not a dozen shots were fired by
the enemy all told; nor was our own dan
ger at any time great. And although l
confess TO ohave felt nervous and .twitchy'
while making my preparations to bag the
gang, when once started into the fray
lost all sense OF any thing but confidence
that we had netted them to man.-CoL.
T. A. DODGE, IN PaekardS monthly for
September.
IFor the oxford Democrat
4 Sketch by the way.