The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-24
rrhnrn. the arnlment ended. and I'VE rode si

There the argument ended, and we rode 81
| lently on. We were well mounted. My COIN
mnj0n rode powerful black horse-cieali-
iimbcd, frlll-chested, with small, nervous ears,
and n.ins brrhL eyes Charlie had dubbed
him Satan. The name was weil deserved, lot,
b,cns a non l,tccnd0, his Satanic Majesty was
nearly uumanageable under fire. My own
horse was known throughout the corps lor ms
remarkable speed and graceful form. Dear
Sultan was steady as IL rock under hre Inc
r...H.ry storm at Gettysburg hardly made him
prick his ears. He was thoroughly broken,
and would obey the llghtest touch OF heel or
hand. as well as the sound oil my voice.
| II was ;uorning when we reached Sperry-
| VILE. where we rested all day. Chester Zap
and Front Royal we're held BY tic enemy, SO
We crossed the Ridge at Gravelly Gap. iorde1
| the srirk!in1 ShenandOah--Fiilr Daughter oil
the Stars-and by sunrise were travelling down
tEe Valley. There were burned barns, torn
fences. fields laid waste, mills destroyed. but
Sheridan had not yet swept like GevollllnS
flame over The garden OF Virginia, the healis:
OF the people were as true as steer. anu tnere
| was abundant food anu shelter lor inc efranI
| Confederate soldier.
An Our ingenuity was taSkcd TO cllde the
federal patrols, but We passed "Winte Poss'
J and Millw0ol un0bScrycd, flanNeu q plcqueIr
and recrossed the Ridge. Now we were fairly
within the enemy's lines. My dispatch was
| learned by heart hy both OF rs, anu hlHden
about my person.. toiu Sts;t ue ny miioio ~
srucl0ms, and explained That the dispatch
must no! bc allowed to fall into the lntt5 oi
| the enemy. Then we pushed on.
| at Uppcrville, We learned tnat INC roau
| thence TO Leesburg where there was Eedc-
| Ial garrison, was generally clear, although
squads OF cavalry pat:ollcd it every day or
! two, paying flying visits TO UpperViile. Paris
and Middleblrg, in search OF the "pcstilerous
| Mogby and his men.
| our yrvE
The morning was bright and clear, and we
were both encouraged by the good-fortune
which had attended u.s. Along each side oil
the road was 4 ragged stone fence. Ihrough
| the woods beyond stole the glintinS rays oil the
| rising sun.
| Vernon was unusually depressed. The AMI
| nation of the first days ride had wholly dis
appeared, and now he was US gloomy as a
Daupers funeral The boy had too mich heart
| ior these tongh times. \ settled sorrow had
come ,Ipon his life, and it was little consolation
| to know that she who duped him was bearing
the dull torment of an unlovinS marriage.
Our horses, strangely enough, were restless
and uneasy A stroke OF the spur was all that
| their whinneying brought them. a turn III
the road was few yards Off, and there we
| hoped TO find house where we might learn
| the state OF affairs In LcesburG. Straw was
! scattered along the fence; q broken gate lay
across the road; but little we needed them
until the sharp click Of carblne lock, anu
| the loud challenge, Halt lcll with startling
distinCtness upon the silent mornluS an. IN
| stantIy all our senses were on. the alert. we
were In Il mess-no doubt of 1t. few PAGES
| in front, in a fence corner, stood two Federal
| soldiers, with levcllcd carbine:. So far, our
blue oycrcoats had deceived them. They did
not fire. Our lrst thought was 10 dash al
them they we're but two; but second glance
showed us the reserve picket not more than
4 l,,,,, ,,I ,-n,Io hp., fltSt4nf
still, a buglc was sounding 'boot and saddle"
All this flashed through the brain In az in
s,anl. The picket challenged us IVhc comes
taerc9 IIy mind WAS made up. Charlie.
felt, was ready. Gathering up my bridle reims,
| answered forgive me Friends. The
pickets. carelessly lowered their carbles.
..Now for IL, Charlie cried. ride Tor yonr
| life J"
cur horses wheeled with the rapidity of
| lightning. and away We sped at q sweeping
galop Fortunately, ''lhe Yank5" were not
armed with tile new-angcd sixteen shoot
ers. Of which they gave us Il taste later In The
| w&r. y brace OF bullets hunncd harillessly
| over 0a: tra1s, and on we went ut glorious
rate. Ajc and it did my heart good to press
Sutan's heavins tanks, as he dcv0urcd the
mrolIni with his vigorous stride. looked at
Charlie The dcvil-nay-care look was again
in his face, and rs We tore along he Sally
whistiedl song.
yclicd like demons. ard wasted many an ounce
of lead; bnt their government stock was no
| match tur our Virginia th0roughUreuS and W.
forged steadily ahead. We cwcre now near The
Gross Roads; reach that point and we are sale.
| The Cross Roads is but pace or two from us,
and turning III lny saddle take pOt.shOt aL
| our p,,rsucrs. Tiien rang 0ut Charities clear
voice:
,..ITurrah! for Cid Virginia, Jack. Tllat was
what You might call loucsl-and-go."
was about 70 reply When he suddenly
checked his horse.
.,:od God! old fellow, there's whole conf
| pany OF Iauk5 riding along The fence"
For u moment We despared, but our blood
was up, and our horses, excited by the run,
| were equal to any eXerlion. Swerving from
| the rua0 before the newcomers had time 10
| fire, We rushed our horses ut the heavy fence,
and, with u yell, tore through the w0cdS. TIC
| lump was too much for Federal nerves. One
| detachment rode up To the fence and llreu III
onr relreating selves, while another hastily
made II gap for their comraueS 10 scf;llllole
through.
We knew nothing OF the country, and the
| pursuing cavalry gained upon us rapidly The
pickets whom we first encountered were riding
| dia1on,lN towards It's 10 cut of our advance.
| All the consequences OF capture flushed through
| my mind-lnss Of reputation. injury TO !hc
cause, ana u lUH IlllIlSouuiSAt III O. ANVIL 'iein
| prison.
"Good bye Charlie We are lost"
s.Never say die, old boy Jump the fence.
There's an open field beyond Tlicrc we can,
at least, have tair run anti die game"
| Ii WAS done, and we dashed across Inc
! field. Bullet alter bullet whiSlled by and did
no harm Suddenly Satan, making I convulstre
spring, staggered AMI fell, carrying his rider
| with him.
Isprang from my horse. Charlie was un-
hnst. No word needed to pass between MS
| our resolve needed 10 expression. We must
die, bnt die together. The dispatch was de-
stroyed, and when had grasped his true
hand, and looked upon his face, now bright
| and ioyous, was ready for the worst.
As soon as the enemy saw olr plight, eighl
or ten OF them disinounted and advanced on
foot. The rest Of the crew rode slowly and
cautiously towards us. True, there were only
| two OF us, bit there might be an a,nblscadn
| or Il masked battery or Il Mosby III the neigh
bOrhoOd.
! An officer who was hugging the fence, call
| ell out to us to surrender. We laughed In his
| face. Then the whole party fired upon u.s.
One bullet pierced Charities hat; another lllllnSS-
| cd through my orercOat-orlTinaliy UnciG
Sam's property. Thay fired TO little purpose
At last their officer fairly blushcd, and ordered
| them TO .'close in and finish the - rebels"
| They came up. We fred together and TWO
| fell. moment more AMI they were upon us.
Two sialwarS soldiers made at me. tired
missed; fired agafn-and one was done for.
The other aimed Il desperate blow at my head:
Hurting my empty pistol in his lace grapplea