Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-26

tnae vast " an W uiecIy. 1ne nlglb was
awful, and yet in it was our safety, for
no enemy would dare attack us when he
could not distinguish friend from foe.
We knew that when day broke upon us,
we would be harassed by bands of cavalry
hanging on our TANKS. Therefore our
aim was to go as far as possible under
cover of the night, and SO we kept on.
1t was my sad lot to pass the whole
distance from the rear to the head of the
column, and no language can convey an
idea OF the horrors of that most horrible
| of all nights of our long and bloody war.
Daybreak on the morning of the 9Th
found the head of our column at Green
castle, twelve or fifteen miles from the
Potomac at Williamsport, our point of
crossing. Here our apprehended troubles
from the Union cavalry began. From
the fields and crossroads they attacked
US in small bodies, striking the column
where there were few or no guards, and
creating great confusion.
To add still further to our perplexities,
a report was brought that the Felerals in
large force held Willismsport. THIS for
tunately proved untrue. After great
deal of harassing and desultory fighting
along the road, nearly the whole immense
train reached Williamsport little after
the middle of the day. The town was
taken possession of; all the churches,
school houses, etc were converted into
hospitals, and proving insufficient, many
OF tie private houses were occupied.
Straw was obtained on the neighbo,ing
farms; the wounded were removed from
the wagons and housed; the citizens were
all put 10 cooking, and the army surgeons
to dressing wounds. The dead were se-
lecttd from the train-for many had per
ished on the wsy-and were decenrly
buried. All this bad to be done because
the tremendous rains bad raised the river
more than ten feet above the fording
stage, and we could not possibly cross.
Our situation was frightful. We had
| over 10, 600 animals and all the wagons
of Gen. Lees army under our charge,
and all the wounded that could be brought
from Gettysburg. Our supply of provi-
sioDs consisted of few wsg N loads of
-four and small lot of cattle. My effect
i've force was only about 100 men and
twenty-odd field pieces. We did not
know where our army was; the river
could not be crossed; aud small parties of
cavalry were still lowering around. The
means of ferIiage consisted of two small
boats and a email wire rope stretched
across the river, which, owing to the
force of the swollen current, broke sew
eral times during the day. To reduce
the space to be defended as much as pos
sible, all the wagons aud animals were
parked c,ose together on the river bank.
Believing that an attack would soon be
made upon US, ordered the wsgoners to
be mustered, and taking three out of
every four, organized them into compa
MES, and armed them with the weapons
of the wounded men found in the train.
By this means added to my effective
force about five hundred men. Slightly
wounded officers promptly volunteered
their services to command these improvised
soldiers; and many of our quartermas-
tiers and cOmmissaries did the same thing
We were not seriously molested on the
9th; but next morning about nine o'clock
information reached me that large body
of cavalry from Frederick, MARYLAND.
was rapidly advancing to attack US. As
we could not retreat further, it was at
once frankly made known TO the troops
that unless we could repel the threatened
attack, we should ali become prisoners.
and that the loss of his whole transpor-
tstion would probably ruin Gen. Lee; for
it could not be replaced for many months,
if at all, in the then exhausted condition
of the Confederate States. So far from
ranraccir1n fha opInr cf ha L.,
frank announcement of our peril inspired
all with the utmost enthusiasm. Men
and officers alike, forgetting the suffer-
ings of the past few days, proclaimed
their determination to drive back the
attacking force or perish in the attempt.
All told, we were less than 5000 men.
The advancing force we knew to be more
than double ours, consisting, as we had
ascertained, of five regular and eight vol
unteer regiments of cavalry, with Is
guns, all under the command of Gems.
Buford and Fitzpatrick. We had no
works of any kind; the country was
open and almost level, and there was no
advantage of position we could occupy.
1t must necessarily be a square stand-up
fight, face to face. We had TWENTY-FIVE
| field guns of various calibre, and one
Whitworth. These were disposed in bat
teries, in semiciIcle, about one mile out
| of the village, on the summit of very
| slight rising ground that lies back of the
town. Except the artillery, our troops
were held out of view of the ASSISTANTS,
and ready TO be moved promptly TO any
menaced point along the whole line of
| nearly two miles in extent. Knowing
that nothing could save us but bold
"bluff" game, orders had been given to
| the artillery as soon as the advancing
| forces came within range 10 open fire
along the whole line, and keep it up with
the utmost rapidity. A little after one
| O'Clock they appeared on two roads in
| our front, and our batteries opened.
Tney soon had their guns in position, and
very lively artillery fight began. We
fired with great rapidity, and in less than
an hour two of batteries reported that
their ammunition was exhausted. This
would have been fatal to us, but for the
opportune arrival at the critical moment
of an ammunition train from Winchester.
The wagons were ferried across to our
side as soon as possible, and driven on
the field in a gallop, to supply the silent
guns. Not having men to occupy half
our line, they were moved up in order Of
battle, first TO one battery, then with
drawn and dOuble-quicked TO another,
but out of view of our assailants, Till they
could be shown at some other point on our
line. By this maneuve;ing we made the
impression that we had strong support
ing force in rear Of all our guns along
the entire front. To test this, Gems. Bu-
ford and Fitzpatrick dismounted five regi-
mems and advanced them on foot on our
right.
We concentrated there all the men we
had, wagoners and all, and thus, with
the aid of the united fire of all our guns
directed at the advancing line, we dove
it back, and rushed forward two of our
batteries four or five hundred yards fur
| theT to the front. This holiness prevent
! ed another charge, and the fight was con-
| tinued till near sunset with the artillery.
| About that time Gen. Fizhugh Lee sent
message from toward GreeIcas'le, that if
we could hold out an hour he would re.
inforce us with 5000 men. This intelll-
gence ELECTED loud and long continued
| cheer along our whole line, which was
heard and understood by our adversaries,