The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-23

1 came the caisson for dozen jumps OF .vi
l and then IL was swung wildly over ' a.,A
| crashed. wrong side UP. In the d1tcn, sa thcn
INC fine horses and driver with u anu . ,a
/ ali resolved itself into Dlack AM came
Cling mass In the mud. Jus' pei o their
some cavalryinen, who We,e sttrnoaliiig bo-
n u.ns 80 mon came running OUT % the
u.es % on Nm making for the entrance o' VIC
swamp. aud remarked to my
| companion -,ott,nn licked.o
| Contrary to my eXpectaI'pnSS' t nas le III,
was not Il suggestion that VIC h'u "e''e1 i@i'
back. .,ne.,,
| ,.'ir,.n,cn teamsters-began to throng the
o,,,rance of the swamp in the direction we
| we're moving. Just then there was a long
swinging scream over our heads, as If some
mighty power had swung through space
the lash of some gigantic whip.
whats that ~ asked Bull, as he sud-
denly jerked his head upward.
"That. my friend, Is what they call a
shell. There's evidently rebel battery out
there that's been planted to shell this
swamp road. They've got our men on the
run they know that they have got to run
through this swamp. and they are going to
| make it hot for us" g.,
I scanned somewhat anxious the face of
MIR. Bull as I impaired this information.
| Considerably TO my disgust, it seemed to
| affect him about as much as would the re-
mark that there was fly in his saddle-bags.
| In desperation. l gave one more look OF
disgust at his immobile face, and then TOOK
a prolonged pull at my contemplation, by
! the wav, was not charged with water.
| The first she'll was almost Immediately
followed BY q second and third, each OF
which was little lower than its predeces-
sor. The savage screwing scream OF their
flight was supplemented by dull reports IN
our rear.
"see here, Bull, those shells are getting
lower. The rebels are getting the range
In less than two minutes they'll sweep this
road from end to end!"
He never moveda muscle, but kept right
on. We were walking our horses slowly,
both on account of the difficult character
of the road and the stream OF fugltlVes
that began to pour by US.
One, two, three shells Then two, close
together! The aim was excellent-a trlne
high, but getting lower every turn. fore
saw that in about twenty seconds THESE
missiles would get down to where we were
The crowd at the further end grew
denser. . s,,,ou-.
Bull, if we get among those fellows
we'll get torn all to piecesW
MIR. Bull intimated that ne thougnt n TO-
Then came missile with !aSn Oh tne
mir. II plunged into the ditch just before
us and exploded, tossing high up masses o.
mud and water. -, xh4 os 7
"Now he'll 60, sureH' ! thought, as i
turned toward my companion. ne was a.
stolid and impasslve as a brass oos Oh Ill
) andiron. vroaro
rushed hither and thither.. shells Io s.
through the cedars at our right ana l H;,.
and deluged us with broken boagns. Inc
air was alive with shell and, round snos,
Frantic horses tore by uS, and amDuiancess
dashed along in mad retreat, Threatening a'
each moment to fling us into the dltch;
A she'll came screeching along, ana purst
Immediately over our heads. me ar was
filled with flying particles and smoke I9 NJ
stopped my horse. [ looked at Bun. ne
was pressing on with infinite composure'
With look of unreasonable disgust, re-
marked, soto Uoce: huso-
"You id beet-eating son OF morse
block! If you won't run away oy tnuh'
der-I will !" ,r,
And did. l haven't attempted to scare
!anybudy since.