Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-05-31

manu- o. the reOel cavalry. n nuulYcA VI -
rebels we're wounded, also the horse which Ash
by rode, which died soon after by the road EIDE.
From this time skirmishes were frequent IN
whichever direction the cavalrymen went. The
regiment moved on as far south as Harrison
burg and in the vicinity of StsuntOn. retro
grade movement commenced shout the middle
OF May occasiOned by the departure Of the greater
portion of our active troops, under Shields, to
reinforce Mcdowell at Fredericksburg. Inc
sick and wounded and the dead weight OF the
army remained with BGukf
About the 10Th Of May we hsd fallen back
to Fishers Hill, & few miles South OF Strssourg'
when our new Col, Tompkins arrived and TOOK
command. After stopping day CT two IN the
open field we removed into the edge CT the Tor
est We expected TO TemE.u here for lew Gays
to recuper2te snd brush up. The same evening
most of cur company boys assembled IN and
around vscsnt tent to make merry over our
stopping place. Ii wss delightful evening
John Hogan was there and led of II gymnastics
and acrobatic fests Sergeant AOrte repeated
his popular var song entitled, " Blow ye winds
Of morning and various others INDUCED in
their speoislities 4 paper was presented for
the signatures Of those who wished their dis
charges, By Geo. Weber, Who stated that he
had teen authorized to do 60 by Cspt. Plat,
with full assurances that those who wished their
discharges could have them notwithstanding
the good time We were enjoying dozen or 20
signed the paper. Soldering never goes by
haves but vibrates between the extremes Of fun
and misery.
We retired about ten O'Clock that evening and
were hardly Ssleep, when Capt. Pstt awoke me
with the oder to strike tents and be prepared to
march at day light. Our company was the FIRST
to be in readiness and with company . c.
marched down toward Strssburg, the squslron
commanded by Maj Collins. Il was besutl-
ful morning on the 2ith Of May, just ten years
ago to-lSy. At Strssburg we were joined by a
section Of Parrot guns sud five companies G; the
lst Maine cavalry. Here We saw Gen Banks
with the main portion Of his forces ready to
move and .scertaiued iome;hing Of our situa-
ton, The enemy hsl come down the shensn-
doah valley from the south As far as Newmarket
Gap, and hal oloIssd over the mountain east,
into the Luray valley. They had ftnkei US Al
Front Royal the ni.at before. and had carried
the post and were as near Winchester, our point
Of retreat. as We ourselves we're. Everything
indicated mischief Our little scouting party,
consisting Of the Maine cavalry, the battery and
our squadron, moved forward TO Nid1letown,
and then turned TO the east on on the road
10 Front Royal We engaged the enemy about
four miles out, but were forced back 10 Middle
town under CALLING FIRE. Remembering Web
ber's discharge papeIs Of tie nigh, bei1re,l was
wicked enough TO remind ZONE Of th0se who
signed them, thsJ very likely some Of us would
obtain our discharges that DAY. aui all seemed
10 look NJ the matter in the same light. Up
TO our return 10 MidletoWn, We had iost but
one man from or company, Thomas Hall, from
Shelburue, who was knocked cut u his saddle
with shell, receiving wound which necesslts-
ted hif discharge. The euemy's shot and shell
cSme thicker and faster as We returned 10 Mid
d!etoSn. which after while died away. Here
- Aiile-9Hu where the company fret went on
duty it vas stoye 70 atoms, TWO months later
St.l We sat there ca cur h1ries In the streets
until the rebels appeared On the Pike north Of us
BY our inactivity for tae last Il or 20 minutes,
We had given the cueuy every opportunity they
desired 4 road lei out Of the village 20 the
mountains wet. which re might hsye taken
but such wss not the case. General Hatch had
arrived and hS1 taken command, sni without
adopting the precautionary measures Of send
ing on; tsirmlshers ordered charge WIKI
drawn ssbres away ne went and 30 into the jaws
OF death rushed the SIX luuirci.' Suddenly,
as With crash Of worlds there came shock
and ! wss under my horse 10 the ditch. The
uprosr continued Some we're begging for hep
aud praying, while others we're cursing and
swesrug At the top 4 their voices. On came
the hortes Co Triangle our lives out it wss fJrtu-
nate Tor me that wss not in the centre Of the
pike, tui being in c1mmtni Of the u plst0on
thar day, was little outside My srziety vas
intense 10 get ou; from uuler my horse. l was
sure ms horse wss killed, else be would have rs-
lieyei ne. Wud nv right sase agaiust the
saddle | succeeded "a removing uy left from
under the horse. The air was hllei with dust,
E--f . rE.a b.
Ming wild. Weuts ltte further along In tue
ditch an1 turnei into she pike 90 secure horse.
Nearly every rider WAS iismluu-ei as he came
up Go the spo, whore fell, ani the horses went
on without them | seized two or tree h0Tees
by the bride a they cane past, and wss as
often hurled O. the ground Thee were one "
two others there on the same business | asked
one Of them TO help me catch horse, sni he
replied With &C oath that be lcoud not get one
for himself ! began 90 despair ami my courage
90 fsll ne. The ,ir seemed CD be filled igi,h tll-
lets which sung -ises swarm Of tee', then be-
gan TO consider that prudence sss the best Part
Of vs.1r sad got over the stone wall On the oppo-
site side q the r0sI from whence ctme the re-
porte Of the muskets | could not give up the
.ies Of catching 6 horse ami thought ! should be
able TO IND one 10 the trains ct cur zrmy wagons
which had passed just before. With crouchei
head / h1lh.ei along under the wal IS beet
could. 10 the left o. me there were horses
and riders ia the open fed, AMI many were
fleeing On the west ROAD l,l not realize Eheth-
er they were our men o. the enemy. dared not
leave The w4l for fear Of exposing myself All
A. once as was moving along under the wsll,
IS supposed, heard The order Hat accom-
panied WITH various prof.na sui miserable words,
but did not think they were intended for me
Again the order was repeated, aui LS | looked
up saw a number Ot the J0huny's' across
the road, with their mutkets leve.ei upon me,
and at the cane iiua hesTi the order given,
" don't fire. threw up my hands insanity,
and o5eyei their orders, b. giving up my eide
srms had passed the end Of the wal or had
run into gateway, uncaurc.0uSiy The fellows
who captured ne belonged TO the " Lou-s.sns
Tigers, 80 and with them tried % indulge IN
little pleasantly, but 90 no purpose vas
Eesry and laid down beside David Tubhs, :
comrsie from Colchester. who vas shot in the
shoulder, AMI Charles B.nn from tlis place and
others. Close By them sat rebe. officer on his
Eorse evidently II Command BE qu.zEsd Us
very closely at0u, the movements Of our troops,
but Of course We knew nothing which could
benefit him. Tie fell Was filed with rebel s3l-
diers and union prisoners professionally, and
then for the fret time, | began TO realize that we
sloomiest period Of ny life. ! WAS bruised and
covered with dust, there was cut in my face,
both hsnls were bruised sni one foot vas wet
with biooi,ye, | was glad TO get ont Of it even 70
well as that.
As the rebel ofi;er conyersel with Us, there
came horse down the pike with fearful strides
and 3 number Of shots were fred 81 hin. Look
ing closer ssw one leg Of soldier thrown over
the saddle and one Grm over the horses neck,
the rider wss cllugiug 10 the opposite SIDE
When against US the rebel officer ordered hs
men 10 " cessc firing that was too brave man
to die" The WAT horse went down the pike but
| heard no more firing.
Soon heard a tremendous csnnonGling back
to Cedar Greek Toe balance Of our regiment
was there and engaged in : fight An orderly
came up and addressed the rebel commander rs
Col Abby, saying he was wanted At Cedar
Greek. This then was Col. Ashby who was killed
a fortnight later at Cross keys. With E num-
beT Of ny company comrades we were marched
back in the direction from which our charge
was made, and the deal horses hal not yet been
removed from the ro.d where We fell There
we're rome six or eight there, which completely
bsrrscadel the roc1, the dead and wounded men
hSd been picked up snd cared for. MIR. Lynde
of our compsny was killed there and several se-
verely wounded Among the number was Mr.
Balm Of this place. Company c. in the !
rear of US lost more heavily in killed and |
wounded. Capt. Bean Snd % men Of his COM
pAny were unhorsel in running over US and |
we're captured, besides the killed snd wounded |
of his company. The battery which had swept /
across the pike at that point, remained close by |
the road side where it had done its Internal |
work Nearly every man killed, wounded or
captured. in our company that day, belonged to |
the second platoon, which was totally snnihi- |
lated. The artillery FIRE Of grspe shot, must
have passed through our ranks at the head Of |
the 2 plstoon as the horses in this position |
we're dead in the rosl The. only way to &C
count for the small loss Of life WAS from the
fact that the rebels were on the upper eide Of |
the road and fired too high.
Those who could walk we're marched back to |
the village and halted close by a building used |
as hospital, When the roads were cleared |
away the rebel column began to pass north, |