Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-30
"reminiscences Of the Third Tonnes
see Cavalry.
BY ADJUTANT WILL A. M'TEER.
NO XXXVIII.

quenly made feints on our pickets.
On the morning of December z31,
1864, our command was aroused long
before day, hasty breakfast eaten,
and the horses fed and grOomed. Then
mounting, We started on the Decatur
road. The Tenth Indiana Cavalry
was in advance, and Captain Mitchell,
q dashiDg and brave young officer was
in command of the advance guard.
Lieut.. A S. Pfosser went forward
with Capt. Mitchell. We had not pro-
ceeded far when the advance struck
the Confederate videttes. The Skin
mishing was kept up warm aud
pressed rapidly back. growing stronger
at each successive post, until a hot
skirmish followed one after another.
The main column was kept moving at
a trot until about the time day was
fairly opened, when the rebels made
such a stand that it was evidt Mt they
were in force. The morning was ex>
cessively cold and piercing, while the
roads were frozen hard. Moving at
fast trot, Col. Prosser turned to George
House, the bugler, and in his keen,
shriIl voice, commanded, BLOW the
charge, George!' At the same time
he put spurs to his horse and started
forward. The bugle did not sound, so
the Colonel turned upon his horse,
and, with an oath, asked, why don't
you blow the charge, George?" House
had the bugle to his lips. and replied
from the side of his mouth, 81 will,
Colonel, as soon as the bugle thaws"
The mouth piece was actually frozen
to his lips! At length the charge was
blown; the Second Cavalry was in the
rear, they heard the bugie and knew
it. They answered with wild yell,
and started forward past the other
commands. We came to the ford at
Indian Greek, which was a narrow
passage and would admit only a
column of fours to pass at time. The
brave Mitchell and A. s. Prosser
dashed over the stream with their ad-
vance. For some distance in front
there was level plateau, which was
half circled by ridge. On this ridge
the rebel command, some eight hun
dred strong, took their position, dis.
mounted and armed with long guns.
1t was strong place. Our only
chance was to make quick work of it.
We did not have exceeding two hun
dred effective men, and had to attack
their own chosen position. The In-
dianians had never been fully armed,
but few of them having sabres. Mej.
Williamson, who was In command of
the Tenth Indiana Cavalry, was q
brave man and good soldier, but he
had been all officer in infantry during
the war, up to the time this new regi-
ment was raised, so crossing The creek
he attem pied to form his men in line of
battle and stand or advance in order.
This would have been suicidal. The
TenLesseeans had had more expert
ence, so on they came screaming and
yelling with drawn saDres, and as they
passed the Colonel, almost every man
cried out: LET the Second at them !"
AT them they went, too. The Indi-
auians caught the spirit and on they
WeIt, clubbing their carbines and
using them for sabres. There were
not exceeding one hundred shots
fired on our side. On went the charge.
The rebels at first kept their line and
were stubborn. Our force rushed up
on them with sabre5 aud their line
was compelled TO give way, and when
once broken they became badly de
moralized. The strokes with sabres
and dubbed carbines went on at
rapid rate for time. The rebels re.
treating in disorder, then followed an
exciting chase for several miles They
were crowded and pressing on trying
to get away, yet they kept their cOlors
up. Lieut.. John G. Hale, Lieut.. J Ohm
w. Andes and few others attempted
to capture it, and at one time Lieut..
Hale got hold of it, but his horses feet
CHANGING TO strike in mud hole,
throwing him forward off his balance,
the bearer took advantage of it and
wrenohed the staff from Haie's hands,
and succeeded in getting away with it.
A foe horse of Lieut.. Frank Lyttle's
was shot, which dismounted him and
made him SO angry that he went to
using his sabre on foot. Lieut.. A. s.
Prosser, at the frs. part of the charge,
selected him large, fat rebel and un-
dertook TO sanre him. The latter was
dismounted, and seeing Prosser max
ing at him. resisted the attack with
pistol, giving the Lieutenant a painful
wound in the foot. It was not enough
to stop the fighting Lieutenant, how
ever, for time; but he continued in
the saddle and using ms weapon for
some time, he became so sick he was
compelled to stop.
This was a sweeping charge and
grand victory. We lost one man
killed and Lieut.. Prosser wounded,
while several horses were shot. Their
dead was here and there over the
ground and along the road for some
distance. We captured fifty-four pris-
oners, and they were the bloodiest
men I ever saw. Only three OF them
were unhurt. They seemed to think
a sabre would not hurt q man and
would not surrender until they had re-
ceived blow.
Capt. Mitchell broke or lost his
sabre, and dischargirg the loads from
bis pistol, went on in the charge using
the pistol instead of sabre and broke
lt In two. He put the pieces in bis
pocket, captured another, used it the
same way, broke it, kept the pieces,
captured another and broke it. So
when he came out of the fight he had