The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-05-06
Dahlgren's Death.

1t was now beginning to get dark, and
we wanted some rest and something to
eat, and crossing creek we halted in
an old field, where Col. Dahlgren took a
short nap. We were soon moving
again, and had not marched above
halt mile, when the advance was
stopped by an obstruction in the road.
Lieutenant Merritt rode back and met
the Colonel and asked for more men.
The Colonel, Major Cook, myself and
ten or twenty men rode rapidly to the
front, and upon arriving at the trees
that were across the road we were met
by an order to surrender, both parties
demanding surrender at the same time
Col. Dahlgren then leveled his revolver
at the person who seemed to be the Off
Ger in command of the Confederates, but
his pistol missed fire. In an instant a
volley was poured into our left flank
the whole length of our line, and so close
that the flashes almost reached our
horses. This caused stampede, as
every horse in our command turned and
broke down the road. After going a
ew yards we checked up and crossed a
fence on our light, and formed on the
top of ridge few rods from the road.
We now began to look who was missing,
and found the Colonel was not on hand.
This a number of us were aware of be-
fore, having seen him fall off his horse
by the light of the flash of the guns. Ma
ior Cooke was not on horseback, for
when we reached the ridge his horse fell
at the same fire that killed the Colonel.
In fact, there was only one vclley; not
a shot fired afterward nor a man to be
seen. We were allowed to form in the
field in peace, and had we guide we
might still have reached Gloucester
Point, on General Buffers lines; but
we were now entirely without any
knowledge of the surroundings the
men almost dead for sleep and out of
ammunition the horses about played
out, and every one more or less demon
allied. And was it strangel We had
been in the saddle for seventy-six hours
without halt long enough to get any
sleep. A council was now held to
determine what should be done, for We
did not intend to give up. 1t wa finally
agreed upon to fastsn the horses in a
hollow square by fastening the sabers
into the ground, and then every one try
to make his escape. The commissioned
oficers-Maj. Cooke, Lieut.. Merritt and
myself together with four scouts and
guides, were to 60 in party. We in
tended to cross the country, going north,
and strike the Rappahanncck river be-
low. Fredericksburg and get one of our
picket boats
We left the men and horses and crept
like cats to the woods (the same we had
ambushed FROM and through the bushes
about a mile, when it began to break
dav, March Sd. We hid in a pine
thicket all day, and at dark set out. l
had with mea compass and good topo-
graphical map of that part of Virginia,
which enabled US to select our route.
We travelled this night about two miles,
when we were getting weak for lack of
something to eat, and coming to a log
CdUll near tuc WOOuS VIC q iCNOiA
noisance of the premises and found the
occupants to be white man and woman.
We went in and asked for something to
eat, and while we were sitting in the
house waiting for it to be got ready, the
door was opened and we were politely
told to surrender, which Major Cooke,
being the ranking officer, very politely
did And thus ended one of the most
extraordinary expeditions of the war,
when we consider the number of men
and the distance travelled, the number
captured and the amount of damage
done the enemy and the fact that we
were closer to the city of Richmond
than any other Union troops had been
or were until the city fell into our hands
in 1865. We were taken the next day,
March 4th, to Stevensville, and from
there started to Libby in charge Of Cap
tain Magruder's company of cavalry.
These troops We're gentlemen, and treat
ed us as well as circumstance would
permit. BARLEY in Philadelphia
Times.