Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-06-02

the troops would be followed by q
rear and plunge aside, then--a shot
rang clear and defiant Oh the crisp
night air, and with laundering boofs
the horse was madly chasing the
wind, neck-and-neck, as it were,
bearing away his rider to safety from
the Queens men, shot after shot fol-
lowing the gallant steed and rider,
but to no purpose.
The Lieutenant was dumb from
astoDishment, and as silent as the
form ofhim lying on the greensward,
who never again would answer to
roll-call, and was only brought to re-
alize his position on hearing the harsh
stern voice Of Capt. Elliott, his COM
mander, saying, "Yon have played
----! Didn't You know that Was the
id rebel, Col. York, we were after 7"
But it was too late, and curses
would not turn the Colonel from the
Virginia trail, which he asfollowing
as ardently as if he were to keep
tryst with his lady-.love.
Back to his old scenes again the
days flew rapidly until the curtain
was to be drawn upon the drama at
Appomatox, when he was ordered by
Gen. Lee, to North Carolina, at q
point on the Yankton river, with in
structions to hold a bridge until the
passage of President Davis was safely
made. How well the behest was
followed, the Federal General Stone
man, supported by 4,4OO men and IL
guns, can tell. An unconditional
surrender of the bridge, troops, etc,
was demanded, and the laconic an
swer "come and take it' given. For
days sbirmishing with the enemy in
front and then retreating through the
covered bridge, drawing Stoneman
on, and repulsing his charges time
and time again, the position vas
successfully held, until Johnston
drove the enemy to the mountains
and the President with his staff and
escort made the crossing. How fear
full the destruction made by the little
band of 400 fighting men and five
pieces of artillery, under our Vidalia
Colonel-(now a Brigadier)--can be
imagined from the language Of Gen.
StOneman.
Gen. York had fulfilled Gen. Lees
instructions to the letter, and was
making his way to the trans Missis-
sippi Department, where it was in
tended by the Confederate govern
ment head to make another stand,
but ran into the lines of Stoneman.
whom he had so soundly thrashed
shortly before, and was made priso-
ner. Referring to the repulse at
YanktOn river, Gen. Stoneman asked
his former adversary, the strength of
bis forces at the bridge. "Four hun
dred effective men and five pieces of
artillery was the reply. The Fed
eral General was surprised; mnsing
a while, lie said WcOnld have taken
your position, General, but at a great
er sacrifice than experienced"
"Never, SIR was the warm reply.
"The bridge of Lodi was nothing to
what the Yankton river bridge would
have been. Yonr whole force would
have been decimated. You could
not have taken it, Gen. Stoneman."
Paroled byhis captor, Gen. York
received many courtesies from Stone
man and returned to his adopted
home, where he has quietly lived,
bearing a vivid recollection Of his
campaigns, but realizing fully that
the war closed with the surrender of
Lee, turned his sword into the plOw-
share, and endeavors by hard knocks
to retrieveip part, the handsome for
tune which took wings from him Oh
the collapse Of the Confederacy.