The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-07-13

large as hens egg. / thought we were get
ting the best of it, but presently the bugle
blew and back we went-licked again. Thrill
of it, sir-4OO men licking 1900 as coolly as
they had always fought that way 1t mad
us hopping mad, and you ought to have heart
Wheeler take on. He's little bit of a foxy
looking chap, you know, but all vim and fight
and he'd never struck snag like that before
He was so mad that his stirrups wouldn'
hold him."
TRYING AGAIN.
1Dnes was as cool as January. A man wht
has his back to the wall can fight three men il
front, but yet there is limit to the endurance
of men in the best positions. He had beatei
Wheeler back twice, and he could beat hin
again, but if Wheeler welded the hammel
long enough he must shatter the target. Wher
Lee could raise no more men he knew to
week when the climax would come. He coule
figure to certainty when five men would b.
able TO overpower one. Innes had good Pc
sition, but Wheeler could lose two men to hi
one and beat him in the end. Therefore, whet
he saw that it was to be succession of as
saults he sent for reinforcements and mads
ready for the next grapple. He passed along
every foot of his lines, suggesting changes
here and there and encouraging the men, anG
as he saw the Confederates move out for 8
third assault he said to his veterans:
Fire low and don't waste bullet Drive
them back this time and we'll have reinforce
ments before they can come again.'
II did not take part in that third assault
continued my informant" but | watched Il
closely. We had from twelve to fifteen hun
dred men, and they were all fighting mad.
1t was the same as before with your men
They held their fire until every bullet would
hit. There was crash-a cloud of smoke
cheers and yells, and then lost sight of the
fight for five minutes. Some of our men got
over the breastwork this time, but were killed
there, and it wasn't ten minutes before the bu-
giles rang out and back the lines came. By
this time the ground was covered with dead
and wounded along Innes' front, and with my
spy glass I saw some of his men rolling dead
horses against the breastwork to make it
stronger. lisa dead shame the way we were
rolled back by that little crowd of Yanks, but
it's no use denying what actually happened.
The road beyond Lavergne was blocked full
Of Federal wagons, but we couldn't get at 'ern
for these paltry 400 blue coats, and they were
tree-cutters and bridge builders at that! That
ERE scrimmage has always made me ashamed
and I guess Wheeler will always feel sore
over it."
THE FOURTH.
Between the third and fourth assaults
Wheeler waited to see if the Wolverines would
not run up the white flag. His mission that
day was to gobble Fedora. trains and secure
plumber, and he did not relish this obstruction.
He did not want his men killed off, and yet
that Federal force was a menace which he
dared not pass UNDECIDED. 1t would be no
glory to whip them. being he was six to one
and as for prisoners Hardee was capturing
Federals by the hundred on the right at Stone
River. After that third repulse Wheeler
would have abandoned the game as not worth
the powder, only that he found himself in a
bad situation. To pass Lavergne he must
whip lines. To fall back would be a dis
grace. Therefore he prepared for fourth as
sault. A good part of the force was dismount-
ed to act as Infantry, the artillery advanced
until the spent bullets of the Federals dropped
before the guns, and when all was ready the
lines advanced.
Meanwhile Innes had backed some wagons
into his breastwork to strengthen it, and as
many as dozen dead horses were rolled over
to help strengthen it. When Wheeler opened
with his cannon two laughable incidents oc-
CURED to put the Federals in good humor. A
shell struck one OF the dead horses and ex-
ploded inside the beast. The result was that
a score of men were covered with the pulpy
masses, and captain was knocked down by 3
large hunk" of meat and rendered uncon-
scious for full five minutes. His first words
on regaining consciousness were:
Boys, are we in Heaven, or have we given
the rebs fits again ?"
One of the wagons contained clothing and
rations. A shell passed through the end
board, burst with deafening sound, and pieces
of overcoats and blankets kept company with
hard tack as they sailed over the encampment
A button from demolished overcoat struck q
Federal on the ear and fell to the ground, and
as he picked it up with one hand and held his
bleeding ear with the other he yelled out:
"Boys, we've got 'em licked for sure
they're out of bullets and are shooting butt
tons at us p
That fourth assault was cool and desperate,
but it was met in the same manner. Not a
dozen Federal muskets were fired until the
rush was made. Then such fire was poured
in that the centre was checked, and as the
wings reached the breastwork, friend and foe
fired deliberately at each other from distance
of ten feet.
al was with that fourth assaulting column.
said the Confederate narrator, and again
reached the breastwork. This time was on
foot We got hold of a wagon to pull 1t out
and had three men hit IN the legs by the fire
under the brush. saw over hundred Fed
erals through and over the breastwork, and
could hear every order given by the officers
a mall ucitI Iut, WIZ was eCoA iuF, Oue euo CC'
dars. had the top of his head blown of, and the
blood spattered over dozen men behind. A
lot of us got down and tried to shoot through
| the breastwork and saw dozens of men try
ing to climb over, but it was no use. We wer'
losing four to one, and the bugles called III
| back for the fourth time Then there was I
regular row among the officers, and Wheele
was so mad that he was as white as clear
shirt. We had wasted heap of time, and thu
racket had sent all the Federal wagons beyonG
Lavergne off on gallop. 1t was cutting Ut
both ways, and never heard so much cussinl
| in all my born days"
! ANOTHER FLAG.
Then Wheeler sent another flag OF truce
He had Innes boxed up, and had only BEEF
fooling around a little to give him time t
change his mind. He would offer him on
chance to surrender, and if he refused he mus
take the bloody consequences.
"D-n the consequences and Wheeler too !!
replied lines; "and if you send in anothe
white rag I'll shoot the man who carries it Z!
Then Wheeler bobbed up and down in hi
saddle and swore by the great horn spoon tina
he'd have Innes' sword in less than halt q
hour. He could take four successive licking
as matter of military courtesy, but when
came to sass " he wouldn't stand it. His Ell
tire force was called in, his artillery advance