Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-01-26
WHAT REGIMENT WAS IT.
The HeadlOng COwardly stampede
Attributed to New Workers.

From the Philadelphia Times.
One of the most amusing incidents of
the war that occurred at Clarksburg
did not terminate happily. Soon after
active hostilities began, a New York
regiment arrived in Clarksburg, said to
be the largest regiment ever seen in the
field. How SO many men got crowded
into one regiment was more than any
mortal could tell. 1t was said to num-
Der some 100 men. The colonel COM
manding the regiment had little conf
dence in the staying qualities of his
men Should they be called upon to en-
gage the enemy. They had never been
in battle and did not seem to be spoil
ing for fight to any perceptible ex-
tent. 1t was rumored that the Confed-
crates were advancing upon Clarks-
burg, and the colonel determined to
test the courage of his troops. He Sc
cretly took about dozen soldiers
couple of miles from town and con-
cealed them on an emineuce short
distance above the road, and told them
when he brought his regiment oppo-
site them they were to fire volley
over the heads of the men and give the
"rebel yell" He then returned to town
and, forming his regiment, told them
the enemy was advancing on the town
and they must go out and meet him.
With blanched cheeks the men rode
after their colonel as he advanced out
on the road. The ambush was now
reached.
About this time the fear among the
men that they would meet the enemy
had done its work. Visions of the
mangled and bleeding forms being car
ried back to Clarksburg or thrown into
ditch and bruied without coffin or
ceremony had fitted through many
brain as they rode along. Suddenly
the roar of musketry was heard just
above them, and dozen balls went
whistling over their heads. 1t was
enough. AS though actuated by sim
gle impulse every man turned toward
Clarksburg and shot down the road as
though pursued by million devils. 1t
was in vain that the colonel rode after
them and tried to rally them, even tried
to convince them that the shots were
not fired from Confederate guns, but
fired by their comrades. Away they
went, helter-skelter, all bent upon plac-
ing themselves under the protection of
the Notifications at Clarksburg. 1t was
a race such as had not been seen in that
country before, and similar one may
never be seen again. The road was
narrow one, and they went crowding
and crushing along it, each trying to
pass all the rest. Occasionally cap
would fly from troopers head, then
carbine would go rafting to the ground.
Blankets and other equipments flew in
every direction and were trampled un-
der foot. At length they dashed into
the street of the town, but the stampede
did not stop here. They dashed through
the street to reach fort on the hill at
the opposite end of the town. While
running through the streets the horse Of
one of the soldiers in front stumbled
and in less time than we can write it
the entire mass of frightened men and
horses had passed over rider and horse
and trampled them to death. The men
did not stop until the fort was reached,
and thus terminated with the loss of
one life, the most ludicrous and dis
graceful stampede witnessed during the