Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-07-21
seemed to be no Commanding officer present
and the men were taking position to suit them
selves. We were at a disadvantage, both as to

Iof yankee prison.. But up dashed at full gal
Top our own Col Herbert. Had an angel
dropped from heaven into our midst we could
not have felt more rejoiced or surprised than at
the Coloneis sudden and unexpected appear
ance. Taking in the situation at q glance
Bring that flag cut here, he said. Then as
the men leaped the fence into the road to form
on the colors, mo time for forming boys, The
shouted, "break for that knoll yonder pointing to
one OF those curious rounded knobs which spring
up detached from the mountain and are some
sixty or eighty feet high and hundred yards
or 80 across the top. The regiment was soon
snugly ensconced in the low scrub that covered
the hill without loss too. as it crossed the open.
Ihen the cavalry line closed in upon us and We
had 1t nip and tuck But we had what was
comparatively p an impregnable position as long
r1Dy, though, for water. Every time rifle
was fired the jar raised the dust thickly strewn
on the leaves Of the bushes, and nearly suffo-
Gated us; and, worse than ALL there were two
the hill, who must have imagined We were at
war with them. One-half the time we were
beating them off. and several men were badly
bunged up by their stings. But everything
comes to an end, and greatly to our relief, about
p. m. the enemy, finding that they could not
force our position. drew off up the gap.
strong line of skirmishers was Immediately
thrown out in that direction Ono surprises when
Herbert was on HANDY and our two companies
on the railroad recalled.
CLEARING THE GAP.
The regiment was permitted to fill canteens
and to rest for half hour or so, when we were
ordered to fall in. and the colonel, addressing
U.s. said: "Boys, shall we finish this Job, and
drive those fellows out of the gap?" or course
we shouted our assent; but, if the truth were
told, the writer strongly suspects that not many
OF US were enthusiastically athirst to under
take the ticklish job aforesaid. However,
headed left in front, with the skirmishers we'll
advanced, We started ahead to clear the pass.
AT that time we didnOt know. though doubtless
the colonel did, that Garand's brigade Of Pick
ett's division, now alas! depleted to a small
sized regiment, was coming up from Front ROYAL
to reinforce u.s. As the regiment passed the
point where the cavalry wheeled at our first
volley we found three or four dead
federals fallen in the road, and one Door
fellow. shot through the bowels and mortaily
wounded, was prOpped up against the fence
gazing mournfully at us. The writer went to
him and gave him drink of cool water, but 1t
was evident that he would soon need no more
water in this world He told his name and regi-
ment (Which have been forgOtten). and informed
the writer that we had buckled in With Gen.
Merrtt's brigade, or brigade of Gen. Merritt's
division We saw him sitting propped up there
on our return march, but as dead as door nail.
But, to our muttOns: We marched brskly for q
couple of miles, perhaps, when Capt. Fowle,
commanding the skirmish line. on mounting the
crest OF hill, while We were at the base, waved
his hat around his head, crying. Here they
are, colonel" At the double-Quick we filed
perpendicularly to the road on the left,
and when we were well stretched out
the order was given, 'By the right flank,
march," and we were In line OF battle
on the left of the road, our right just touching
scrub brush would admit, and soon caught sight
OF the Yankee cavalry In the road in column
of fours, extending down the hill and up the
opposite hill, half mile distant. All this was
cleared fields Col. Herbert commanded the
charge, and ms we emaked from the bushes we
rushed at the head Of the cavalry column at the
same time pouring in whitening yOlley. The
whole cavalry force as If one man wheeled to the
right about and went down the hill on rum
the men bending low on their horses necks. Most
before they disappeared over the brow of the
opposite hill. 1t was dense mass and a fair
mark to fire at, and they must have lost heavily.
THE FUN NOT ALL on ONE SIDE.
Soon the enemy's skirmishers appeared dot
ting the crest OF the hill and dismounting, they
levelled their Winchesters over the saddle and
began to have little fun on their side. The
regiment was ordered to cease firing and form,
having been somewhat broken In the final rush.
We stood at ordered arms in plain view. and
very soon the Winchester men got the range, as
was shown by an occasional duh thud. a little
stagger in our ranks. and man being laid down
ON the grass by the file closers It was uncom-
Portable, very uncomfortable. to stand there and
be shot at without being allowed shot in re-
ply: Presently our battle flag pitched forward
and fell to the ground. but was quickly raised
through the ranks with his hands on the pit Of
his stomach and doubled up like one attacked
with sudden fit Of the collie. 1.-THE id
scoundrels have got me this time," he gasped,
but they hadn't; the ball had struck squarely
upon cap-bOx he was using to hold the terule
of the stat, but did not penetrate.
WHAT Is THE USE OF BATTLE FLAGS
in war, anyhow? They only serve to direct the
fire of the enemy. and are about the only objects
visible when the smoke of fight becomes
dense. A small gilt eagle on staff would serve
every purpose. Thrice did our flag go down
that day from sharp shooters.
But to our muttons once more. After we
had suffered some loss in wounded, and Gar
lands men having arrived within supporting
distance. the welcome order "fOrward-guide
center" was given and we moved at the quick
step down the hill toward the enemy. When
we got within two hundred yards of their skir-
mshers, still without firing, they remounted,
and we prepared to form square, fully expect
ing charge from the brigade in mass. If they
had made such a charge boldly and vigorously
it must have been successful, as we did not
number 300 men and even if they Lad not broken
us they could have stood off and fired five shots to
our one with their Winchesters and reyolvers
Or if they had had a couple Of mountain howit-
Zers they could have stood off also and lathered
US with canister and shell until we cried
enough" But that little ''f7' was in the way
He's genius who always knows how to do the
right thing at the right time and does it vigor-
ously. AS no charge was made we were double
quicked by the right flank to a hollow roadway
about two hundred yards on our right. and there
we lay until nightfall as snug as bug in a rug,
occasionally exchanging shots, but neither side
doing much damage.
But the Seventeenth had saved the artillery
and trains that were passing. There is no tell
ing what mischief Merritt might have done with
his big brigade if he had once struck the re-
treating line, for We had no cavalry to head him
off at any point.
The Extraordinary Occurrence ON q
Railway.
From the st. James Gazette.
The occurrence on the Holyhead line Of the
driver and stOker Of train falling asl eep while
on duty and the extraordinary escape of the
Irish mail last week was even more serious than
was reported. 1t would appear that the signal
man at Llandudno saved the Irish mail passen-
gers on Tuesday night from what might have
proved terrible fate. The signalman at the
junction received message from the signaIman
of CONWAY tho nnYf ord nj