The semi-weekly miner., 1883-05-19
A DARING RIDE.
A Story Told by q Confederate
Officer.

Capt Il. 7. Owen in Philadelphia Times.
The most conspicuous set of Teck.
less courage ever saw displayed on
any battlefield during our great
civil war occurred at the second bat.
tie of Manassas on the 10Th of Au'
gust. 1862. 1t was performed by 9
Federal artillerist in the presence OF
both armies, and was witnessed by al
least LOCO men, many of whom are
still living and can readily recall the
incident when reminded of the cir
cumstances. just as Hoods men
charged down the hill near the
Henry House upon the first Federal
line, and it became evident he would
capture the battery stationed there, 9
Federal artllleryman determined to
save one Of the cannon, if possible,
and to do so he had to take it up the
side of the ditch in front of the Con
federates fo- half q mile. The ditch
was four feet wide and as many
deep, and could not be crossed with
the cannon. How he got his horses
hitched or whether they had really
ever been taken from the piece ]
never have known, but the first !
saw of him he was coming up our
front in q sweeping gallop from the
cloud of smoke and Hoods men were
firing at him. AS soon as he escaped
from that volley he came in front OF
our brigade and under range of our
musk cts on the left and as he swept
on up the line a file fire was opened
upon him. Our line was approach
ing the ditch rapidly at double
quick and the lane between us and
the ditch was getting narrower each
second, but the artilleryman seemed
determined to save his gun from cap
ture and he flew along his course at a
tremendous rate of speed He had
four large gray or white horses to the
cannon and they came up the valley
in splendid style. The man sat erect
and kept his team well in hand,
while his whip seemed to play upon
the flanks of the leaders and all four
horses appeared to leap together in
regular time. The ground was very
dry and a cloud Of dust rolled out
from under the horses feet and from
the wheels of the cannon as they
came laundering along.
Three regiments of our brigade had
already fired at him as he rushed
along their front and as he approach
ed the left OF another ran down the
rear rank shouting to the men {:
"Shoot at the horses! Let the man
alone and shoot at the horses! You
are firing too high!" At this l saw a
noted marksnian in Company F
drop upon one knee and sight alone
the barrel of his musket and fire, but
on came the man and the gallop of
hi, team was unbrOken. Ramming
in another cartridge the mark sman
was ready again in minute and
Just as the cannonier swe; t across
his front within 100 yards he kneeled
down and taking deliberate aim at
the foremost horse fired again, but on
went the team unharmed as before.
Thus he passed along the whole
front of our regiment and then along
another on our right and escaped
around the head of the ditch and
across the field and up the hill be-
yond. AS far off as we could SEE him
his team was still going in gallop,
but when out of range on the hill be-
yond the ditch he turned in his sad
die, and, taking off his hat, waved it
around his head several times and
some of the Confederates cheered
him.
At least 500 men fired at that
Yankee gunner, and | have often
wondered if he escaped death in the
subsequent battles Of the war and
lives to tell of the fearful gauntlet he
ran along the front of whole brig
ade of Confederates firing at him.