The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-04-24

laced man, who looked from a book he
was reading as came inland said: "Are
you the scout Danby?' I said: eyes,
cir, "Make your report" And he
picked up map from the table, which
he consulted as told my tale. I had
been inside Of Ewell's line and bad what
l considered very important informa-
ton. When reported to General Tor
bert after scout he would give me a
good cigar, ask me to take seat and
would enjoy my account of the Incidents
and recit:.ls. of hangers by Geld and flood.
usedto enjoy telling them to such an
appreciativo listener; and used TO go
away feeling satisfied with myself and
tie general.
(found General Merritt an entirely
Different man. He made. no comments.
NoW and then he would ask some ques-
ton: about distances or about the char
acter nf the fords and roads, and when
l began telling of some of my sharpness
in fan%lng pickets or other smart things
that I thought worthy of telling, he
would ~<k some question that would
bring ne back to business. He wanted
nothing but solid facts in the shortest
and p!.-.nest language, and in five min.
utes WAS dis missed with the caution to
keep my information to myself. Gen.
eral Merritt was about the youngest
looking man in the army, but he had a
dimr.o in each cheek, and when he
smiled he showed row of white teeth.
He had a sharp, quick eye, a broad fore
head and a resoiute nose and Jaw. He
had been on General Buford's staff, |
heard, and was ut West Point with Gus
ter, Fitzhugh Lee, Stuart, Rosscr anu
other young cavalry generals. He was !:
very reticent man, seldom smiled and
never laughed. The staff officers and
other people about headquarters soon
got to stand in awe of him. He was q
strict disciplinarian and every one had
to toe the mark. lie would not tolerate
walk arounds" or "bulgees'' at his
headquarters, and "partles,' "poker
games'' and 'jambo: ues'' went out of
fashion. He seemed to he great fav.
orite with Genera! Sheridan, and heard
that General Grant lised him.
He and Custer were not John. and
john" as the say in Dixie. Some said
the trouble was about precedence in rank.
others said they had quarrelcd at West
Point. 1t soon got to be we'll known that
the two young generals never spoke to
each other except when duty comrelled.
Generally, Merritt's or'iers were sent in
writing and during an engage ment the
aids and orderlies were kei't pretty busy
going backward and forward with mes
sages. l always thought It was great
pity to see two surh thoroughbreds at
loggerheads, but do not know that the
country lost so much by it, for it brou. hit
about emulation between them that gave
the cavalry under them plenty to do and
made things warm for the enemy.
Their style of fighting WAS entirely
different. Custer was d bold. da.hing,
headlong, hit or miss devil take the hind
most kind Of man, and got out of many
tight place by unparalleled audacity and
good luck. There was a good
deal Of hurrah about his way
of doing things. When he went
into a fight the band played, bugles
blew, red scarfs were flying and flags
waved He was generally to be seen,
sabre in hand, in the thickest Of the me-
lee. Very often he would be driven
tack and his command would be more
or less demoralized, and many times j.
he had been dealt g with all enterpris-
w !Oc -Ic NOu'u lluNC COAlc ~ STIcl.
lie had been on Kearney's staff in the
say once that he thought kearney the
best fighter in either army, and Gus. er
was like the famous one-armed general
in his way of clearing things. I always
thought. He was apt to take the bit IN
his teeth sometimes, and he would get
out Of reach of superior authority and
run things on his own hook and discon-
cert the plans OF his euperiors. I have
seen General Sheridan lash his boot saw
Age1y with his riding whip and rage and
swear, and it would be expected that
Custer would be ordered under arrest.
But he could Outright or outrun any,
thing he was apt to encounter, and
somehow it would end by his sending
in drove Of prisoners or lot Of cap
tured guns or battle-fIags, and Sheridan
would smooth his rufilcd feathers.
There was no fuss or tlummery about
Merritt. He had an air of quiet authori-
ty that inspired respect and had his pas.
sions under good control for such a
young man and seldom made blunder.
His command was handled like chess
men on board. Ills plans were seldom
lnterfered with tie made more use OF
his artillery than Custer, did not make
men better IN hand. He probably did
as much hard fighting and accomplished
as much as Custer, but did not have SO
much reputation outside the army.
Newspaper reporters always had warm
welcome at Clusters Headquarters. They
were not encouraged at Merritt's. /
have no doubt that if our cavalry had
been pitted against an enemy equal in
numbers, equipment, discipline and or
ganization towards the close of the war,
that honors, reputation and glory would
not have been SO cheaply earned. But
the fact was the enemy did not have any
cavalry worth speaking of in the valley
during the last year of the war.
l went to the Valley long before there
were any large free of cavalry opera
ting there. Coles Battalion of Maryland
Union Cavalry, to which l belonged,
secuted along the brooks from Point Of
Rocks. to Martinsburg, and l always
thought we were there in the interest of
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad COM
pany to protect the bridges Eulverts, and
track. Soon after the battle ofAntietam
the First New York Cavalry was sent to
the Valley, and for about q year that
regiment and our battalion were the
only Union cavalry organizations III the
Cole was a reliable, brave man, knew
how to handle his men fairly and was q
stubborn fighter. The Colonel of the
Eighteenth New York was an old man.
brave and smart, but too much of an in
valid to stand long rides. As he vas one
Of the oldest colonies in the army he was
generally in command of some post and
had his headquarters ut Martinsburg,
Charlestown, Winchester or Berryville.
Here he would make himself comfort.
able and plan small campaigns and
scouts, which were more or less success
full.
He had battalion of Germans in his
regiment who generally did guard duty
and picketing. The officers of these
companies were Germans. Prussians,
Poles, Hungarians counts, barons and
vons, who. no doubt, would have fought
as we'll as any one in their own country
or charge as we'll in line of battle. Tut
who were of no account on a scout. /
never heard of but one of these German
officers being sent out III command of a
scouting party; and he was captured in
three Ours after he left camp. have
fOrO0f an hic no ,,,o 1,,,s l,o ,,.r, IT,