, 1884-08-31
4 MIDNIGHT RIDE.
Ono OF the swiftest military Move
ments on Record.
Three Batteries OF Light ARTILLERY
March Forty MILES In Twelve
uour.-RRfttmore saved
from "Jeb stuart.

made, IN this or any other countIy " said thu
major, rs lie settled in IA tool c,nHr, y took
pers in in June. ls63. Wh-n the Army Of Ii
Potomac WIS at Fairfax court h5uEs and vi.
cinity, m that year, twp OF my lntterss,
with one from another division, wero sent Il
Washington to replace such guns. limbsns,
caiss0ns, harness and horses as were disabled
for Geld work
This was at the time Lee was racing for
the Su.queLanna, and 'Jeb' StuHrt, with hil
hard riders, made a dash down through
baltim7rv. TIN commanding ulcer waa
sent for in haste about neon June 25 by Gen
Barry. chief Of artillery of lie army, TO To
port in person at unce his Office Tie Office
was over the fro,rry at the corner Ct Nine
teenth street and Pennsylvania avenue, and
the commander reported before = T. III. Gen.
Barry informed him briefly that stuart who
was the best cavnlryman OF the Confe-eracy,
was rushing down for Baltimore. which was
undefended, EXCEPT by u few midtiH, and
that he bad already passed Frederick. How
long would 1t take 10 lond BIS thru batteries
on tho cars and 60 TO tie relsi OF Gen
schenck, ut Baitimcrei
Estimates wore rapidly made ns to time
In bringing tho command back 10 the depot.
loading the guns, limhers. CATS ons, aud
wagcns-dismounted, on PatfofnI cars and
the horses mud msn In box cars-and run
llLAAA ANNAH a L hOAAA lusG ia - G'AANr wei
if the requisite number Of ears coil ba OBJ
tanned at onre. 'GoOd God. said Gun. Barry,
with II half gIuan. that will be TOO late The
major thought iupidly a moment, making
another c~tiunte, and suggested to Barry
that the cumnIand could march over ii Less
than twenty-four hours; In twenty ut nioAt
The general objected that there WI, no forcs
to send along for support, not even II regi-
ment that could To spared.
aIhe suggestion wns II adj in answer TO this
that tho road to Baltimore from mere was
like n pavel street for the who e distance;
that night would fan before the command
could get far beyond Laurel station Thsre
would b. 10 moon, and VIII le passing alorg
the section where there might be danger, the
noise nude by 70 large a force Of artillery
would naturally lead to the bel o. In the mmd
OF a mel ihbor.ng enemy that there WIS at the
very last u tut division Of infantry in rl,-
port; and, further, that even II Stuart or one
OF his li~eutenants should risk making 0ns Of his
character istic dashes the caissons and liinbers
could be run OF into the ditch, the guns put
IN action TO rigut OF left on the iolI, as the
case demanded, and the fire Of Il sIteen gns
Landed by veterans from the Sixth corps
would break the attack all up.
The general sat looking the major II hit In
thu face for a momont, thinking, n ID then
said, WIN you try itf Give me orders, and
I'll go,' was answered Bairy's fec, b iglt-
ened d. be rose and shook hands, saying, 60
on; get your command pulled ont, an III
send your orders l fusheI d1wI,- tairS
swung into the saddle, and telling the bugler
to follow, struck right through street Mt a
gallop straight away for Camp Barry, and
thence out ths pike 10 camp Boots mi
saddle > was %sounGei, and then officers call,
and all hands were at once busy in doing u
..rt,lar fnk ~ hrrnlfprr .yffnn rhunf I I n 90.
over seen before or since. In much les tLnn
an hour tho command had pullel OUT along
the road, making as long a lin as II full bri-
gade OF infantry, and almost ut the same
time Gen. Barry's chief Of staff rods up with
the orders.
-Forwardiu was sounded, and tho column
at once moved of. The horses and men were
IN tho very best condition after the week Of
rest and extra good feeding, and moved
along nt u rafting good pace. 30 that the
eastern branch at Blnden.btrg was soon
reached aud forded, and by Z O'Clock the
brigads WAS parked at the right aud left OF
the road IN the south bank Of Laurel GEEK
sHere we restel exactly one hour To tue
minute before the leading gun VI Shows bat
terry pulled out aguin On the road. the tiins
being occuiisd in Watering and feeding the
horses, ard allowing the men to get coffee
und such food AS was possible ia the time.
BY ttR time we were well clear Of Laurel
station, a mile Or more beyond. it was dark,
and In another hour it was 80 intensely dnrk
that nothing could 10 seen but the whits
glare of the turnpike that guided tbs column
on the road
"The column was kept steadi y m wing,
not a man being allowed to mount the timber
chests until it was evident that the rapid pace
had played him cut, n d but four hat, were
made until after daylight, when the line a.
halted Just at the elge Of Baltimore, half an
hour after daylight, on the morning OF June
eB. The halts were each brief. only long
enough to breathe tho horses. All the nisht
officers hnd alternnted in walking and riding,
SO that tho saddle horses should DO spared IA
much as o ILL.,
During the whole night hardly "a mar bad
been seen. the few villa Is we pas 81 wers
rocked In sleep. Tho command novel on the
Rad, from near Fort Abraham Lincoln, just
at 4:y5 p. N. OF June Is. ISIS. and / reported
In person to Gen. Schenck at bis Headquarters
in the Johnson house, IN Monument square,
at Am Il. m. The murning Of June ~ The
distance Of very marty forty mics had been
NAT in twelve htuis ord fifteen minutes
aud in eleven hours actuRl marching time.
at was. / believe, the BEST march ever yet
maze, md Baltimore was saved from cap
cure, Tor Siuart, who WIS thea AT Governor
BradTord's hurno1 mansion just north Of tie
city, heard OF our arrival almost a, s,ol as
Gen Schenck did. and gays up Al .an,e rbs
idea Il an attack.
"Gen. Barry was notified OF nur arrival
hours hsf qe he hoped to hear o! it. an the
comrnnnI was rewarded By a gluwing general
orler SOM l.mentin. uiii-eis gII men bike
for keeping the rebs out of Baltimore, Ito
citv u .heir love.