National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-12-27

and yank her off," He had attached q
long rope to the tongue OF the timber,
and enough men needed his ap-
peal TO drag the piece of bodily, whilo the
men who had gotten safely across, opened
q rapid FIRE from the opposite bank
that prevented the enemy from following
closely along tho narrow passage, The
writer and his captain woro tugging ut
one Of the swingle-trees of tho gun car
rage, and had scarcely cleared the cause
way one hundred yards when the officer
cried out, Look out for the cavalryw
and here thoy came at full tilt across the
dam, waving their sabers and
SHOUTING, "sURRENDER, SURRENDER"
flung myself into tho bushes on
the roadside, at the same time taking
snap shot over my shoulder
at the leading trooper. The men OF the
regiment, though disorganized, were by
no means demoralized, and they poured
in a scattering fire that sent the cavalry
to the right-about rs fast as they had
come on. The captain of the cavalry,
however, although not followed by sim
gle one Of his men, rode right through
our line, and hating an ambulance in
which were some Of our wounded, ordered
the driver to turn it around. The sur
geon who was in tho vehicle said, "Ob,
no, driver drive on, drive on"
The gallant Yankee, by this time seeing
that he was alone, wheeled his horse, and
ut dead run rode back the way no had
come, apparently unhurt, although 200
shots must have been fired at him. 1t
was subsequently learned that the brave
fellow received wounds in his charge
that shortly resulted fatally. He be-
longed to Col. Dodge's regiment, but l
cannot remember his name. The seven
teenth continued its retreat unmolested,
the section of Latham's battery, which
had been sent TO our aid the night before,
and which could not cross the causeway,
having in the meantime taken up posi-
ton and effectually checked the advance
of tho federal infantry. We had not re-
| treated q mile before we met tho Both
Virginia regiment, which was
FASTENING TO RE-ENFoRcE US.
The 18th was then placed in advance
to redeem their laurels. and the united
command pushed forward to tho scene Of
tho little affair of the morning. The
causeway was soon repassed without OPP
position, and limo of skirmishers pushed
we'll out to the front. The enemy had, how
ever, retired to their own lines in such
haste that they had left undisturbed ouI
blankets, shoes, aud other "6xins" which
we had abandoned whom surprised. The
cause of their haste was that Gen. Pickett
had sent brigade across ford below tc
cut them off, and the plan very nearly
succeeded. The two regiments were nov
ordered to 60 to work at once In throw
ing up strong breastworks across the
Edonton road, with tho right rest
ing upon the Dismal Swamp and tn,
left on the Mill pond. With an abattii
out in front and battery Of six guns Il
aid US we felt pretty safe from beinl
surprised or forced from the position
Gen. Corcoran's brigade was opposed I,
us, and our lines were assaulted by him
on two occasions, but both fights were a
long taw as 1t were and with but yer,
little damage to either side.
A PLEASANT EPISODE
OF the last skirmish was that after 1t wa
over flag of truce was sent in to bur
some of the federal dead lying within gu
skirmish line. Under the flag, the cap
tain of the federal artillery, who ha
been lieutenant in the same compan
with Gems. Longstreet and Pickett in tn
United States army, sent his photograph
and sundry bottles of green-seal, with hi
compliments, to his old comrades. TIL
present must have been very acceptable
for there was nothing to be obtaine
drlnkaDle In tnat lalr lana Dut reBula
pine-top.
Perhaps this siege of Suffolk was tn
tamest affair of the kind that occurre
during the war. unless Longstreet's aboi
tive attempt upon Burnsides lines @
Knoxville, Tenn, may be compared to i
J There was good deal of sickness of
, bilious type among the confederates tc
ward the end of the siege, and it is
) question, if the value of the supple
, gathered in by the confedcratos Is le
out, whether the federal generi
, did not have the best of IL
campaign. At any rate when the ord'
came to raise the siege it caused generi
satisfaction. The writer knows little
the retreat as he was delirious from fev'
in an ambulance, and when he came
his senses he was lying weak and helple
, in the Poplar Lawn hospital at Potter
burg. THOMAS j. MURRAY.