The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-04-13
GLORY WON BY ACCIDENT.
HOW A SOUTHERN PRIVATE CAME IN
LEAD 4 CHARGE

HOW A SOUTHERN PRIVATE CAME IN
LEAD 4 CHARGE.
Privstes mardis and Thonssea ApprsseA
the Eassy steaishiiy for sss~ CoEes a~S
All Morsaa's M-a Fsliew Meet Braveiy. +
carried gun In Bowlcs's Battalion. We
were mounted infantry. and part OF Gen.
John Morxsns command from Kentucky Tho
Yankees called us Morgan's Horse Thieves.
while the Inhabitants OF the mountain dlstricts
OF East Tennessee would ask. when they met Q.
squad Of us In q bride path. Does youens be.
long TO Mister Morgan's critter.back company
In the spring Of "a Morgans command had
just come up from South Carolina. and had
gone into camp Mt Abingdon. Virginia whom
word came that Gen. Crook. the present Indian
lighting hero. with Gen. Averill. was moving
with heavy force on Wytheville. We took up
our line OF march for that town. and right we'll
do remember the happy faces Of the old mon.
the women. and children who lined the curb
stones Of the principal street as we rode our
horses by fours In a triumphal entry style be-
f0io tAs >AsnirinO 0aza OF these nor. comba .
ants. There were no able bodied men n
Southern towns In those days. On the oppr.
site side OF the town. Ia beautiful WOO :.
land pasture. we went intocamp. Most Of our
horses were turned loose to Rraze while
the mon were busy building dog houses to
change came over tho camp. The clear notes
OF a bugle rang out the familiar but now om,- !
nous order. saddle up your horses" Nearly
800 men were instantly on their feet. the OIL
GERS shouting saddle upi saddle upl' and tho
men calling to one another. "Bill. have you
seen my marop" Bring that bride back I
here" Where Is my blanket" and all tho
other hubbub OF hurried departure. But hero
and there could be seen the cool old soldier de-
u. II. A.
both saddle and sleeping purposes. smoothing
out every wrinkle so as not to hurt the horses
xshsr sss hsS On
Snnd any az Old a1 es maize
He mounts With the ease and grace born Q!
sas line sr ons .as saa and
We were soon oil in line. and the orders fol.
in SSskS rsht ns9
foar miles hot ride and
stood, In the road and shouted. :" Close nr.
we were making a 'aank movement on tho
enemy enemy and now could DO heard those first sad
shots from tho distant skirmishers. 10 my
ina 9s he hary.bnfly Of brisk isht@ihe
charge. Ali sense OF fear is lost and nothing
liVuSht VI uut wihHiuS a &oIiOuS NtCtOISs
that there. is death N tho air. and you think OF
% @ Tor u.s. there was not soH much Tine
for indulging in these gloomy thoughts. We
q pods q ss .nd
at the top Of his voice shouted, Now boys. q
Tna e we sm ahs =.
The, firing was rapid, but the Distance, some
sqon se%s 500 sFG 90 esa s se
Look out for Morgan's men" everybody went
hs ns b s to as ss
a running fight and kept SO until about
SelOek in the aternSop when ,,, our limo
q tho opposite hii1. The ground. dipped 30;
withalder bushes. ran through the little valley
about eIui-distant between us. The enemy
s"S tss css ss we ay f Ssaa sS
fence We could see number OF dead horses.
and some men with clean white haversacks on
These hayers , were res, small q, BAGS. and BE-
came very much GtGres 81; In them We bad
sslIde: / rsmarked; ' ThSsmpssssn. do yca e: !:
over his face rs he replied that he did:
IN! bet you they are filled with coffee" said
ssia sqs ns f ;Rss
behind those horses, be sale. and get some
"AIi right he said. IF you'll start. I'll fol-
No quicker said than done. Over the fence I
reached the creek. out from behind the dense
enemy. When half way up tho hin and just
before before We reached IL The horses they gave US
ssd day. Fs9h
| in the head and heel and WAS spinning around
| In the dust In q death struggle while was
rapidly crawling into a iencs corner Several
others were hurt at the same time. but never
| had an opportuni ty to inquire who thoy were,
and for the time being was thunderstruck to
know how they got there. That night four
They took me In a blanket 70 Farmer Croekett's
house which was literally filed with wounded
On the next morning Con- Morgan made 4
acquainted with him. and when he came to the
bench that lay on he took me warmly BY the
Hardin" said he. that was magnificent
'qAFss eSu TT him bu.
| was too good a soldier to deny the statement
OF my superior officer. In thinking over the
matter remembered there was a rush OF men
learned that when Thompson and won't over
| the fence the rest of the command followed like
a flock OF sheep. and did not stop until dark.
ness male an end to the fight. was aiterward
marked that he intended making me q Lieu
tenant on my return to the command; but.
alas the war was. over before got. on my
crutches. and the General and many OF my old
messmatss sleep in soldier graves while.
nols. Majors. Captains. and Lieutenants OF tho
Con federacy feel lonely as about the only
soldier on that side who bore a gun.