National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-03-21

Atms Against Ninchehters-A hOrhetb
Nest That Troubled tho Johnnies Worse
Than the Yanks.
An article has been lately going the
rounds Of the press purportiDg to be the
experience OF correspondent Of q promi-
mont New York newspaper during the
Gettysburg campaign, in which there are
statements that will be strange news to
the participants In that momentous strug-
gle, and especially SO to tho confederates.
He says that the army Of Gen. Lee fell
back from the field of Gettysburg In utter
rout and confusion. abandoning at every
mile artillery, wagons, and other impedi-
ments, aud that when he (the correspond
ent), following on the track Of the flying
army, came up with. Lees army he saw 1t
huddled together on the bank Of tho
Potomac, near Falling Waters, SO that
Gen. Meade had only to come along and
gather them in, for the bridges had been
washed away aud further retreat cut Off
All this is mere poppycock, but that 1t
finds believers Is evidenced by tho wide
spread publicity given to the article.
THE TRUTH rs, THAT GEN. LEE RE-
TREATED
as much because he was out of ammunition
as for any other reason. His retreat was
orderly and with all bis paraphernalia,
and he maintained line of battle for
three or four days at Falling Waters,
ready for battle, having supplied himself
with ammunition from the reserve train,
which Gen. Fitzpatrick tried to capture,
but was repulsed by the cavalry guard,
aided by tho armed teamstors Of tho
train. And, moreover, Con. Meados
army at the conclusion Of the Gettys-
burg fight was in little better keller, IL
any, for fighting than the confederates.
Con. Meade also wac nearly out of ammu-
milton and badly shaken up.
But what wish to write about is the
continuance OF the retreat after Gen.
Lees army had recrossed the Potomac
into Virginia. The brigade (Gen. Corso's
of Pickett's divisiou) to which the
writer's regiment (17th Virginia) was
attached had been detailed at tho be-
ginning of tho movement for the second
invasion Of Maryland to remain behind
for the purpose Of guarding the railroad
line from Richmond to Gordonsville
from cavalry raids, and to be at hand in
case Of
ANY SUDDEN DASH UPON RICHMOND.
About July 2 the brigade was ordered
to proceed to Gordonsville, and the morn
ing after arrival we were on the march
towards Winchester. On the march we
first heard of the battle of Gettysburg,
and the report was that Gen. Leo had
taken 10000 prisoners and was driving
the enemy towards Philadelphia. The
day before arriving at Winchester, in the
heaviest rain storm the writer ever wit
messed, we met trudging along the pike
some 5000 federal prisoners who had
been captured in the first days fight aud
who believed ss we did that Lee had
won the battle. The poor fellows looked
disconsolate enough and we shared our
rations with them as far as they would
go. We went into camp near Winches-
ter and in a day or so came the dispirit-
ing news that Gen. Ices army had been
REFUSED AND WAS RETREATING.
Well. to cut IL short when the retreat
of the army was continued behind tho
mountain wall of the Blue Ridge the fed
eral cavalry began to make their appear
ance in all the gaps from Ashby's down
to Thornton's, and they made occasional
demonstrations against the long line Of
trains and artillery which was passing.
They were enabled to do this, owing to the
fact that Gen. Stuart's cavalry, both men
aud horses. had been literally worn out by
the severe labors and hardships Of the
campaign, and Gen. Lee was forced to
exc out his slender force of cavalry, as for
as might be. with his infantry. On the
22d of July tho writer's regiment having
just waded the Shenandoah, was detached
from the brigade and ordered to march up
into Thoroughfare Gap. Our command
ing officer was notified that none of our
cavalry was in front of us, and that nc
was to go well up into the gap and select
good position to repel any attempt to
cut the line OF trains then passing.
HE WAS NOT NOTIFIED,
however, that the enemy's cavalry were
already in the gap; so that think due
precaution was not taken to prevent a
surprise. The day was beautiful, and
everything looked calm and peaceful, the
blue billowy hills in the distance, above
which hoecy clouds were floating, giving
no indication of tho presence of an enemy
watching our approach from their heights.
But so 1t was, as after events showed.
When about half way through the gap the
regiment was halted, arms were stacked
in little grove on the side of bend Of
the road, and the men dispersed to gather
dewberries, with which all the fields
About were fairly colored. Very few men
Or officers remained by the stack OF arms.
Before stacking arms picket of six men
had been sent to take post half mile
further up the gap. While we were thus
engaged in filling orr tincups with the
luscious fruit suddenly rifle shot
sounded up the road, and the men straight.
ened up like herd of startled deer, and
then two or three more shots were heard
in quick succession.
INSTANTLY EVERY BERRY PICKER
started full tilt for the stack of arms, and
his speed was stimulated by the sight
Of tho adjutant frantically waving his
arms and shouting ITO arms to arms p'
There was barking of shins aud a
skinning OF noses as the men tumbled
headlong over tho fences that inter.
vened, but hundred or more were
enabled to jerk their rifles out of the
stack before a squadron of federal cavalry
came galloping around tho bend of the
road, waving their sabers and shouting
surrender " Wedidn't surrender worth
cent, but without orders poured vol.
ley into the leading files, which knocked
down half dozen men and horses
whereupon the cavalry, seeing that they
had not utterly surprised us, wheeled Il
the right about and went back the way
they had come,
1T WAS A CLOSE SHAVE
for the men of tho 18th, however, for had
they got possession OF our stack of arms,
and they came within an ace of it, we
would have been the laughing stock OF
the army, This cavalry laid in wait for
BUR picket las we found out afterward)
md Robbled them up almost before they
could fire the warning shots. which proved
the salvation of the regiment.
If we thought we had gotten rid OF
the cavalry at this frat little tilt
we were very much mistaken. Within
loss than half hour the skirmish'
ers that we had thrown out at the
eleventh hour, so to speak, wero driven
In by the cavalry fighting on foot in
strong force. About this time an Incl