The National tribune., 1885-10-01
A WORD FOR THE EAST.
One Who Thinks the West Did Not Do All the
Fighting

| Fighting.
! To THE EDITOR: The Western soldiers might
| possibly think that the Eastern soldiers, OF
| those in the Army of the Potomac, did not
! have much fighting 10 do and few hardships To
| undergo. | want to give you an account of one
| days marching and concentrating we had
| and | think the most skcptical will be con-
! WINGED that it was no chiid'S play. | belonged
| to that most de5pised arm of the serviee-the
| cavalry. Hou know one Of our Generals once
| said he would give $50 to see dead cavalry
man. l took notice we saw them ON every
battlefield.
| About the 1st of September, 1862, Lee was
moving his army toward Antietam Creek, or
Sharpsburg, Md Four companies of our regi-
ment-the 18th Pa. Cav.-were sent to relieve a
like number of the Sd Pa. Cav. on picket along
the Rapidan River i'll Virginia. During the
evening OF the Sd we reached the reserve Of the
picket. As it was late we were not posted that
| night, but simply stayed with the reserve. In
the morning we noticed artillery and cavalry
moving up the river on the opposite side. and
we became somewhat alarmed. In about 20
minutes our picketS were driven in from all
points of the compass. We saw at once our
peri!Ous position. A Major assumed command
OF the detachnents, and We were formed into
single line facing the river. In the meantime
a regiment of rebels had forded the river, and
were deploying in position. We were ordered
" give IiiSDl NOlICy, which we uII, duu Cney
were seen to retreat. On every side of US were
heavy growths of timber, and we were sur
rounded by the marching army. All at once
we received orders to Forward, trot, march"
The tin pans, cups and hats flew in all direc-
tiOns, and we were a sorry looking set going
through that timber, and no road to travel on.
The Major halted the column near an old tum-
ble-dOWn log hut, before which stood an old
6utternut. Says the Major:
" Wore LOST and W. want Won to take ont
OF this place. Get on that horse immediately,
and two of you soldiers ride one on each side of
the old gentleman, and if he takes US into the
rebels shoot him first"
Yes" says the old man as he leaped into
the saddle, shaking from head to foot so that
his teeth chartered. On we went, now turning
to the right, then to the left at a breahneck
pace, down holows, up ravines for distance
of about five miles, when tho Major suddenly
halted the column and said:
"Old gentleman we are much obliged to
you, indeed. We now know where we are, and
we advise you to go back whistling and if any
one inquire, where you have been tell them you
was out hunting your COWS. You see 1t would
be dangerous for anyone around here to know
the expedition you have just served
He took the Major at his word, and we saw
him no more. We now came 10 the more dan
ger0us part of the days work. After marching
about five miles farther we were placed on
picket ! was given a squad OF 10 men, aud
stationed across highway running north and
south, with orders to fall back on the reserve
when heard firing i'll a southerly direction.
/ suppose we had been of our horses five min
utes, when the guns opened and all we had to
do was to get the reserve in doubie-quick time.
When we reached the road it was lined with
JOhnnies. Some were swearing, some shooting,
and others yelling, but we had to cross that
road, and We did so, receiving q shower of bull
lets. One young men stopped i'll the road and
cmpted his Sharps carbine--SiX shots-into
the rebels, aud was captured As we galloped
down the hill across the road one of our horses
fell, and Schuyler leaped over a high stone
fence. The rebels followed US for q half mile,
when we met the reserve, which gave the reb-
els such dose of lead that they suddenly
wheeled round and lit out for better quarters.
After a half hour our man Schuyler came i'll
badly shook up, and his horse never was fit for
duty afterwards.
The young man who fired into the rebel
army by platoon was taken to Richmond by an
officer, who had hard work to save his life, as
every rebel they met wanted to Kill him. You
see, his carbine did terrible damage to the reb-
els-three killed, 10 wounded, beside the killed
and wounded horses; but he reached Rich
mond. As he was looking around he suddenly
spied our flag Oh an exchange boat, and never
stopped running until he reached the boat and
was taken on board with other prisoners and
exchanged. This was the most exciting day
ever saw in the army. The rebel army was all
around u.s. and how we escaped capture is TO
me yet a problem. Perhaps some comrade of
the Sd or 4th Pa. Cav can rise and explain.
Immediately atterward we were hurried TO
Washington, d. c., by boat, from where we
marched overland and took part in the battle
of Antctam, Sept. II, 1862, where we first had
our real ration of ball and lead by the whole
sale.-W. c. YARD, Creston, Iowa.