The Mineral argus., 1885-06-25
a WAX REMINi>CESCE.
Ned Buntline Tells OF Famous Dash for a
Rocket Battery.

Neil Buutllur IeilS fduOuS UdSu IOI u
Rocket Battery.
In the winter Of 1868 an infantry
brigade. with Howard's Battery l..
Third Artillery, and two battalions of
cavalry. Eleventh Pennsylvania and
First New York Mounted Rifles. all
under Gen. Vessels. made "a reconnois-
sance out from Suffolk. Va, on the
franklin road.
The mud was hub-deep to the gun
carriages, and they had to double
teams to get the guns along at all.
The infantry spreading through the
fields of the roads got along little
better-but it was hard marching and
growlers were i'm the majority. About
ten or twelve miles out the cavalry
drove in a rebel picket ahead Of us.
and soon after we were checked by II
heavy battle line Of the men in gray.
The brigade was at once deployed
and skirmishers were thrown out to
feel the enemy while we waited for
the guns to come up. They were far
in the rear and there was no telling
when they could be got to the front.
Suddenly from little knoll in front
of the rebel position a rocket battery.
a recent importation on an English
blockade-runner, opened sharp upon
us. The huge rockets tearing and
kissing through the trees and under
brush scared the cavalry horses fear
fully and the men were scared about
as badly. Not one in a hundred OF
them had ever seen q rocket. except
such as are used in fireworks. and the
horrible missiles appeared worse than
they really were.
The writer had seen COngreve rock
cts used TO repel a Seminole attack on
Fort Dallas. near Key Biscayno. in
1889. and probably he was about the
only one in command who knew what
such battery could do. Gen. Vessels
was furious. We could only reply to
tine rockets with musketry. A deep
stream and a muddy Hat ahead Of us
made a cavalry charge next to impos-
sible ana tine Internal rockets were
literally demoralizing the men.
Suddenly an old sergeant. who sat
in his saddle at the head Of twenty
mounted scouts. road up to Gen. Wes-
sells. saluted, and said:
'.General, il you let me try 1t
think l can get in ON the flank Of that
rocket battery Under cover Of these
woods and take it. ii you'll keep up
a tire front till charge. and then sup
port me by Il forward movement
''Try it. Sergeant, try it," said the
General earnestly.
In a minute the mounted scouts filed
of to the rear. lead by the Sergeant.
and were soon out Of sight. The whole
line now opened heavy fire. and the
men in the rocket battery had a show
er Of lead sent in among them at long
range, to which they answered as fast
as they could work their rockets.
Twenty minutes passed by. and then.
through his glass. Gen. Vessels
saw the scouts in the edge OF the woods.
not 800 yards from the rear of the
battery, ready to charge. every man
with his rifle at present.
The next instant, swift rs a flight Of
arrows. they were seen plunging for
ward over dry ground upon the rocket
men. and at the same instant, ceasing
to fire. Vessels ordered his whole
line forward with the bayOnet.
The surprise was so sudden and
complete that the battery and the men
who worked it were in the hands Of
the scouts in less than minute, and
with cheer our whole line crossed
the creek and held dry ground on the
other side with the captured battery
in their midst. The Confederates were
uriven back nearly half a mile before
they rallied anu made it so hot for us
that we had to slow up and skirmish
while our guns were coming forward.
We had the rocket battery now, but
none Of our men or officers knew how
to work it to advantage, SO we could
not use it on the enemy. So we had
to keep peppering away with rifles and
muskets till near night and then our
guns were up. The COnfederatcs then
fell back to their fortified lines near
Franklin ana we drew of and returned
To Suffolk. pretty well worn out with
Virginia mud.
And that is the brief history Of the
only rocket battery ever tell in with
from 81 to 80. 1t was rough but not
half so dangerous as It seemed, for
it could not be handled like shot and
she'll and sent where it could do the
most harm. NED BuNrLINE.