Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-04-30

WITH SPENCER CARBINES,
EXPERIENCE OF THE MICHIGAN cav
AIRY BRIGADE At APPOMATTOx.

AIRY BRIGADE At APPOMA1TOx.
The Memorable 9th Of April-A Terrific
Fire from Spencer C.rbines-Arriv>l OF
Sheridan and the Fifth corps-A Trap
The White Flag.
1t is growing lighter in the east and day
light is just breaking 1t is the memorable
| 9Th OF April 1t must De about O'Clock when
ping, ping ping a shower Of mimic balls
whistle over our heads Instantly all are on
the alert This is the beginning OF the strug-
| gle Of that eventful day which ended in the
surrender of Lees whole army. The ping
| ping of bullets Is from the firing Of rebel
| skirmishers- They have withdrawn the
| picket line and sent out the -feelers- They
are not in strong force, however, and are soon
driven back 10 cover by cur men, who are
not to be taken by surprise.
The morning grows apace, we have man
aged to get some hot coffee and breakfast,
and are now ready for orders In the mean
| time the firing has increased away up along
| the right, and we judge the enemy is trying
| the same game there, hut they are met and
are driven back in the same manner
All Is now quiet in front of US, and our
squad moves up where the brigade flag is STA
toned The brigade Is in battle order, and
glancing little 10 the left we see the battery
in position, unlimbered, and the men in posi-
ton. This looks as though trouble was brew
ing, and it soon comes.
Suddenly there is movement by regi-
ment in front and the skirrnishers are seen re-
turning, driven in by an advance of the en-
envy. Looking away over to the edge Of q
patch OF woods, perhaps half a mile distant,
We see two long, dusty lines filing out and
rapidly advancing across an open field: now
comes third line. II IS an advance in force.
Steadily they march, and soon the shock
must come, for Michigan boys are TO meet
them They must not drive us! For few
moments watch the scene; then comes the
crash From the first line belches a sheet Of
flame, quickly returned by the Michigan men
with their Spencer carbines. 1t does not check
them
sPESCERS OF THE MICHIGAN CAVALRY
Bang, goes gun from our battery and q
shell exploies in front of the advancing
column 1t falls short. Try again They
do, this time with better success, for death
dealing shell explodes in their ranks and kills
a dozen men. Close up, and on they come
again, this time 10 be met by a terrific fro
e., III, s,,-,,ca,. 90 ,b, ,tici.;.,, -
The form ,,,vsr-a,o,b.., voII.v go ,h.
S,.ancays-,bav fan back rnor ~ 49,, ,;,,n
,,ih;oh ,,.,,.,-, a -, -, III -,
=. ~, g., g., -, -. -
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90 s,b, W. shau boar e., o.. -,
o,.;,
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no. -, -. ~
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hsavv tirinc Of ;nfsn,-v b,, ~, 49, w., he
rs,,t I, i .,i5.n,I ,,,,,,..,,,,,,,, =, -,
;ntor,na,ion
u.If ~, - ,,s.,., -h r,
,,,,,s. ~, ~, -, a - u.5~,..
=. 60 -, ,,,,,,.o1 >, -, -, I;,.is
-, 80 - a. -. tn p IL
mo,r,,., a,5 ,h., t,rS..s s.,, 81, ,h, - g.,
IDENTIFY line of butternut clothed men appear |
above the brow of hi in our front, then |
another, and another. We divine their inten- |
ton; they must break through our lines at |
this point at any cost Still they come, and |
this time they have artillery. Soon they |
open fire, and the real fighting of the day |
commences. They are superior in numbers, |
but our men are stubborn. and refuse TO De |
driven. Can we hold themi No. Steadily |
We are forced back, inch by inch, yielding |
the ground gradually.
Suddenly a lieutenant comes dashing up |
and cries out: Get out OF this, boys. We /
must get back Get word TO the men with
the horses to go the reaar-across that swael,
way over yonder Ihereli be hotter work |
here presently. You chaps must follow the
flag, which VIII be along here presently" and
of he galioIs to give another order.
Where is the infantry! Where Is the Fifth
corps, which has been close in our rear for
the last three daysi Is 1t possible that Sheri-
dan VIII let the Prize slip through his graspi |
The fire IN front grows hotter, the cannon
boom oftener and louder, wounded are going
by on stretchers and eiihS.ianses, and yoBder
come the Michigan boys, steadily, ike the
veterans that they are, but re;rcating. Where
Is tie Infantry
surRrpAy .yD THE yry-ru CORPS
w. cr,.,s n Lou, sum ,n,v ,;..,. NJ land .,,;
-. ~, ,h. ,o,a Ix, ,ybich wa car,. c..
tia wb.n Suddenly tber, comes a ycn
-, IL. 1T sL;,,i,,., ,h., r,.d a., a.,
,,,,,,s a swarm, az bI,..coa.s Uur,,bi tho
E;f,I, cor,.,o,,, =, ,,;ob,v ,bo.r rppds ~, ,jr
st.,.;,,.,, al ,ba Eys,l .or,s, Tn. a. =
80,
Io.,L ont, U.ro co,,es ,la ,r.;,,c-,
~, tho. 90 ,,i,b r,,yh do,z,, =, f.,
,,,,1;,,,.,r ,,I ar, .oo, sa.,ii,,, a., ami All
int, ,h. rei.I r,nLs Tn. p;ftb co,,,s -. Al.
r,.,,,,, IN linz 81 t.,,l.. and arc b,rd .,u
AMI a, tb;s time W.. Io.o.r away oyer T., The
laf, ond 60. lone, line ~ hI,,o coats s,,.,,bir,
IVA 10, , mil. Mon, Federal infantry
corning, NJ, an ,beir r;ybt Now ,bav an, on
,ir.lv surrounded ard /. IL N QUESTION how
Ior, they will hold out They ar, s,ubhor,
M enemy in from. III ms They charge as,,;n
and again. but only ;.o l.. driven b,ck They
can NO, brsak through. they arr in n tran
S,,,d.,lv ,l.,,. i. sil..,,c,.-, silence "a ,,ro-
found that no,biuy I can saw viii saeoua,eIv
/, Iyb.. d,.,s 4, meant The .r,I
lsr,,oen re-. their tired arms ,,,.op their low
Ar. t.ae,ri,,,e,i ,,ia,ss The ;nf,n,rv,n.D c,,oe
forward in keen anticipation The enemy
has ceased firing. But shys We soon know.
Over Their. in front, lust discerribls from cur