The National tribune., 1886-09-02
ROW THEY WOULD MAKE HISTORY
READ

TO say m0st-SOutherners 10 vaunt the old
nonsense about one Southerner being as good
as five Yankees seems ineradicable. The ex-
periences Of the war ought to have pounded
this out Of them beyond the least possibility
Of return, but il did not. If ever people
in the world were fairly and squarely out
fought by what-taking everything into con-
sideration-were equal if not inferior num-
bers then the people Of the South were.
A fine illustration Of this preposterous
gasconade appears in an article written by
W. A. Morgan, formerly Colonel of the LIST
Va. (rebel) Cav, at the request Of Mr.. Jas.
B. Batchelder, Government Historian of
Gettysburg, in which he describes the cav
airy fighting on the right of Gettysburg.
he opens his account with an allusion to
the cavalry Of The Army Of the Potomac in
1861, which will be interesting news to the
survivors Of the gallant troopers who were
afierward led by Pleasonton, Custer, Merritt
and Gregg. He says:
/ have seen raw Dutchmen strapped on their
horses by straps bucllled around their waists and
legs and fastened 10 their saddle, and have wit
messed In battle their horses going TO the with
their dead wounded riders hanging by these
straps To their saddles.
OF every cavalry regiment of the Army of
the Potomac The NATIONAL TRIBUNE has
scores of readers, and they are given TO writ
ing their experiences for our columns. They
are not slow in telling all sorts Of stories on
themselves and each other but they have
been strangely silent about this little matter
of going into battle strapped TO their horses.
Come, boys, let the question of whether the
rebels had lances rest for while, and tell us
what regiments made practice of strapping
"raw Dutchmen" on their saddles. Confess,
now, for the truth is out at last. Give us
the manual and the commands Were these
something like this:
Count of for strapping on "-(every odd
number to strap every even number On.)
Prepare for strGPping On-STRAP ON"
We wish some one would send US a model
of the straps. Were they bought with the
company funds or drawn by requisition on
the QuartermasterG This is very interest
ing, and the 100000 weekly readers of THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE want to know all about
it,
Farther along Col. Morgan says:
have heard that when infantryman distin-
guished himself for gallantry he rewarded by
being transferred to the cavalry.
This is another fact of the greatest impor-
our correspondents. How strange that no
one has ever mentioned, when detailing the
heroism Of their comrades, that their gal
lantry was appropriately rewarded by being
brevetted cavalrymen on the field! There
were, If our recollection serves us right, quite
number, not TO say several, pretty plucky
iniantrymen in the Army of the Potomac,
and as the opportunity for doing gallant
things was reasonably frequent, the ranks of
the cavalry regiments ought 10 have been
kept pretty full, if the brevetting officers at
tended 10 their little business
The real thrilling interest of Col. Morgan's
story comes in when he begins telling about
his share in the fight with Gregg's command.
At the opening he received an order from
Gen. Fitz Lee, commanding his brigade
10 take command Of the skirmishers and advance
In certain direction indicated by hs staff officer
al formed and advanced having about 100
men in line. struck out leaving both TANKS ex-
posed. Al this time there not aB enemy 10 be
seen in my front The plain WAS nearly level and
open. with an occasional fence extending nearly a
mile in sight. then terminating.
Remember. he had only 40 men, and
marched out into an open field mile square
He had gone about three-quarters Of mile,
when he encountered a force Of dismounted
troops strongly posted behind fence, but he
settled them speedily, and they went off on
a dead run TO escape the awful fire Of this
terrible 40. He does not speak of having
lost any from their fire. Then
On approaching the woods my right saw a
Federal battery wheeling into position. IL soon
opened on Us with grape and canister.
OF course six guns firing canister at short
range knocked the irresistible 40 into the
middle Of next week in about two seconds
Not at all, according to the redoubtable
Colonel's story:
at once ordered the men TO charge the guns
aud shoot the horses Of the limbers The men
sprang forward with a yell and were soon among
the guns, which were deserted by their gunners.
But capturing battery and chasing of as
many artillerists as they had in ranks was
only warming work for this marvellous 100,
led by such a marvellous Colonel. They
were soon to do something really worthy OF
their mettle. Let us hear the rest of the
story:
j then discovered, about 200 yards back along
the woods. regiment Of Federal cavalry forming
In squadron front. Directing The men 70 open on
them. underworld to run The guns of by hand
having no charges for them, when my attention
WAS drawn TO the second regiment coming from
another direction and forming in hot haste now
turned la the direction Of base look for my sup.
port With the exception Of some dozen Of my
wounded men, limping In the rear there was moi a