The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-24
AN INCIDENT AT NASHVILLE.
Exchange

tExchangel
 Danger and battle have great ten deuey to make men and officers pune tihously polite, and the exaggerated courtesy which was evolved after the staff officer had delivered his order to General X would have been highly amusing if it had not taken ioa much time General Y. said General K you will take your command and charge immediately Sir do vou say charge. General x |" l say charge General Y ." Then. General K, l will charge. sir, And although this convere sation was enough to paralyxe both par ticipants they did charge with will, says the war chronicler of the Washing ton Nv. like gallant men as they were By the time this colloquy was over wild we'll and hurrah shook the vale Ia the echo Down the pike sped the Fourth Regulars. led hy brave Lieu tenant Joseph Hedges and the next moment three guns opened on the col umn of tourS making Siekrnlnr eaSheS but not stopping his progress until an unseen wash across the road threw men and horses into confusion But lledce> with some forty ot his best mounted and hraVest troopers rode rlght into the battery >abering right and left and but for the disruption uf the charc,, k the gully the battery had been cap. tured then Seeing so small body the infantry supports dispersed the few troopers, but the guns iimh,red up and rapidly withdrew. Almost al the same moment the troops in the woods struck the Jeff nt the enemy liuc and hrak ii to pieces Hedges was captured. but not dSmounted and taking oh his hat yelled. The Nanks are coming The Ianks are coming escaped in the confusion, for his captors had only time to seek their own safety as Hatch men were swarming along the left ot the road And now commenced race after the guns, which could he heard tearing up the earth as they thuudcred down the pike in their hcadlong flight Hedges. with his small battalion (thc regiment had only about ii0 men all told). followed at the full run until narrow bridge checked the column Beyond the bridge was open ground fol 250 yards or more. surrounded hy ser lnent of woods which terminated on the creek to the right of the bridge Thr closing night and lowering of the am hcr. together with the ever shifting fog prevented any clear views. but ~hai. oWy moving something appeared in front on the road General Wilson ar dcrcd Hedges to send Il squadron across the bridge to find out what Was in front and as the small companies of not oyer twenty men each moved out of the column, Il staff officer turned in his saddle and calling out. Conn" on. Bayard, trottcd rapidly across til" bridge. followed hv single orderly Hardly two minutes elapsed before the officer passed an abandoned gun. then another, and another and Il moment la ter was closa= an the heels ol- the nrtll- lery horses which had just left the guns Turning around to look for the squad ron, which was nowhere in sight ho found a soldier leading the highest horse he ever saw before or since and ordered q halt tpon being asked what com mand he belonged to the soldier an swerrd. Texas Battery The orderly was directed to take charge of this pris oner. when q horscman came back from the led horses and demanded what was the matter but without waiting for a reply fired at the staff officer who quick as thought, drew his revolver and r,. turned the fire with two shots His an tagonist called out, Don shoot and, driving his spurs into his horse di~aIp- pcarcd in the cleon- Satisfied that any closer observation oi the enemy wa- not conductive to health, our friend rod" back. and upon passing th" first abandoned piece of artillery saw Bayard ln the midst advancing with his squad ron at d walk and called out to hiln to come on to tn" guns BayArd rod,' up and said You just spokr III time l thouget you were 4 Reh and would nave shot you in another moment h!d you not hear me call to you tp come on2 No These words were scarcely spoken when the whole segment of the woods was lighted with flash of mus ketry, and the bullets glanced from the guns and tore up the ground at their feet. driving the few mri. back to the bridge
 Reporting th" discovery of th" guns to General Wilson the staff officer asked for the Fourth Cavalry to move up and dismount around the guns which was at once accomplished and adyan- cing in skirmish line the woods were cleared and the guns which the enemy had vainly attempted to di-abl" by cut ting the ~pokc- were drawn GH across the bridge. by which time dark ncs. closed in and down came the pouring rain again on an uncomfortable but glorious hivouac
 Three Reasons
 Wt,- .,..r,. l.,,.. ,.....I- ..,..i .1..,.tI ..l-