The National tribune., 1886-09-16
A LUCKY SIGNAL.
How Private Moore Got His Company Out OF q
Had EiY.

war" said an old veteran, "was when we
| were besieGed and bedevied by brigade OF
Confederate cavalry in 1864, and our whole
| command was only saved from being annihilated
by private soldiers knowledge of the signals
used in the u. 5. Signal Corps, having pre-
viously been attached to that arm of the service.
/ carry a bullet in my head yet that some
times almost destroys my memory, making the
past 20 years seem as but dream. At times
everything is "a clear and vivid TO my mind as
| IL had received this terrible wound but yester-
day. Tonight feel much better than have for
| 10 years. and have given up all idea of having
| the ball extracted, though the Surgeons in the
Soldiers Home. where l have been since the
war, have repeatedly advised me TO have it re-
moved. So much for my wound. Now I'll tell
you about our fight with the Confederate cav
airy when / received it:
I'm 1864 was one of a detachment of 200 men
sent out to do guard duty on q railroad away
down in Tennessee near the Cumberland Noun
tans. We built a strong stockade at a bridge
| on the railroad, to prevent Gen. Forests cav
airy from destroying il. The stockade was a
! very large affair-in fact, the most formidable
structure of the kind ever saw. Besides be-
ing defense for the bridge, it commanded the
ford just below. The stream was called Sc
qustchie River, think.
| East of US was a rocky ridge, a break of the
| Cumberland Mountains, while Waldron's Ridge
doomed up some II miles away. The overhang-
| ing cliff near was fully 100 feet high and
there was but one little pathway to reach the top
of it. One morning just as our Orderly had fin
| ished roll-call and the boys were moving down
toward the river to take wash, a squad of Con-
federate cavalry bearing flag of truce put in
an appearance at the ford on the opposite side of
the river The spokesman of the party cried
out across the water:
| "'Col. Graham desires me to say to the officer
| in command of the stockade that, to prevent
unnecessary sacrifice of life, he had better sur
render forthwith. What message shall carry
| to the ColOneli'
capt. Mahlon C. Connect, as brave and fear
less an officer as ever drew a sword or took a
drink of applejack from private's canteen,
stepped outside the stOckade, where those Of us
at the river had by this time taken refuge, and
in a stentorian tone sent this broadside:
"'Go tell Col. Graham that have 200 men
| Indiana boys-who have sworn to remember
Buena Vista; ana defy him and his command.
III he gets us he will have to fight for u.s.
"'Thank you, sir" replied one of the bearers
Of the truce. / will inform the Colonel and
| turning his horses head southwark, the others
| doing likewise, the whole squad soon disap-
peared in the thick woods that bordered the
river on either side.
1--WE now had q fight on our hands,
and those who occupied tents on the outside
| crowded into the stOckade, and every prepare
tion was hurricdly made to give the Johnnies
warm reception, though in the end expected
10 be worsted, as Col. Graham commanded q
brigade of cavalry.
ave did not have long to wait. The clank-
ing of the Confederate sabers could already be
heard in the distance, and cavalrymen soon
again appeared in force, and two pieces of ar
tillery followed in quick succession.
Capt. Connect called 20 of his best shots to
the front, and before the artilierymen could
get their guns fairly in position every rebel
son of them and their horses were knocked
| down. Others rapidly filled their places but
down the new recruits would go TO join those
gone before.
But while this good work was going on the
Johnnies were peppering US. The logs on the
outside of the stOckade had about hogshead full
of bullets in them, and we had several men
dead and wounded.
THE Confederates withdrew for repairs and
gave us an opportunity to repair also. We
| waited patiently the remainder of the day for
another attack. We could see the enemy Skin
mishing around occasionally across the river
and We were satisfied that they would effect
crossing above or below us and attack us in the
rear. Night came on without a second attack,
and Capt Connect called council of war, invit-
ing has whole command to participate. After
general exchange of views il was decided that
IL would be best for us TO try and escape to the
mountains during the night, for if we remained
undoubtedly have surrounded US, and then We
would have 10 finally surrender.
Sending out two trusty scouts in advance
to feel the way, precisely at ii p. m, by the
Captains watch, we marched out of the stock
AIDE. IL was drilling rain and inky dark
ness enveloped the land. Our advance soon
found the path upShe mountain-side, and NOV
ing in Indian file by a circuitous route, we
finally reached the top of the cliff and halted
TO reconnoiter.
THE two soldiers sent in advance soon re-
turned 10 Us and reported that the Confeder-
ates had affected a crossing, dismounting a
portion of their command, and were upon the
mountan-side, closing in upon US from the
direction We were moving.
This was rs we expected, but there was but
one alternative left for US now that was to
move over TO the edge Of the towering cliff,
pile up the loose rocks as a barricade, and thus
fortified wait until daylight and fight il out
We could hear the enemy coming down the
mountain side toward us, but could not see
them. Our barricade was soon improvised, and
We laid down to wait an attack.
1--WE didn't have to hold our breath long for
in few moments dozen or more Confederate
earbines rang out in the darkness, and l was
lucky enough to catch this bullet that stays with
me as a reminder of that terrible night.
The conflict waged hot for several hours,
when the enemy finally withdrew. We had nine
men Killed ana 50 wounded IN this little brush.
Our command was gradually fading away.
We now had but l25 men for duty. and If this
went on We would be totally wiped out. Capt.
Connect decided, though wounded and bleeding
proiusely, To fight it out on that line if it took
every one of Us.
Several miles distance to the north, on a
peak of the mountain, was one of our signal
stations, and We had often sat on the high cliff
and watched the waving of the flag not thinking
nfi hair trnfs hat.
ment. There was a man among us, Private VIM.
Moore, who could read the signals as readily rs
hrst-class telegraph operator read the
ticking of his electric instrument though he
had never let IL be known until we were dis
cussing the situation We lay in the darkness
behind our barrcade awaiting another attack
Daylight came at last. aud we all mentally
thanked God for it. All eyes were now turned
toward the signal station, which was hidden by
q heavy fog. When the sun in all its grandeur
came up over the mountain the fog cleared
away and thesgnal station could be plainly SEEN
Capt. Connect handed Private Moore a COM
pany flag We had flying over our barrcade, and
directed him to try and signal the following
message from the top of the cliff to the officer
on duty at the station on the mountain peak:
To the officer In command
We are surrounded by a brigade Of Confederate
cavalry. Have been reduced TO Us men. For
Gods sake. relief Immediately.
MAHLoE @. CONNECT
Captain Commanding Stockade.
"Private Moore, a powerful, muscular man.
took the flag by the staff, and in about 20 min