, 1886-11-21
MosBY's FIGHT AT cHANTlLLY.
strategy and DashIng Bravery Too Mucl
for the EederaIa-A Chase


btrategy and DashIng Bravery Too Much
for the Federais-A Chase.
The post at Chantilly was only two
miles from the camp of a division of
cavalry. md thanked by strong support
ing partns NJ ZACH side, When l got
within 'wn or three miles of it, |
turned odd n"ely off to the right i'll or
der to : rate, if possible, between
them aDd tenterville, and gain their
rear. H. they were looking out formc,
and | f. there was no chance for a
surprisc despaired almost of doing
anytliHi. 1t AS | did not want to go
bach ~ N4 trying to do something, l
ordeic' .fvN men to chase in the pick
cts, i'll i"i So lat this would drive their
main hcis for some distance. They
did 50, ;.n r'Neral were killed and cap
tured. OF a high position l saw
the rcs,4N a. unit, form and move up
the pike. ire aimed the pike also, so as
not to L. cat oil. | got ready to charge
as o as ihey We're near. although
did net have half their number,
when | discovered another large body
of c%aytl,, iltlt had heard the firing com
hb ihIh'ie llDli IL olItttiDi VI El1-
ingpan to Ie-enforce them. These were
more than had bargained to fight in
the open, so | ordered a retreat at a trot
up the turnpike. L was certain that they
would pursue rapidly, thinking l was
running away, and. by getting strung
out along the pike, would lose their adj
vantage in numbers, and give me a
chance to turn and strike back.
My calculation was right. | kept my
men well closed up. with two some dis
lance behind to give me notice when
they got near. | had just passed over a
hill, and was defending on the other
side, when one of my men dashed up
and said the enemy was right upon me.
L looked back, but they were not in
sight. | could distinctly hear their loud
cheers and the hoofstrokes of their
horses on the hard pike. l had either
to suffer a stampede or make a fight.
The cavalry officer lis like the woman
who dolibciates-she's lost. If l had
gone n step farther, my retreat would
have dclnnt rated into a rout. My horses
We're itlri lay Il long days march, while
the enemy . Wrtc fresh. / promptly or
dered the mon to halt, right about wheel
and draw >.i,rr4. 1t was all done i'll the
twinklin ~ an eye. Fortunately. just
at the plaoe ~here | halted VAS an
abattis, formed of fallen trees. which
had been mII- hy the army the year be-
fore. The ui"u formed behind these,
as l knew that when they dartci out it
would create the impression on my pur-
surers that / had drawn them into al
ambuscade. A they stood there calmly
waiting for me to give the word for the
outset
"a horrid front they formed
Still rs the breez., but dreadful as the
Storm
had no faith i'll the saber as n weapon.
| only made the men draw their sabers
to prevent them from wasting their fire
before they got to closer quarters. l
knew that when my men got among
them the pistol would be used. My sue
cess had Deer so uninterrupted that the
men thought that victory was chained to
my standard. Men who got into a fight
under the influence of such feelings are
next to invincible and are generally
victors before it begins. We had hardly
got into position before the the head of
the pursuing column appeared over the
hill, less lhln 100 yards off. They had
expected To- sec our backs, and not our
faces. 1t was a rule from which, dur
ing the war. | never departed, not to
stand still anl receive a charge, but al
ways to tci on the offensive. This was
the maxim Of Frederick the Great, and
the KEY 10 the wonderful succcss he won
with his cavalry.
At tn r.ler to charge, my men
dashed f@orWirl with a yell that startled
and stuunc hose who were foremost
in puru'' saw them halt, and l
knew lht" nni they had lost heart and
were n.A 90 Before they could wheel
my NOR tr' among them. Those
who wo.r mng up behind them, see
ing tho. 6t turn their backs, did
the min l4ns. They had no idea
they wri running away from the
same nl.,.tf Of men they had been
chasing t} men had returned their
slbers Ia 80 H. s%cabbards, and the death
DEALING revolver was now doing its
work. lA, Union cavalry had as
summed, a,i thought they would, that
my rctrr4i had only beer feigned. to
draw titt.n into "A trap. They could not
under-tiuil why | ran away just to
run back gain. They had no time to
ascertain uur numbers or to recover
from thu ,hock OF their surprise in
finding Us drawn up TO receive them. |
never witnessed "A more complete rout,
or one with less cause for it. John s.
Mosby in Boston Herald.