The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-09-06

commanded by Capt. TOtten took position in
| the middle Of the road on one Of the ridges in
iull view of the enemy on the other side of a
wheatfeld that filed the greater part Of the
hollow from ridge to ridge. On tho ridge held
! by the enemy the road was filed with horse
men, while the men on foot were deployed TO
right and left slightly protected by fences that
/ divided the fields.
Capt. TOtten unlimbered a 12-pouuder gun
and sent shell right in the midst Of the group
of horsemen in the road
To say that the she'll kicked up q great dust
is to describe the result very mildly. 1t not
only kicked up a dust but it set all the horses
to kicking up, and though it did not kin any
body, rs far as was afterwards ascertained it
emptied dozen saddles by the rearing and
plunging of the steeds None of them had
ever seen anything Of the kind before. 1t
takes hardened old horse to stand an explod-
ing shell, aud even then there's some doubt as
to whether be viii be quiet nnder such trying
circumstances. But when mob of green
horses gets a shell lanched among them as
that pound missile was dropped, something
is sure to happen.
Half dozen of the horses came dasbing
across the space between the lines, and were
canght as they came among the Union soldiers.
Two newspaper correspondents each caught
horse, aud these enterprising historians who
had gone to the front to tell the story Of the
CdHHIjAigH, CfiLue Wei mounted OUT OF q ughb
which they had entered on foot They got not
only horses but saddles as we'll, and one Of them
secured pair of well-filled saddle-bags, IN
which was a quantity of fine underclothing,
that, unhapplly, was TOO small for him.
The opening shot of the artillery was rapidly
followed by others, and then the small-arms
added their noise to the firing. Of course the
rebels by this time were doing their best and the
bullets few thickly, but as is always the case
IN battle, most of them were aimed too high
Here and there a man was wounded, but as
/ Gen Lyon had ordered ALI who were not actu-
ally engaged to keep cut of range no harm was
I done outside the fighting line, and even there
the blOOdshcd was slight.
In 20 minutes from the time the first shot
was fired the rebels were in full retreat and
the Unionists were following them. Not only
were the rebels in retreat, but they were scat
tered and good deal demOralized In Justice
to them it should be said that no commander
ever yet existed who could keep his men COM
pletely together in time of fight under an
enemy's IRE. OF course veterans viii act better
than green troops, but even the hardest OF vet
Grams will stTaggle under such circumstances.
The fugitiyes made no stand until they
reached their camp, and even there they did
not tarry long a few rounds Of bullets and
some shots from the artillery set them again in
flight, which was considerably aided by one of
the steamboats, that had moved up from the
id4uliis+ pidCS duH uI6Q TWO or three ROUNDS
from a hoWitzer just rs it reached a point op-
positethe camp. Cannon to the right Of them,
cannon in front Of them" as the Light Brigade
had at Balaklaya, was too much for the rebel
troops to stand.
There was something luiicrous in the appear
ance of the camp as it bore evidence Of a very
hasty departure on the part Of its late occu-
pants. Meat was in the frying-pans on the
fire. half-bakcd beans filed the eamp-ovens,
and pots Of unboiled coffee were standing
ready for the attentions Of the cook. On the
ground lay ham with a slice half severed
and knife still sticking in themeat. The camp
chest of some of the officers was all spread for
breakfast, but those who had expected to take
their morning meal there were now in rapid
fight for safety.
a cooked breakfast should not be wasted, so
some of cur fellows thought, and they set about
devouring what the fugitives had left Tents
were standing, piles Of provisions were heaped
up, good many rifles and other weapons were
scattered on the ground, and altogether the
captors made satisfactory seizure. One Of the
officers found several hundred dollars In q
trunk IN one Of the tents and thoughtfuIly puJ
the money in his pocket, in order, rs he said,
to hand it to the owner in case he should ever
meet and recognize him.
To be continued