Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-12-07

tain the whereabouts and movements
of his opponents; yet.it is the fact that
down to the time of the concentration
of both armies at Gettysburg, the
Army of the Potomac was between Lee
and Stuart! General Stuart had made
a wide reputation as "dashing" cav
airy leader, having twice before this
made the entire circuit of the Union
army; once on the Peninsula, and once
shortly after Antietam. Were there
not the best of evidence to the contrary,
we might suppose that this raid of
Stuart through Maryland and into
Pennsylvania on the right flank
of the marching Army of the
Potomac was intended as a piece of
bravado, to terrify Washington, and
perplex and mystify our Generals. It
is known, however, that the raid had
the direct sanction of General Lee;
the latter hoping that Stuart might
harass the rear of the Union army and
delay their crossing OF the river until
the Army of Northern Virginia could
get a good start into Pennsylvania.
After that he was to pass between the
Union army and Washington and Bal
timore, and rejoin Lee in Pennsylvania.
The first part of the programme
failed, for Hooker's army had crossed
when Stuart reached the Potomac, at
Drainesville. Fording the river, the
latter began his raid. His course led
him almost in sight of Washington,
and something like panic was caused
there by the knowledge, as we'll as at
Baltimore, which he skirted few days
later. On the 28th he captured large
supply-train at Rockville. which was
going toward Frederick; on the next
day he had reached the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad. between the two last
named cities, and occupied part of
the day in burning bridges and tearing
up the track.
1t must have been on this day
June 29, 1868, that I had my intro
duction, by no means pleasant one,
to company of Stuart's cavalry that
was securing the country almost as
far west as Frederick. It was about
this time that the Army of the Pc
tomac reached the latter place on their
way north; yet on the day I speak OF
they had not arrived there, and there
fore may be in some confusion as to
the dates. No matter: it is the adj
venture, not the particular time of it,
that is of importance.
I had been dispatched ahead of the
moving army to make arrangements
for signal stations at and about Fred
erick. l was we'll acquainted there,
having been there much in the pre-
vious year. It was a good, loyal town,
aud always had welcome for the
. Union army. I put up at the hotel
and. with another Lieutenant (Hal-
stead by nancy and a squad of men,
went at once about my duty.
Halstead and I rode out about mile
east Of the town, accompanied by q
sergeant. The latter rode on little
way, while we stopped to make an OBJ
servation.
Presently the Sergeant came tear
ing back like mad.
"The rebs are coming!' he shouted
They were, indeed. Three of them
were in sight, squirting over a distant
rise of ground, and the Sergeant said
there was whole company behlnd
them. We lost no time in making FOL
Frederick with all speed.
The Sergeant got in safely, and
should have had no trouble in dong So
had not Halstead's horse fallen lame
He told me to leave him and attend tc
myself. Our pursuers were SO neal
now that we could hear their shouts
Halt! Haiti" urged my companion
to do the best he could, and fingered
to encourage him.
I looked back. One of the raiders
was much in advance of the other two
more were in sight down the road; the
one nearest us was easily within pistol
shot. l saw him reaching for his re- re
volver, and heard his repeate,aa s1 T an.
"Hait, Yank! halt, or I'll fire" ! an,
ticipated his kind intentions, ana hfed
myself with good aim. He fell forward
on the neck Of his horse, and we Wen
on, Halstead urging his poor oo; al, anim thl
Another look back encourages me- t,' vi,
other two raiders had overtaken thel'