The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-11-23

mand Of the Union army in Virginia His
| very prcscncc sent a thrill Of enthusiasm
throughShe troops, who had now lain
time at Fortress Monroe TO recuperate.
After crossing the Rapidan. the Federal
forces plunged once more into the Wilder
ness
Suddenly they drew near TO the old bat
tle-ground Of Charlottesville, where Just
year before they had fought so fiercely, and
here they struck the enemy.
| No eye saw the carnage that cnsued. The
dense forest forbade all strategy. The
ranks simply dashed into the woods, fought,
fell or retired only TO form once more and
charge into those gloomy shades Neither
side was victorious, but it was generally
| supposed that Grant would retire across
the Rapidan though he thought differently,
and pushed his army by the Confederate
right flank straight towards Spottsylvania
Courthouse. Lee hurried forward
division to head him off, so IL happened that,
when the Federals reached the spot, they
found the Confederate forces planted right
across the road.
For time il was duel between sharp
shooters, who sheltered themselves behind
trees and picked off officers on either side.
Then the storm broke in fury. With a wild
cry, Hancock and his gallant corps, hidden
|
crate lines, broke the abattis surrounded q
division and captured four thousand pris-
oners and two Generals.
Again and again Harry Winthrop's bravo
fellows threw themselves upon the foe. He
never linched in the charge, but though
his comrades fcli on all sides Of him, he
came after each encounter scathless from
the Il ,ht.
Not so the gallant Sedgwicl. Brave ever
TO the verge Of reckless daring, he had
! Just chided n gunner for lodging "a ball,
with the light remark: "Pooh! man, they
could not hit an elephant at that distance"
when shot crashed through his Lody, and
he fell lifelcss TO the earth.
Thus with various successes the battle
ragged.
But the Prince Rupert of the Union lines
was Custer, that beau ideal of cavalry
lcader-a man to whom fear was unknown,
one who never turned his back on an enemy
nor his face from friend, and chivalrous
TO the verge of QuiXotism. Caution he
knew not f; 1t was with him ever aword and
blow, but the blow always came first
And this man was Harry Winthrop's COM
mandng officer So when one day towards
the end of May the regiment got the order
to set out on raid under Clusters personal
leadership, untrammelcd by the counsel Of
cooler brains, Winthrop and his comrades
knew that hot work was before them. Nor
were they disappointed. The point of at
tack was Trcvcllyan Station, on the Char
lottcsvllle railroad. With n rush Custer
fell upon the foe, capturing big train CT
stores, burning the buildings and making
prisoners. II was sharp, brief glorious
dash to victory But-ayc, these butts"
they spoil the best stories that ever were
told-as the victors rode out of the railway
cutting, they found themselves surrounded
by the enemy. Even Custer was appalled,,
but with fine strategy he got his men into
an open space with room TO fight Again
and again he charged now on this side, now
on that.
.For Gods sake. sir" said Surgeon Weir,
"wc must have n ficld-hospital, tell mo
which is the rear"
'Thc front is all around US" Custer cried,
waving his sword $50, doctor, you can take
pour pick
More pcriious grew the position every
moment. Custer formed his men for one
grand charge to break through the opposing
ranks.
Hardly had the command escaped his lips.
than his color-scrgcant, a Canadian, fell
mortally wounded graspng the flag he
loved SO dearly in his death -stffcned hands
| and even at that supreme moment OF peru
Custer tried 20 snatch il from his grasp, but,
with the tension Of wise, the fingers OF the
corpse clung to the flagstaff. In vain he
pulled-thcn. quick as a fash, he tore the
silk flag from its pole, pushed II into his
bosom, and dashed forward 10 the charge.
And they got free. They rode right
through the ranks Of the enemy, crushing
by the very impetus Of their mad career
the lines that stood in scrricd ranks before
them. I, was glorious feat but, as tho
Frcuchman said Of Balalxlava, IL was no;
war: and, moreover, had IL not been for his
success, Custer would have had 10 pay the
reckoning of his rccklcssncss; for he had
rivals in high places, who would have been
by no means sorry 20 catch him tripping
That month Harry Winthrop was gazetted
as Major.
He saw nothing. however, Of the bloody
fight in the swamp ut Cold Harbor, where
Grant bclcagucrcd Lee. and when, Tossing
asserts, ten thousand Union men were
killed or wounded in the brief space OF
twenty minutes. lie was doing outpost
duty on the banks Of the Chickahominy
river: and. while thus engaged. met with
another adventure which wOvc few more
links in the chain Of my story.
Continued next week.