The National tribune., 1889-01-17
AN Ex-REBEL.
A Johnnr,s Experience at Cloyd,s Farm.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Since my ar
ticle on the Piedmont fight came out in your
paper l have received number of letters from
all over the country asking me to write again.
If you will allow me the space / will answer
them with what ability have. As l am not
in the habit of writing for the papers, / hope
my correspondents will not expect too much
| was born in Nicholas County, KY, May 20,
1912, and enlisted in the 1st Ky. Cav. Oct %,
1861, to serve one year Our regiment served
in MarshalPs Brigade until after the fight at
Perryville KY, when we were disbanded.
then enlisted in the 18th Va in which organi-
cation | remained to the end of the war Our
regiment guarded the Salt-works in southwest
Virginia for some time, and was stationed there
when we received the order to meet the Union
troops under Gen. Crook at Cloyd's Farm. /
cannot pass by this little fight without calling
your attention to the part | played in it. i
would have passed it by at the time most cheer
fully. In giving you description of it l will
keep within the bounds of truth; for, like
George Washington, cannot tell lie. Like
Private Dalzell, | hate hypocrites and, like all
the rest of our boys who were engaged in this
fight ran as soon as an opportunity presented
itself
We got off the train at Dublin about 10 o'clock
in the morning, and were marched on the dou-
ble-quick to the battle-ground, distant, as well
as / can remember, about five miles. Our regi-
ment was posted on the extreme right, with
the Both and 54th Va. regiments on our left. l
do not now remember the positions taken by
other regiments, except that of Dun's 10th bat
TALON of infantry, which was drawn up i'm
mediately behind our regiment, on high, open
ground. Why these troops were SO placed |
was never able to conjecture.
Our line of battle formed, skirmishers were
sent out to bring on the engagement We did
not have to wait very long. Our skirmshers
came back, and with them came our friends,
the Yankees The ball now opened ali along
the line Showers of lead began to fall, and our
position was anything but comfortable. The
battalion behind us on the open ground began
to suffer to such an extent that their Colonel
could stand it no longer, and he ordered his
men to charge. On they came, right down
through our regiment calling on US to charge
with them. OF course we could not decline,
although there was no general order given to
charge. We did not accomplish anything, and
then the rout began. tried to be brave; tried
to think how grand it would be to die for ones
country, and then l remembered that live
rebel would perhaps be of more benefit to the
! Confederacy than q dead hero and with this
| last thought in my mind | took to my heels
Col. Brown had led our regiment into the fight
and now undertook to lead it out.
Up through the timber and over the hill
went; down ravine and up through another
! piece of timber. was well started, and | hated
| to stop. for l felt like the whole United States
was after me, and if the traditional enemy oil
mankind had been after me / could not have
run faster. Finally became exhausted, and
| had to stop, but had put Clinch River and
about eight miles of rough road between my.
| self and danger. Sixteen of my company had
| been able to keep up with me, while the rest
| had been left to their fate After. getting oul
/ forces together again we took the train Il
! Staunton to intercept Gen. Hunter, who was
moving up the Valley.
In my article on the battle of Piedmont
fear that | did Mr. f. S. Reader an injustice
when l said we did not fire single piece O
artillery. We had no artillery on our main
! line of battle. l am sure of this. There was
no position for it, and it was left on the high
ground beyond the river, and l think it was
intended, if we failed to hold our first position
| to take up second one beyond the river
About the time the retreat began l was made
! prisoner and it may be that some shots were
| fred about this time, in order to cover the re
/ treat of our troops. | wish to say that Mr.
/ Reader has written to me in regard to the mat
ter and | feel that it is only Justice to him fol
me to make this explanation. His letter to mC
| reveals the true soldier and gentleman. | sin
| cere!y hope that we may hear more from suef
men as he through THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE.
bully for a Johnny Reb who takes TIL
| NATIONAL TRIBUNE says Mr.. ]. n. Stevens
| of Denver, Colo, who sent me very nice let
ter the other day in response to my article
Let me say to Mr. Stevens that if the Edito
does not object l will write up what l saw o
1 the PerryvIle fight. In5the mean time write
| something yourself. / fear / have already
overdone this paper.-W. II. HARDWICK, ex
rebel, Berwick, III.