Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-10-24
BUFFERS NARROW ESCAPE.
He Rode Into an Ambuscade in Front OF
Petersburg.


He Rode Into an Ambuscade in Front of
Petersburg.
When Buffers expedition up the
James river landed AT Bermuda HIM
dred, Va, the Thirty-nin;h Illinois was
the first regiment to debark, and was
Immediately deployed on either side of
the road leading to Petersburg. Skin
mishers were sent forward and the
regiment was gradually advanced to
make room for the other troops of the
expedition. Evening found us about
two and half miles from the landing.
Comrade Mann says: about this
time l heard great cheering at the rear,
which was renewed several times, each
time coming nearer; and looking for
the cause, l saw General Butler and
his entire staff approaching on the
main road. When they reached my
outer line l halted them. General
Butler asked if we had seen any 'rebs'
in the front. told him that several
squads of cavalry had appeared about a
quarter of q mile distant After ex-
aiming large chart the General said
that he desired to go forward to creek
and small church beside it.
Thence down the creek about
one-fourth mile, and back 10 our
line, forming. as he said, a triangle in
the scout. | offered to advance my
command to the creek, saying to the
General that it would be safer for his
party. l was thanked, and told to hold
my men as they were, but to instruct
them to admit his party on their re-
turn. l looked for an episode, and it
soon came.
Butler and staff galloped to the
front. The country was quite level
Called the Wier Bottoms), and, ex-
cepting scattering pine trees, was quite
open for some distance around US. Sc
curing a commanding view from tree
stump, soon saw the Generals party
halt on the banks of Buffers Creek
(as it was subsequently called by the
men of the seth, } close to Weir Bot
tom Church Field-glasses were brought
into use, and the unprecedented beyond
was carefully explored. Soon the par
ty turned TO the left, intending to run
out the base of their triangle, but it
never was completed. At this moment
there sprang out from a dense thicket
of alder bushes. on the opposite side
of the creek, a squad Of rebel horse.
who yelled '.Haltw and fired their car
bines Butler had no armed escort and
but two mounted orderlies, both of
whose horses fell dead to the ground
and their riders were taken prisoners
Butler and his staff came dashing
through the tall pines back to our lines
with more regard to speed than order
of coming. The prisoners were taken
to Petersburg that night, and the name
and fame of their chief, who had so
narrowly escaped death or capture, was
revealed. Before the next night the
Petersburg Morning Index was in our
lines, where we saw a full account of
the affair.
"Itappears that a Confederate Major,
with over two hundred hOrsemen, was
carefully concealed beyond the creek,
eagerly waiting for General Butler and
his staff to cross over. The paper
scored the major most fearfully for not
capturing the beast. and called on the
authorities at Richmond to discipline
him for neglect OF duty. 1t is quite
safe to conclude that General Butler
was seldom found in front Of the Skin
mish-line after this experience. From
the History of the seth Illinois.