Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1889-05-10
A cAvALRyMAN's STORY.
his Escape From Tight Place Made pos-
sibie by Timely Leap.

siDic ny Tnnciy Lcnp'
Though differing In power, tn
amount OF endurance possessed by th
average man and horse exceeds belle
until n severe trial puts IL to tho test.
In the month OF February, 1868, OH
cavalry headquarters were In tho vicin
ity of Bell Plain, Va, and from tina
point details were sent TO maintain {
pickot-line extending from the left OF Tho
main army before fredericksburg
down along tho Rnppahannock, on the
south side OF the Peninsular region lv.
ing between this river aud the Potomac.
Owing TO the high condition and width
of the river, the apparent small force
of the enemy below, and the small
amount OF trouble they gave us, our
line was light; one regiment often
guarding or watching, by picket and
patrol, tho whole extent of country
reaching from tho left of our infantry
nearly to the Chesapeake Bay. During
the time this duty was assigned TO our
regiment, lasting, MS it did, about
three weeks, we saw scarcely any fight
ing, q but tho terrible marching i'm
posed upon lis in patroling such dis
tance at regular intervals, with the fact
that the roads were made almost i'm
passable by rain and mud, told with
destructive effect upon horscflesh and
the health and strength OF the men.
BY reference to the maps OF Virginia,
IL will be seen that the distance by an
airline from Falmouth to the Chesa-
peake is about eighty miles. As we
started from point about half way
between Falmouth and Port Conway,
and Mt the end OF our march down tho
Peninsula retraced our steps at point
about twenty miles from the bay, the
distance direct is probably fifty or sixty
miles; but as we were obliged TO follow
road tho windings OF which would be
difficult TO trace on paper, the march
back and forth must have compre-
hondcd distance of moro than 125
miles. We found it next to impossible
10 ascertain distances from citizens and
negroes whom we saw and questioned;
tho ideas OF the negroes in regard TO
distances being, as they expressed
them, very vague TO us.
On the afternoon of the 9th day of
February our regiment received orders
10 relieve another regiment of the
brigade then pickoting at King George
Courthouse; so at five o'clock we were
on the march, and reached the reserve
attwelve o'clock that night We passed
three days picketing. At twelve clock
on tho night OF the 18th. however, we
were suddenly aroused, the outposts
withdrawn. and wore soon on the
march From that time until we reach
ed our destination we stopped only
when II became absolutely necessary.
About noon one day near the last
part of our hard march my horse gave
out, and was obliged to abandon him
by the roadside and undertake tho al
most hopeless task OF keeping pace
with the regiment on foot. To best ac-
complish this left the road and struck
OFF across the country in straight
line, through bramble, bogs, pine
thlckets and uncultivated fields, trust
ing thus to shorten my own walk, and,
If possible, strike the road again.
After about three hours scrambling
over this traclsless route, | was finally
favored with the sight OF cluster of
plantation buildings, and upon reaching
it found 10 my unspeakable delight
stable, and in that stable three fine
looking horses.
My presence brought concourse of
woolly heads about the stable and two
white worAen, fairly dressed, who set
up n terrible outcry when | saddled a
bay horse and proceeded to lead him
out. An elderly white man then ap-
peared, and with menacing manner
commanded me to relinquish the horse,
] simply tapped the handle of my revol-
Yer and sprang into the saddle. He
then began TO beg me TO take the back
horse. just then noticed an old
darby close by the horse, and felt by
his actions that he wanted TO say some
thing, but was afraid leaned over
on his side as though to adjust the
stirrup-strap, when he hurriedly whis-
pered:
Don't take do brack horse. ca Sc he
de debbefs own. Take de bay, aud TO
de Lords sake git out o dis quicls!'
Strengthening up | glanced at the
white woman and the old man, and saw
that they had seemingly lost all inter
est in the fate of the bay horse, but
were eXpectantly glancing in particu-
lar direction TO the east. Becoming in
terested, rode the horse past the COR
ner OF the stable, and, looking in the
same direction, saw what caused me TO
wheel the horse into II field and start
him in Il rapid gallop in an opposite di-
rection. had ridden but few rods
when heard u great uproar in the vicin-
ity Of the stables, caused by yclls, curses
and the sharp reports of rifles and re-
yolvers. Looking back ! saw three
citizen-dresscd horsemen following me
into the field, shouting and firing at
me. To my right, and near the road,
four others were urging their horses to
head me of from n gap in the trench
and-brush fence so common in that
country.
knew we'll enough that to fall into
the hands of those men meant certain
death. saw, also. that / could not
reach the gap in the fence ahead OF
those who wers riding for it My only
alternative was to wheel suddenly TO
the left and ride Tor the nearest point in
the fence, and try the leaping qualities
of the horse rode. Touching him with
the spur he bounded away with long
and strong leaps, pd arriving at the
fence just gathered himself for an extra
effort and cleared the brush hedge and
trench with perfect easc. The leap, as
any one acquainted with that style OF
fence will agree with me, was one that
no other except the best of saddle-horses
could accomplish. In the road turned
TO the left, met one of the guerrillas,
exchanged shots with him, swept by