The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-05-03
THE OTHER SIDE.

The OTHER Side.
Our march was uninterrupted until
we arrived within ten miles OF our des-
tinat;oD, but we met couriers every
day bringing dispatches from General
Floyd hurrying US up and stating that
OUT troops were being terribly pre- ssed
by the enemy and that II reinforce
ments did not soon arrive he, Floyd,
would have to fall back.
We made the best time we could
under the circumstances-we were
nearly all sick and cold rain prevail
ed most Of the time and the roads
were very muddy Of course. Our old
horses had become very poor and weak
and in many instances the cannoneers
had to take the horses from the pieces
and caissons fix, prolong and draw
them through the mud themselves.
But as 1 said before we had march.
ed within ten miles OF Floyd when
night again came upon as aud we
again went into camp. We were then
near enough to the enemy to receive
reports through the citizens concern
ing them and their whereabouts. We
camped at the forks of the road or
rather where to roads came together,
one leading Off q southeasterly di-
rection. In this we planted our larg-
est gun, charged with a double load Of
canister, as it was reported that the
enemy had been seen on that road the
day before and only six miles away
aud marching In that directionl in or
der to get in Floyd's rear. We then
threw forward our pickets and the re-
mainder OF US took shelter in a large
barn and being very tired. pickets and
all soon fell asleep.
When we awoke in the morning the
barn, roads, fields and every place
around us was full Of troops and we
could hear nothing but the gable Of
men, rattling of csnteens and bayonets
and we of course supposed we had been
surprised and captured right there in
our nest, but oh, joy! when we learned
that it was Floyd's troops that had US.
and not the Yankees.
Floyd could not Withstand the pres.
sure of Cox any longer and had sound
ed a retreat st nightfall, and we we're
ordered to take up our beds and walk.
and we walked for we were not able to
run. I remember it was two o'clock in
the morning and our progress was
necessarily very slow and by daylight
AveriIl's cavalry was upon our heels,
"pegging 1t to US" We made but six
miles during that day, and did not
take time to eat either breakfast, dim
ner or supper. This memorable day
was the ed of December, 1861.
can never forget the plight follow
ing that day. 1t was a very dark
night indeed, except at intervals when
the earth was lighted up by the re-
peated flashes Of lightning, and not
withstanding the GOODNESS ofthe season
the thunder seemed to shake the very
foundation Of those rugged old noun
tsins.
We were still trying to move but the
road ahead of US was blocked with
baggage wagons and Everything else
that belongs to retreating army. The
enemy was still pressing Us in the rear
and every few moments an ambulance
would move up alongside the confused
blockade trying to convey some Of the
freshly wounded, bleeding and dying
conseds. to the front.
The writer at this time was driving
. 1xhs baggage wagon with four poor
old forces attached.
At about midnight and while the
rain vas descending in torrents, Gen.
Floyd made his appearance in person
and ordered the road cleared. When
told that the horses were not able to
draw the loads, he ordered that the
horses be cut loose and the wagons
surned over the precipice. He rode
straight on and as soon as he had pass
ed many of the wagons were turned
ever the precipice without even re.
moving the horses from them, and
they went crashing down into the
treetops below, carrying the living
and grooming horses with them! such
is war.
The road was cleared and we moved
on. This happened in Fayette county,
West Virginia.
The next morning about ten o'clock
we learned that the enemy had given
up the chase. We then stopped to
cook and eat some breakfast-the first
bite we had had for thirty.six hours!
We were now in Raleigh county and
reached Raleigh Z. Fl. on the after
neon of that day. There had been two
companies of Union cavalry stationed
there, but on hearing Of our approach
they slipped out and it was well for
them that they did. "else we would
have licked 'em sure for we wuz fight.
ers.r
TIE rain continued to fall, and l
have sometimes wond cred if 1t has
quit raising in those mountains yet.