The National tribune., 1890-10-23
A HORSE FOR GEN. TURcHrN.

color guard, emptied saddle and captured the
| horse, which he presented, upon the arrival at
/ the top of the ridge, TO Gen. Turchn. r. ]. G.
Adny, of Oakland, CAL relates the following
/ incident of their charge on cavalry: During
! the advance from the hospital 10 the forks of
! the road occurred a laughable incident. Capt.
! Henry, six feet three inches in hight, and
every inch a soldier, was directing every move
ment of our men as they advanced, yelling and
! firing and driving the enemy before them.
! Advancing with gigantic strides. hat i'm one
/ hand and sword in the other, he was yelling
/ at the top of his voice to encourage the boys,
1 Go for 'em boys, go for 'em; they arc nothing
/ but cavalry as if the fighting of cavalry was
/ held in contempt by him. At this iuncturc
| the gallant Captain caught the scabbard of his
! sword between his legs and fell hcndloug, going
| down all i'm heap ON his head and face. Some
| thought him killed, and news TO that effect
vas circulated, but gathering himself up he
was rs good rs ever, and lived 10 get the boys
out of one of the tightest places they were ever
! in" ii. c. Wyatt, of b, Seth, of Bates, Mo-,
I writes that, after the charge on Forests cav
airy at the junction of the two roads. Gen.
Reynolds and his Orderly ro6c up to the fork
of the road, where the General consulted his
maps moment; that he and his Orderly then
advanced some rods on the right hand road
finding il impracticable to try TO advance
farther. returned having first sent orders for
Capt Henry and those with him to return, he
led the way back TO the field hospital.
DRIVING THE REBEL CAVALRY.
Capt. Henry, instead of returning by the left
hand road TO the fork, took short cut toward
where Gen. Reynolds WAS supposed TO be, strik
ing the right-hand, or Ringgold road, at the
brow of hill overlooking a valley of partly
open ground. In this valley, within short
range, was a considerable force Of Confederate
cavalry. Instantly the boys on the ridge poured
into them a voliey from their Enfield rifles,
which resulted in scattering the Confeds in
the widest confusion without their attempt
ing TO return a shot whercupon our fellows
swung their hats and set up prolonged cheer.
Here a second order from Gen. Reynolds
reached them. The order WAS imperative
Return 10 the hospital" Tho men formed in
good order and marched back to the hospital,
with colors Of the Both Ohio nj their front. Not
q johnny gTaybaCk was visible as they re-
turned. Having by their late coup-de main
cleared their various fronts on the different
roads of their presence. they supposed they
were returning TO rcunite with the brigade.
Upon reaching the hospital the men were filed
into a small open space near log stable and
were ordered 10 stand TO arms, while few
were sent with canteens TO be filled at . spring
that was reported 10 be not far away. Soon
after haltlng an officer came TO the men and
said, Men, the orders are. if the enemy como
upon US, TO surrender without firing gun"
This order was of a somewhat startling nature
10 those who had been swinging around u seq
ment of circle chasing Confederate infantry
aud cavalry with a whoop-la aud rush into a
disorganized skedaddle wherever found, until
none were TO be seen by them at any point Of
the compass.
NO SURRENDER.
Naturally enough men under such circum-
stances would not only disapproye, but ex-
pressed their disapproval Certainly this little
handful OF brave men, thrown promisCuously
together from all the commands Of the brigade.
had justly earned the right 20 dispIoyc Of such
a command, which they did, some in quite ex.
pressive terms. Capt. T. +. Henry, leaving the
men in charge of Lieut.. S l.. Grosveror, of the
36th, sought Gen. Reynolds, who. lie learned
was laboring under the impression born OF his
own observation OF the advance from the hos
pital and on the Ringgold road. together with
the FIRE from battery on the left and other
circumstances that had seemed 10 reveal the
eucmyls ucarncss iu overwhelming force with
not a Federal command 10 be seen or heard
from. save the little fragment OF the brigade
with him and the few helpless at the hospital
that they were within the tolls of the enemy
completely surrounded, and that, however
willing and desirous he might be 10 risk his life
ia endeayor 20 cut his way out, il was unjust
and personally selfish 10 command such a sac
Tiiice the part Of the brave boys with him,
suhjectiug them. rs he felt, 10 uRnecessi irv
slaughter, hence had under contemplation
surrender should the enemy again attack in
force Up 10 this time Gen. Reynolds had no
knowledge of the success that had attended
Capt. Henry aud those with him. nor OF what
their observations had revealed 20 them. with
out which, and with only sueh as he possessed,
and those who had been with him. the chances
ioF delivery must have looked TO the General
aud to them gloomy and forbidding indeed. and
IN great If not IN fall measure, juslifying
any contemplated idea there may have been Of
surrender
This was said to be the situation aud appear
ance Of affairs when Capt. Henry approached
and saluied Gen. Reynolds. The Captain re.
ported that the men were unwilling 10 be sur.
rendered, indeed that such deuoHemcut was
not 10 be part Of the program IL it could be
at all avoided, and that, IN his Judgment, based
upon his observation. il was not necessary nor
even eKpedent. The General asked Capt
Henry what he proposed 20 do. Henry, Yankee
like. answered by asking If he lthe Gcneralj
thought that
OUR WHOLE ARMY had ooNE UP,
to which Gen. Reynolds replied. " II louks like
it," contamination Ct Bragg's effort that was
painfully felt 10 be true By more than one
present. Capt Henry then told him what had
been done by those with him, what they had
seen, and Yenturcd the opinion that even If
Rnsecrans's army was destroyed q something
in which he had not the slightest belief they
could make their way 10 Chattanooga; where
upon Gen. Reynolds responded. {" You had
better put the men IN motion al once" Capt
Henry Immediately returned 10 the men, aud
sent hRTriediy after those who had gone FOR
water. Gen. Reynolds mounting bis horse
rode up ready 10 start with the men. Just
before they were ready 10 move upon what
was considered by all to be a most desperate
effort, two men in our uniform, mot uncom-
monty worn in those days by members OF both
Federal and Confederate armies) were seen TO
ride out Of the WOOGg 10 the rear and left Of
their position and ride toward where they were
forming. After it was known that they were
Union troops Gen. Reynolds rode out 10 meet
them. After few moments conversation with
them he called back Bring the men this way"
then rode off in the direction whence the two
men came, and was not seen any more that
evening. Capt. Henry, under the direction Of
one Of the mounted men, with the right Of The
brigade, after a march Of perhaps a mile. found
aud rejOined the main body Of Tnrchin's COM
rnand With hearts full OF gladncss and heads
erect they proudly marched up 10 the crest of
the ridge with the cOlors OF the Both flying in
the lead.
sAFE AT LAST
Such scenes Of rejoicing as followed may be
only known TO aud appreciated by soldiers who
have passed through the furnace OF battle and
have shared together some Of the sternest hor-
rDrs Of war Indescribaible were some Of the
expressions Of Joy and glsdness that burst from
manly bOsOms. What hearty shaking Of hands,
what trickliDg OF joyous tears over weather
beaten cheeks among those veterans. Men who
never expected TO see each other alive again