The National tribune., 1890-01-09
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
LITTLE ROCK CAMPAIGN.
A Gallant saber Charge by the LIST Iowa Cav.

and June, 1868. by Brighten. ]. w. Davidson,
for the campaign on Little Rock, was composed
of the following regiments and batteries: LIST,
ID Sd, 9Th and Sth Mo- Cav, LIST and Sd Iowa
Cav, ID Wis Cav, 10th III. Cav, Sd Iowa bat
terry, Hadley's 25th Ohio battery, and bat
terry of 10 l2-pound brass howitzers, under
Capt. Strange; one company of Pontoneers
with p0ntoons, and one battalion of the SD
Iowa, guard FOR pontoons.
The division broke camp at Pilot Knob on
the LIST day Of July, aud marched by the way
OF Bloomfield, Chalk Bluffs and CroWley's Ridge
20 Clarendon, Ark
While on the march, near the EAuguille
River ] saw men in front Of us leave the col
umh, ride up TO house and look over the fence
into the ward. When / came up / did so too
and there on the grass before me lay the body
OF Capt Glenn, our Chief of Scouts. Icould see
blood spots on the bosom of his white shirt
where the bullets had struck him. He had
been killed while riding alone in advance of
The column.
Soon after our arrival at Clarendon we were
Joined by the advance infantry of the Seventh
Corps, coming from Grants army at Vicksburg,
by the way Of Helena, on the Mississippi River.
After few days rest at Clarendon, our diys-
Jon crossed White River and moved out in the
direction of Brownsville, distant about 45
miles. About Is miles out we came on to the
prairie, which extended 10 within one mile OF
brownsville. On the 18th of August we first
met the enemy in force. As the head of our
column approached the timber in front of
Brownsville, they found q long line of mounted
troops formed on the ptalEie in their front,
with a battery. Theis rs opened on us at
long range without Doing much injury, and
soon withdrew out Of danger The saber was
favorite weapon with Gen. Davidson, and he
particularly instructed his command in its use,
and while at Pilot Knob being fitted for the
field, every s2ber in the command was sharp
ened by his orders, and three different special
inspections Of sabers were made by his orders
TO insure their being made sharp Now here
was the first chance 10 use the saber. and Gen.
Davidson ordered MerrilIs Horse I'D No. Cav)
70 deploy column and charge the rebel line
with the saber which they did in grand style,
breaking the rebel line and scattering il TO the
winds.
Our division did not advance into the timber.
but remained on the prairie throughout the
night The cavalry regiments formed in col
umn OF companies, the horses standing in line
with saddle giTths loosoned, the men lying on
the ground in front of their horses, with their
brldle-reins In their hands. Soon after posting
our pickets, about dark, Col. Burbridge. CON-
manding the 9th No. (rebel) Cav, in Marina
dukes Division, whose line had been moved in
his absence, rode up to one of our picket-po
thinking Il belonged TO has own regiment and
was taken prisoner.
On the morning Of the 26th our column NOV
ed through Brownsville, on the Little Rock
advance. Alter marching about 10 miles with
some skirmishing in front we returned 10
Brownsville and camped for the night. While
advancing on that day our sGirmish-line came
20 the open fields Of a large farm, and in the
woods on the opposite side Of the farm could
be seen the rebel skirmisbers One of our
regiment AS ne came TO the fence looked across
the fields aud said: see a man; I'm going
20 try shot at him." Laying his carbine across
the fence, be fired. When our line advanced
our men found Captain. belonging 20 an Ar
kansas regiment, shot through the body. Our
men carried him 10 the farmhouse. ! saw him
lying there on a bed as we were coming back
that afternoon. he asked TO see the kind Of a
gun that had been used in shooting him; and
after looking at Il at was a Sharp's carbine
said that be didn't think We could shoot that
far.
AS We were halted, just before withdrawing
from IN front Of the enemy, some OF our how
tiers were standing in the waponroad, on a
ridge, while several hundred yards 10 the front.
on another ridge, were the rcbeis. They had q
small Tited cannon, and they fired shot, which
killed rider one Of our b4ttery-teams
was "a hospital q short time after this with one
OF the men belonging 70 this battery OF ours
who was riding IN team just ahead % the
man who was killed. Ia relating the circum-
stances 10 me- be said that he saw the smoke Of
the gun when IL was discharged. and he said
that be could see the shell coming straight To-
ward him. he leaned way down 10 one side !
70 get out Of range Of the she'll and this man
who Was killed also leaned down: but he
Strengthened up again, and jus; as be raised up
~ lis saddle the she'll struck him fair IN the !
breast, passed through him. aud struck on the
harness Of a horse IN team farther back. the
shell bounding Upinio the ar aud falling 10 the
gfODHa near ~. Our Chaplain picked up the
shell, and he alteTEard Sent il home 70 Iowa
Our division advanced on the morning Of the
9th, the rebel forces falling back before us
until they had crossed Bayou Metoe q deep
sluggish bayou about il miles from Browns. 1
vile. Tie enemy had taken position on the |
opposite side d tbs bayou, with their artillery |
posted 80 as 70 Gre Up the road at our column
when We advanced. Our Tegiment-IEt Iowa /
Canvas The first regiment ia column and IS /
We came 10 the top Of tic bill, aud about one /
third Of a nile from the bayou, Gen David 1
son. |bO WAS with the advance Of our regi- 1
Meni, sax smoke rising from the bridge He /
turned 10 COi. Anderson and said: Colonel /
o5aW saBcrs-chsrge. and save the bridge and /
Pet position o. the other side Of the bavou" 4
The column bad been moving along slowly. oc- /
casoually hating, aud the men ID the ranks 4
10 wil!!e away lhe lime were telling stories and
making merry. ] think IL Was about ] or 2 1
cloeE- "uIie we were moving slowly up the |
All pa iFOnt Of the bayou, that we saw the adj 1
vance company which was then al tie tor Of /
tic LII, draw sabeFs. Everything was quiet 4
o. Tie enemgs lines, but we knew what those 4
Isshlng sabcrs meant. Tie companies, one /
alter another, lB The column ahead Of US drew
EaDcIs and took The trOt
Capt. Barnes, 81 our company drew his saber /
Turned 10 the company and gave the command: I
attention company-DTaw sabers! Trot - l
March! aud aiterward gave the command. /
"6siOp,' aud We passed over the hin on a /
Eaber charge. Prom the top Of the hill 10 the 4
bridge II Tie bayou the distance was about one.
third o! q mile, and for some distance from the 4
top the hlii Wss quite steep nearly up 10 the 4
bncge AZ soon a. the column came in sight /
the rebel guas on the other side Of the bayou
opened on u with shell, and their guns must
have been considerably elevated, as the shells
passed too high % strike the column Our
speed going down the hill was frightfuI: the
dust Was binding and it hid the column, and /
We went u blind" Being chief Of platoon, 4
rode outside Of the ranks, the column being
formed by f0urs and could only once In awhile
catch glimpse 81 the sabers through the dust
shell struck telegraph pole by my side as was |
passing u, and the shock nearly stunned me
pieces from the polestriking me. My horse atone
TINE stuck in a washOut aud fell 10 his knees.
bul the gallant fellow struggled 10 his feet |
again aud carried me safely through the charge
shell burst directly over my platoon. 1 /
turned and looked back % the place and saw a I
large space ~ the column, and thought 10 NY
sell that shell killed good many Of the bOyg".
but, strange Is IL may appear, there was not a |
man struck by the bursting she'll Private
I'd Hanan's horse was killed, aud other horses
IN the column fell over him. Serg't Du Hois