Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-04-19

brigade in the First division Of the
Ninth army corps. 10 was on what was
known as the PEBBLES farm, 70 the left
OF Petersburg. 10 fell 20 me 70 act as
division officer of the day quite tre-
0ucntly On September 80 We had had
very sharp engagement at Poplar
Spring church, adjacent 90 the PEBBLES
farm. Late in the fight l had been or
dered 90 take my regiment and deploy
on a swamp. Ny rgade was TO Sklrm-
isb there 20 protect the left flank of
the army. While ] was out % the lett,
bev0nd the swamp. a division of the
Confederate army crept IN between the
Fifth and Ninth corps TO my right. IL
got in the rear of our division and forced
part of 10 90 fall back very rapidly,
leaving me alone exposed beyond the
swamp. We had hard time @ get out,
I lost quite a number ia killed, wounded
and prisoners. ! shouted the number
of my regiment repeatedly in rallying
my men and In drawing them out OF the
swamp.
"All this is preliminary to what hap
pened two or three days afterwards. IL
was on the morning of the Thursday or
Friday following President Lincoln's re-
election. l was acting as division OIL
Ger OF the day. One of my duties was
10 ride the entire length Of our division
line to inspect it. l was 90 report every
thing that appeared upon the line Of an
unusual character TO the general COM
handing. l started upon the left OF
our line, where Fort Fisher was after
wards constructed. As soon rs / came
mn 10 the outer line, saw Confederate
officer opposite on the rebel line.
He rode a large iron gray charger
"A fine horse. There was no firing at
the time. As l rode up on our side, he
calamity saiuted, no doubt recognizing
nv rankand duty, which was apparent
lv the same as his own. We rode each
upon his own line until we came 10
square earthwOrk, or what was called
the square level road. In passing
through a piece of woods We lost sight
Of each other. As we came out Of the
woods the rebel officer rode upon the
earthwOrk and waved newspaper to-
ward me. / understood what 1t meant.
Ii was an invitation 90 exchange news
papers. Gen. Hartranft, afterwards
Governor Of Pennsylvania, had Joined
me. and was sitting there upon his
horse. He was corps officer of the day.
/ said: General, what do you say?
Shall / exchange"
Well he replied, Il have no doubt
there would be something very inter
esting in that paper. The confederate
congress has Just assembled, and II will
contain Jeh Davis message. I'll risk
il. You may make the exchange.
Il had no newspaper with me, but
Hartranft had a copy Of the Washing
ton Chronicle and the Philadelphia M
0qtircr. He gave me those newspapers,
and the officer on the other side ad-
yapced into a little hollow. Accompa-
MED by my orderly / rode forward to
meet him. His orderly was with him.
We ranged alongside of each other.
noticed that his revolver was pulled
well down in front. So was mine. We
maintained perfect courtesy, however.
He saluted, and l did the same.
Capt Brown, Of the First Virginia,
he said by way OF Introduction.
Il replied. Col Cutcheon, OF the
Twentieth Michigan.
'''Ohr he responded, the Twentieth
Michigan. Iheard the name the other
day in the little affair OF the 3Oth Of
September
1--WE exchang, d few words. Then
he said. I would like TO exchange pa
perS.
Il replied that l would be glad 70 &C
commodate him.
- pulled out the two newspapers
Gen. Hartranft had given me and passed
them over. be pulled out two news
papers i'm return, and turned them over
to me. They were Richmond papers,
the Who and Examiner l think. They
contained the proceedings at the open
ing of the Confederate Congress and the
message of President Davis. l didn't
omen the papers then but simply jam-
med them into my pocket.
"'He asked. whats the result OF
the electiOnT
Lincoln is reelected, l answered.
ss'You don't say so? he responded.
YES said l. he is reelected. he
has carried every Northern State except
New Jersey
s''Did not Mcclellan have the vote OF
the army? he asked.
"In our trap Of the army said l.