The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-21
pEATH OF MAI. KEENAN,.

the adjutant nine and the others fewer. 1t
was reported by some who rode close to
the major that he shouted, TO the rightP
seeing that the impenetrable masses on his
left could not be forced, and that there
was no way out but over the thinner lines
on his right. When turning at full speed
my horse was killed and | was pitched
over his neck on the roadside. Here
parted company with the regiment. When
jumped to my feet 1 had time to take only
one glance at my surroundings My sole
thought was to escape capture or death.
On one side were heavy lines of Confederate
infantry doubled and bent by the charge,
their officers trying to recover their align
ment; on the other side the survivors OF
the leading squadrons were galloping on
the Plank road, the others breaking over
the Confederate skirmish lines as far back
as | could see into the woods"
Col Pennock Huey, who was major OF
the Second battalion of the Eighth Penn
sylvania cavalry at the time, has published
a history of the charge, which he describes
substantially as follows: "On re eaching the
Plank road it appeared to be packed about
as closely with the enemy as it possibly
could be. We turned to the left, facing the
Confederate column, the regiment crowd
ing on, both men and horses, in frenzy of
excitement which nothing but death could
STOP We cut our way through, trampling
down all who could not escape us, and
using our sabers on all within reach for a
distance of about hundred yards, when
we received volley from the enemy which
killed Maj. keenan,, Capt. Arrowsmith
and Adjt. Haddock, three of the noblest and
most gallant officers of the war, besides
large number of men. All three of the
above named officers fell at the same time
and from the same volley, Maj. keenan,
falling against me and landing on the
ground under my horse"
Capt. Andrew B. Wells, who rode with
the second squadron in Maj. Keenan's
battalion, published his recollections of
the charge in the Philadelphia Press in
1886 The following is condensed from
that account: when moving on walk,
the distance of about a mile from where
we had mounted, we heard the command,
Draw sabersP and saw the first squadron
draw them. We then heard musketry
firing
I'VE of the second squadron knew that
our time was at hand, and Capt. Corrie,
commanding the squadron, gave the order
to draw sabers and charge. Taking trot
we found the road took bend as we pro-
ceeded When we turned the corner of the
wood road, or lane, sight met our eyes
that it is impossible for me to describe.
After charging over the dead men and
horses of the first squadron we charged
into Jackson's column, and as luck would
have il, found them with empty rifles,
thanks to our dead comrades ahead The
enemy were as thick as bees, and we ap-
peared TO be among thousands of them in
an instant.
'eThe enemy were as much surprised as
we were, and thought, no doubt, as they
now say, that the whole cavalry corps OF
the Army of the Potomac was charging
them. | remember hearing a number of
them call out, L surrenderl surrender
We did not stop TO take any prisoners. We
could not turn around and get out in the
face of the enemy. and the only thing left
for rs was to go through them, sink or
swim"
The charge had all the effect of a sue
cessful forlorn hope, and Keenan's fall at
the head of his band places his name with
those OF Farnsworth, Bsyard, Lowell and
other heroes Of the cavalry.
GEORGE L KuAER