Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1891-05-01

the army While | was out to the left,
beyond the swamp, n division of the
confederate army crept in between the
Fifth and Ninth corps to my right. 1t
got in the rear of our division and forced
q part of it to fall back very rapidly,
leaving me alone exposed beyond the
swamp We had hard time to get out.
lost quite a number in killed, wound
ed and prisoners | shouted the num-
Der of my regiment repeatedly in rally
ing my men and in drawing them out OF
the swamp.
"All this is preliminary to what hap
pened two or three days afterwards. 1t
was on the morning of the Thursday or
Friday following President Lincoln's re-
election. was acting as division officer
Of the day. One of my duties was to
ride the entire length of our division
line to inspect II. l was to report
everything that appeared upon the line
Of an unusual character to the general
commanding. I started upon the left
of our line, where Fort Fisher was
afterwards constructed. AS soon as 1
came up TO the outer line, | saw a con-
federate officer opposite on the rebel
llnc. no TONlt Al LII AiOAi roy CAAeli 81
"a fine horse. There was no firing at
the time. As rode up on our side, he
gallantly saluted, no doubt recognizing
my rank and duty, which was apparent
ly the same as his own. We rode each
upon his own line until we came to n
square carthwork, or what was called
the square level road. In passing
through n piece of woods we lost sight
of each other. Aswc came out of the
woods the rebel officer rode upon the
earthworlx and waved newspaper
toward me, / understood what it
meant. 1t was an invitation to eX-
change newspapers. Gen. Hartranft,
afterwards, governor of Pennsylvania,
had Joined me, and was sitting there
upon his horse. He was corps officer of
the day. I said: General, what do you
say? Shall exchange?'
Well he replied, i have no doubt
there would be something very inter
esting in that paper. The confederate
congress has Just assembled, and il will
contain jeff Davis message. I'll risk
it. You may make the exchange
II had no newspaper with me, but
Hartranft has n copy of the Washing
ton Chronicle and the Philadelphia In
quirer He gave me those newspapers,
and the officer on the other side adj
vanced into 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
we'll down in front. So was mine. We
maintained perfect courtesy, however
He saluted, and did the same.
"'Capt Brown, of the First Virginia.
he said by way OF introduction.
az replied: Col. Cutcheon, of the
Twentieth Michigan.
OH he responded, the Twentieth
Michigan. heard the name the other
day in the little affair Of the 90th OF
September
1--WE exchanged a few words. Then
he said: 4 would like TO exchange pa
pers.'
az replied that would be glad to nc
commodatc him.
81 pulled out the two newspapers
Gen. Hartranft had given me and passed
them over He pulled out two news
papers in return, and turned them over
TO mo. They were Richmond papers,
the Whig and Examiner, | think. They
contained the proceedings ut the open
ing of the confederate congress and the
message of President Davis. l didnt