The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-06-09

had elapsed before the firing suddenly ceased
| with the exception of an occasional picket-sht
| over near the right center.
There were only two battalions of the 9th
Y. II. A. present on the field viz, the LIST an
Sd, the I'd battalion being away on proves
duty. Immediately upon the first alarm bein
given the men of the 9th n. Y. II. A. sprang t
their arms, and were formed in line of battle
facing southeast. and 500 yards south of TIL
pike. They numbered about 500 men. The
4 remained under arms until the firing had Ell
tirely ceased, and were then dismissed. Som
went to cooking coffee, while others lay dow
in their tents to take another snooze
The lone 400 Frenchmen to our right ant
front, although unarmed, were paraded in lin
l of battle facing the woods in their immediat,
, front, and remained so formed until attacked
1twas perhaps half hour after the first attacl
when body of cavalry were seen to ride rap
idly out of the woods to the right and from
of the body of Frenchmen. The pike wa
filled with Struggling fleeing soldiers. The 6tf
n. \. ii. A. had again been called TO arms
and had resumed their previous formation.
The wagon-trains were rushing eastward
across field and pike, teamsters cursing and
lashing their mules, wagons crashing into
wagons and smashing everything they came IN
contact with. The braying of the mules, the
cries OF the wounded now rushing forward in
ambulances. and cursing of the soldiers hurry
ing to the rear, made a perfect pandemonium
never TO be forgotten. How the teamsters
fought and cursed that day. Yes. cursed SC
loud and deep that the sulphur from their
breaths has never left that field to this day.
But in short time the wagons untangled and
went scurrying toward Winchester 10 or II
lines deep, and as fast as six mules and black
snake conld haul them. But as fast space
was cleared by the wagons it was filled by
hundreds and thousands of panic stricken
| soldiers, all burrying eastwardly.
While all this was happening the rebel cav
airy which had ridden out of the woods in the
| Frenchmen's front had attacked them and
| slaughtered them without mercy, using their
| repeating carbines, sabers and revolvers. The
| Frenchmen stood their ground manfully, al
| though unarmed, and their officers could be
seen with drawn swords urging them on to a
| charge, but for what purpose 10 one will ever
know. They were either all captured or
killed. The next to receive the attack of this
cavalry was the 9th \. Y. II. a.
| The cavalry rode rapidly up the hill, firing
their repeating carbines as they came, and
yelling like SO many devils over their victory
thus far; but they were met by voiley from
the men OF the 9th, which emptied many a
saddle and sent them scurrying back to the
woods
In the meantime brigade of infantry came
| slowly out of the woods in immediate
! front, and the cavalry appeared again on our
! right flank. One yolley into the cavalry drove
! them back, and we saw them no more that day.
| But the infantry were ouiflanking us, and an
obllque move was made to the left toward Mid
dletown. We continued to hold the pike, but
the rebel infantry was pouring lead into US at
fearful rate and our ranks were thinning.
Oh, for a few OF those thousands Of men hur-
rylng past US. Oh, what shameful and dis
graceful rout. Weappeaed to officers and men
to form our TANKS, but did not get recruit.
Color Sergeant was seen running by with the
colors Of his regiment, the 10th Va. l said,
| Where is your regiment2" This is all that
is left of 1t" he replied, and continued on
toward Winchester.
Thousands upon thousands hurried past our
little band, now reduced to less than GOO; but
we still held the pike that they might pass.
Wont some Of you men stretch out on our
flank and help US hold this ridge and the pike?'
called our officers, but there WAS no response.
aud the men of the 9th cursed the cowardly
throng that was hurrying by.
We still kent up our obiique movement to
the left, hating every few moments to pour a
yolley into the enemy, which checked them
Tor few moments, but cur ranks were thin
ming fearfnlly, and we were now less than
50O-Col. kitching and Maj. Jones gone, Cap
tains, Lieutenants, Sergeants. Corporas aud
men dropping on all sides. Some companies
were without commissioned or non commits
stoned officers 10 command them.
Was there no help for gallant little band
now less than 400? Less than one short half
hour and more than half Of our comrades lay
stretched upon that fearful battlefield, bleeding
dying, dead.
The officers cheered on the men and begged
them to stand firm, and they stood yes, stood
like stone wall between that rebel host and
the Winchester pike. But stone after stone
dropped from that wall, and great gaps could
be seen IN 1t for a moment after receiving
yol!ey from the enemy, and il was only mat
ter Of short time when ii would disappear
altogether? Was there no help for US? Look
that rebel line is about to charge us. We are
prepared.[Our bayonets have remained fixed
since we repealed the cavalry in the early part
OF the battle. Hear that rebel Yell They are
onto US, into Us, through US, and we have lost
the pike. We rally counter-charge is or
dered, and the pike is regained, but only for a
moment, when back we are driven almost sur
rounded by the enemy, who swarm on our
front and both TANKS. Is there no help for
US? To be captured or killed is our fate. But
only few are left now, less than 300. The
pike IS lost again, and another charge is about
70 be made against US by that rebel host
There IS nothing to save US; a last volley and
surrender is the doom OF our gallant band |
All how those gray devils come. Hear that
cursed yell. We're surrounded, lost! No;
what's this pouring in on both right and left
flank, Overwhelming our little band, and pour
3iiE az q "4tHSalt4rsr CHING IRE lu4G Ucci-
mates that rebel host and halts them in their
mad charge! Ii is that grand, that noble, that |
glorious old Sixth Corps. Thank God. we're |
saved. All praise TO that Sixth Corps. All
praise for the noble fight they made on that |
18th day of October, 1864. Aye, they stood in |
the breach that day, and checked that rebel
throng.
They faced the whole of Early's army that
could get up to them. They kept their faces to
the foe from early morning until close of day,
and when Gen. Sheridan came to the front he |
says he found the Sixth Corps, and only the |
Sixth Corps facing and confronting the ene-
my, and he should know
But, oh, Comrade Howe where was your fast |
marching Eighth Corps at this time. 1890 a. |
~, Oct. 1872 1t had beaten all its previous rec
ords for fast marching, and had stolen silently
% miles away.
Broken, torn, and bleeding that little rem
mart Of the 9th \. Y. ii. A., now less than 300 |
struggled to the rear, weeping and sorrowing |
for the many comrades left lying on that fear |
full battlefield. Nothing between il and Win |
chester but struggling, panic stricken mass Of |
soldiers; nothing between it and bloody, |
greedy foe but that gallant Sixth Corps
suddenly CaPtain-whose regiment is not |
known to the writer, but if alive and this |
should meet his eye he hopes he will send his |
address to the undersigned-barred the passage |
ana commanded a halt. He said: Lieuten- |
ant, VIII you help form line?n / told him |
would. / gave the order, About, face" and /
Tor the men 10 refuse passage TO any and all. |
onlceTs and privates alike fell into line on each
hank, and the panic was stopped at that point, |