The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-20
4 BOLD CAVALRY CHARGE.
The Little Drummcr'S Story Of a DGS-
pGratG Encounter.
He Won Mpjor's Commission, but Would
Not Spend Another Half Hour Like
That One to Be General

There were four men in the smoking COM
partment Of the Pullman car on the Flying
Yankee" train coming down from Portlan
the other evening, says the Boston Herald.
Three were drummers and the fourth was q
reporter. One of the drummers had the
reputation of being the heaviest CONNER
cial traveller in Boston, weighing in the
neighborhood Of 300 pounds. lie talked
with little man who also sold goods.
Now, this little man didn't weigh over 40
pounds; he wasn't over five feet in height,
and he had one OF the most genial faces i'm
aginable, Notwithstanding a sharp, piercing
eve. The big man sported three badges, one
Of which-and perhaps the others as we'll
told that he was a member Of the Grand
Army of the Republic The little man wore
nothing in that line and he didn't look like
a fighter.
The conversation turned on streetcar in
cidents, and each one related story Of
trouble with drunken passengers. Then the
little man said - | don't like to fight, and l
don't look like fighter. but | had good
one once-Pll never forget it. Feel that"
He had barred his head, ana, taking each
man by the hand, indicated deep indenta-
ton In his scalp about two and halt inches
long. just over his right temple.
That nearly cost me my life, but il won
me a majors commission" he said. The
members Of the party looked aghast as the
little man went on.
ut was when Grant was anxious to get
into Richmond. L was captain of troop of
cavalry. When the war commenced l was
second lieutenant in the regular army, and
managed to reach captaincy during the
struggle.
AT the time / speak Of had been sent
out early one morning with two companies.
comprising. all told. about eighty men, to
tear up few rails on the Weldon Railroad.
We spent the day induStriously, and 1t
would have been hard on any train that at
tempted to get over the place where we had
Deen at work when we finished.
1T was about o'clock in the afternoon
when we beard the clatter Of horses hoofs,
and We had just time to get together before
four companies of cavalry were on us.
1T was trying moment, | tell you.
There were about $50 men to my eighty. L
surely thought we were caught in a trap,
but l wouldn't give up without trying once.
and we went to work. There was one point
In our favor, The rebels were as much sur
prlsed to come across US as we were TO have
them.
Our bugler sounded the order to charge.
And charge we did. | doubt If so men ever
went to work with more determination. We
rode at the oncoming hOTSemen as Sheridan
rode TO Winchester, and with cries that
rivaled in sound the noise Of a 1000 Indians,
we went through the ranks of the gIay-uni-
formed men.
Zone hundred feet beyond them the
bugier sounded the order to turn, and we
turned III trice. Back we went through
their ranks, and when we reached the spot
where we had first started we turned again.
Back through those ranks, with the blood
curdling yells, we drove. and with scarcely
the swing OF a Saber on the second trip our
victory was won.
The rebels thought there were dozen
companies instead OF two, 500 men instead
OF eighty, and they dispersed and fed. They
could not stand the onslaught, and since
then. in thinking it over, l don't know as
blame them. We made dash to save our
lives and we succeeded.
How did think Of making such a move?
Well. l had no time tn think. We had a
'Iorlorn hope. that was all. / knew that a
simple charge against such odds as were
against US would have been supine al
together too slow, and in the excitement of
the moment did what came to my mind at
first
Yes. l won a majors commission by it :;
but wouldn't take another scratch like the
one In my head or spend another nalf hour
like that one to be a general
As The little man stepped from the car in
the Boston depot two men On the platform
met him with, Colonel, how are you?"
The little man won that title later He
lives out in Michigan now. but many Bos-
tonians know him and they also know that
his story Is true one.