The National tribune., 1892-02-11

n WN--,,a'llill f. S is only partially
-->>~------ES--,-e-S written without
word being said of the
First Brigade. composed of tho 9Th y. Y, lst
w. Va, and 18th Ia. Cav, l will attempt To
speak Tor the 9th y. Y, and hope that some oil
the members Of those two other gallant regi-
ments OF the brigade will speak for their re-
spectve regiments
As Comrade j. +. 6. saws, we were doing
picket duty along the Robertson River without
the least thought Of immediate danger, and the
writer OF this had just como into the reserve.
which was IN pleasant grove OF timber, from
ionnd OF the pckets at tho break of day, my
movements being fastened somewhat by the
savory door OF cooking mutton, sweet potatoes
and coffee that my messmates had already pre-
pared. While dismountinE Sergt Byington
said: Hurry mp Dick; breakfast is ready;
aud Sergt Peckham also remarked: Look
over there; tho Johnnes are coming" Every
man OF us took in the situation nj once. There
was no chance 10 escape TO the rear and the
rebel skirmishers were rapidly advancing on
US across cleared field, having suddenly
emerged from n piece of woods in our front.
Our only line Of escape TO join our regiment
was road running parallel with that line of
skirmishers. lt was a most beautiful sight,
but IL did not look that way then: i'm fact, the
sight was not sufficiently fascinating to dctain
US a second much as We needed that breakfast,
the principal material of which had been un-
willingly furnished by rebel sympathZers
near by. But we joined the regiment all right,
. and during our dismounted skirmish with
those fellows near Sperryville they frequently
tainted rs with the shout. =" Hello, Yauk; don't
yuu want some sweet potatoes and muttOny"
Aud our boys would TetOrt by saying: Get
that hoccaSe ont Of your mouth, and send US
over chew Of tobacco" Then they would fire,
aud say, -" There IL Is, - you; take that"
If my memory serves me right, this point
was held about two hours, and during all this
time we could see through opening in the
woods artillery and baggage wagons passing to
our LETT rs we faced the rear, and the thought
never entered our heads that the Army of the
/ Potomac had moved back across the Kappa
! hammock, and left us away out in the Wilder
/ ness beyond Culpepcr. Such, however, was the
case, but we were able 20 stand them of, though
! they did not seem TO press us as hard IS they
appeared 10 be able 20 do with the force already
\ shown MP; as later developments proved,
\ they did not wish ms 20 know, az they probably
did. that the army II the Potomac had left us
! isolated, and that they were then mauuyerng
! 10 get ms surrounded, and with good strong
4 force between Us and the RappahannOck, which
/ they succeeded 100 doing by the time the plains
I about Brandy Station were reached. can see
al this IS distinctly rs though it was but yester
\ day
There was a long column Of rebel cavalry in
+ plain view moving rapidly along our left flank
( with the head OF column already past us and
another on our right not so plainly % be seen,
l for they w. in the woods, aud another heavy
column moved out from the timber and formed
I acrOs, oar line OF march, each column wheeling
Z battery into position, the battery in our rear
/ taking position al the corner Of John Miner
/ BOttss house, aud was the first 20 open FIRE.
I Capt Elders battery Of Regulars, who always
seemed 20 enjoy fight, and had won the high
est hOnors on many a hard thought field, was
I with u here and ITS old reputation was more
than sustained.
The 9th y. Y Cav had the honor Of being
its support on this occasion. Gen. Fitzpatrick
being busily engaged giving Capt. Elder in
| structious, had not noticed the column that had
| formed across his line Of march until Gen. Gus
/ ter riding up said Gen. Fitzpatrick, there
are rebels in our front" Fitzpatrick replied
" Can't be. can't be; our men must be there. "
I Then taking ont his field glass and examining
I them he said: " Yes they are rebels; but, then
do they think ! can't 20 where / have mind
To- Gen. Custer, get your men ready and
charge them
At this point tho four batteries opened on us
from four different directions. and while the
Michigan Brigade was charging aud scattering
the force in front, the rebels charged on our
battery aud were promptly met by the 9Th y.
I Y. with a cOuntcr-charse and Tcpulsgd. lmme,
. diatcly the buglc sounded the recall aud rally
y =
from the opposite direction that succeeded in
reaching the Guns, and got among them, and
the artilerymen were fighting them of with
their hammers. Gen. Fitzpatrick was among
them shouting at the top Of his voice
give them --, them" Amid the
thick sliphurous smoke OF profanity and gun
powder came the music Of Clusters band
Amid rebel and Yankee yell. the clash Of
sabers the rattle Of carbines, the bursting O
shells and binding smoke could be seen the
battlchlg OF the 9TH y. Y. Col Hammond
gave his commands with the same nonchalanc,
As Oh parade. The battery was saved, the day
was won, and tho march resumed in the wake d
the magnificent charge Of the 9Th, 9th, and all
Mich, commanded ty Gen. George y Custer
so graphically described by J. r. 5.
] make no claim that this sketch Of the bat
tie Of Brandy Station Is complete as / writ,
from memory, aud only mention what / saw
aud heard with one ear; but it will be less com
plcte IL fail 10 mention the bravery, hcrOism
pluck and endurance Of those artillerymen o
Capt Elders battery. No words Of mine cal
do them Justice. They worked their gum
with great Tapidity, charged with grape ant
canister, resisting the charge from the right
while we Of the 9th ". Y. met and repulsed thu
charge from the left; or Of the excellent con
duct Of the men Of my own company, and es
pecially Of one who had become an expert il
keeping out Of every engagement until thi
one, when he found we were surrounded aut
no escape for him. lie said to Lieut. Strait
I've are surrounded what shall | do!" Strai
says: - you, ight."-F. 5. DIcKIS
son, Captain Co. L, 9TH n. Y. Cav, POrtyillc
NY,
How Authorities Agree.
Col. Fox, in his Regimental Losses, on pag
-0s ,;,.oy . ligt 81 rggiulcuts that susta;,o3 49,,