The National tribune., 1892-09-22
FIGHTING THEM OVER,
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
THE SABER BRIGADE.
A Glorious Saber Charge and a Successful
Expedition

A Glorious Saher Charge ana Successiu
Expedition.
--AN HORNE, in the History of the
" a%g IS & .sa ss sa: he SS
ing:
aAhout ;i.t last of January, Gen. Wheeler
having under his command his own cavalry
and the troopers of Forrest and Wharton. ap
reared at Triune, in rear OF the army. Hav'
jns received early intelligence of this move
ment. Geu Rosecrans directed Gen. Davis. with
his division sind two brigades of cavalry,
under Col. Minty, 20 move by the Versailles
turnnik. 10 the rear of Wheeler. He also
directed Gen. Steedman to keep watch toward
Triune Gen. Davis upon arrival at the juno
fion of the Versailles and Esg!eville roads, DIS
Matched COL Minty TO move round by way OF
Uniopyille and Rover, while he advanced d.
reosly towards Eagleville, reaching there on
the evening of the 3lst. At Rover, Col.
Minty captured q regiment numbering $50
men,"
desire TO give full history of the work
done by the cavslry on this memorable expo
dition.
Alta NJ, on Jan. 81. 1862 with 1870 men
from the FIRST and Third Brigades OF Cavalry,
Ireperted - Gen. JEFF C. Davis commanding
the First Division of McCook's Twentieth
CORPS
Gen. Davis Instructed ME 10 take the advance,
to drive the rebel forces from Middleton and
Unionville and 10, if possible. keep the enemy
from all knowledge of there being infantry be-
hind" me.
AT Salem the junction of the Middleton
road, j detached the I'd and Sd East Ten
nessee. under Col Cook, of the I'd, to pro-
coed direct to Middleton and from thence to
Unionvila. where he would find me.
had .rcaly learned tina. the rebel cavalry
was located la snd about Unionville, with
strong outpests at Middleton TO the east and
Rover 60 the north.
As / al.psoached Rover my formation was !:
Sd Ky. commanded by Maj. Wo1ey. late
Governor OF Arizona, deployeo in skirmishing
order across the country, with the column
consisting OF the 9TH Pa 4th Mich, Lieut.
Newell's section of Battery d, LIST Ohio Art,
9th o. s. Cav, in the order mentioned.
As the advance arrived on the summit OF a
swell of ground the skirmish- line halted, and
the immediate pop. pop, pop of the carbines
told thai We had encountered the enemy. 1
Immediately galloped to the front to learn the
exact situztiuu. On arriving at the skirmish-
line saw considerable body of Confederate
cavalry less than q quarter of mile in our
front ga!oped back 10 the head of the col
umn and addressing Maj. Jennings, command
ing the 7th Pa, said: major, draw sabers."
BE replied: Colonel, my men have never used
sabers; they have no confidence in them" L
asked: ain what have they confdencef" He
promptly answered: 1.-THE pistol, sir"
wanted TO strike the blow; not to allow
the enemy to do it; there was therefore no
time to lose. did not wait to give the order
through Maj. Jennings / was on slight rise
Of ground near the head of the column, and
the eye of every man was on me.
Turning to the regiment / gave the orders:
18th Pa, numbers one snd three, draw
sebers; numbers two and four, draw pistols;
forward-march; tret-march "; and when we
reached the skirmish-line, "gallop-march."
A. ha-t IrG
Ger the so1l-stirring notes of the trumpets and
the cheers Of the men, the gallant 9TH rode
down the incline and struck the Confederates,
who were advancing to meet them. After
shor; but sharp conflict the enemy broke, and
we drove them on the run into Unionville,
where the rush OF pursued and pursuers carried
the main body of Confederates through the
village, and The entire force was driven in con.
fusion toward Shelbyville.
The fruits Of that charge were: killed. ID;
wounded who fell into our hands,, two officers
and z9 men other prisoners, six officers aud 43
men; and. what / considered of more value
than all else, after this successful charge. my
gallant men were as firm believers in the effect
iveness of the saber ss / was myself.
At Unionyils waited for over two hours
for Col. Cook 10 join me. At last, an officer ar
rived from The rear and reported that Col.
Cook had made dash into Middleton, where
be captured Col. Clint Douglas, one Captain,
one Lieutenant and Il men; after which the
enemy had rallied, assumed the offensive, aud
had driven him back toward Salem. He asked
for reinforeeWents
Shortly before this Lieut. Reynolds OF Gen.
Dsvis's staff, informed me that the General,
with his division, had arrived at Eaglesville at
shout 5 o'clock, and would remain there that
night and bad sent him 1.-THE Lieutensnt) to
request me 10 join him.
sent Col. Cook written orders to fall back
20 Eaglesville by the road leading through
Versailles
Our pickets and skirmishers were called in,
and we retired to Eaglesvile (sbout seven
miles, where / reported to Gen. Davis about
dark
OF the 81 wounded prisoners Is had chips
taken out Of their skulls by the glsncing of our
blunt sabers. and Of the entire 81 ali but one
were wounded by sabers.
Lieut. Stahien, Adiutant of the 18th, gave
point but was so little accustomed to the use
Of the saber that his wrist turned and be
dropped his weapon. leaving it sticking in the
arm Of 9 rebel soldier.
Maj. Jennings gave Captain of the 9Th
Confederates a sabercut straight across the
face cutting through the nose and down to the
cheek bones on both sides. As the prisoners
were brought in this poor fellow was among
them. When passing my Orcerlies Pennsyl-
yapis lrishman named Phil Rafferty, looking
et the wounded Confederate with an air of
administration, said: "'Arrah, what did you
room against. TO hurt yourself that a-way?"
In this brilliant affair our entire loss was two
men wounded.
When near Versailles my advance captured
10 men who were following Col. Cooks detaeh-
nept.
Next morning sent the 9TH Tenn, under
CO.. Pitkins. 20 Murfreesboro with the prison.
era. IL officers aud 152 men.
During Feb. we examined the country for
miles south OF the Harpeth, meeting with only
q few small scouting parties. learned that
r Wheelers entire force had passed through
Franklin. We bivonacked near Triune.
Feb. marched before daybreak, arriving at
franklin before noon. We passed through the
town and biyouscked six miles west, at the
junction Of the Carter's Creek and Hillsboro
roads. We remained here until the morning OF
Feb. g.
On the 9Th Gen. Davis received information
that Wheeler was investing Fort Donelson
with his entire force, and having been Joined
by 500 cavalry from Nashville, he decided to
leave the infantry at Franklin and push for
ward with the cavalry 10 relieve the beeaguered
garrison.
j marched before dawn, and kept about 10
miles in advance of Gen. Davis and the Nash
vile cavalry. and bivouscked after dark at the
junction Of the Naschez Trace and the road lead
fnF 70 Boston.
We were on the march again before day
break of the 9th. passed through Kinderhook,
and thence towards Charlotte, lying directly
west from Nashville On this road met Gen