The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-12-15

ably at this moment passing Berry's line of dc-
| Tense. Col Hncy did not hear any shots fred
| at this time. and the reason is this Capt. Dill
/ ger, after entering the woods with his gun and
| supports stopped firing. The enemy followed
slowly at respectful distance, and neither the
PURSUED NOR THE pURsUERs EXCHANGED
| SHOTS.
The 9Th Pa Cav in columns of twos, passed
| on quietly until near the Plank road, and then
| Col. Huey saw, to his establishment, groups of
| Confederstes moving past him across the road
| toward the Charlottesville House, while others
were approaching his left flank in the woods.
| Huey saw that it was too late TO retreat, and
| his best chance was to break through the crowd
| in the road, gain the Plank road, turn TO the
right, and fight his way TO the Chancellor
/ House. He instantly ordered his men to draw
sabers and follow him at gallop.
When Huey struck the Plank road he saw TO
| his dismay crowd of Confederates blocking
the way TO the right. while there were but few
| in the road to the left, towards Dowdal Tav-
| ern. Huey led the column 10 tho left, hoping
| to find some outlet of escape, but after he had
| passed about 100 yards down the road he was
met with a murderous vOiley from concealed
| troops in the woods. Maj. Keenan, fell by his
| side, and Capt ArrGwsmith Capt. HadGOck.
aud about 80 others we're struck down in the
melee.
Huey then turned the staggered column to
the right of the road in the woods, and passed
along TO the eastward until he had fauked the
Confederates in the road. He then turned to
the Plank road. and led the men who followed
him to the batteries in the road, where ne met
Capt. Best, in charge of the artillery. and re-
quested him not to fire his guns down the road.
as many of his men were still. in the woods
trying to work their way out. The rear Of the
Sth Pa. Cav, hearing the attack on the head
of the column, turned from the Hazel Grove
road to tho right and made their way through
tie woods and over the log works Of the
Twelfth Corps to the Fairview plateau, where
they joined the rest Of the regiment. supported
the artillery, aud acted as Provost Guard.
Such is the history Of the charge of the Sth
Pa. Cav. Col. Huey, who was in command OF
the regiment,
RECEIVED no ORDER FROM PLEAsOSToS TO
CHARGE,
and gave none until ne was enveiOped by the
enemy, a mile distant from Hazel Grove. The
regiment was of excellent personnel and was
ably Differed
Who were the men who attacked Hazel
Grove and it's % cannon so iercely on Satur-
day evening, imperiling the safety of the
Union army? There was attack. for one
man was killed aud five wounded, on the
Union side, while engaged in this desperate
combat at short range. The narratives men,
ton immense masses of men in successive lines
of battle, but the slaughter on the Union side
does not indicate that the Confederates were
well armed, il they were present in great
force. After long inquiry among the suryi-
vorS and search among the archives Of both
armies. can find but one report relating d.
rectly to Hazel Grove, and that is the one
made by Lieut.-Col. Winn OF the 18th Ga,
written six days after the fight.
Winn states that when Dolc's Brigade had
boff cd NJ he ajr of fIta
dal's 81 ordered the battalion forward, and
with the coloF5 and left wing ad yanced through
this thicket to field, compelling the abandon
ment OF one gun and two caissOns, etc. en-
route The right wing of the regiment, tax
ing direction from other regiments of the
brigade, was halted on reaching the woods
last mentioned. When / reached the field"
(Which was the field in which the attack on
the enemy was begun May 81, 81 found two
regiments OF the enemy. with artillery, posted
about 300 yards obliquely to the left of the en-
trance of the road into the field. Here | as
certained that as senior officer present I had
with me about 200 men of various commands.
/ formed line behind slight rail barricade
formed by throwing down the fence. Just as
the line was formed, the officer nmanding
the Federal troops, which were standing in
line, exhibiting no purpose TO attack, rode
toward me.
THOUGH 1 ORDERED THE MEN NOT TO FIRE.
when he got to within 100 yards of me- two
of the men excitedly fred at him. whereupon
he rode rapidly back to his command, and i'm
mediately terrible artillery and infantry FIRE
was opened upon u.s. The men under my COM
mand calamity returned the fire, until their
small supply of ammunition was exhausted
''Sbortly after the cessation of our firing the
enemy ceased fire, and my little force retired
by right and left flank to rejoin their respective
commands"
Col. VIM furthermore briefly states that
latter rejoining our brigade we bivouacked on
the field until 7 a. M, May g." No other Con-
federate troops approached Hazel Grove that
night, unless it was a small party under Col.
Mercer, of the 2lst Ga, of the same brigade.
Col. Mercer says in his report, written three
days after the event: "The brigade was Or
dered to halt and form line in the edge of the
field {Dowdals). This command not having been
heard, the colors and a portion of the 21st
Ga. entered the thick pine woods in front and
advanced to within 300 yards of battery,
which opened fire and caused them to halt and
protect themselves by lying down, until
favorable opportunity was presented for re-
firing"
The survivors of the attacking party declare
that they received no support; that Col. Mercer
and his small party were not in sight or In sup
port Col. Mercer and his party probably adj
yanced to the pine woods, 200 or 300 yards to
the right rear of where Col VIM was, but az
they were not in sight of VIM and his party, /
aud took part in the attack, their where |
abouts is not of much consequence.
The Adutant- General of Stuart states in his
book that Col Mercer supported the left of Col
Winn but this officer was not present ut the
time having gone with Stuart to Ely Ford. and
did not return until midnight A staff officer
of Dole's thinks this remark applies TO the at
tack of May 3 and not to that OF May 2
THE MEN IN GRAY WHOM COL. HUEY SAW
in the by-patf the left of the Hazel Grove (
road were probably Col. Winn and his foragers
approaching the vista where the cannon, cais- I
sons, etc.. were at rest.
Bursting upon the men guarding this ma /
terial, with fierce yells and desultory firing, /
they stampeded them without difficulty. 1t |
was this crowd, routed by VIM, that burst out |
in disorder upon Hazel Grove, and for which /
the Eleventh Corps have been given undue .
credit, as none of them took part in it. Winn's /
force was so feeble or so demoraized by its .
that it did not attempt to carry off 4
the cannon nor any of the material which il .
had captured in the vista, fairly won, and could l
have easily removed. As to the numbers FORM I
ing the attack, believe Winn's estimate should /
be accepted. although some of the survivors
think there was not over 100 men engaged or
present
The incident recalls the remark Gen. Piche-
CRU, made to his trembling followers. Courage
look big in the dark" and so a hun
4 red resolute men dancing among the trees in