The National tribune., 1892-01-14

SAYS that MT. Knight does EoI remember tue
name Of the Sergeant who was killed IN that
encounter on that little bridge but no doubt
inquiries through The NATIoSAL TRIBUNE
Will he answered by giving his name.
His name was Samuel Wells SortOre. FIRST
Sergeant. Co. T.. 9Th y. y. Cav, aud his COM
mission as Second Lieutenant came the day Of
has death.
What makes this little skirmish aud the
death Of Serg't Sortore so udelihly impressed
on the writer's meInory was the circumstances
connected with il a. relates 10 his premoni;ion
OF his impending fate long before he met the
member OF the 9Th Va. Cav who carried the
ball that was TO end his career on the 2lsi day
Of May 1854 Ii may be Of interest 10 Serg't
knight. Chief Of Scouts, aud Lieut. Lewis, Of
The Confederate army, 10 know more oil that
brave Sergeant, now that they are enjoying the
luxury Of swapping war incidents SerEt Sor-
torres premontiOns OF death, So far as NJ was
known 10 those comrades who were more init
mately connected with him, dated back nearly
a wear, or about the time Of the Gettysburg
camiagn, while he was Sergeant OF the Am
hulancc Corps of the Third Cavalry Division,
Army OF the Potomac.
Ia December OF that year he asked to be re-
liGVed from his duties in the Ambulance Corps
aud Ieturu to his company, giving as his reason
that il looked cowardly for an able boiled
man TO stay in a position that would keep him
out OF battle for fear Of being killed. " know
! shall be killed, but | going back TO my
company he said. No attention was paid 10
these often repeated remarks but when his
death finally came these remarks were recalled
10y his comrades and his changed appearance 10
\ More solemn, thoughtful aud often absent
mindedness that was observed 10y all who knew
him best.
His relations with the company were Of the
highest and most pleasant. Ga one Of the last
days Of December, 1863, he r. enlisted. havn z
already served from August, 1861. While about
TO DO so lac said I" This is my only chance 10
get a furlough TO go aud see my old mother,
father. and home"
As the furlOughs were not received by the re-
enlisted men until after Gen. kipatgick's raid
TO Richmond. in March, we had only just a few
DAVIS previous 20 the sllirmish above spoken OF
returned 10 our regiment having been delayed
in Washington waiting for horses, aud 20 were
fresh from our homes and the girls we left be-
hind ~. At the expiration Of our furlOughs,
when sam I'VE always called him SAM came
on board the ears at the station near his home
i'm Friendship \. Y, 10 return TO his regiment,
vino were known 90 be at the front with the
Army Of the Potomac the writer met him
aud he said " Dick, do you ever expect TO
come back -
said, Yes, when the war is over" He re-
piled, %. / don't"
The evening before the fatal bullet struck
him he gave his little valuables 20 his mess
mates with directions where 10 send them, AS
he was 20 be killed in the morning. IL was
nearly au all-uighCs march for ms 10 get from
the right flank Of the army TO the left front.
while the army was moving, aud we had olly
just got our liue Of skirnishors out as the gray
Of dawn began 30 appear in the east. The bal
auce OF the regiment not on the skiTmish-line
were marching ia columns Of fours in the
road.
Sam and the writer were riding side by side
al the head OF the second platoon. he command
Ing the first. As soon as the skiruishers were
out they immediately began firing. Just then
we distinctly heard a voice az the front Say
send up platoon 10 charge the bridge"
Sam said: That means me; | am first on
the detail. ! shall be killed but I'll 60"
This call might have come from Serg't
Knight, of the scouts, though / have no rec
objection Of seeing him there, but he was al
ways turning up IN unexpected places, and il il
not surprising 10 learn that he was there. The
first platoon was ordered out Serg't SortOre
leading il, and making gallant charge on the
bridge aud receiving the fatal bullet where his
horse halted at the point where the planks were
torn up. The second platoon was Immediately
ordered up aud arrived Just As the Sergeant
who had dismOunted from his horse, came back
/ of the bridge, aud as the writer met him said
Dick, am shot aud throwing up his hand.
4 sell 10 the ground. But the progress Of the
second platoon WIS only delayed an instant
while the last plank was being replaced, aud
! joining ia a pcllmel chase after the few Con.
! federatss in the woods who. after making
4 gallant little fight did their best 10 escape.-F
7 :. DICKINSON. Captain, Go. T., Jth y. u Cav.
7 Portviiie, y. y.