The National tribune., 1892-01-14


ment of our faes on the other side OF the stream.
On reaching headquarters we ol the pAckei ae-
tail Gnd the entire brigade mounted, ana liu-
fnr into the ranks Of our respective regiments
are soon um The move. AT James City we nave
a brush with the enemy, consuming Naln'he
time which We 6nd ourselves sadly ln neea OF
later iu the dav Had we known that morn
ing thai the Confederatrs held every lord on
the RappahRnuock and that certain mldge
over that stream was our unly hope ol rejo'h-
ing thc rmy of the Potomac, we would GER
tainly have made better use oi our opportunities
BEFORE We ret % CulpcPer they are press ing Us
CLOSELY in the rear. As We 60 thnhlcrhE
through as ancient streets the good 4 Nloh
folks ms they styled themselves "A monih ago
stand Ia their doors aud ieer AT The hylng
Yankees Our regiment the Sth Mich. OaV)
Is covering the retreat, and making a sharp
turn 90 the left we wheel Into lihe and draw
inr our sahers prepare 60 stem the advancing
tide Of gray which Is already overlapping our
TANKS aud thinning our ranks by death or cap
ture az every stand we make.
The keen eye of Gen. Custer has noted our
movements. aud seeing NJ a glance that our
efforts will prove futile. orders Battery M' "a
II. s. Art, INTO position on knoll han
dozen rounds are fired, which seems 10 check
their advance long enough for men aud horses
10 get their breath and form in solid column.
This we repeat every mile or two with an oc-
casianaI charge Till we reach Brandy Station.
ID is now late in the afternoon, and we have
been in the saddle since morning.
We now observe a heavy column OF cavalry
on a road running parallel with ours Oh to the
left. They are rushing along ut terrific
rate Of speed and we OF the rank and HE think
ID Is Gregg's Division coming 10 our rescuei
little dreaming that we have been run away
from by the dear old Army of the Potomac, aud
are the only Yankees this side OF the Kappa
hammock.
Tie ball now opens in dead earnest. A bat.
terry 90 beyond the railroad on our right, sup
ported by what appears 70 our hrst startled
glance TO he the whole rebel army, now opens
on as with terrIbe effect ] have never seen
dead men aud horses piled Up 10 AS large heaps
as some writers Of The NAwONAL TRIBUNE
but can safely say that j saw few in a very
short time in this part of the moral vineyard.
] reel in my saddle and for an instant my head
IS in a whirl.
il is only the wind Of a she'll and glance
20 the left 20 note ITS effect. ID leaves IN IT'S
wake two horses aud a Sergeant Of the 9Th
Mich Cav. lying in a quiyerng mass
i notice an old Corporal Of Go. Il OF my reRi-
meut. who seems 10 be desperately wounded,
scramhliug towards the slight embankment Of
the railroad TO seek shelter from those murder
Gus shells. ] have read somewhere that per
sons Whpn in imminent danger can live their
whole life over la a moment Of time. This
believe 90 be q fact, for la the one second that
my glance rested on the burly form Of the old
Corporal every incident that in any way con-
nectcd this man 20 me since FIRST made hisac-
abundance passed before me. ] saw him cut
down a rebel Major Of the 55th Va. at Falling
Waters, when we took 800 prisoners on the
14th Of July 1863. ] saw him rs my only COM
panion ia a midnight raid that be and ] made
on q fistiliery up in the mountains near Aide
one time. when we were scouting for MOsby,
and remembered the number OF canteens fall
OF anPijack we brought into camp on that Oc-
ca .ou.
] remembered distinctly that dark. rainy
night or the Rapidau when he let me down so
heavy iu friendly game OF straight poker, and
how large his four aces looked 10 me, and the
Eic6ly feeling that came over me as j saw him
fold up certain greenbacks OF mine aud tuck
them u bis vest pocket. ] would have given
every thing ] have In the word to be able "a
render 5im assistance in his distress, but was
p0weloss 10 DO 50.
Ho never answered "here!" again In 7th
Mich. Cav. lie Is mentioned in the report Of
tho Adiuiaut General OF Michigan as died Ia
Libby Prison from wounds received al Brandy
Station, Va, Oct IL. 1863" Oar whole diyis
ion b. tearing along az lively rate and we arc
beginning 10 think that the JOhunies are not
keen enough 20 steal q march on Fitzpatrick
when H sight bursts on our view which causes
every trooper 10 iHstiuctivciy pull up his stceC
Nithoni orders 10 do so. On the crest OF bill
directly bon our front we see dense masses o.
cavalry forming 10 line 70 dispute our lasssg'
40 the river. We recognize the colOrs O
lltzhuEh Lee, and remember an interview We
had with him and " Jeb Stuart Ou the left a
Gettysburg. in which we came out second best
Ne now hud ourselves entirely surrounded
f0I the column on our left proves 10 be th'
Hampton Legion, aud are now preparing ior
charge % our flank. Tic Black Horse Caviar,
t6th Va are in tho van, and will soon b
HFoOfIuE down upon our Gl6OrdcrCd ranks, IN
der lhr leadership OF the great Wade Hamptol
himself Libby Prison aud Castle Thundc
don't seem 10 be very far OF now.
Although thrown into confusion our Chief q
faFArg. Alfred Pieas0utOu sits his horse like
Ceutaur aHd gives his orders a. though on res
parade Fitzpatrick b swearing blue stToal
while getting Ba terry NJ into position, and the
are snUn throwing their deadly missiles into "a
enemy ranks in good shape. Time seems {
pass drrudiuly slow WhilU sitting on our horse
amid those plungiug shells, aud ] feel creel
lnR sensation in that part Of my anatomy know
o. medical science as The spinal column; bI
after draining the last few drops VI water iroi
my Cautecu aud biting the corner Of plug ,
navy" Hm myself again. We are no
formed in EquadrgHs, aud Custer riding Rluu
1Nt iihNA 4AtDilmh hh lhAL VIC arc huFfoNNMn
and must cut our way out. We have caugl
o. 10 iAat fact long ago indeed, il seems 70 n
ns though d was one Of my earliest rccolle
tious Even George Parkinson a big. raw
b0ned son Of the Emerald Isle. aud the butt
Go NJ, has taken las The situation, aud MS
brace himself In the stirrups remarks 30 nj
~ stage whisper Be Jabcrs, Sarge. we're
bad III now"
TIL rebel yell now breaks on our ears. AZ
looking 30 the left aud front we see nothing b
dausc forest OF waving arms and glistcuiI
sabers. The great orb Of day which has scent
90 stationary ln the western horizon now dr0
suddenly out OF sight as though not wishil
a. look up0u the total humiliation OF ilps
rick command. Ihat warrior, however. ii
swearing blue streak, don't propose 20 be a
nlhi.a'rd without = rugRic, aud telling &c
Custer 10 charge those fellows at the front
he turns his attention 10 the enemy on o
left Al the command draw aaber every q
cheese knife" comes out with n Tattli
sound aud tightening our reiHs and leaui
well forward in the saddle we are ready Tor {
onset
Above the Gin OF battle we now hear I
cieaT notes Of Hail Columbia " by lnsts,
band They are playing by ear. Tor do
suppose tho best musician ia the lot wOu
recognize note now as large as a telegra
pole. u sounds good 10 us: still think Ia m
sell ibat it would sound better 10 me on nv A
tire soil, sitting with nay back against a tree
a Fourth of July celebration. 40 che bug
sound ih1 charge our band changes 10 e IA
acc Doodle" and with a ringing cheer I
Michigan Cavalry Brigade get % the iron
A. So near ihe ouc0ining Toe ! single ga
lank looking old fellow with long hair who