Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-04-20

THE ADVANCE GUARD WAS FIRED UPoS.
until one OF the party asked: "Major,
do you recollcct little Murphy" which
brought the following:
murphy? Do | rccolloct Murphy?
How could forget himp Why he did
me the honor to take care of my horses
when | was n sub In the til volunteer
cavalry, and for that reason alone de-
serves to be RENE mbcrcd
"a rare fellow was Murphy. As you
might suspect from his name, he was
born in that island which has furnished
SO many of our politicians, priests and
soldiers. Now, the first Of these he
could not have been, as he was not suf-
ficiently self asserting; nor the second,
us he had not mastered tho art Of
making pot hooks wild n PEN
1.-THE last--a soldier--hc was, aud n
good one, though he never suspected IT,
The manner in which he came TO
my relief on the night of the Goth or
30th Of June, 1862, cannot be forgotten.
McClellnn's army was struggling to
shake of the persistent attacks Of Lcc'a
victorious battalions, which, flushed
by their successes north Of the Chiclsa-
hominy and White Oak swamp, re-
NAMED in daily contact with our rear
guard The seven days battles were in
progress, and our army was in full re-
treat for the James river and the shell
tering aid of our gunboats.
Each day was full Of fighting. and
each night Of hard marching. There
was no rest for man or beast. In the
evening the troop TO which Murphy and
belonged was assigned the.duty OF pick
citing one of the numerous roads found
in that country, but which could not be
found on any map. 1t left the Quaker
road near Glendale and stretched out
southwesterly; where it led TO or ended
none OF MS then knew. A little before
sunset the troop, or rather half troop,
which commanded was pushed out on
this road beyond the infantry, with in
structions TO proceed until the enemy
was met, and to establish videttes as
close to him as he would permit, and
so remain during the night.
1--WE had gone but short distance
when the advance guard was fred
upon, one man being wounded. After
ascertaining that it was the enemy's
infantry which occupied our front,
videttes were posted and the place for
the reserve selected.
The men had not been on post long
when detachment of regular cavalry,
commanded by sergeant, attempted
to pass on our road 1t was halted, and
| explained to the sergeant that hos
tile infantry held the road Immediately
in front, and that he could not pass
through their line. lie said his orders
to find Gen. Sykes command were inn
perative; that he had some dispatches
and an important message for the gen
eral. Difficulty in getting TO him had
been anticipated, and the message had
been memorized by each OF the men,
hoping that some Of them might get
through and deliver it,
ale deployed his men in small
groups, ut wide intervals at the right
OF the road, and taking brisk gallop,
they disappeared in the woods. In n
few moments n heavy muskotry fire
was opened on them, and an hour later
one of them came back badly wounded,
having escaped in the darkness from
his captors. lie said that several of his
companions had been killed, and that
he feared none had gotten through.
The night was dark and very still.
The road ran through forest OF largo
trees, whose overarching boughs inter-
locked above It, and from the outposts
could be heard the steady tramp Of
marching troops In front of us. We
learned aftcrward that they were on
the River road into which ours led,
and were moving toward Malvern hill,
with the intention OF preventing our
people from reaching the river
ITO sit on horse in the woods dur
ing dark night near an enemy whose
purpose Is unknown, and whom he can
hear moving but cannot see, Is not one
Of the most enjoyable occupations
that falls to the lot Of a cavalrvman.
The incidents of the early evening
"a man of our own party shot down
on the ground we now occupied, the
apparent annihilation OF the detach-
ment of regulars, the noises from n
moving column Of the eNemy's infantry,
the rccollections of the sanguinary
struggles which had been witnessed
during the past few days, TO which
must be added the effect OF exhaustion,
due to overworlS, loss Of rest and lack
Of proper football had contributed TO
make this little command somewhat
nervous and shalSy.
''Ihe men who were not on post
slept 10 hOrse'-that is, laid down In
front Of their horses, fastening the
bride reins 10 their wrists or belts.
Recognizing the spirit OF nervousness
plainly apparent on the outposts, was
almost afraid 10 dismount; but at
length, overcome by fatigue, did so,
] had not been seated long when
heard great racket going on NJ
the road toward the outposts. had
just time to swing into the saddle and
call the reserve TO attention when all
the vidAttAs aarns nhar0ing In at full