The National tribune., 1893-03-09

You look to me more like spies than anything
else said the officer Ii took some talking to
keep from being arrested. hut after showing
the pass we had. aud hearing what had to say
TO Beach, he became satisfied. Ii did me good
TO see him so vigilant, and | have always en-
tertained the greatest respect for him ever
SINCE He was either Lieutenant Colonel or
Major of the regiment. Resnming our journey,
we had not gone far when we saw the 9th N. Y.
Cav drawn up i'm line also on the east side OF
the plank road. i had got quite well ac-
quainted with that regiment the year previous,
and, among others. with Maj. Hammond. |
was pleased to see him ride down to the road
and ask where we were going. When told
him he said: "You can't do it." Upon asking
why, he said: Come on down to the ford aud
/ will show you"
He rode down to the ford, and handing me
a field glass said Watch that piece of
woods over there short time and you will
see the reason why you can't" looked a
while, and discovered at least 60 mounted
men in the woods; how many more were
there it would be hard to say.
Hammond was Colonel of the 9th n. Y. at
the close of the war; when l first knew him.
in the Spring and early part of the Summer
of '63. he was Major. What his rank was at
this time / don't remember. He has been in
Congress since the war. /, as well as hun
dreds of Others used to listen to him singing
When this cruel war is over" and used to
think no man living could sing it as we'll.
He was good soldier, fine officer, and a
splendid man, aud had good regiment. one
that would and did fight Serg't Phelps, one
of the Headquarters scouts, was from the
5th n. Y. Cav which is tantamount to say
ing he was good one.
We could see that it would be of no
use to cross unil after dark, so we rode
back toward Headquarters until we came
H., tnlp x,nI DnntI
where there was a good spring of cool water.
When we got there we found the 22d n. Y.
Cav. drawn up in lie OH the west side of the
plank road. group of men from that regi-
ment were at the spring filling canteens. We
got the loan of a cup from one of them and all
took a drink and then hopplcd our horses by
tying the halters below the knee, and let them
feed, while all three of us sat down under a
large tree close to the spring. Presently one
man pulled off his cap and mopped his head
with bandanna His head was as hare as a
billisrd-ball, with the exception of fringe of
hair that showed below his cap when he had it
on. When he got through aud had put away
his handkerchief: he gently remarked: ' It's a
- shame we can't get into this" l gave
Mack nudge with my elbow, to see if he had
heard what had been said. and received one in
response that showed me that lie had heard.
Suddenly a volley of about 80 carbne shots
was fired from the top of i hill back of US at
the group around the spring. Every shot was
high, aud no one was hurt. Knowing trick
of my horse, "0d john" looked around, and
he was going up the hill as hard as he could
run. He would whirl around and run at any
sudden firing. | had to chase him half way
up the hill before | could catch him. The
other two horses had paid but little attention
to it. We all mounted and rode over to the
eastern side of the plank road to the top of a
hill on that side about the same hight as the
one on the west side from which the firing had
come. We were about IS feet higher than
where the 22d n. Y. Cav. were standing in
liue.-JuDsoN KNIGHT, Washington. ID. c.
ITO be c0atiauedl