The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-09-07

covered a house, and walked straight to it.
The woman folks were somewhat fustered
when we demanded food, but were not long
in producing two goOd-sized corn pones,
which we at once greedily devOured. Look
ing out the window / saw a dozen horse
men riding toward the house at brisk
trot, and less than hundred yards distant.
said TO Lou:
a. We must get up and hump ourselves
quicker than a buzz-saw will go through
rotten log or those cusses will take US in!
"'That's goddlemighty s fact ! answered
Lou, and we'd better go about now, tool!
without any unnecessary ceremony we
raised back window and hastily took our
leave. Within a distance of so yards we
climbed two rail fences and there did our
best running towards the regiment.
We soon, however, heard shouting be-
hind rs, and glancing back saw some of the
rebels tearing down the fences, while
others were riding impetuously TO the right
and left
"'They'll soon be through the fences ,
said Lou. and let's slow up little. We
are nearer the woods than they are US, and
propose to knock over one or more of the
gogglc-eyed hellions before they get mel
''By the time our pursuers got through
the SECOND fence we were 800 yards away,
and considerably less than 100 from the
woods
Let's give 'em blue pill!' exclaimed
Lou. and as we turned, he continued, you
take the lead fellow on the roam, and I'll
take that important cuss on the black. Our
Enields spoke viciously, and two horses
galloped with empty saddles across the
meadow. The rest kept after rs with loud
yells, but before we reached the timber we
met detachment of the 1st Mich. Cav, who
made the Johnnies scatter like flock Of
buzzsrd' from putrid carcass.
AT 4:30 o'clock p. m. we were counter
marched short distance crossed the turn
pike and
TOOK SHELTER
behind piece of woods as a support for
Bests battery, which had already become
engaged. Cedar Run being in our rear. For
an hour and half we lay there, listening TO
the loud reports of the cannon and watching
the shells as they came screaming through
the air.
"The engagement began with a fierce
artillery duel, two rebel batteries -concen-
tTating their fire upon Capt. Best and his
brave boys. Best's boys worked with
vim, and when their brass Nspoleons spoke,
they sent their red-hot compliments with
unerring precision.
ave watched them, and thought if it
were but q Fourth of July celebration we
could enjoy it hugely, but the careless
manner in which the rebels sent their shots
in, dropping them promiscuously about made
ii little dangerous, and the loud shriekiDg
Of the flying shells sounded wicked.
"Capt. 3 st had shallow holes dug in the
ground for the wheels Of his guns to stand
in, and every time one was discharged the
recOil would raise the gun and roll it back
back with the gun, the one carrying the
sponge-staf sponging the piece as it moved
backward, and the instant it stopped two
men grasped each wheel and rolled it for
ward into position, and when the wheels
dropped into their places the piece was in
variably loaded. They did it in that way
every time, never once missing motion the
hundredth part Of second. They were
like the wheels of clock, each performing
his allotted portion Of the duty. and / as
sure you it was done correctly and promptly.
The 5th Conn. deployed as skirmishers
and advanced rapidly to meet the enemy.
They marched through the belt of timber
behind which we lay, crossed a wheatfeld,
and enteled another piece of woods. They
encountered Gen. Taliaferros Brigade, which
was massed to give them warm reception.
"0f course the enemy shortly repulsed
the 5th and crowded them back to the rail-
fence at the northern edge of the wood,
where they made a brief stand before re-
treating far her. The rebels charged them,
and fierce hand-tO-hand fight ensued.
=" a tall, muscular Sergeant swore he would
not run, and he stood and
FOUGHT DESPERATELY
with his dubbed musket till he was over
powered and killed. Our Assistant Surgeon
visited that portion of the battlefield the
following day, and / heard him assert that
he found the dead Sergeant with 16 bullet
holes in his body, but lying stark and stiff
near him were nine dead Johnnies-one
shot through the breast and eight with their
skulls crushed in. The butt of the Ser
geants gun was broken of, and the barrel
bent nearly double; proving beyond doubt
that he took the lives of those lying near
him b-fore yielding up his own.
'We were ordered to advance to reinforce
the 5ih Conn.,, but reaching the crest of the
ridge in the wheatfeld, we received orders
TO halt and as we did so, our Colonel COM
manded US to fall back behind the ridge, as
the entire field between our line and the
wood was covered with retreating skirmish-
ers.
"One Of them came along with prisoner
who looked stout enough to whip two of
him. Both were bareheaded and begrimed
with smoke and perspration.
AS fast as the skirmishers reached our
line, they formed on our right and advanced
with US. AS we again arrived at the top of