The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-08-31

transmitted TO Headquarters, and Gen.
Bayard is ordered out with fresh cavalry
and a battalion of Pennsylvania Bucktails.
But the Goth Ohio has already beaten back
the guidon of the bold rebels from fiinging
Its folds In our eyes.
"The evening is waxing late. Gen. Ere
mont does not wish to bring on
GENERAL ENGAGEMENT
at this hour, and the troops are ordered
back
"tBut not to leave poor Wyndham on the
field and all our wounded demonstrated
nv brave Col. Kane, of the Bucktalls; and
besides, General, think how such stampede
as this will dishearten and demorallze the
army. Let me at them, General, with nay
Bucktails!'
"'Just 40 minutes I'll give you, Colonel
saws Gen. Bayard, pulling out his watch;
peep through the woods on our left, see
what's in there, and out again when the
times up
at was my first introduction TO Col. Kane,
but I was willing to do him honor as
brother OF the man who pushed the PROV of
his adventurous ship far up into the icy
seas.
"'Good-by,' he said, pressing the hand of
each of our group; hope TO see you again,
but if don't, take it for granted that and
my Bucktails have given good account OF
ourselves
ain go the 80 at I'D opening in the pines,
and the badge they bear on their car s. and
from which the battalion takes Its name, Is
soon lost among the green leaves. Brave
BOYS, you never showed the tips OF those
bucktaiIs to the foe while a round of am
munition remained in your cartridge-boxes,
a., Of h-au "a
outnumbered the living. In plain sight on
an emineuce opposite the same squadron of
cavalry Is drawn up that pursued US be-
fore: but an officer with field-glass cries
out that he can see dark columns of infantry
creeping down in the woods, and we can
distinguish with the naked eye that can
non is being placed in position.
a. Ride over there, Wier and call back the
Bucktails' shouts Gen. Bsyard, but the
order is cut short by the rattle of musketry
over where they lie-single shots at first,
broadening and deepening into Volleys
And now the bullets come straylng up the
hill where we are posted with the cavalry.
Did you ever hear a bullet from rit1ed |
musket come singing by your head, reader
No? Then catch large bee some day and |
hold it TO your ear, open your hand little |
to hear him buzz, then suddenly shutting |
on his music into Snarp nZ-Z-Z.
"'The Bucktails will shove it into them,
remarked an officer. Now, do you know
had heard this same thing said of the Buck
tails a dozen different times since they were
called out, and really began to wonder
whether they would
SUSTAIN THEIR REPUTATION
or not, for the sad demoralized retreat of
the cavalrymen had rather shaken my faith
in the mettle that men are made of. Well,
the Buck tails did shove it into them.
Through the opening between the trees
we could see our brave boys surrounded by
a Gordon of fire flashing into them from the
muzzles Of more than a thousand muskets. |
But not a sign nor the shadow of sign of
yielding. Their fire met the enemy S straight
and unyielding as the blade of a matador. Oh
for reinfOrcements, but none come. Our cav |
airy, that bad been drawn up under cover of
the woods, rode out upon the open hill, bat |
they cannot charge the trunks Of intervening |
trees. To highten the amusement, the can |
non opposite OpeBs Its mouth and deposits |
shell close by the side of a squadron. The !
range is accurate and now they come, shot |
and shell exploding around us like exag- |
gerated ire-crackeTs Oh the Fourth of July. |
"Now, our Bucktails give back, and anon |
they break cover and retreat across the |
fields of waving green between us, firing as
they 20, but not the $50 that went in. The |
rest Of them lie under the srching dome Of
the treacherous forest, and the night dews
alone can 90 to moisten the lips of the
wounded ones, for the rebels hold the woods,
and We are not now prepared to di>lodge |
them. To send force for their support
would bring on general engagement, and |
this in our present unprepared condition |
would be ruin.
my brave Col Kane is reported wounded |
and pIisoner-shOt in the knee. Fare you
well. great heart. 4 more gallant soldier or
a truer gentleman never wore sword by |
side, ana if we meet not here let me share |
your fate hereafter, whatever that may be. |
This evening 40 of the Bucktails are re-
portes from the hospital as wounded, and |
the hf.sveu that bends above them only |
knows how many are lying dead and wound |
ed on the field, or how many are prisoners.
"One man whom noticed at The hospital
was shot in three places-the top of the |
head, the back of The neck, and the side; is
not here evidence Of the fierce fire that my
Buektails stood under?
90 Why didn't you come out when you
found they were in such force againt you? 2
asks bysiander of wounded officer.
"'Why, you see was told to deploy some |
Heb "a rklImiSheIs, snL beIoTe we nad
moved 30 yards we were breast to breast
with whole regiment of rebels. 1t was no
use, of course, to fight, bat as for retreat, l
knew the Colonel would not hear to it. so we
went in And you aid 60 in, my Bucktails,
and you aid the bravest thing that has been
done in ali this Sudden making of splendid
names and poor, wailing ghosts"
The following is taken from the history
Of one OF the Maryland (rebel) regiments en-
gagged in he battle Of Harrisonburg, which
appeared IN the Philadelphia Times some
time in 1855 or 1886:
From the first Manassas to the surrender
st Appomattox the Marylanders were in the
thickost of every fight in which they were