The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-12-28

tion, but broke and rushed from the field in
one disorderly mass, and rushing on TO the
retreating troops on the road started them
also, and the retreat became regular stam-
pede
Under such circumstances we were at last
| compelled to fall back rs the enemy now
pressed us in TANKS as well as front, and our
troops were retreating pell-mell in plain
view of the enemy.
In falling back on the road we passed the
place where our battery of five guns had
been tumbled into gully on the side of the
road by the stampedng mass. Some OF the
guns were under the carriages, with the
wheels on top. This stampede was kept up
! until late at night, the 4th L. s. Cav. being
constantly on duty as rear-guard, and max
ing several charges during the day.
When, finally, halt was made with some
of the command (some of them did not stop
that night, Gen. Smith praised the 4th U. S.
Cav. for that days work, and said that the
bravery of that regiment had saved his corps
from capture and destruction, and promised
to arm them with Spencer carbines as soon
as we got to Memphis. At that time we
had the Sharp's, and only enough to arm the
privates. The names of the regiments that
caused the stampede have not given, and
will not give, because it is not necessary.
There are plenty of comrades yet living who
will remember all about it. / have not
written this, either, for the purpose of blam-
ing anyone. Accidents of that kind will
occur in war, and it is hard sometimes to
understand the real cause.
l have written this simply to show that
Regular soldiers and officers look to their
superior for order and command, and when
they are given they will be carried out to
the letter. AS another example will relate
an incident that occurred in the capture of
Selma Ala.
After the first line of the enemy's intrench-
ments had been taken, we were holding
just inside of the captured works. mounted,
and Gen. Wilson at the head of the regi-
ment. Nearer to the town the enemy had
a second line formed, and right in front of
where we were then holding was fort with
embankment 10 or II feet high, and deep
and broad ditch in front of it. This fort
Gen. Wilson ordered the 4th u. s. Cav. to
charge mounted, and with drawn sabers.
The officers and men knew very well that it
| was impossible for men, mounted, first to
jump into that ditch, and then to scramble
up the steep embankment, in the face of an
| enemy. We should certainly have made
that charge dsmounted.
But we went nevertheless, in grand style,
| in column of fOurS, right TO the brink of
the ditch, saber in hand, and the rebels
popping us from behind the works. / was
in the first set of tours in the column, and
had good chance to see and observe. They
opened fire on us as soon as we passed few
trees standing by the roadside, but as we
came nearer the firing increased; and when
the head of the column came right to the
ditch, an officer Il presume, though he was
dressed in back, jumped up on the en-
bankment and balloOed:
Now give it TO them; they can't hurt
you with their sabers!"
1 tried to, though; dropped my saber
on the saber-kn0t, and drew my revolver
and fired at him. Every company came up
as the first, to the ditch, and then turned 10
the left and went back, without, as the rebel
officer said, hurting them.
Now it seems reasonable to ask why such
charge was made; but that would not be
solderly. / have often thought over it
since, however; the only conclusion / have
come to is that Gen. Wilson wanted to ascer-
tain if the rebels had artillery in that fort.
None could be seen from a distance, and, as
luck would have it, they had not at the
time, though they were hurrying it up just
as we made the charge, but it came too late.
JAMES LARSON, First Sergeant, Co. III,
4th U. s. Cav, Fredericksburg, Tex.