Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-12-28
OVER A HOT BRIDGE.

napoleon,
We had boon fighting faa SEQ days CON
tlnuously and mnrch.n go night so that
when the battle .. Savage station was
commenced, ~ 10 t.mO 90 tho ratrcnt OF
General ~ .au Army n tho Potomac
20 Hp % Landing, our command was
rr well tired out However. we gnyc
..ud account VI oursolycs during The
Gays fight, md whom night cnmo were
GLAD TO llo down beside our guns, regard
less Of the mud, for Il had boon raining
hard all day
In the meantime 20 had been dotcr.
mined that tho army should retreat Goo and
over White Oak Swamp, destroy thu bridge
and mako another stand, 10 allow ONT
transportation, etc. To advance ON Us way
70 tho landing.
General Richardson's brigade. 20 which
our battery belonged. was detailed 90 cover
the retreat Of The army and was Co romnin
90 front of tho enemy until all che corps
had Withdrawn. then silently tnku UP the
rvtrCnt. following Boo rear of che army
An uid. camp was sent from General
Richard SON t0 notify our captain that we
should follow th1 brigade. which had
uhcycd instructions and was thUn on che
march But s1 ruUat was tho fatigue OF
our commander and so deep was Dis sleep
th1t Doc failed tU realize thO order, and
hardly had 80 boon conveyed hy tho stnn
officer 90 him than DO sank again into
dgop oblivion.
ThoArmy ~ tho Potomac continued g.
retreat and reached White Oak Swamp
during tho night ] was sleeping soundly
EUcotly, lu tho MUD, draining of che good
tLlngs 90 UUlmouICU's and Che swcUthUlrtH
90 huinc whom ! was aroused by % violent
zap on the shoulder My eye op1nyd in %
dalcd manner aud dlmly VA tho early
dawn ! recognized the face of my com
mnndlng officer
"For Gods sake, quick, lieutenant
arouse yoursoln We arc loft behind by
the entire army. which rctfontud during
tho night Tho Confederate sklrmlshuu
arc now dcploying on tho plain in front
Of us, We alone, an eight gun battery, op.
pose the Cntlro Confederate army and We
have got TO mako ton good miles bUi1ro we
can rcnCh safety. Mount at once, move
quietly 90 tho battery; mount an drlyor
Of pieces and cnissuns, move quickly in %
column until you nrn covered by tho neigh.
boring wood " DO cried
Fortunately the wood silrtod both sides
Of tho road leading TO White oak Swamp,
about 800 yards distant
81 will fix prulongos ON tho napoleon
section, and when you arc fully covered BY
tho wood will join you and will then sond
the buglcr 10 direct you TO move at a trUt,"
continued the captain.
The enomy's skirmlshera were cautious
iy advancing. and In tho dim early dawn
could not detect tho nbaUnco " our army.
a shot from one Of our captains guns was
n hint however, that thoro were yam.
KEGS" about
was making tracks az quickly a. pos
Hiblo Tor tho cover, and IL was not long DO
fore 1 reached there / was very glad 90
hear presently tho huRlOr's familiar voice.
Lieutenant the captain sends his com.
plimcnts to you and says the entire battery
IL now under cover. He wishes you 70
move tho head Of tho column at % trut"
Never did l obey % command moro cheer
fully, and we woro soon moving at nrapld
pace. Hardly had we settled down to o
steady gait when tho buRlor came dash
ing up again with tho information from
tho captain 10 move no n gallon, as the
Confederate cavalry was In pursuit.
How wo did dash along, passing many
Of tho utrngglura, 10 whom No shouted
that the ConfodorAtes woru IN pursuit and
20 look out for themselves, but stlll tear.
ing on At our greatest speed, every mo.
mont fearing lost trace hruAk or horse
tumblol Fortune seemed 10 favor as, and
great was our relief when White Oak
Swamp bridge opened up 10 our view.
But, oh, horrors, misOryl What Il tho
smokoi Can n be possible tho bridge Is
ON nro' Yes, too true. General Richard
son had missed tho battery and had waltod
as long as hc deemed consistent with the
safety Of the army and had been obliged
90 ilrc tho bridge, which, when wo reached
Il, was In full blaze
Thoro we were. full battery u eight
guns, fully equipped with horses, nmmuui.
tiun, cto., valued no thousands Of dollars
20 our government and 6tlll moro valuable
10 tho oneny n used against us.
with "a burning bridge in front Of ~, 10
cross which meant safety, and behind usi
coming rapidly Confederate cavalry.
which meant Copturo and misory--not
long ala our gallant captain hesitate,
Now, men, he said, 1--WE have got TO
cross that bridge, and know every ono Of
you would rather perish than endure tho
disgrace of capture, Dlsmuuut, all. Cam
noneurs, tako your blankets, soak them Ia
tho swamp and cover ammunition chests.
Drivers take your nusobugs, cut OF tho
bottoms and strap over your horses heads
horses. Lively; don't lose time Licutcn.
mt, 60 me, take nosobag for your
horse, enmo Hs drivers, mount and lead
battery over that bridge at a full gallop,
will cover rear with nupolsuns and orUss
the bridge ready Tor action"
IL was almost certain death, I thought,
but II had to Do done. on the opposite
side Of tho swamp woro tho members Of
cur army, watching uswlth deepest intur-
est and ready 60 help us IN any way Ia
their puwcr But tho bridge was burning
and tho rob cavalry was coming
An was ready wet blankets over am.
muuitluu Ghosts, nusDhugs over horsus'
heads and the woud was given Co pu.
How wo got over that bridge To- this day /
do not know My gallant litJlO gray stood
mo IN good stead. Tho fierce lance,
6corchsng and burning one will mover for
get.
IhoD was terrible danger Of exploding
tho ammunition iu thu chests, which only
tho wet blankets protected. Tho UXpla,
sion meant certain death Co UNrry ono ~
us-hut We got over safely. AS the last
gun reached tho ground such % cheer Hs
our gallant boys gave ua mndr our hearts
bound for joy and fully repaid M Tor tlo
fr.ghtful risk we had taken.
Notion minutes had passed nftorour bat.
tory had reached safety when tho Cuuid-
crate cavalry opened with their oarbings,
ana very shortly nitorward their artillery
Joined iu.
Tho bridge had become thing Of tho
past An chat WINS lyft of 80 was heap
Of blncLguud debris, piled pin tho swamp
below.
Thus was saved, by tho pluck and good
judgment uf our brave captain, govern,