Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-16
"Fightl" was the brief renlY.

F1gnt! was the Dr1et reply. ''I allus knowed he un was game. Three cheers for Kentonw shouted Steve Brayton.
 They were given with a will, but be- fore the echoes had died away Custer s entire battery was turned against the fort, while hundred dismounted men | crept within rifle shot and opened a fire which obliged the defenders to remain 1 inactive. Kenton knew that the fire would cease as a charge was about to 1 be made. This, owing to the nature of i the ground, could only be made from one direction and by a small body of men. The Hull came, and under cover of the smoke goo dismounted men of the Fifth Michigan dashed forward. They were received by a volley which staggered and checked them, and while rallying the little band had time to re- load. One more volley sent the troop CTS back to cover, and Steve Brayton threw his hat into the air and shouted: :: We uns has just licked the hull Yankee army right out of its butes and ar gwine to march on Washington" Kenton expected another charge with in 10 minutes, but instead of that Gus ter sent in flag of truce and a demand to surrender. He stated that an at tempt to hold the position after all the others had been taken was simply a reckless waste of human life. He knew their exact number and knew they had neither food nor water. They had proved themselves brave men, and he trusted they would now realize the situation and accept it as brave men should. Kenton read the note aloud. so that all could hear, and when he had finished it he said:
 We might stop another charge, but they are certain to capture us in the end. l advise surrender"
 There were few dissenters, but 15 minutes later the 23 men had marched out and grounded their arms in token of surrender. Their captors were men who could appreciate bravery, no mat ter by whom displayed. AS the su1ren- der was made 4,000 troopers waved their hats and cheered.
 II am not an officer, and I therefore have no sword to surrender" said Ken ton as General Custer rode to the head of the short line and seemed somewhat astonished to find only private soldiers.
 But who commanded in there?" asked the general
 II gave what orders were given. sir. -
 Well, the southern confederacy made a miss of it in not making you captain long ago. Had the other forts held out as pluckily as you did we should have had hard fight to get at the stores.
 While a list of the prisoners was be- ing made out and the arms collected the troopers turned their attention to the stores. The idea was not to remove but to destroy them. The quickest way to do it was to apply the torch, and in the course of an hour everything was in flames. The Confederate major had, as stated, surrendered the fort he occupied with about so of the men without firing a shot. A court martial would have promptly exonerated him from the charge of cOwardice had 1t been made, for the situation was almost hopeless. That one of the forts should have held out and that the high private in com mand of 1t should have been cOmpli- mented for his bravery ranked in the majors heart. He received permission to enter the field where the rank and file were surrounded by Federal guard, and searching out Royal Kenton he an g1ily demanded:
 By what authority did you presume to hold that fort after my surrender of the post:'
 We did not know that your surren- der included more than the fort you were holding," replied Kenton.
 "X-Ia fol about you before he left continued the major. He regarded you with the greatest suspicion. It would not have surprised me had you surrendered first of all. -
 Il believe that honor was left to you, sir. quietly replied Kenton.
 "Hooray fur the Yank-three cheers fur kenton!' shouted the excitable Steve. And they were given by the whole force of Confederates with great enthusiasm.
 II fully understand your motive, sir"' exclaimed the major when the cheering had ceased. You simply wanted to reap little glory-to stand we'll in the estimation of your friends. You have accomplished It, but there will be hereafter. The minute I am ex- changed I shall prefer charges and have you court martialed. If you don't con clude to remain among your Yankee friends, 1 shall''---
 Hear he un talk like tocl!" inter rupted Steve, treading army discipline under foot in his excitement. If the major hadn't surrendered befo' man was hit, these Tanks couldn't "a got us in all day!'
 That's so! That's so." shouted hundred men. And the entiIe lot began cheering for Steve Brayton.
 And who are you, sir?' demanded the major, now pale with passion.
 Private Steve Brayton, sir, of Cap tain Wyle's critter company, and I was left behind here because I was a friend of Kenton's.'
 "Oh, see! Well. I'll see to your case at the same time
 Yes, and tell 'em thar's 15 dead and wounded men to show what we uns did befo' We surrendered, replied Steve.
 Rush him. Rush him,' shouted the crowd, overcome by excitement and forgetting the respect due an officer.
 The major backed away, but in an instant he was carried off his feet and rushed to the sentry line, and when he picked himself up off the grass he was bruised and battered and his uniform in a very dilapidated condition. Groans and misses followed him as he walked away, and the laughter of the Federal troopers was in no sense balm for his ruffied pride.
 1t was noon before the stores were destroyed and the list of prisoners com pleted. Then came an alarm. Colonel Mosby, who has been dubbed The Bandit of the Potomac, but who was as regularly commissioned as any officer in the Confederate army, appeared in the neighborhood with about 200 men, and before he was driven off and the kN efo l~o