The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-03-08

wooded ridge, being thus when our infantry
made their celebrated left-wheel directly in
their rear. To leave them there and with
draw all the fighting men, when every COM
pany cook aud officers servant were hurry
ing back to their old camps, was clearly an
impossibility: so two regiments (the lst
Conn. and ID Ohio were detailed to drive
the rebel cavalry. Our orders were TO yell
your best and loudest; make them think
whole division is after them" Our regl-
ment was ordered to charge up to the fence
near the top of the ridge, but not TO enter
the woods What orders the 1st Conn. had
I cannot say: but DO know that just as we
reached the fence and halted, we saw the
gallant Connecticut boys sweep into and
through the woods to our right on the
stretch gallop yelling per orders. Ii was
gallant sight and made us wish we had been
with them The sun had disappeared when
we turned back.
When the rebel cavalry had been sent fly
ing, the two regiments were TO hurry and re-
join tie division. 1t always seemed TO the
bows of the ID that our commander was not
in the least of hurry to do this. we weht
at a slow walk for Sheridan's Headquarters,
and by the time we reached there it was
quite dark. and Col. Nettleton ahout-faced
and sculiions by the score bearing on their
shoulders kettles and pans, all hurrylng for
their old camps, hoping TO be able to meet
their comrades with steaming cup Of coffee
when they came TO the old camp. More
than once were we greeted by the feeble
voice of some wounded man begging US not
to ride over him in the dark.
/ forgot to speak of what we saw on our
way to Sheridan's Headquarters, when, OF
course we passed directly over the battle
field OF the morning. 1t was already getting
dusk, and we saw what seemed to be
HEAPS OF SOMETHING WHITE,
like sheet or tablecloth left out on the
grass; we could see them all around, but
none very near; at last one came to view
directly ahead, and we saw it was dead
man stripped by the rebs. This has seemed
to many as most barbarous, but put your
self in the place of these rebs. They knew
their Government could not give them any
clothes and prices at stores were far beyond
their means; what could they do?
Dark as it was at Headquarters l could
still make out a line of white heaps just
west of it, Is or 90 it seemed TO me- shot
down as they stood in line; and yet they say
the Nineteenth Corps did no fighting.
Considering the disadvantages they were
under, think the Eighth and Nineteenth
Corps did well; but if they did not do their
whole duty at sunrise, it is very sure they
fully redeemed themselves before sundOwn.
One word more Would Wright have done
what Sheridan did? Never! Let me tell
what our blacksmith, All Monroe, saw. Alf,
as was his privilege and duty, had retired
out of danger up the pike, and had been
passed 10y the pickets, whose orders were to
halt all but noncombatants. Alf stopped
q few minutes and soon saw the pickets
halt 80 or go men, then saw them force their
way through. Just then Sheridan came up
and, drawing rein, told them they were fac
ing the wrong way. Boys, this would not
have happened had been here, and am g0-
ing back 10 lick them out Of their boots" and |
away he went. You see he did not curse them |
as towards, as some would, but made them |
a promise, and they fully believed he would |
do what he said. Taking off their caps they |
gave three cheers for Little Phil, then pressed |
right back through the pickets they had |
forced not five minutes before, and no doubt |
were, every man of them, in that magnificent |
line-of-h hattie we saw at noon pushing reso-
lutely southward; and each of them had for |
the fifteenth time told what Little Phil
had promised them.