The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-03-29
"LIKE THE WIND"
How Gen. Jones Rode to Victory in a BEAD
long Charge.
IHdrper'S Wcekly.l

/ lHarper'S Heekty.l
| "Now that the subject of rapid transit ha
come up" observed Jones, eff you gentlemen
will pardon me, will tell of my fastest ex
perience in that line. l was, as you must re
member, Captain in the Tooth Minn. Cav. dur
ing the late war"
Why do you never use your title?" In
| quired Smith.
For the first few years after ] came out o
| the army / was always called Captain was
| living in Illinois at that time moved to Iowa
aud the people there called me Major
then went on to Nebraska, and they called NE
'Colouel.' | made another move to Colorado
| aud found myself referred to as General
g saw that promotion depended simply on
moving West, and decided that it was beneath
man of parts and have always since asked
my friends to refrain from calling me by any.
thing but my name.
"As / started to say, it was at the battle oi
Gettysburg. The Tooth Mimi. played an i'm
poTtant part. We were exposed to severe
fire, and, after several hot charges, found that
every officer above me had been killed. l in
stantly put myself at the head of the troop, and
determined TO break the enemys center, two
miles away across the valley. We were in
front of battery of heavy New York artillery,
which was stationed on a ridge above us and
was firing over our heads.
"Calling my men about me, told them that
in the attempt. They were wild to have me
lead them TO victory. WAVED my sword, with
some laconic remarks, which, had they been
my last words. would have gone laundering
down the corridors of time, inspiring soldiers
yet unborn, and we were off. We were
superbly mounted, and rode like the wind.
clapped spurs to my horse, and dashed down a
little declivity, certainly faster than had ever
ridden before.
Suddenly my horse plunged forward foot
into hole in the ground, and went down like
fla IN. My momentum was SO terrific that /
rose from the saddle and shot forward. / did
not strike the ground, as | expected, but in
stantly felt myself riding on even more rapidly
than before. The noble animal had risen under
me, apparently, and was carrying me on TO vie-
tory faster than ever Still / was not going
fast enough 10 satisfy me. / waved my sword,
shouted to my men, and again applied the spurs
furiOusly. What was my surprise when my
heels dashed togetheri l looked down, gentle
men, and was dumbfounded to find myself
astride l2-inch conical shell from the New
York battery, aud riding it across the valley
for the enemy's center, 80 feet from the ground !
MY first thought was TO dismount, but could
not disappOint my gallant men. / knew they
were coming Once more waved my sword,
and again / shouted. The speed was awful.
The air cut my face like knife-points. The
shell was two feet long, and gave me good
seat, but held on with difficulty.
Suddenly noticed lighted fuse projecting
from near the front end of the shell. | dared
not let go with either hand, but was not ready
to become nebulous bit of star dust. There
was but one thing to do. i leaned over, pulled
ont the fuse with my teeth, and began smoking
it ike cgaret. A dozen yards before the shell
struck the ground / dismounted. 1t tore on
through the ranks of the enemy, and shouted,
ran forward, and began laying about with my
sword. / held my own for five minutes, when
my men came up and we cut the line to pieces
and won the battle"
Robinson seemed to be the only hearer left with
the power of speech. "YOu must have been
highly commended for your action" he said.
The newspapers spoke favorably of it, yes
but came near getting eourt-martialed for
pulling the fuse out of the shell, thus impairing
its efficiency. 1t was expensive for me fnan-
cially, too as / acquired the habit of smoking
fuse in place of cigars and it cost me $40 q
week for the stuff till / was mustered out"