The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-05-31
THE McCOOK RAID
To What the Capture of Gen. SLOVENIAN was
Due.

noon on the Both when the head Of the col
umn reached Noonon, o station on the Mont
gomery & West Point Railroad about eight
miles from the Chattahoochee River. There
was a train loaded with rebel soldiers on
their way to strengthen the Atlanta gar
rison, but detained awaiting the repairing of
the road we had destroyed two days before.
Cos. d and E, 9Th Ind. Cav, Immediately
rushed upon them in a wild charge, deliv-
ering the contents of their Spencers in their
midst.
So sudden was the charge that the rebels
were completely taken by surprise, and
they threw down their arms in token of
surrender, and word was sent back to Gen.
McCook that Noonon was ours, with clear
road to the river, with safety on the other
side
The situation required quick work, but
instead of pushing quickly to and across the
river, a halt was made-perhapst to get the rear
up-and in less than half an hour a fresh rebel
brigade made it's appearance, when those
who had dropped their guns regained posses
sion of them, and Cos. ID and f were imme-
diately driven out; or, as one of the Captains
told me, We charged out - sight
faster than we charged in"
We had Gen. Wheeler, with his command,
pressing upon us in the rear and division
of infantry appearing in our front; still, our
Cavalry Division was held under fire for over
two hours, giving the rebels time to place
their lines in position to complete our de-
structiOn. The delay was disastrous, for
about 2 o'clock in the afternoon the enemy
made furious attack upon our lines when
four miles from Noonon, and the fight soon
became one of life or death; charges were
made and repealed.
The 9Th Ind. was pushed forward in line,
the artillery posted in good position, sup
ported by the 5th and 9Th Iowa; and while
the hills trembled as the artillery poured
its destructive fire into the lines of the
enemy, making great gaps in their ranks,
every cavalryman was kept busy; lines being
broken, many captured or killed. Col. Har-
rison, of the 9Th Ind, commanding the bril-
gade of Rousseau's raiders, with portion of
his command, was captured while fiercely
contending against great odds. Col Jim
Brownlow, with his men, was cut off, and
part captured but the Colonel, with por-
tion of his regiment, finally made his way
into the lines.
The unequal contest continued until near
night. When our command had been whitfield
down, the ammunition about all expended,
the artillery had fired its last shot, and fresh
troops arriving until we had, as ! was after
ward told by prisoner, 900 rebel troops
around us, there seemed no alternative but
to surrender.
Gen. McCook called council of his COM
manders, stated the facts as they appeared,
making a proposition to cease destruction of
life by a surrender. To this his brigade
commanders refused to listen; Lieut.-Col.
Jones, of the 9Th Ind, saying he had
regiment that would charge the gates Of
he'll before it would surrender; his brigade
being the 9Th Ind. and 5th Iowa.
The General then said if he could take
the command out he would turn it over to
him, and Jones said that with the 9Th Ind.
he could open the way, and gave orders to
the different commanders. The gun-car-
riages were chopped to pieces, the guns
spiked, harness cut up, and the artillery
men, mounting the horses, took their places
in line.
The doctors all remained with the wound
ed, all led-horses and pack-mules were turned
lose, horses released of all unnecessary
weight, and guns examined and got ready
for hot work.
As TO prisoners, we had about 500, among
whom was the notorious Gen. Ross des-i
perate rebel, with no mercy in his compost
ton, as we afterwards had reason to know
to be near this Gen. Ross when Gen. McCook
rode up and said
We are about to set you at liberty. We
have to cut. For Gods sake, don't say
word for half an ho1r."
We could never understand why il would
not have been better for those prisoners to
have found out they were free after we had
gone.
Everything being in readiness, with the
command formed in squadron front, the
rebel line being about 400 yards in our
front, the 9Th Ind. Cav with Cos. A and d
in advance, the command was given TO
Draw saber-Charge! and we made straight
for the enemy, while close behind followed
what was left Of that splendid Cavalry Di-
vision, forming solid mass of men and
horses across the road. The route over
which this charge was made was along
valley, while from the hill to our right the
enemy poured voley after voley into our
ranks. But not standing on our going"
we went Such charge, when handled by
resolute officers, is irresistible.
1t was grand and exciting scene, III the
midst of which Col. Jones had the boys
pick up and carry off several flags that had
been dropped. When the line in our front |
was reached, it was unable to resist the |
OUsldupHJ ana was puSntQ one BlGe, ana |
through went 1900 men, escaping from |
trap Gen. McCook had got us into and we |
made for the river, which was about % |
miles on this road, and after hard ride we
arrived at the Chattahoochee River at Fill J
port Ferry at ] o'clock on the morning of |
the 31st, when we dropped in the road from
sheer exhaustion, and slept till the gray
streaks of dawn began to appear, when, an
old ferryboat having been found, the task
of landing the command on the other shore
began.
While the men and accouterments were
ferried over, the horses were driven into the
stream and made to swim. Many RATS were
made, thus facilitating the crossing.
At 7 o'clock, and before our task was
done, the enemy's cavalry made its appear
ance, and several loads of troops were crossed
under fire. When all were over, the boat
was scuttled and pushed out into the stream,
where it sank; but the rebels succeeded in
getting some 800 head of horses which we
were unable to get out of their way.
The command then headed for Marietta,
Ga, while the dismounted men-the writer
being one of those unfortunates-took to
the woods in squads OF twos or tours, of
whom very few ever reached the lines, as
they were hunted with bloodhounds.
On Saturday, Aug 3. at 3 o'clock p. M,
we rode into Marietta, after an eight-days'
trip of fighting night and day, losing half
of our command; and our muster-rolls were
dotted over with "missing on the McCook