The National tribune., 1894-04-26
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What0ur Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
CARRYING THE NEWS.
What the Sd Ohio Cav. Did in the Relief o
Knoxville.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: i see there
is a controversy as to what command carried
the news to Burnside that Sherman was
coming to his relief / will tell what l know
about it.
The Second Cavalry Brigade, Second Di'
vision, with part of Wilder's Brigade, about
1900 men, crossed the Tennessee River, after
Sherman, about three miles above Chatta-
pooga. on the evening of the next day after
the battle of Lookout Mountain was fought
They passed around the north end of Mis-
sionary Ridge and marched south, struck
the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad,
cut the telegraph line to prevent communi-
cation between Bragg and Longstreet pushed
on south as rapidly as possible, struck the
railroad leading south from Chattanooga at
Chickamauga Station, captured a battery,
cut the spokes in the wheels and let the
guns down, as we couldn't take them along.
1t was getting dusk by this time. We
cut the telegraph here and pushed on. We
went west and north from Chickamauga
Station. 1t got quite dark There was a
train of about 20 wagons with forage moving
north into Braggs camps We parked the
train, had the teamsters unhitch and feed
the mules to keep them quiet, then put the
tesmsters under guard. That was the first
they knew they were captured. l heard
some of them say that we were within a
short distance of Bragg's Headquarters.
We dismounted and stood at our horses
heads until about o'clock in tie morning,
with orders not to make any more noise
than possible when we set fire to the wagons,
took the prisoners mounted on their mules
with u.s. and started south.
We went about three or four miles, when
we were started on the jump. In about
mile we overlook a yoke of cattle hitched
to a load of hay with two darkies on it. A
short distance farther we overlook similar
rig. Then we overhauled wagons from a
dozen to so in q string, with guards with
them, loaded with ammunition and supplies
of all kinds for Braggs army. They had
heard of u.s. and had turned south to escape
us. There were about 800 wagons all to-
gether. With them were three ambulances
with Confederate money to pay off Braggs
army. ! got package containing S65.000
of it. / emptied my saddlebags of every
thing and stuffed them full of the money.
We were told to hurry, take anything out
OF the wagons we wanted, and then burn
them.
We started on the back track. We must
have been about 10 miles south of where we
stayed all night. We retTaced about half
the distance, when we turned to the north
east.
At the forks of the road there was an old
and two young ladies, who told us there was an
awful battle being fought up towards Chat
tanoOga. 1t was the battle of Missionary
RIDGE In the excitement of the chase we
hadn't noticed the firing being so heavy.
We went to Cleveland, Tenn, and camped
In the town that night. The next day a
detachment of us was sent to Charleston, Is
miles north of Cleveland, on the Hiawassee
River, and drove force of rebels across the
river They had artillery on the north side,
and as we had none we dind't try to cross.
We went back to Cleveland, and again
camped In the town that night We could
hear the pickets firing nearly all night.
About o'clock in the morning word was
sent in that if the pickets were not rein
forced they could not hold their posts much
longer.
There was heavy detail Of the mounted
infantry sent out on each road. Towards
morning the pickets were driven in. We
were all in line. The rebs were raking
Main street from the north with two guns
My regiment, the Sd Ohio Cav, was in line
TO the east OF Main street, facing north, with
orders to be ready TO charge
Our Colonel, Charles B. Seidel, was in rear
of my company when Col. Eli Long who
was in command of the force, came riding
along the line About the time he reached
Col. Seidel az was getting light enough to
see al a distance) some Of us noticed bat
terry OF brass guns In position about $50 or
300 wards to the north. and while we were
stra ming our eyes to distinguish objects we
saw heavy line of infantry In support of
the battery. Col. Long said to Seidel:
Colonel, you had better hold your men
little longer, until it gets light enough to
seer
Just then some one said:
Look back there" and pointed to the
right and rear. We looked and saw col
umD of cavalry by-fours coming into town
on the gallop. They extended as far as we
could see. There was foundry and store
bonse of shells and torpedoes in the town.
We had poured turpentine over them, so as
20 be ready, in case Of sudden attack, to
fire them, aud they had been fired.
Just as the head of the column reached
the storehouse, which was brick, the first
shell exploded. Two more followed. and
then they began to 90 about as fast as dry
corn popping in pan. / looked around
quick, az i thought at first maybe the rebs
had brought up artillery, when l saw the
whole end of that building blown directly
at that column of cavalry. The head of the !
column scattered 10 the rear as fast as they
could 90. There were thousands of shells
and torpedOes stored there, and they made
the worst racket / ever heard.
Col. Long said:
Now is the time for us to get out of
here"
We started on what was called the Mount
ain road TO Chattanooga. The rebel line
extended across the road, but we dashed at
them IN column of tours and soon cleared
the road. The most of the command got
through the wounded, and few with led
horses aud the few ambnlances we had were
left The rebs closed right up after us and
tried TO make a running fight Of il, but the
mountain road we were following made it
seem easy TO send force ahead and pick a
place that could easily be defended. We
piled stones, limbs and trees in the road.
and then defended the works until. the
command could 6nd and prepare another
place. 1t was reported that the rebel Gen.
Vaughn had us cut off from Chattanooga
with his brigade, holding one of the passes
where the road emerged from the mountains
to the level cOuntry.-JoHKsoH TAYLOR,
Go. L, Sd Ohio Cav, Gallon, o.
10 be coHtinuedl
A CROW STORY.