The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-09-04

THE STRUGGLE At THE REAR GATE.
because after the column abandoned Trent
river and turned south Confederate scouts
and pickets were encountered at every farm
and crossroad. Some ran away, and II few
surrendered. 1t would have been marvel
Gus had no one sent news to the enemy's
camp of this bold expedition, marching
without supports or means of summOning
help. The opportunity was tempting, and
the blow was struck. On the day the bar
on invited his Grenadiers and Elites to
make themselves at home on Gillett's plan
/ tation, guided thereto through the swamps
by negro, Colonel William G.. Robinson
OF the Second North Carolina cavalry was
ordered on the warpath with detachment
of 200 troopers.
Robinson was an old cavalryman of
the plains and had married the daughter
of Captain Alexander McRae, one of the
heroes of the regular army who fell at Va
verde, n. NJ. McRae was killed in pistol
duel waged at arms length over IA gun he
was defending. His antagonist was for
mer messmate. The firing was simulta-
neous, and both were shot dead. With a
record of that kind in the family, Colonel
Robinson was not the one to mince mat
| tiers, however desperate the chances. The
| night was cloudless and lit by full moon.
| On approaching the farm about midnight
| the Carolina troopers disclosed themselves
to the baron's pickets, who quickly stole
| away to report their discovery without
| alarming the assalants. The Carolinians
up to the last moment counted upon a sur
prise. Colonel Robinson separated his men
| into three storming parties, who were to
congregate In the lane and Mt signal burst
through the fences to the assault One
party was to gallop directly to the front OF
the house and the Others to ride on right
| and left circuits to the rear. The signal to
start would come from an advance party
of six men sent forward to draw OFF the
guards in front, hut ut the entrance to the
laue-the cavllcade standing in line bacl,
on the road--a solitary sentinel was found
pacing his beat, unmindful Of danger, II
| not unconscious of it. A shot rang out on
| the quiet mir, and the sentinel fell dead.
The Carolina troopers were novices, too
| inpatient to maneuver and silence that
| vedette. Their shot removed a soldier, but
| It warned the baron s men that the pickets
who had abandoned the outposts in the
| face of advancing cavalry had not beer
| scared over shadows. The Grenadiers,
! Elites and Rifemeh stood TO arms, aud ev
| cry motion of Robinson's men passed un
| der their eyes The cavalcade was halted
| over 100 yards from the front yard fence
| when the signal shot came many minutes
| ahead OF time. Colonel Robinson echoed
the alarm by sounding the charge, but
only handful were ready, and the lead
ing troop galloped into the lane with but
fraction Of its numbers in line. Headed
by the captain and lieutenant, they dashed
up to the front gate. A sergeant and hall
dozen men of the baron's Corps d'Elitc
met them and received one round of shots
without finching. though the odds were
three TO one. The nssailants looked around
for their fellows and saw that the lane was
pare. Backing away, they found the other
storming parties halted on the road at the
mouth of the lane, wasting shots on tar
gets hundreds Of feet distant and yelled in
the misty moonlight.
Colonel Robinson rode back and forth
along the line beseeching the men to churge
and carry the work through before the op.
position attained strength, but the appeal
was thrown away. The soldiers had never
attacked hidden enemy, even in 50 limo
cent fortress as wooden farmhouse, and
they had just sense enough TO know that
| the first plunge had been taken few min.
| utes sooner than their leader meant II
should be and to argue from that miscar,
rage the doomed failure Of the whole nj.
isir. They wouldn't move out. 1hey
skulked away on the road and across the
fields. Finally the leader of the first dash,
who had once ridden up to the farm gate,
mustered few squads from several com
panies and spurred on through the lane
once more, The gate was not more than
20 feet from the porch, where a grenadier
paced back and forth on his guard beat as
grimly important AS though the assaulting
party were the commanding general and
staff ON tour Of inspection, The Elite
| Corps at the gate saw how weak the attack
was given and calmly picked of their men