The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-12-24
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades All Along the
Line.
The Men on Horseback.

Llu6s
The Men on Horseback.
n. Calkins, Union, Mo-, writes: We'll 40
/ remember one dark and rainy nignt, Wn,ie
riding with Gen. Stoneman's staff IN the
rear Of Lees army, in the Spring OF 1858.
that just as great, dim cleaning over tne
distant woods attracted our attention.
Haiti" sounded in clear, stern voice IN
our front. Over yOnder, beneath that renee
ton of camp fires on the dense ana Diack
atmosphere, Lees soldiers were resting AFTER
their work at Charlottesville. Ineir cav.
airy Understanding guard over their resi-
had halted us. He was quietly informed
that we were Virginia boys, out after the
raidiny Yanks. and had no desire to enter
the lines till morning. At dawn OF day we
were far on our way towards the fords OF the
Rapidan. That was an incident OF the night
after the day of Keenan's charge.
"The next day our then gruf comman0er
of the Army Of the Potomac offered nun
dred dollars for dead cavalryman! kee-
mans heroes then lay unburied where tnoy
fell, on the field from which Hooker naa
been 80 ingloriously beaten. What lnval-
liable services our cavalry rendered ina.
Summer as the two great armies moved
flank to flank north to Pennsylvania! Inc
Southern horsemen kept us on our mettie'
and we'll were they met at Aldie, Middle
burg, Upperville, and all along the mount
aims from the Rappahannock to Gettysburg.
And on that memorable field it was Johnny
Buford's cavalry boys that threw down the
gage and said to the Southern hosts, mus
far and no further shall you invade the SOIL
of freedom
sour deserving comrades Of the 9Th Ill
Cav. claim with us the honor of firing the
first shot in that great battle, the keystone
battle of the war. The greater claim OF nav
ing lost the first man, of first baptlzing tnat
field with blood, has never been contested
with the 12th.Ill. Cav"
Cedar Creek.
William Wilcox, Co. d, I'd Ohio Cav,
Grand Rapids, Mich, says: Our regiment
escorted Gen. Sheridan to the Gap for WASH
incton. Oct. IA, 1854. then told the boys
if Early found out he was gone we would
have an engagement before he returned.
He went to Winchester the morning OF the
10Th. heard the racket and hustled to the
front, IS miles, saying to every squad from
| the Eighth to the Nineteenth Corps: About
face, boys; we will clean them out yet.
"The cavalry were, as usual, on the ex-
IRENE right and left, Clusters on the right.
And when Capt Cranes picket force was
surprised and captured, the rebs at once
| opened fire on the Eighth Corps before they
were out of bed, rushing them back through
| and with the Nineteenth to the rear, some OF
them undressed. / called my company out
before daylight and told them If they
| wanted coffee to hustle, for we would soon
get orders, as the center was going back. A
little after a. m. the whole cavalry forces
on both TANKS were ordered to the front aud
center. We remained III line in sight, but
nearly mile from the rebel front, nearly
| four hours, when Sheridan rode past our
right and front alone and ordered the artli-
| lery what we had left about 20 rods to our
| immediate front, then ordered the cavalry
force all back to their old positions, which
we found occupied by the rebel cavalry.
But we soon routed them, and as soon
as we got on rise of ground we could see,
| to us. a yery pleasant sight Their skirmish-
| line in their rear and ours in our front were
moving up the Valley in very good order.
About shutdown our regiment passed directly
through where the Eighth Corps were sur
prised in the morning. There We found
many dead and wounded. Gen. Clusters
Division followed the rebs far enough ia
| induce about 500 of Early's men to 60 back
with us, and we went into camp about IL
o'clock p. M"
Battle OF Helena
M. DuPuy, Sergeant, 2sth Wis, Wau-
kesha, Wis, writes: In replying to Ed
mund Marsh, of ST. Louis, Mo-, will say
that the morning of the Helena battle was
still one, and the battle came as soon as tht
fog rose. The Confederates divided then
forces into three parts, and attacked stimuli
taneously at our right and left CENTER L
is the center attack wrote you about, as
could not see what was going on at oul
right and left. The rebels made dash q
our two-gun battery (C) as soon as they lef
the woods. / heard the order to 'Charg,
that battery then on they came.
Eve opened on them as soon as they
started on that mad rush, but they KEEP
right on and took the battery, and would
have taken Fort Curtis with the two com
handing Generals (Prentiss and Solomon) i
it had not been for the two regiments ant
Hayden's battery and the guns of For
; Curtis.
"As to the attack on our right and left
it was repulsed by the brave boys there, ant
the rebels never got Judgment.
at was the 18th Wis. and the LIST Ind
Cav. and Haydens (Iowa) battery that savet
the day at Helena, July 4, 1863, and
will not take it back. II Riley Jessup-
j Lieutenant, and afterwards Captain, Co.
33d Iowa-disputes me in my statements
and says it was Battery d mot Battery c
!. that was taken by the rebels that day
, Mr.. Editor, you can see how easy it is to o
mistaken"
Somebody's Son.
J. E. Hodges, Co. G., 22d ILL.,, Sedan, Ill
says "a neighbor Of mine recently receives
letter from Texas, which states that q d.
Wreathes, of Lone Grove, Tex, Surgeon il
the Confederate army at the battle Of Ston
River, Tenn, Dec. 81, 1862, had given t
him q silver watch and pocket Bible by
wounded Union soldier, color-bearer il
! what he remembers to be the 21st or %
. ILL.,, commanded by one-armed Colonel
The Doctor says the soldiers first name wa
James. He said the Bible was gift fror
his sister, The Doctor also remembers tina
the soldier was member of the Christia
Church, but he has forgotten where his HON
was He desires to learn the whereabouts
; the soldiers friends"
Scattering.
{ Comrade o. M. Allen, of Newport New!
! Va, has the files of The NATIONAL TRIBUN
8 complete, excepting the first six months
t which he wishes to sell.
: IMPORTANT TO ALL CLIENT'
4 /