The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-02-27
RUN OUT OF CAMP.
Col. Stough's Presence of Mind Saved Xii.
patrick's Men from Defeat.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The recent
death of Brevet Brighten. William Slough
| from infirmities peculiar to old age at his
home in Bryan, o., calls TO mind one of the
most singular and thrilling incidents of
| Sherman's campaign through the Carolinas.
Gen. Slough was the first Captain of CO. II,
9th Ohio Cav, and through his knowledge
| of military matters rose quickly through the
grades of promotion to the rank of Lieu
tenant-Coonel by brevef. On this cam
paign the iaded horses of the cavalry, already
overwOrked, rapidly gave ont and their
riders were formed into detached body
| known as the dismounted brigade.
AT the time of this incident, on March 10
1865. over 300 men made up this body of
dismounted troopers, and Col. Slough had
been assigned TO command thea.
Gen. Fitzpatrick was strenuOusly putting
forth every effort to reach the Cape Fear
River without being compelled to sweep
Wade Hampton from his front in pitched
battle, and Hampton, with goodly body OF
Confederate cavalry, was desperate in his
frantic attempt TO keep constantly in his
way.
The dismounted men meantime were TAX
ing every opportunity OF straight roads and
short cuts across the country in order to keep
up with their mounted comrades The days
of March o and 10 were rainy and foggy, and
the columns of both Union and Confederate
cavalry were frequently IN sight Of one
another and skirmlshing was going on most
of the time. We marched well into the
evening on the 10th, drawing near Moore's
plantation.
We passed body of troops in camp two
miles out in the dusk, and between the van
rf oaoh l. ak<.r,, 81, -
leBge, What regiment is that?" One an
swered, g. Fifth Alabama" the other replied,
Ninth Ohio; but somehow the answers
were not taken seriously. Each rejoined in
a sarcastic, joking tone, THE - it isl"
and our regiment went on
Gen. Fitzpatrick and staff had come up
either before or right away after we arrived
upon some other road, and taken possession
of the farmhouse and all surrounding build
ings, and we were obliged to camp in the
open air. BY some inadvertency or over
sight In arranging and placing the picket
guard that night, the road we came in on
was left unguarded; il being considered by
everyone that the presence OF troops two
miles out was an absolute guaranty of safety
from that direction, we surprising, OF course
they were Union men. But the troops
had passed were detachment of the enemy
inst going into camp themselves, mounting
guard as we were passing. They must have
detected us, or found out soon afterward
that we were Yanks, for about 9 a. M, in
the solemn stiffness of the night, they swept
down on us and struck the picket-line where
Kilpatrick's body-guard had their horses
hitched, squarely on end.
OF course the firing was brisk on their
side, and there WAS not even an echo from
our sleeping camp. Finally an occasional
shot from our tents was sent back in return,
and as fast as the men could grasp clothes
and arms they rushed for the swamp in the
rear as fast as their legs could carry them.
This was also true of all who were attached
to Gen. Kilpatrick's Headquarters, every one
leaving with such precipitation that the most
important things were entirely over looked.
and the more unimportant were grabbed and
taken along.
Col. Slough, with rare presence of mind,
began hating the men as soon as they
reached the edge of the swamp, nearly every
man of whom had secured his carbine and
ammunition. A line was quickly formed
and added to until about 100 men were
counted off. Placing him-elf at their head
and in the lead, we charged the caRIp we had
so recently occupied. Like a thunderb0lt
from the sky was our descent upon the I'M
suspecting enemy. Oar rapid-fre carbines
at short range did terrible execution having
all the advantage OF the fires in seeing and
not being seen. We drove the rebels in
front and right and left They had loosed
every one OF the staff horses from the picket
line aud were holding them by the halters,
while others were seeking plumber in other
parts OF camp. Plunging onward until we
had them all on the rum and encouraged by
Stopgh, who, sword In hand, still maintained
the lead, we soon regained possession of our
partly-plundered camp and the Headquar-
tiers.
Gen. Fitzpatrick, in the meantime, hearing
the firing and knowing severe struggle was
going on around the buildings, and having
left his comfortable bed no more than half |
dressed, cautiously returned to find our own |
men in complete possession and much valua- |
BILE paraphernalia belonging TO his Head |
quarters outfit missing.
While the General and few others were |
taking an account of the missing stock a |
young lady of the house approached, and |
from beneath her shawl or outer garments |
proudly produced his battledag, saved only |
by her forethought in quickly disengaging
it from the staff.
For his sound judgment in so readily |
grasping the stution, his promptness i'm |
rallying the men before out of sight of our
own fires, and his successful descent upon
and rout of the oxultant enemy from our
captured camp, Lieut-Col. VIM. Slough |
was breveted Brigadier- General.
There was some talk at the time of mill
tary inquiry being held to determine who
was responsible for the unguarded road eft
open that night upon which the enemy
marched to attack our camp, but it never |
materialized.-E ]. WENT, Co. H, 9th Ohio |
Cav, Little Falls, N. Y.