The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-12-03
THE MINE RUN FIASCO.-

An Old War Correspondent Tells How the
News for the New York Tribune Was
Struggled Through the Lines-It Required
Both Courage and Endurance to Make
"Beat" in Those Days.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: After the
battle of Gettysburg, in July, 1863, the Army
OF the Potomac had been lying inactive,
hut on the 9th of October following Gen.
Meade was ordered to advance upon Rich
mond, and accordingly he threw his forces
acrcss the Rapidan River. The situation
on the evening of Nov. %, 1868, briefly de-
scribed, was this: The armies of Meade and
Lee were facing each other at Nine Kun,
near and. in fact, covering part OF the old
battlefield of Charlottesville.
The Confederate forces were posted on the
west bank of the Run in an almost lmpreg-
nable position on the rising ground. Lee,
as usual, had formed his lines In the form
of a crescent and in order to cover ms POSI-
ton our lne-of-battle was stretched out to
the length of six or eight miles. Our posi-
tions might with propriety be compared TO
another Gettysburg, with the respective
forces reversed, for Lee now had an I'M
mense advantage.
1t was known that Gen. Warren was to
open the engagement on the next morning
dI Q tClOC nc onO WV W 49,
line, and with him were six divisions or
more than one-half of Meade's entire force.
Everybody knew that terrible struggle
was impendipg. and the excitement was
intense.
But Warren did not open the battle on
the morning of the 30th according to the
program. 1t was decided, after most care
full inspection of Lees position, that ne
could not be driven from it without an I'M
mense sacrifice of life.
Early in the morning of Nov. 30 MT. A.
ii. Byington, then chief correspondent OF
the New York Tribune, asked the present
writer if he was willing to make an attempt
to ride back to the Union lines, wherever
they might then be, and endeavor to get the
latsst army news to that paper. Barkis
was willin'," of course. The distance was
rather less than 40 miles as the crow flies,
but the country through which we had just
passed was literally swarming with Confed-
crate cavalry and guerrillas. l had seen
two years. service in the 1st Conn. Cav, and
felt fully competent to take care OF myself
Gen. Meade had issued peremptory orders
that no communication whatever should 0e
held with the rear, consequently an Oppor-
tunity presented itself for the biggest kind
of beat-a beat not only of the big daily
papers that had correspondents in the field,
but of the War Department as well.
made an exchange of overcoats with Mr..
T. c. Gray (then on the Tribune, but Later OF
the Washington STAR. who owned gray
one, borrowed small compass from boy IN
the 93d N. Y, and hastened to the rear in q
cold, drizzling rain and dismal fog. The
compass proved of great value. for l dared
net follow the travelled roads, knowing them
to be patroled by the enemy, but rode across
the country in the general direction OF
Brandy Station, on the Orange q Alexandria
Railroad.
arrived at Germanna Ford without diff
| culty, but found to my chagrin that the
pentoon bridge that expected to find there
had been taken up, and the river, deep,
muddy and swollen by the late Autumn
rains, barred my further progress. At Ger
mamma Ford the river flows through can
yon. During long ages it has been cutting
itself channel through lofty hills, and Its
volume is now contracted between steep
bluffs which greatly increase its depths as
well as the velocity of its current.
In my cavalry experience l had often
forded dangerous streams, but my horse was
a green one, and had never ridden it until
! that day and neither whip, spur, cOaxine
1 c1DOi bdtfOuo CUulh hiAu " sSh-
ture in the foaming, ch0colate-colored cur
| rent The weather was extremely cold, 50
much SO, indeed, that a number of soldiers
had persisted from exposure on the previous
night, yet / pulled of my heavy riding
boots and outside clothing, and strapped
them to the saddle; tied my dispatches
firmly to the headstall of the bride, and
actually dragged my unwilling and shiver
| ing steed into the stream; but the strong
current soon swept us from our footing, an6
we were at the mercy of the waves. / tried
to guide nv horse with one hand while
chung to the cruppsr with the other, but tn,
poor brute was SO dazed with fear that b,
merely spun around in q circle. much ate
the manner of a cat trying to capture III
own tail. The current eventually carried u!
to the opposite bank, but at considerable
distance below the ford, where, after houn
dering among hidden powders, sand-bars
and driftwood for time, managed to effec
landing.
After emptying the water from my biz
cavalry-boots and wrinGing my wet clothing
and tue herse's blanket AS best / could ii
my benumbed, balf-frezen condition. man
aged, after fashion, to dress and remOunt
and rode due north as Hear as the conforma
ton of the country would permit. Ipresse,
forward with ali the speed / could, keepinl
about two miles, as l Judged, east Of tn
Brandy Station carriage road. My csurs
led me through forests and swamps, owe
rough hills and across cultivated fieldi
while at intervals conld be heard the distan
rumbling and growing of artillery in m,
| rear.
About three miles from Germanna Ford
discovered q considerable body of cavalr
moving south along the highway, but tn
atmosphere was so hazy could not max
out their uniforms. watched them from
wooded knoll until finally they depl0yed il
the direction of Raccoon Ford.
During the ride met a considerable mum
Der of old men and women belonging to tn
"peor white" class, as well as few negroes
but evidently they entertained no suspicion
of who / was. They were out in search q
articles cast away and abandoned by on
soldiers.
The country in the triangle between tn
Rapidan and the RappahannOck Rivers
wild and rough in places and at times wa
Obliged to make long detours to pass ravine
and morasses, and lost much valuable tim
in keeping out Of sight of suspicious bodie
of horsemen. No one seemed to observe m
actions, however, but if they had. there wa
nothing unusual in my appearance. nj
horse was a slow one. He could neithe
gallop nor trot, and both whip and spu
failed to hasten his gait. He utterly faile
TO comprehend the gravity of the occasion
. ured or frozen to death. The most convin,
IL IL