Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-25
THE RIDE BY NIGHT;
CARRYING THE MESSAGE

Edward William Thomson.
Mr.. Adam Baines Is little gray about
the temples, but still looks so young that
few could suppose him to have served in
the civil war. Indeed. he was in the army
less than year. How he went out Of 1t
he told me in some such words as these:
An orderly from the direction of Meade's
headquarters galloped into our parade
ground, and straight for the man on guard
before the colonel's tent. That was pretty
late In the afternoon of bright March day
In 1865, but the parade ground was all red
mud with shallow pools. remember well
how the hind hoofs of the orderly's GAL
loper threw away great chunks of earth as
he splashed diagonally across the open.
His rider never slowed till he brought his
horse to its launches before the sentry.
There he flung himself off instantly, caught
up his saber, and ran through the middle
opening of the high screen of sapling pines
acre or so occupied by the officers quar- tiers.
The day, though sunny, was not warm,
and nearly all the men of my regiment
were in their huts when that gallopng was
heard. Then they hurried out like bees
from rows of hives, ran up the lanes be-
tween the lines of nuts, and collected, each
company separately, on the parade ground
opposite the officers quarters.
You see we had notion that the orderly
had brought the word to break camp. Tor
five months the Army of the Potomac had
been In winter quarters, and for weeks
nothing more exciting than vidette duty
had broken the mOnotony of our brigade.
We, understood that Sheridan haG received
command of all Grants cavalry, but cid
not know but the orderly had rushed frem
Sheridan himself. Yet we awaited the
mans temperance with intense curiosity.
Soon, instead of the orderly, out ran our
first lieutenant, small, why, long haired
man, named Miller. He was in undress
uniform-just a blouse and trousers-and
bareheaded. Though he wore low shoes,
he dashed through mud and water toward
us, in great hurry.
"Sergt. Kennedy, 1 want ter men at once
mounted" Miller said. Choose the ten
best able for long ride and give them the
best horses in the company. You under
stand-no matter whose the ten best horses
are, give EN- to the ten best riders"
Il understand, SIR said Kennedy.
By this time half the company had start
ed for the stables, for fully half considered
themselves among the best riders. The
lieutenant laughed at tEeir eagerness.
Halt. boys' he cried Sergeant I'll
pick out four myself. Come yourself. and
bring Corp. Crowfoot, Private Bader and
Private Absalom Gray
l remained near Kennedy. for 1 was SO
young and green a soldier that l supposed
l had no chance to go.
Hurry up! Parade as soon as possible.
One days rations; light marching orler-
no blankets-fetch overccats and pouches"
said Miller, turning; land, in choosing your
men, favor liShtweiShts."
That was, no doubt, the remark which
brought me in. l was lanky. light, bred
among horses, and one of the best in the
regiment had fallen to my lot. Kennedy
wheeled, and his eye fell on me.
Saddle UP, Adam, boy; l guess you'll
do
Lieut. Miller ran back to his quar- tiers,
his long hair flying wide. When he reap
fifteen We
trotting along the parade ground to meet
him. He was mounted, not on his own
charger, but on the colonei3 famous thor
oughbred bay. Then we knew a hard Tide
must be in prospect.
What! one of the boys?" cried Miller,
as he saw me. Hes too young"
Hes very light, sir; tough as hickory.
guess he'll do, said kennedy.
well, no time to change now. Fellow
me! But, hang 1t, you've got your car
bines! oh, 1 forgot! Keep pistols only!
Throw down your sabers and carbines-
anywhere-neveT mind the mud!''
AS we still hesitated to throw down our
clean guns. he shouted: Down with them
anywhere! Now, boys. after me, by
.twoS! Trot-gallop.'
Away We went, not a man jack of US
knew for where or what. The colonel and
officers, standing grouped before regimen
tai headquarters, voileyed q cheer at US.
1t was taken up by the whole regiment;
it taken UP by the brigade; it re-
peated by regiment after regiment of in
fantry as we gallCped through the great
camp toward the left front of the army.
Red and brazen was the set of the sun.
l remember it WELL after we got clear Of
the forts, clear of the bTeastworks, clear of
the reserves. down the long slope and
across the wide ford of Grimthorpe's creek.
The lieutenant led by ten yards or
He had ordered each two to take as much
distance from the other two in advance;
but we rode so fast that the water from
the heels Of his horse and from the heels
of each two splashed into the faces of the
following men.
From the ford we loped up a hill apast
the most advanced infantry pickets who
laughed and chaffed us, asking for locks
of our hair, and if our mothers knew we
were out, and promising to report our last
words Faithfully to the folks at home.
To this day 1 do not know precisely
where we went, nor precisely what for.
Soldiers are seldom informed of the mean
ing of their movements.
What 1 do know is what we did while
was in the ride. AS we were approaching
dense pine woods the lieutenant turned in
his saddle, Stacked pace Il little, and shout
ed, Boys, bunch up near mel"
He screwed round in his saddle SO far
that we could all see and hear, and said:
Boys, the order is to follow this road as
fast as we can till our horses drop, or else
the Johnnies drop US, or else we drop upon
three brigades of our own infantry.
guess they've got aStray somehow; but I
don't know myself what the trouble is.
Our orders are plain. The brigadeS are
supposed to be somewhere on this road.
guess we shall do big thing if We reach
those men tonight. All we've got to do is
to ride and deliver this dispatch to the
general. You all understands
Yes, sir! Yes, sir! Yes, sir!'
Its necessary You all should Hank,
now! We are not likely to strike the enemy
in force, but we are likely to run up
against small parties. Now. Kennedy, If
they down me, you are to stop just long
enough to grab the dispatch from my
breast; then away you go-always on the
main road. If they down you after you've
got the paper, the man WHO can grab it
first is to take it and hurry forward; so On
right to the last man. If :ney down him,
and he's got his senses when he falls, he's
to tear the paper UP, and scatter it as
widely as he can. on all understand"
Yes, sir Yes, sir!''
'All right, then. String out again.!
He touched the bay with the spur, and
shot ahead.
With the long rest of the winter our
horses were in prime spirits, though most
ly a little too fleshy for perfect condition
1 had cared well for my horse; he was fast
and sound in wind and limb. l was GER
tainly the lghtest rider of the eleven.
was still thinking OF the probability
that 1 should get further on the way than
any comrade except the lieutenant, or per-
haps Crowfoot and Dader, whose horses
were in great shane: ( WAS thinking NV.