The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-10-22
AFFAIR AT FLINT HILL
The LIST Mimi. Neatly Turned the Tables on
the Pursuing Rebels.

ing the rear guard eonGthe road leading TO
Vienna. ,d;i
1t was said at that time that Gen. Sumner
had summoned the CoIones of the different
regiments of the Second Division to ask VINO
would take the rear tthe forlorn hope) as
the regiment would be either cut to pieces
or captured.
Following the army through deep mud,
the regiment reached position near Cnah-
tilly at dawn, where we learned that jack
son had struck the flank of the retreatins
army the evening before, and that the gai-
liant Phil Kearny and Gen. Isaac l. Stevens
were killed in resisting the attack. :,
Here we halted the next day, seeing the
army moving off exhausted and dispiri'eu.
With them were sent such of our men as
were unfit for duty, reducing the regiment
to about 800 men.
Our brigade filing by us, the boys COM
menced Joking, calling out:
Come on, Bushwhackers Ia nickname
they had given u.s.. No struggling now; we
are going for soft Bread"
With two pieces of Battery A, lst II. l.
Art, we formed the rear-guard on that road,
and were carefully scanned during the alter
noon by the enemy's videts, who Increased
to large numbers before night, and for some
time kept UP continuous fire upon us at
long range.
Near sunset our pickets were driven in,
and as all the rest of the army had been
gone a considerable time, our regiment re-
tired some distance to the cover of wood,
followed by a strong line of skirmishers
Suddenly heavy body of cavalry formed
line near us, and a full battery came into
position near enough to sweep our line with
grape and canister. Col. Suly ordered our
two pieces to retreat to Flint Hill, more than
half mile to the lear, and take position
there in the road; and after holding back
the enemy long enough for this to be accom-
plished, he ordered the regiment to break
ranks, run for the guns, and form on them
as the center.
1t was movement we had often executed
on the drill grounds, but dangerous IN the
face of an enemy. However, in the dark
ness which had set in, this was done IN
celebrity and in silence. The two guns stood
in the middle of the road near the top of the
hill in strip of woods and hid in it's dark
ness The wings of the regiment were on
either side thrown forward, forming the let
ter V, so as to envelop the approaching foe
in cross-fre. Three men were sent out to
report the advance of'the enemy.
| Silently we waited, but not long, for the
rebs, finding the road clear, hurried on In
| pursuit Soon we could hear the unllmber-
| ing of guns, the commands for forming IN
| line. The three men returned Immediately
after, reporting a horseman advancing This
officer. as he turned out to be, did not dis
cover US until he was Nearly to the muzzles
of our two guns, and stopped by Col. Sully1s
challenge:
"Who the devil are you ?" he responded.
Col. Sully demanded again:
Who comes there?"
The horseman, wheeling his horse around
shouted: &c
"Take this and be, -" and fired his
revolver in the direction of Col. Sully.
at the same moment Col. Sully, in his
powerful voice. gave. the-command for which
we had been anxonsly waiting:
Ready Fire u ASSyoIley of canister
from the two pieces and of musketry from
the LIST MINI. made,| resUlnd the woods and
hills, and must have done fearful execution
Judging from the cries, groans, curses, and
commands, as those, EtSho were able dashed
madly to the rear, fastened by second vol.
| ley from the guns and the regiment.
Col. Sully gave orders to the guns to take
up the march again. The right wing filed
into the road again. Col. SulIy saying:
"They won't trouble US any more; they
The pistol-shot intended for Col. Sully
laid low the rIght-wing man of my company
! (A), Edward G. H0ff, who died, Oct Ia, al
Washington.
straggler, who had been taken prisoner
but who made good his escape at the ske-
daddle, and who joined the regiment next
morning, said the rebels left everything be-
! hind and ran for their lives; every cannon
was left standing there.
The greatest part Of our task was accom-
pished. We had shaken off the enemy
from our rear, but the danger OF being Gu,
off from the army was before us yet. A road
leading from Leesburg into our line Of
march caused us to fear this.
Gen. Sumner. hearing the firing, had dis
patched an Aid with the 18th Mass to oul
assistance, whom we met at the Leesbure
road. When the Aid reported again TO Gen
Sumner, the General asked what had beer
going on. The Aid reported that Col. Sully
had shown his teeth TO the rebs "Ah, thai
is Just like him!o Gen. Sumner replied.
When the 1st MINI. joined the 10Th Mass
a short halt WAS made, the boys lying dOwI
along the roadside. Here, through mis-
take. we lost five men. A body of New
York cavalry, having been on the left flank
of the army, returned by the Leesburg road
Finding the road occupied by troops, they
took rs in the dark for rebs, and determined
to charge through. As soon as they came
dashing on, the boys jumped up, and shots
were exchanged before the mistake wa
found out. We had five men wounded
among them Lieut.. Charles Tierenberg, O
my company, who died, Sept. IL, in Wash
ington The wounded had to be put on thu
gun-carriages till we joined the army a
Chain Bridge.
The list Mimi had the nearest picket-pos
to the right of Falmouth, on the Rappahan
mock during the Winter of 1S62-'63.
one-armed man, having the bearing of
soldier, had been seen going around Their
several times. He was questioned by tn
Sergeant of the post. Being asked if b
had been soldier in the Southern army
Eyes" He named the place, near Vienna
as that where he lost his arm. We called
Flint Hill. TO the question if he knew
who inflicted such surprise on the rebels
he said, "No." Beihg! t6ld that it was ou
regiment, he grasped the Sergeant's hand
saying: 15as8t
Although you are pay enemy, I mus
say you were the real stuff there. w
thought you on the full run; the artiller
and infantry were ready to give you part
, ing salute; and we cavalry were ready t
finish you up, only waiting for the retur
of that officer. But you turned the table
on us, and we had to swallow our own medi
. cine. We got it sosbadly and unexpected
as never a body of troops did before. Yo
; emptied 40 saddles of the cavalry, to whic