The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-06-11
MEMORIES Of A RETREAT.

MEMORIES Of A RETREAT.
| The 9th Pa. Cav. was in Rear of the Sed
Ohio in the Back Track to Louisville.
| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The 9th
Pa. Cav, who were fighting Morgan and
other guerrllas for one year all over Ken
lucky and Tennessee, were ordered to Crab
Orchard to guard the pass. We expected to
intercept Kirby Smiths advance into Ken
lucky. We were about one week or so in the
! field when our rations ran out, and we had
no supplies coming. IN
We managed to find some green corn, and
after living on that q week we captured a
lot of -four and hams. Then there was call
| for bakers. As my messmate was baker,
his services were required, and the writer
/ went along to n hakehouse in town. We had
been running the bakery business about two
or three days and all the barrels and boxes
we could find were filled with biscuits.
One night, about 10 o'clock, we were
awakened out of our slumber to saddle up
and fall back in haste. We had had several
small fights with Kirby Smiths advance,
| but now they were getting toe thick for
| comfort-so thick they came that we had
| not time to distribute our biscuits and ham.
| Many q man went away with tear in his
| eve because those light biscuits were left to
refresh the hungry and starving men Of
| Kirby Smith.
The writer had nose-bag which was
| empty, and thought it would be good place
for ham, He selected large one, and
| filled his haversack full of light biscuits.
Thus equipped he started to meet his COM
| pany and marched ali,night, and came near
running into one of Kirbys camps, thinking
| they were our troops.
Some of Kirby Smiths cavalry had got
around our front somehow, so we had to
leave the road and go through field and
woods all night until morning. When we
arrived at Lexington, we found a lot of
infantry burning up lohing and other stores
to keep them from falling into the hands
of Kirby's men, who were close behind us,
and soon were driving in our pickets.
Our troops pulled out of town as quick as
possible for Louisville. Then the retreat
began in earnest. Our regiment 10Th Pa.
Cav.) was the extreme rear-guard of the
whole retreating army, and the whole of Co. X
were taken prisoners on picket the first or
second night of the retreat from Lexington.
1t became hotter every day as the rebels
pressed US on rear and flank. Well do |
remember when we came up to the B ID Ohio,
III IUGlT UcN Suits anu UDiIcu
with paper collars. How the large KNAPP
sacks rolled off their backs when the rebels
got on our flank in the woods with two
cannon, and blazed away. The road was
strewn with new overcoats, blankets, KNAPP
sacks, and drums. ! ran acros, a brand
new drum, which / picked up and tied
to my saddle to talse to Louisville to send
home to my little 12-year old brother, who
was fond ofdrumming. l carried that drum
for day and half, but in charge OH the
rebels had to cut it loose. / had roll of
blankets back and front of my saddle almost
up to my chin, which had taken out OF the
SD Ohio's discarded wardrobes, which |
could not see fall into the hands of the
rebels. My horse packed them to Louisville,
from where / sent home overcoats, blankets,
and underwear, ali brand new.
Near Frankfort we came up with the coR,
mand. tired and hungry, and went into camp
near Headquarters. The writer aud one Of
his company went to nearby planters
house to prospect We went into the
kitchen, where the darby cooks were pre-
pairing supper. fz-5
We soon found, nut that privates need not
apply; that the dinfng-room was full of
officers at their meais. We could see our
Colonel and lots oflligh-grade officers eating
How L wished / were On officer But my
nose was too short to get TO that table,
made up my mind that I would have some
thing Itold my, partner to stand at the
kitchen door, and when the darisy cook
went into the diuing-room to wait on the
officers l would swipe the coffee-pot off the
stove.
/ did so, and we struck for the brush,
where we and lot more of the boys enjoyed
81 4 4lx.t -
the writer carried until it was worn ont.
don't know if my Captain was at that feast
not. AS he is living yet, he can answer
for himself. If he was he did not get any
coffee out of that pot.
The retreat went on all the same, and We
had plenty of work in the rear to keep us
busy until we arrived at Louisville We
camped there, doing scouting and picket
duty until BuelPs army came in. We led
the advance OF the army on to Perryville,
and our company Oh was on picket on the
hill.
We held the hill until we were driven Of,
when we assigned it over to the infantry
and artillery, and took the left flank close
TO where was a loud-mouhed cannon that
coughed up balls as large as buckets. Our
regiment was drawn up IN lIne-Oi-battlc TO
charge that cannon, and we manuvered
around awhile, but the order was counter
manded, to our salvation.
We were sent 10 retake a battery on the
left which had been abandoned In the fight.
No one had any objections to our taking IT,
as all the rebels had left. / always thought
Gen. Buell. was 10 blame for the slaughter
here. We had plenty of troops near by and
could have bagged Bragg's whole army.
We had him whipped already. Our regi-
ment fought on foot and horseback and sup
ported artillery.-GEo. w. BOWERS, COrpO-
raj, Co. III, 9th Pa. Cav, Wala Walla Wash.
Strong nerves depend upon pure. rich, red blood
Hoods SarsaparilIa is the only true blood purifier