The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-09-03
AT MILFORDS STATION.
CAPT. CHARLES T.. LOEHR's INTER-
EsTING ADDRESS.
first Description Of . Confederate NJ '""'
Important Engagement that has I'e'
Appeared in Print.

M account on tie Confederate side mas
o,,or hea, made OF this action, nor was
Tho s,orv Of Milford Station ever told De-
fore in print =. "a fol-
The full text Of the aaufeSS 10
lows: % ,oc. r,a,oner's old
CIt = ''o'. 90, &c exception of the IhiId
Virginia Regiment, maIcheu t.l'.7.. -,
streets of Richmond. lhcie Wa $500
extraordinary in the movement "a - v'p ~
during those days aIi1 ..S,,, 49, been
notic.d from the other commands VIM
uresrcesied or followed them 10 Jo1n ~
army of Lee in Us struggles Win 81,
Yet. there was one tn,ns sttention in
have attracted the spectators 49, Jsr 80
viewing the brigade as II passed. Tan
one OF the regiments carried coioIs t ,"re
were certainly not intended lol ~ g.
ate soldiers. These were hass tions ' 90.
sachusetts and New jersey, beside we
&c. and S,riues ia all its glory, the
spoils OF Drewrys Bun Deiue, VIZ
kemper's men gobled up nearly the "hoie
OF Heckmans star Brigade, pris ahi.i az.
staff inclusive. We marched over Aia3o
Bridge IN Fourteenth, Main, ana Nlhlh
strorfs 10 Bread street, where the men
came to a halt Here we fouhu Lous
train OF fat cars ready 10 take a patt o5
the brigade nCrthD ard on the Iien'"o''u
and Fredericksburg rallroDi' -
Most OF the men OF my regiment, INC
"Old First" had urgent business on hahu.
They were boz nd TO see tnclf iIIS.iuS ail,.
relations, and thus, II did not axe loIs
to reduce the su all regiment TO good
size COMPANY. link not more than NJ
Nv men got on that train wnen 10 started.
Besides these there were seven coihpa-
MES OF tho Eleventh. and nearly the
Hhole OF tho Seventh regiments, also
company of unarme0 artillery from Geor-
gia. altogether about $50 men on board.
THE START.
The train started about cIoch i,
M and with a farewell shout % our
remaining comrades we leil me uty !"
face again the eIerny. Just before leav-
ing. Captsin Reeve, OF MY company, came
up and entrusted 10 my care his sword
and blankets requesting me 10 ne very
particular so as not 10 loose them.
Tho company OF about ten men were
8 Z. NJ. we reached Milford Station. the
furthest point TO which the tram ran, ana
this was the last train That feachtd
there that season. We marched and malt
ed near the bridge over the Mattoponi
river some 800 yards west Of the depot.
Here We got our supper ana the GROUND
furnished us sleeping quarters The next
morning. Saturday, May list. opened with
beautiful weS ther, snd on looking around
We found ourselves organized as sept-
rate comma III under the charge and sub
JCCt to the orders IF tne Major, George
i NcTton, OF the Old First as command
erin chief (teing ina only field officer OF
tho brigade present., and orr Sergeant,
Major j. r.. POlak. was duly installed
as Authenticated and chief-Of star.
our command was further reinforced by
about twenty. FIVE c0valrymen who hap
pened 10 be around, these formed on
Major NOrton's stan. Tie regiment was
in charge of Captain Herbert DAVIS, or
Company Il. our cavalry reported tnat
the enemy's cavalry was close 70 BoWlihs
Green. and were roiding the 'ouhtty,
that we might expect q Nl8t rom tn0'.i
If almost any time. This put US %"
guard but let us believe that IT was only
"a cavalry raid We had 10 deal Win. We
were under this impression for sometllne
after the fight had commenced, Al AT
finishing our morning meal Nhlch ul.s
not take much time Major Norton ordeTru
the First Regiment 20 the station 10 He-
plOv around tho houses ana along lh-
railroad track. ! had my company togeth-
er in an old log blacksmith SHOP SNORT
distance east Of the depot. The dooi
faced the depot and a wooden shutter
opened on the back from which there was
an excellent position TO fire on the ad-
Vancing enemy with OupafatlNe s4lcty'
From Milford Station the road 10 Bowl
ing Green, about three miles distant
runs In a northern direction. shortly
rise Of the ground and east is a gradual
rse OF the ground and east OF tho ROAD
there IS a small hill. Milford station CON
sisted of "a depot engine-house a Few
anu 'T'fiTE YANKEES COMING
About 10 oclOck A. NJ. it was TO-
ported that the enemy's cavalry was COM
ing down the Bowling Green road ana
/ walked over TO one Of the dwelling
houses TO verify tie report. Seeing the
lady of the house / asked permission 70
deposit the articles cntruste1 10 my care
by my cartDin. which was granted. and
] thought l vas making "A satisfactory ar
rangement vixen ] placed The 1rd and
blankets ia the paTlOr OF that dwelling.
Having got rid OF these things, ] climbed
urCn the roof OF the front porch. on the
lookout for YANKEES. / soon saw them
coming a tearing down the road and
got ready 10 leave my elega-2d position,
when tie lady above referred 10 called
cut to "be careful or you Will damage
BY shutters / advised her 10 move her,
make il uncomfortable for her / be-
lieve she took my advice, ana finding that
time was short. / jumped down 20 de
ground, perhaps twelve feet, without
hurting myself. pLen seeing one Of the
enemy's riders who had stopped under
tree about 500 yards of, getting on his
horse and taking survey OF our pO-
stiOn ] took "a good aim al him ana
blazed away. with the result or seeing him
change base at double quick time Thus
tho first shot was fired. and the ball was
opened IN que form. Our little squad
prepared itself for the coming struggle,
and we did not have. long TO wait be-
fore a whole squadron OF the blue riders
charged towards the depot firing as they
came. But a volley from our rifles seut
them back in confusion, leaving several
OF their comrades and horses bleeding
behind. Twice more they charged. but
our fro was too much for them. then
they saw that they must change their
tactics. II they drove us from our posi-
ton.
4 GALLANT CHARGE
The y hole OF TOfbcrts Cavalry Division
was now before AS. DismOunting and
forming into semi-circlc. the enemy
surrounded u.s. coming closer and closer
and whilo thu firing was Kept up NJ
lively rate To relieve us. Major Norton
now ordered the Eleventh Virginia 10
charge and right CALAMITY these men did
their duty. Sweeping up the cnemys
skirmish line like a lot OF gFass-hOppers.
position I'm our front near the hin east
OF the Bowling Green road. Here they
opened fire The enemy now brought out
his artillery and tire first shot killed
stray horse near tho depot Then We
could see the enemy S infantry coming
up i'm heavy columns, and resistance was
no longer prudent. Therefore Major Nor
ton ordered the withdrawal Of his army.
His cavalry was ordered 20 notify the
= eycnth regiment. which was holding IT'S
isolated advance position, but 10 appears
that the orders did not reach them IN
time and over sixty Of the Eleventh
were captured by the enemy After n
stubborn fight OF nearly two hours, In
which we expended nearly all OF our
ammunition, we withdrew, slowly. in sin
gle file. Tho men moved towards the
bridge nearly surrounded by the enemys
skirmishera, the firing being kept I'D on
both sides. Near the bridge some of the