Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-19

giving hurried burial 10 their fallen
comrades under the piti.ess stars and by
the torch-lights unsteady glare. We were
ordered TO give the turnpike 70 the IN
faltry and artillery, and SO Rad TO keep
in the fields. At one time we moved close
beside the pike on the edge Of the hish
embankmont, while the infantry occupied
the roac way down beneath US. Just at
this point Tom WEeelwright's horse,
dosing or stumbling. stepped over tho
brink, and horse and rider went rolling
down the steep declivity upon the in
fantrymen. These brave men with mus
kets could stand the onslaught of Nc
Clellan's stoutest battalions urdaunted
and immovable. But this nocturnal ava
lanche this revolving horse and rider
rolling down on their heads-was too
much for human endurance. They broke
into momentary panic. Soon afterwards
Tom and his stecd returned 20 their place
in the ranks, showing but slight injury
from their perilous fall
A BUGLER SUBMERGED.
During the trip under General Wade
Hampton against Wilson's memorable
raid, / think IL was, We had occasion 10
cross Stony creek where 1t was quite
deep, and where the bank from which
we entered the stream was foot or so
high. In single file we forced our horses
down into the water, and the front feet
OF each horse as they struck the bottom
tended to deepen a hole near the bank.
The entrance 10 the stream thus grew
more dangerous with each horse forced
into it. When our company bugler's time
came to enter he spurred his trusty
mare down, and she, unable to extrlcate
f,xv Ill -, l,1r
momentum, turned over end for end,
sending the shuddering bugler and his
instrument headlong with & mighty splash
out Of sight under the stream When.
quickly he emerged above the food, IL
he had played US an air, it, perhaps,
would have been
Pull for the shore, brother;
Jordan am hard road TO trabel, be-
lieve'
but his busle was silent; he didn't feel
like playing.
SUDDENLY CHANGED.
In the long and arduous march during
the raid around the Federal army on the
Chickahominy we had an illustration Of
how a soldiers best-laid scheme may
sometimes gang aglee." We had at that
time q man in our company who had
marvellous facility for getting in the last
set Of fours. Let the company be formed
by DAY or by night, leisurely OF in haste
whatsoever or howsoever 1t might DO
formed this man was 10 be found In
the rear set of fours, az II resolved that
IN case OF meeting the enemy the dan
ger should come to him last. On the
above expedition, at one hour Of the day,
our regiment was IN rear. and our COM
pany the last in the line. Our man Of the
To- 81 - no
farthest removed from danger. Pre-
sontly, however. some horsemen came
dashing up from behind. crying, "The
enemy Is in our rear" and some dust In
the distance seemed TO portend hostile
demonstration from that quarter. The
order was at once given: "By fOurs. right
about. wheel" DRAW sabres." Our man
who loved the rear now found himself
facing the danger. and in front. Lieu
tenant" he cried, starting back from his
place, II belong back here farther" He
was told that he was in his proper place,
and must stay there. He looked solemn
and felt solemn, but a contagious ripple
OF suppressed humor spread through the
ranks Of his comrades near him.
COLONEL w. II. +. LEES CAPTURE.
Even in the stern, trying. anxious mo-
ments Of battle, the awe-inspiring, solemn
feelings that filled the soldiers breast
were mingled often with sense OF jrre-
pressible humor.
In the charge made by the Ninth Wiz
ginia Cavalry on Catlett's Station and
capture Of General Pope's headquarters.
amid the intense darkness Of an August
night, when dense clouds prevailed and
the rain fell IN torrents, 1t seemed for
time that complete success had attended
our sudden dash, and the immense wagon
camp was at our mercy. But soon
sudden volley Of n1usketry from the cover
OF the trees threw our men into con-
fusion. and threatened q stampede. One
Of our company sought q hiding place and
safety by secreting himself under
wagon. Colonel Lee, commanding the
regiment, was active rallying the men,
AMI getting them into line. Seeing
passing horseman, when near the afore-
said wagon, he called out, who is that?'
The man in hiding answered: Me. sir
surrender" What regiment do you be-
long tor" said the Colonel ninth Vir-
ginia Cavalry" was the answer. 1t was
long an amusing reflection TO our Colonel
that he captured at least one prisoner
that night.
SHOT AT GETTYSBURG.
On the morning Of tho third days con-
rlCI at GettySDuIs, Nulic NiHNH uF Az
line Of battle, with shrieking shell pass
ing over us now and then. and whis Ing
bullet following as an accompaniment to
the doleful music, when all felt grayely
serious. and momentarily awaited the
order to toin in the impending conflict; as
we sat there on our horses, pensive and
silent, suddenly a bullet struck our com
rade, Palmer. full in the breast. With
a groan he bent forward, and two men
assisted him away, as we supposed. 10
death and grave.
An hour or two later, TO our infinite
surprise and pleasure, here came Palmer,
riding serenely back. as brisk and active
as when at Office Hall the year previous
he scaled the side OF the ice-house and
emerged from his dusty burial. II had
been his fortune just prior TO the bat
tie TO enter a Pennsylvania store and 10
appropriate a package OF small blank
books. which he placed in the breast
pocket OF his army shirt. Tbs deadly
ball had struck those books, and his life
had been saved. The appropriation OF
private property by soldiers has In some
instances awakened regrets. misgivings,
and remorse OF conscience in their sensi-
tive breasts. II has never come 10
light, however, that Palmer has been
smtten with the least remorse. or in
dulged the faintest re.enting for having
conhscated those little blank books ,or
his personal use. and put them into his
breast-pocket
A SPEEDY RECOVERY.