The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-09-09

on the Chattahoochee, and were home on a
short leave.
About 10 a. m. we emerged from the tim
Ter into a wel-traveled road which proved
to be Jacksons old military road. Moving
on at quick pace we ere long sighted a
squad of some 20 militia
Draw revolyers and charge with the yell.
II they make u stand, scoot to the woods to
the right of road. If they make Il break,
keep the road and dash past them as quick
rs possible! !" Such was our commander 8
hasty order.
At them we went, and when within 80
yards opened out a yell which thunderstruck
the militiamen, and they made a stam-
pede for the brush. They were mostly
bays. We kept on until well beyond
our foe, then again entered the timber,
and travelled through deusely wooded
country till about 3 p. NJ, at which time,
from high promontory, we sighted the
Chattahoochee River, distant several miles.
Here four of our number thought we could
never reach our lines mounted, and wanted
to foot it the balance of the way. They said
gDef-bye and disappeared.
We soon cnme in sight of q foetman, and
took him in. He belonged to a Georgia
regiment was heme on furlough. and said
ne tiItl DOb Iittbd I'd FtuttfD bD Ills
for duty. He ted us that seven miles from
there, up the river, q company of cavalry
was guarding a bridge gave ms the name of
the Captain of the company and the number
of the regiment. The news OF Stonemans
defeat was sent all over the country, and at
every crossing on the river and every cross
roads soldiers were stationed. eff you don't
want to be taken prisoners" ne said, "leave
"a rIS4iy WV md l-nnY IT
the tlricl1est of the timber With him one
of our number changed uniforms. We now
had three men with rebel uniforms, whom
we intended to use as "rustlers for grub. "
We thanked our Johnny for his information
and on we went.
Next day we reached the river, and push
ing on along the bank, We soon saw smoke.
The three graybaclzs advancing found a
house where were two young ladies' They
swallowed n yarn told them about the three
belonging to the regiment at the bridge
spoken Of by the Johnny, and gave them
plenty of food We Travelled on down the
Elver.
Well, we nearly ran into large forces of
rebels more than once, and had other harrow
escapes from meetings that could but have
resulted adisastrously fer us. Bat after a
found an old colered woman who directed
us to bridge across the Chattahsochee on
which WIS a squad of Union soldiers doing
picket duty. When we got safely into their
midst we gave three cheers for Old Glory
and our Corporal who had led us through
rebeIdom. We crossed the river and found
n large force of artillery and infantry near
the other bank. We erepurtsd to the officer
In ctnnnIand.
We were sent to Marietta, % miles distant
with wagnn-train, made up part of the
guard j separated from my companions at
Marietta, and found the remnant Of ray
regiment. i met OEdery-Serg't W. W.
Cowles. Hello, Dennis" he exclaimed; !;
g where is the conEpany?" ] gave him the
story of the raid He would not believe me.
We found cur little Corporal, who c0rrubo-
rated my story. Soon tire news of Stone
mans disaster spread through the army at
Marietta; we were ordered to report to
Headquarters, where.w we told all we knew.
The day following our arrival OH four
conIruties whip had abandoned their horses
came in, footsore and ragged On the third
day Lieut.. Col Jenkins and five men came
IN, and reported 40 others q few miles out
completely worn out and half starved.
came in, nearly dead from exposure. Seven
teen days afser my arrival Lieut.. Rowcliffe,
of my company, reached camp, and for
weeks was prostrated.
Capt. Lupton and % men had been taken
prisoners and made to foot it to Anderson
vile. Three of them starved to death there.
l have always felt that if had obeyed
orders that morning l too would have been
in Andersonville. ! considered self-pres
eryation the first law to be obeyed. Accord
ing to the rules of war / was already a
prisoner, having been surrendered as such
by Gen. Stoneman. / with others had dis
obeyed our Generals orders and made a
dash for liberty. Hence when Iveson's men
came down on us l simply repeated the ex-
ample set me by my superior officers few
days beiore.-IsAAc c. DENNIS, Co. NJ, 14th
Ill. Cav, Burson, Cal.