The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1897-12-30
A GOOD STORY.
But the Author Would BE a Poor Man
to Write History.

But the Author Would BE "A Poor Man
to Write History.
Tho most desperate personal act l
witnessed during the war was perform
ed by Wisconsin cayalryman, " said
{. J. Hilton of Madison. 1T Mas at
Fleetwood Hill and the man discounted
the capture made at Giudad Rodrigo by
Charles O'Melley's man, Mickey Free
The Wisconsin man rode out between
two great cavalry torees-Union and
Gonfederate-anda attacked a lieutenant
and two men belonging to Jeb Stuart $
force, and after hand to hand saher
fight, lasting fully ten minutes cap
tured tho three aud brought them in. 1t
was the prettiest fight of the kind ever
saw, and the Wisconsin trooper WAS
cheered by every man on our side Who
witnessed his act and by some of Stu
art : riders. ] don't know who the man
was, but my recollection is that he be-
longed to the Second Wisconsin.
a man who wore the Loyal Legion
button said he did not think the Second
Wisconsin was in the fight with Stuart
at Brandy Station and Fleetwood Hill.
He asked for the story, however:
Il was member of the Eighth New
York - said Mr.. Hilton, land our regi-
ment was part of the cavalry command
sent under Pleasonton to look up .Iel
Stuart just before Gettysburg. w
found Stuart-yellow sash, black hat
plumes, gold spurs and all that-at
Brandy Station, and with him We're all
his riders The fight was hot one and
we came very hear being beautifully
whipped, although we claimed the vie
tory on the ground that we learned
what we wanted to know-where Stu
art was and what Lee was about. Some
Of the heaviest fighting Of the day was
at a spot called Fleetwood Hill, and II
was there that the Wisconsin trooper
captured his three men.
1--WE had been at it hammer and
tongs for two or three hours. when
there came one of those let ups you all
have seen-for all the world like tive
bulldogs looking for a fresh hold. While
both sides were waiting for the order t.
advance "A Confederate lieutenant and
two men rode out from their tents,
moving toward us as if searching for
something on the field. Everybody on
our side watched them aud wondered
what they We're looking for. The tive
lines were fully two-thirds Of a milo
apart. and the three had got about n
third of the way across toward US.
Then over on the right Of our line was
a stir and connection, and the excite.
ment spread along until it reached Us.
1.-The right Of our line was concealed
from us by little grove Of oak trees
A trooper in blue. mounted on "A tig bay
that looked and carried himself like q
thoroughbred, was riding out to meet
those three men i'll gray. He sat On hi,
horse like "a riding school master. When
within 100 yards of Stuart three mei
be halted, saluted with his saher an
dropped his carbine and revolver. IT,
three men from the other side had ht 1
watching him, and. understanding III,
challenge, dropped their arms.
Then came the fight 1t was sahel
contest, with three against one. Thai
Wisconsin man disarmed that lieuten
ant in two passes, hamstrung the hors,
of another and put his blade through
the shoulder of the third. He broughf
the three into our lines
"What do you think of that?" he con
Guided.
1.-The story is all right, said one q
the listeners, but l don't think yor
would do to write history