Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-01-14
"A GOOD STORY.
But the Author Would Be . Poor Man
to Write History.

to Write History.
"The most desperate personal act I
witnessed during the war was perform
ed by a Wisconsin cavalryman," said
O. J. Hilton Ut Madison. ut was at
Fleetwood Hill, and the man discounted
the capture made at Ciudad Rodrigo by
Charles O'Malley's man. Mickey Free.
The Wisconsin man rode ont between
two great cavalry forces-Cnion and
Coufederate-and attacked lieutenant
and two men belonging to Jeb Stuart's
force, and after a hand to hand saber
fight, lasting fully ten minutes, cap
tured the three and brought them in. It
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
arts riders l 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:
"I was member Of tho Eighth New
York, " said Mr.. Hilton, land our regi-
ment was part Of the cavalry command
sent under Pleasonton to look up Jeb
Stuart just before Gettysburg. We
found Stuart-yelbw sash, black hat
plumes, gold spurs and all that-at
Brandy Station, and with him were all
his riders. The fight was hot one, and
we came very near being beautifully
whipped, although we claimed the vic.
tory On the ground that we learned
what we wanted to know-where Stu.
art was and what Leo was about Some
Of the heaviest fighting of the day was
at spot called Fleetwood Hill. and il
was there that the Wisconsin trooper
captured his three men.
| 1--WE had been at 10 hammer and
tongs for two or three hours, wher
these came ono Of those let ups you ali
have seen-for all tho world like two
bulldogs looking for fresh hold. While
both sides were waiting for the order t.
advance q Confederate lieutenant ant
two men rode out from their tents
moving toward US as if searching fol
something on the field. Everybody OF
our side watched them and wondered
what they were hooking for. The tive
lines were fully two-thirds Of o mil,
apart, and the three had got about ,
third Of the way across toward us
Then over On the right Of our line wa
o stir and coinmotion, and the excite
ment spread along until it reached us.
"The right Of our limo was concealed
from us by a little grove of oak trees
A trooper in blue, mounted on a big ba,
that looked and carried himself like
Thoroughbred, was riding out to NEE
those three men in gray. He sat on hi
horse like riding school master. Whg
within 100 yards of Stuart's three mel
he halted, saluted with his saber an,
dropped his carbine and revolver. Tn
three men from the other side had bee
watching him, and, understanding tn
challenge, dropped their arms
"Then came the fight Il was O sabe
contest, with three against one Tha
Wisconsin man disarmed that lieuten
ant in two passes, hanrstrung the hors
of another and put his blade throug
the shoulder of the third. He brough
the three into our lines.
What doyou think Of that?" he con
cluded.
| Tho story is all right" said one G
tho listeners, but I don't think yo
would do to write history. "-Milwau
kee Sentinel.