The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-08-04

One wonders how it can be that a sol
| dier will fight like lion for hours and
! then run away like a cur but it is
| state of affairs witnessed in every war
| known to history. \ soldier will no,
refuse to charge battery where he
knows that he has only one chance in |
twenty, ard vet lie will run away from |
purely imaginary danger. In my own |
regiment. after / :, fight at Blackburn |
Ford, which preceded the battle of Bull |
Run by three days, private soldier
hung himself az night because he feared
he might be killed on the morrow.
How he could have reasoned out that
certain death was better than taking
chances on being killed is a puzzle, but
that is what he evidently did.
4 Battle and n Doublc-Pnnic.
Sheridan had inflicted two terrible
bows against Early before going into
camp at Cedar Creek, under the shad-
ow of the mountains, and it was not be-
lieved that the confederate chleftain
could rally a division within month.
Three ridges were occupied by the fed
erals with their first lines almost at the
base of Massanutten mountain. There
were such leaders as Crook, Gus
ter, Wright, Torbet, Merritt, Averill
and kitching, and the rank and file
were veterans and fighters. 1t seemed
as if the general in command of the VIC
torious army might take leave CT
absence for month and feel perfectly
sure that not a gun would be fired
against the camps. Early had been
licked out of his boots" as the reports
gave it. but he wouldn't stay licked.
, The pursuit after the battle of Fishers
Hill had scarcely slackened when he
began to gather up the scattered rem
nants Of his command for another light
. and in this movement he was sheltered
by the mountains. He realized that TO
advance upon the highways was to
, court defeat. as his force had been re-
duced to half that of Sheridans. He
, therefore planned move which per-
n haps was the bollest one OF the war.
Attended by ,ne of his staff, Gen.
q | Early one day made his way on foot
. along the crest Of the mountain until A.
:, could look down into the federal camp.
a He could count the guns, note the de-
| lthStS anu Btt NlS VI tiiC ichit.
: Cedar creek ran along the base of the
mountain, and Early determined to
march an army If men along that creek.
There was not even a hunters trail, and
. the side of the mountain was dense with
!; timber and underbrush. while the
. march must be made under cover OF
= darkness. All difficulties were over
come, however. Thousands OF men en-.
tered the woods at dark and made their
. way along foot by foot, as silently as
. possible and without lights, and morn
:, ing found them drawn upi battle lines
in front of Crook division. The camp
? sentinels and the videttes reported
strange, queer sounds from the noun
:, tain-side at intervals during the nj ght
but these were supposed to have beer
= caused by horses and mules wandering
about and were given no official atten
ton.
u An hour before daylight fog set in
. and this was a lucky thing for Early
Had it been otherwise the first 81 gns o
t. dawn must have revealed his presence
: Under cover of the fog he advanced hi
q line nearer and nearer, "ntil at one sro
= his men could hear tbs 1ederals talkin:
q to each other in their tents as the,
q woke from their sleep. A few federal
le were stirring about ard rebuilding th
q camp fires when there was a suddel
a crash of musketry all along the front
II and the next moment the confederat
s. lines of battle were sweeping through
'e the camps. There was no panic il
c. Crooks command. 1t was surprise in
E. stead of panic. Every confederat
II locked to be man seven foot tall j
r. that fog, and their advent was too sud
r den to create panic. There was
l. rush for the rear as fast rs men coul
'e roll out of thei.' tents. Not one in te
e was fully dressed. and not one in twent
j. had carbine or saber with him as h
II retreated. 1t was like a crowd rushin
lc across the street to get out OF the way Q
ie topping wall, or mob falling bac
le before the firm front of the militi;
g, Crooks camps were cleared in te
,r minutes. The confederates did yer
As little firing after the first two or thre
I'd volleys. They captured men instead c
Id shooting down. AS they got possessio
er of the artillery, however. they opene
y, on all the camps in rear, and by th1
ne time the fugitives had penetrated every
II, where and sowed the seeds of a panic.
or AS matter of military history, an
ic one giving rise to an incident whic
n will long be preserved in song an
h story, the beginning was anything bt
id heroic. Emory lay behind Crook, an
d. his men had time to dress and turn ou
u There was 10 holding them. howeve
OF Fugitives came running and shoutin
it and veterans Of dozen fights wei
90 knocked ont in = trice. As stood for
as moment in front of breaking reg
IS ment | saw no less than five men maE
as for a loose cavalry horse which can
P dashing up. All OF them tried to mour
ok lin, - on,a and all went down in