Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-13

troopers was kept up, and when the sun
began to hide its face behind the ALLIE
ghenies the cavalcade had made less than
half the distance required of it for safety
and rest. A few minutes halt was all that
could be allowed. The troopers dismount
and shake themselves; the wearied
horses MUNICH little feed, and the bugle-
call again commands ito saddle"
"Thirty-one and half miles since
morn, and yet % IL more miles before
dawn.
"Peremptory orders are transmitted 10
Hde over everything that oppose the
march and so, trot, trot, trot, through
the hours of darkness, and the wearied
horsemen peer through the gloom, and
In silent and anxious wonder gaze at the
spectres, the creation Of their fancy and
imagination, which in parallel lines ride
at their sides, and they scan the hori-
zon with anxious longing to catch the
| first appearance Of the much-desired
dawn, which might relieve the dismal
and oppressed forebodings Of the length
| ened night.
Sixty miles In twenty-four hours. No
| halt. Still twelve miles more.
Thousands OF busy and eager enemies
| and uncalculated dangers beset them.
| The bodies Of these hard riders begin to
| feel the trying effects of the rapid march,
and Nature raises a solemn protest
against the wars demands upon her
| sons. But the order for swinging trot
abates not, and man and beast, bright
ened by the rising sun, are put under
sternest tribute for stronger effort.
"Wearled marchers, the crisis is now
at hand.
Stuart and his riders had vanquished
Nature. Could they not vanquish man?
If Stuart crossed tho Potomac to reach
Chambersburg he must recross 1t to
reach Virginia, and TO prevent the latter
all the skill, energy, and genius OF the
Federal commanders was called forth.
"Pleasanton, who with Federal cavalry,
was hard behind the Confederate raiders,
had marched seventy-eight miles in
twenty-eight hours, but his wonderful
gait still left him in Stuart's rear, and
now that the point at which Stuart was
to cross was revealed, every Federal
soldier that could be reached was pressed
forward to dispute the passage. Whites
Ford was guarded, but not sufficiently
we'll to impede the rush of the Confede-
rates, and the Federals at the crucial
moment retired. and the way was opened
for the escape and safety OF the valiant
Confederate corps.
Twenty-seven hours and eighty-one
miles, No sleep; no rest.
"Galloping. fighting, scouting, and
ready to assail any enemy, with human
endurance tested to its greatest possible
limit-what think you, comrades. of the
conduct of these riders when out OF those |
three brigades only two men, either by
sleepfulness, hunger, WEAKNESS, or stray
Cling, were missing when, at noon on the |
18th of October, on Virginia's soil, |
Stuart called his roll to calculate his |
losses?" (Cheers)
FORESTS DEFEAT OF STREIGHr. |
When the applause died out Colonel
Young took up the story of Forests
attacks on Streight. Eat the end OF
April. 1863" he said, General Streight,
an Indiana officer, was designated by
the Federal general commanding the
Army of Tennessee TO prepare for a
raid into Northern Georgia. the object
being to cut the Confederate commune
cations by destroying railways, bridges,
and to burn commissary stores, ana,
above all, to wreck the splendid arsenal
at Rome Ga. 1t was calculated that
Streight's raid would require march
OF some 800 miles. He was given
picked troops. and, supported by large
force reconnaissance, 70 hide as long as
possible the real purpose of the incursion.
"Streight began his real operations on
April 18th, and by the 10Th General
Forrest. who had been ordered to pur-
sue and battle the Federals. was close
at his heels.
"The moment Strelght felt the first
stroke of Forests hand no realized that
a tireless and skilful foe was on his track,
and for ninety-six hours never by day
or night was the Federal column at rest.
Like some insatiate monster the Con-
general followed the Federal
column, and whenever and wherever
found it was a vigilant and relentless at
tack. In l64 miles he fought eight battles
by day and three by night, and in two
OF the latter, where artillery was drawn
by his men to within 100 feet OF the |
enemy's line, the only guide or light was
the fash of rifles or the blaze of cannon.
with horses dropping dead In the
roads, with men falling In the uncon-
sciousness OF sleep from their steeds. I
and with guns sliding from their para {
wed grasp, Forrest hunted the foe.
one half OF his command on the third {
lay was killed, wounded, or broken down.
but still, with only 800 soldiers he follow
I'd the Federal raiders and on May Sd, !
within twenty miles OF Rome, the OBJ
ective point OF the expedition, Streight I
md his 600 men laid down their arms {
md surrendered TO the Confederate Sene- {
al, who could then, after his terrible '
pursuit., muster less IMAM Ou lOllOWeIS.
every mile OF the 16i was covered with I
vars wrecks. Dead soldiers. mutilated G
.nimals wounded men and stricken {
,easts. broken wagons abandoned trains. I
nd scattered supplies told the story Of
he relentless and pitiless assault The >
asst forty-eight hours-four battles and /
inety miles marching, and three hours q
leeping! h
Surely, comrades. these deeds OF Ten S
lessee cavalry are not unworthy Of Con- s
ederate yalor." Il
When this tale was done there were v
more cheers and more shouting. Then n
no tale of Morgan's wonderful raid was a
old, as follows: d
MORGAN'S WONDERFUL RIDE. :,
"Onthe morning OF July 2, 1864. the d. h
ision OF General John H. Morgan. $500 r
trong. crossed the Cumberland river at Z
huntsville, Ky. Ninety per cent. OF the Il
len were Kentuckians under rs years
( age. .
"a thrill OF Joy passed. along the entire o
ne as the word Of command was given v
D turn faces homeward. The men OF Il
laryland, Missouri, and Kentucky were =
he orphans OF the Confederacy. and 10 .
hem home-going In the army days was q
'uest blissfuness OF life. 6
"Our regiment passed the river under n
re, and. as our clothes were in the G
ngle ferry-boat, while many swan with \
ne horses. we sprang upon the shore | q
aked. and as, with only cartridge-boxes | II
nd guns, we rushed at the enemy they 7