The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-03-03
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
ON THE pICKET-hIn
What Il Detachmen mt of the Saith Ohio Experi-
enced at Cedar Creek.

what a Detachment of the s4th Ohio Expert
enced at Cedar Creek.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE ~ detach-
ment of the Saith Ohio, of the Eighth Corps,
about so men, on Oct 18, went on duty on
the picket-line on the road from Middletown
to the ford of the Shenandoah River near
Front Royal. The detachment halted about
/ 900 Yards from the river About % men,
under the command of Lieut. George Watts,
was sent down the road, and halted about 500
yards from the river.
There was cleared field on the right OF the
road, where the reserve was posted In front
of the reserve was timber for 100 yards. In
front of the timber, on the right of the road,
the cleared land extended to the river. On
the LETT of the road the timber extended to
the river On the right OF the road, just In
the edge of the woods, was picket-post,
where / was on duty from to O'Clock IN
the evening. There was another post short
distance to the right of my post, also one IN
the road to the rear and left.
The officer of the day came around in the
evening and told us that Custer's Mich. Cav.
would go into camp late that evening in front
of US near the ford of the river. At o'clock
| was on duty again at the post near the
road The man / relieved said he could not
account for the noise in the cavalry camp at
the river. l could hear the tramplng OF
horses feet About 2:30 o'clock the fog came
from the river so dense that objects were only
visible few feet away.
At 3 a. m the relief came around. ] told
the comrade who relieved me to keep good
lockout, as I could not account for so much
noise in the camp at the river. At the reserve
all was quiet until about 4 o'clock a. m.,
L.. r.
lieved me, quickly followed by one from the
picket in the road.
The campfire was quickly scattered and the
reserve soon under arms and in line near the
fence, between us and the read We could
hear cavalry coming rapidly up the road.
They halted not more than 40 feet in front
of us. The fog was so dense we could not
tell friend from foe.
"What cavalry?" asked Lieut.. Watts.
Second Mich. Cav, /" was the reply. What
is this firing about ," asked Lieut.. Watts.
'' Your pickets thought we were rebels, and
fired on US, came the answer. The rebels
drove us from camp, and we are going to
charge and drive them"
About face, forward !'' was the command,
and they rode rapidly down the road toward
the river
Serg't Morford was sent down the road to
see what was the trouble. He reported in a
few minutes that the pickets were gone; that
the cavalry were rebels.
Lieut. Watts ordered the Sergeant to take
six men and replace the picket-line, the writer
being one of the six. As we went down the
road towards the river we could hear picket
firing some distance to the right, seemingly
in the direction OF Strasburg.
Comrade Drake and were placed on guard
at the post that had left an hour before.
The others were posted to the right of my
post. Our line was along the rail fence in
the edge of the timber.
The fog rose little at this time. We could
see heavy line of men in the field in front
only few yards distant Two men were on
horseback in front of my post. The Sergeant,
Morford, who was near at this time, said in
low voice: You and Drake shoot the two
men on horses"
But in moment the horsemen moved out of
our sight and the infantry line began to move
forward.
Halt 20 cries the Sergeant. "Who comes
there?"
Friend" was the reply, and the line
halted.
50 If you are friends, advance and be recog-
nized." " said the Sergeant.
"Who are yOu?" came the question.
34th Ohio" responded the Sergeant.
''Al right, 34th we are glad to see you"
Just then a line of men arose from the
ground and fired vOley into the woods.
We were SO close to them that we were in the
smoke of their guns The pickets fired on
the rebels and fell back. The rebel infantry
charged into the woods and their cavalry
charged up the road. The pickets fell back to
the reserve, where more firing occurred. Col.
Forney, who was with the reserve line in the
rear hearing firing, came riding down the
road to see what was the cause, and was taken
prisoner The rebels followed the pickets,
arriving in our camps almost as soon as the
pickets.-G. W., Co. B, 34th Ohio, Catawba,
n. Y.