Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-13
nIct; and thus began the 1.oOo-mlIe march

fict; and thus began the 1,ooo-mlJs march
which constituted Morgan's raid.
"The next ten days were days and
nights OF incessant lighting, marching
and watching, and the night of the 18th
of july found Morgan and his men CO
miles north Of the Ohio river, and far
into the State OF Indiana. The average
march for all these days had been 20
miles, In the midst Of sitting dust and
fercest heat and constant battle.
ION the 18th the command made IS
miles. although this was the eleventh day
In the saddle.
Scattering along I'm the fence-corners
for four miles, at road-crossing, the
Confederate raiders caught a few hours
sleep. A subtle and mysterious instinct
came to them that the morrow demanded
heroic work. and that during it's hours
they were TO attempt the longest con-
tinuous cavalry march OF the worIo; that
Fate was to put upon them the task
OF excelling human record after they had
been marching and fighting for eleven
days.
There was no unsaddling. Twenty
five hundred Federal troops were only
two and a half miles away, and every
man lay with his wearied arm upon his
gun. We were 400 miles In the enemy's
country, beset on every side with forces
sent out for our capture, guides always
unfriendly and treacherous, roads block
AIDED, and ambuscades frequent and
strong. A column three miles long, al
ready encountered with more than
hundred sick and wounded; well might
men ask: Can this thing be done?
"At sunrise the command TO mount was
given, and out into the dusty roads, be-
meath the hot July sun, the men rode. BY
o'clock thirty miles were done, across
the White river into Harrison, o., and as
the blazes which consumed the great
bridge there lifted their kissing tongues
into the air. the advance guard Of the
pudsuers exchanged shots with our rear
guard.
'At midnight fifty-fve miles had been
measured by the ceaseless tramp Of tho
wearied steeds. One hundred and forty
four thousand steps they had already
taken, and yet more than 10000 were re-
quired before they could rest their tired
limbs. and we'll might they inquire, as
their rides still spurred onward: Masters,
masters. be we men or be we devils. which
exact from your beasts such unseemiy
toll
"As the intense darkness which pre-
cedes the coming day enveloped the
column, the strain became terrible.
Horses sank down in death with their
riders still astride, urging them forward,
and strong men fell from beasts as il
smitten by sudden death. Hundreds of
the men dashed themselves to the sad
dies while fighting the assaults Of sleep.
Constant closing up kept a large proper
ton of the column in a gallop and here
and there 1t became necessary with
70 oxy1
knees. and by the tracks determine on
which road the vanguard had ridden.
Comrades dismounted by broken down
steeds, walked in the line, keeping pace
with the horses, while others sprang |
behind their companions until con-
yenient stable would provide new |
mount.
"By 2 A. NJ. the dead-line at Glendale
was passed, and now General Burnside, |
With his $1,000 men at Cincinnati, by |
General Morgan's strategy, had lost his |
chance TO check the invader.
"But safety was not yet assured. Large |
bodies of infantry were close at hand. |
rhe herculean task had not been accom-
,lished, and another thrty-sight miles
must be covered before solid rest should
DO attainable.
"And so, on and on and on, until an
,ther sun was nearly set, and at o'clock
n the afternoon Of the l4th, the stagger-
ng column reached Williamsburg, o.,
Ind camped for the night; and the great
st single cavalry march Of the world
anne to an end. Ninety-ive and a quar-
er miles in thirty-two hours. Surely such
work as this was not unworthy OF what
he Confederacy asked of her sons.
Men stood helpless with fatigue. They
lept standing, and in eating, would sink
nto slumber with the food unswallowed
n their mouths. But it was a great
riumph for Confederate cavalry, and
mid all its horrors it was worth much
o realize that the limit OF human en-
urance had been lifted many degrees
(Cheersl