The National tribune., 1899-05-18
A BOY LIEUTENANT.
Continued fro,a first page.l

Church. We we're all busily engaged
in cooking dinner, for nearly everyone
had obtained something extra for theil
bill of fare, when firing broke ou: OF
the cavalry picket-line. 1t kept in
creasing all the time. Soon a cavalry
man came dashing in.
1.-The rebels are coming! The rebel:
are coming!" was his cry. Others fol
lowed him. and the firing was growing
nearer all the time. Still. no one in oul
camp paid any attention to it; every.
body was trying to hurry up his dinner
Capt. Smiths Ben had the prepara'
tioHs for our dinner we'll advanced, and
the Captain ordered it served at once,
much to Ben's disgust, who was thereby
deprived of 4 chance to give the dinner
finishing touch and display of his
culinary skill.
CAVALRY ENGAGED.
The cracking of carbines kept in
creasing, and the fleeing cavalrymen
began to come in by groups. Many
were leading horses with empty saddles,
and many riderless horses came in with
the others, with no one to care for them.
Half mile from us, in the rear, full
division of cavalry were encamped, and
we could hear the bugles sounding " to
horse" A sharp command, Fall in, -
sent our men into line, and they left their
little dinners cooking ever the fires with
rueful faces. An increased rattle of
carbines with few. louder musket-
shots told us thatethe enemy had reached
our infantry videts, and that some of
our cavalrymen were trying to make a
stand there. Less than half mile in front
of us Co. A of the goth had been
stationed ON the main road as a re-
serve for the infantry picket-line. The
regiment was hastily faced by the flank,
and started on the run to their assistance.
Many of the men had snatched their
boiling-hot coffee from the fire, hoping to
obtain chance to drink it, but we were
ordered off so quickly that they all lost
their coffee. The distance to the in
fantry reserve was soon covered, and We
arrived there in time to see our cavalry
men driven in a disorderly crowd down
the road, through the ranks of Co.
A. We were obliged to get out Of the
road to allow them TO pass Co. A
opened a sputtering musketry fire on the
Confederate cavalry who were pursuing
the Union cavalrymen, and caused a
momentary checking. The regiment
was rushed into iine-of.battle across the
road and halted. The confusion among
the enemy's cavalry was only temporary.
coLoRED TROOPS FIRM UNDER FIRE.
They are going to charge. Here
they come! Now, men, steady!" were
the cries heard all around. The voice
of Col. Bates was heard above all the
confusion. His command rang out clear
and cool: Fire by rehabilitation,
ready-rear rank-aim!"
The charging column was fearfully
near-not more than 10 rods away.
We could see their eyes and the ashy
color of their faces as they saw the
leveled musket-barrels pointed at them.
But on they came. "Fire! Load. Front
rank aim-fire! Load J"
Atthe first command splendid volley
came from the rear rank, and few
seconds later the rammers were iinglinp
as they rammed the cartridges. The
first volley threw the enemy in confusion;
the second one caused them to wheel
and gallop back over the road which
they had come. Some of their horses
fell within 10 yards of our line; yet
not one of our men had wavered or
shown the least signs of finching. l
had fired my pistol with the others, and
when the dust and smoke cleared away
l expected to see the road filled with
dead and dying, but to my amazement
a dozen dead and wounded horses, three
or four dead men, as many wounded,
and few hats and carbines were the
only results Of our volley. We saw
some riders check their horses and pick
up q comrade whose horse had been
shot, and then ride off on an easy canter.
Our cavalry had rallied behind us, and
as the bugle sounded many riderless
horses came up into line, and with head
erect and flashing eyes they aligned
themselves as correctly as if they had
carried trooper,
Our cavalry passed through our
ranks, going at 9 smart trot in the
direction of the foe. In few minutes
the remainder of our division came up,
and with the 30th at the head of the
infantry column we started briskly after
the enemy, When we reached the
place where our cavalry had rallied
with the infantry videts, we found the
body of the Cavalry Captain 4 who had
attempted to check the rebel charge.
The body bad been stripped Of every
thing but an undershist A brOnzed,