The National tribune., 1899-08-31

in north Alabama, with Headquarters at
Decatur. Gen. Rousseau was following
Wheeler and pressing him hard. Our
brigade was sent up to meet him, and at
Pulaski Gen. Starkweather took command
of the force accumulated, both infantry.
and cavalry, and we went on to meet the
coming raid. while Rosseau was following.
At Linville part of our advance met the
enemy, and sharp fight followed. Wheeler
made his way on to Florence, and there
crossed the river from our side. we
had several sharp tits with him, and at
Florence he captured Capt. w. A. Camp
bell and a number of our men. There
were no braver or better men than Camp
bell He was kept in prison many long
and weary months, and saw but little
active service after this time on that ac-
count.
This was in August, I think about the
middle of the month. 1t was not until the
latter part OF September that Forrest made
his invasion. We were quietly resting at
Decatur, when a dispatch reported that
body of Confederate cavalry were burning
property at a cotton plantation near Deca-
Our Junction, and we were ordered to pro,
ceed at once and drive them away. Our
brigade was composed Of the I'd, Sd, and
4th Tenn. Cav, and Battery A, 1st Tenn.
Art The I'd was stationed at Decatur
the Sd was at Athens, while the 4th was
off on some other service; the battery was
at Decatur.
It was supposed that the command de-
stroying the cotton plantation property
was from Roddy's cavalry. We were
accustomed to fighting them, and knew
how to meet them. Arriving at the place
of the burning, with part OF the "a Tenn
(part of them were also on other duty a,
the time) under the command of Col. VIM
+. Prosser, we found the smoke and fire
but the enemy had moved on. By way Of
explanation, this cotton plantation was II
charge OF a man whose name is now for
gotten, reputed to be strong Union man
and bitterly hated by the Confederates.
II was only short time before We came
up with the command, or part Of it, and q
blow was given. 1t took no expert in such
matters TO know at once that it was no
Roddy, but another, as the manner OF attack
and defense was different. If Roddy could
hold us at long range, he had the advantage
and knew it; so his attempt was to keep us
at a distance. He had long guns, while
We had the short carbines. Our objec
was TO get into close quarters, for then We
had the advantage, and that was our tao
tics; so we understood each other pretty
well. These new men, however, appeared
to like the close grabble as well as our
selves, and met us in whatever way W,
offered.
We had perhaps half-dozen keen skir
mishes, they making a determined stanc
for short time, and then falling back in {
sullen way, until they were ready to stol
again. Just after dark we came to Athens
and, meeting with no trouble, went in al
quietly as if no war had been in progress
1t was but short time before we found W,
were surrounded by an overwhelmingly
superior force. What made the situation
worse was that we found that the regimen
occupying the town, and which we wer
mingling with, was the Confederate 2,
Tenn. Cav, while ours was the Uniol
I'd Tenn. Cav. The night was very dark
and it made bad mixing of things. Quit
a number of things happened that wer
very ludicrous, after it was over, in tn
mixing up that followed.
Col. Campbell was in command of tn
post, and had a force sufficient, as wa
thought by those in authority, to hold out
Our remaining there at the best meant tn
loss of our horses. So Col. Prosser, con
sulting with Col. Campbell, the agreemen
was made that the cavalry would get ou
willie Campbell should hold the place