The National tribune., 1899-12-28

) wide open, and we thought he did, Judging
from the speed he attained. We were all
in good spirits, and felt that we We're just
going out on pleasant trip. We believed
it was a false alarm. We We're then per
hapS 100 miles from the Federal lines. and
| believed it impossible for an army of Union
soldiers to be i'll that part of the country.
Our conduct on the train that evening
was more like that of a crowd of young
people going to a picnic than to a battle.
We We're all enjoying ourselves and fully
expected to return to camp that night.
The train pulled up TO the station at
Wythvile about two hours before sunset,
and we were then convinced that we
We're mistaken in our opinion. The
| Union soldiers were reported within four
miles of town. and advancing. There
were perhaps 1000 Confederate soldiers
there, but no regular command. l saw
and realized that was again in trap; for,
as | have said before, | had registered a
VOW in heaven that / would never fire a
gun against my country's flag, and here
| was ready to go into fight, and l saw
no way of escape.
There was detail made from the COM
pany to man the two pieces of artillery.
We had to be commanded by the Captain
and Second Lieutenant, ana the balance
of the company was given muSketS and
assigned to the infantry, commanded by
| the First Lieutenant. / being the ranking
Sergeant with the infantry, my place
was q! the head of the company, and it can
readily be seen that placed me in a very
responsible position. l will not attempt
here to describe the scenes that were now
taking place. Only those who have wit
| messed the excitement on the eve of battle
are able to fully appreciate the awfulness
of the situation. CourierS, whose horses
are white with foam, daShing in every
direction, the shrill and exciting command
of officers, the rattling of sabers, the blanch-
ed cheek of the soldier, make scene that
will never be forgotten by those who have
witnessed it.
Our orders were to march double-quick
north through the town, and attack the
Federal cavalry as they advanced. AS we
passed through the town women were
running in all directions. some of them
with children, trying to seek some place of
safety. All the business houses were
locked and deserted. Going north from
the town there was n slight elevation ex-
tending perhaps a half mile or more to the
summit, and when our advance reached
there the Federal cavalry was in line but a
short distance beyond. quietly waiting for
the line to fall back to the town, and at the
same time regular stampede commenced
in front. Our company double-qucked
back to town, and at the same time the
Federals ordered cavalry charge. AS
soon as they reached the summit they
into our men. The Confederates were now
in utter rout and confusion. Lieut.. Humes
rallied our company, and we formed on
corner of street, on the sidewalk, but not a
man fired a gun, though our Lieutenant
marched up and down i'll front Of the com
pany with drawn sword, ordering the men
to load and fire.
CHARGED BY CAVALRY.
The cavalry was coming as fast as their
horses could run, and | knew we could stay
there but a moment until they would be
upon us. was getting extremely anxious
for the boys to break ranks and run, when
our Lieutenant gave the command to break
ranks and save ourselves. You can be
assured this order was quickly obeyed.
The cavalry was less than two squares from
us. We started up the street and came to a
block, but closed and locked by folding
doors. A big fellow just in front of me
struck the lock with the breech of his gun
and the door flew open. About is of our
company got up that stairway and more
would have got in had not the cavalry been
so close to them. We followed the stairway
until we reached the third floor and stopped
in a picture gallery, but found no one in,
and | hardly think any one wanted his
picture taken, even if the photographer had
been there. The first thing we did was to
stack arms and get ready to surrender,
thinking tneTe was no way OF escape, ana
that they would be sure TO get us. From
our elevated position we could see every
thing that was going on in and around the
town. The ConfederateS never rallied, and
We're chased in every direction like rabbits.
1t really looked like sport for the Federal
soldiers. They would gallop across the
| fields towards a clump of woods or thcket,
and as they would approach them the Con
federates would jump out and take to their
| heels. They would fire few shots after
them and turn and ride back. While we
were interested in watching these scenes we
heard footsteps ascending the stairway.
| We punched ourselves together, ready to
approaching nearer and. nearer, when
suddenly the dooi was thrown open by an
officer with pistol in his hand, and two
or three of the boys exclaimed: ''We sur
render!'
They had been too hasty, for the officer
was none other than our own Major. He
replied g You - cowardly rascals, what
are you doing up here. Get your guns and
come down; we have them nearly whipped" :"
| The question occurred to me what he was
doing up there. No one paid any attention
| to his order; but he left and | presume hid
in some other part of the building.
! must not forget to speak of the part
| our two pieces of artillery played in this
| fight They followed Immediately in rear
of the infantry, and just as the Union cav
! airy reached the main Str( It of the town i'm
their wild charge, one piece commanded by
the Second Lieutenant had unlimbered and
fired one shot, when it was captured, and
just at this time Capt. Oliver and the
Orderly-Sergeant came dashing up the
street seated on their gun, the drivers hav-
ing jumped from their horses and turned
them loose. They came dashing around the
corner at a fearful speed and plunged right
through the first line of Union cavalry, and
had got square or more farther on, when
two of the horses were shot down, and as the
soldiers gathered around, Capt. Oliver,
mounting 10 his feet on the gun and swing
ing his sword above his head, said he would
surrender 10 no man but his equal, meaning
a commissioned officer. Finally an officer
seeing the confusion, Spurred his horse
through the crowd, and when in reach the
Captain handed him the hilt of his sword
They then started 10 the rear with him and
about Il square, Capt Oliver was struck near
the heart by a mimic ball and fell to the
ground dead. He exclaimed, 81 am killed"
and addressing the Orderly-Sergeant said
Take this ring from my finger and send it
to my sister and my watch send to my
mother" and these were his last words
The guard allowed the Sergeant TO stop and
take the ring and watch, and then left him
dead on the sidewalk His body was next
day taken up from the street, the Orderly
sergeant was paroled, and he took the
DOdy home To his friends, inear Richmond
for burial, and delivered the ring and watch
as his dying words directed. Twas shocked
at the news of his death, for though differ
ing with him on the issue of the war, ad-
mired him for his manliness, integrity,