Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1899-03-09
HOW THEY AwOKE THEM.

~ PhOUASo buCuu, lOI LIE buOTm
was noticeably increased.
HOW THEY AWOKE THEM.
When everything was ready ID
waking process was commenced. Thi
brought smile to sternest of th,
"rebels' pres Mt. 1t was commenced
by several of the Confederates deposit
ing the toe of their heavy cavalry boots
to the sleeping Yankees anatomy JUS
below where his rear suspender but.
tons are located. 1t was, of course, @
great surprise to them, and for mo-
ment they seemed dazed, but gradually
becoming conscious of their situation,
they gathered up their blankets, and
were marched to the road. One of them
remarked that he had no idea "rebel'
was within 100 miles of them, and
consequently were taking things easy.
The Fourteenth was now up to the
advance, where the Yankee piekets had
been pulled" when the order was
given to form by fours, which made
every cavalryman know that charge
was i'm minent. Being in readiness,
the command commenced moving
slowly until we reached the top of
hill. Just below us on the other eide,
in large grove Of primeval oaks could
be seen hundreds of men in blue uni
forms, and equally as many women,
bus lily tngsged in arranging tables for |
the big dinner our guide told us about, |
chatting merrily and laughing bolster
ously, totally Obvious of our presence
and the impending danger and fright
to which they were subjected in a few
minutes.
A WILD SCENE.
All of O sudden tpurs were applied
70 our horses, and away we went down
The hill like whirlwind. The "rebel
7ell" n ever sounded fercer as it rang |
'ut upon The quiet morning air. But
Ibove the roar Of the yell could be
leard the screams of The frightened
women and the rapid Popping CT revol.
ers. The men were shooting up in
be trees. as half of the crowd women
nd the other half unarmed men. Such
scene as ensued cannot be described.
Dreaming women, men and women '
anning in every direction, armed cav =
rymen galloping about among the z
'bles, m any of them upset; the fright
Il yell intermingled with the roar of .
10 rerolyers, was s:mething that I =
ever tsw approached in previous or l
ter service in the army. ~
There were 1850 men in the camp, "
I'd an effort was made to capture them
the Sixt, enth and Seventeenth rsgi- r
ents keeping directly on, and moi par "
'ipaiing in the battle with the women '"
d tables, but they were unsuccessful, g.
r, leaving the firing, the Yankees ran A'
the block-house, which was about -
0 yards from their camp. they made -
show of resistance until safely en- !"
'ncsd in it. They deemed it place a.
safety. This house was made of w.
lie logs, and was about 100 feet in VI
g th, and two stories in heighth. 1t ~
s impen etrabls 10 our shsrpshootsrs, =.
o carrie d Enfield and Belgian rifles. 49, -,
rtholes were on every side, from o.. u's
ich the Yankees kept up constant .'
| dangerous fire. 10
Il ow were We to disloge them? was Wv
question, ~
six-pound cannon belonging to
brigade battery was brought up. -
WY it moved down among the great W"
rs. and every now and then their =
rp shooters would kill on wound one =
he cannonsers. A captain in the
Regiment volunteered TO
die the cannon. 1t seemed almost
ant death to have anything to do
| it. tr
THEY LET HER CO."
last proper range and bearing en-
gotten, and they 'let her CO." I eV
heard experienced gunners say ,
this shot was as fne as any thsy wi
saw I ssw it shattsr the logs,and IN, en-
moment smoek was isssring from he,
; erevics, and terrible wall Of ma m.