The National tribune., 1899-03-16
HE GOT AWAY.
Did Not Want to See Gen. Wheeler as Much
Then as Now.

Did Not Want to See Gen. Wheeler as Muc1
Then Now.
$50 they tell me you remember somethin:
about Gen. Wheeler in the civil war, Major
What was it?'
''Yes, | do" answered Maj Page, "anG
while he and Gen Forrest would have beer
pleased to see me if they had known ! was
there, yet at that time and under the CIR
cumstances l excused myself from such q
distinguished honor; Snt l am going to see
Gen. Wheeler before / leave the city and
apologize for my absence when the roll was
called that afternoon on the 25th of Septem-
Der, 1864 in northern Alabama.
"You see it was like this: Wheeler Rad
crossed the Tennessee River as an advance OF
Forrest and was threatening the railroad be-
tween Decatur and Elk River. Gen. Rous-
seau had marched from Pulaski, Tenn, with
a sufficient force to intercept him. One very
dark night an important dispatch came to
our post-Sulphur Branch Trestle, Ala.-for
Gen. Rousseau, who was supposed to he be-
tween the Tennessee and Elk Rivers, west of
u.s. 1t must be delivered at once Col
Lathrop, commanding the post. sent for me-
Mr. Page, he said, / have selected you as
the bearer of this message. Take as many
men as you like and a guide. When will
you be ready?'
81 am ready now, Colonel 1 answered,
and eight men will do He handed me the
dispatch, saying: Whatever happens, do not
let this fall into the enemy's hands, and
rode ont into inky darkness and an unknown
world to me at 10 clock, toward the con-
fluence of the Tenne ssee and Elk Rivers. not
knowing by whom | might be halted, friend
or foe, for both were in my front somewhere.
1--WE were in the saddle all night our ears
strained for a sound, our eyes for the CLEAN
of a campfire or bvouac, q cOnntersign for
friend, Il - for foe In case of foe had
planned either the loss of a man or two and
the escape of the rest, with the dispatch, even
if had to be that man captured, or by
strategy the capture of the enemy's picket.
But the nj ght wore on without incident,
other than i'll gorge my horse lost his foot
ing on some slippery shelving rocks and fell,
almost crushing my foot. Daylight came;
sunrise, and we halted.
THE road we were about to cross was
beaten down by the hoofs of large column
of cavalry. ! advanced scout, who soon
returned, reporting that they were Union
troops and but very short distance ahead.
pushed on and soon over. ok the command,
now halted. Riding up to the fr.nt | de-
livered the dispatch to Gen. Rousseau. After
carefully reading it he asked: Where have
you bcen?' told him, briefly. for we had
been that night on his front, flank and rear,
from near the Tennessee, across Elk River,
fording it twice.
g" Didn't see anything of the enemy?'
"' No, sir.
"' Who your guide p
: This man., said /, pointing to young
coored man.
"' D smart niger, he remarked.
Any orders or instructions, General
None; you can go And remounting.
we rode on, passed his videts, and without
incident or alarm reached the post
''We thought the danger over, hut few
days later, sept. "a, heavy cannonading
to our south convinced US of the error.
Communications were also cut off Capt.
Randall and myself with a small SQUAD of
mounted infantry, were sent to ascertain the
situation.
ave found Athens, Ala, in the hands of
the enemy and the railroad torn up. Under
cover of trees and on foot, we approached
near enough to see tile square swarming with
graycoais. Early on the morning of the
18th their advance drove in our pickets, and
as their lines tghtened and nclosed us on all
sides we realized the odds against US: Eight
thousand men and Is pieces Of artillery; we
with 500 men and two pieces of artillery, an
odds OF almost 10 to !. But there was
never Thought of surrender,--I did not
snow what tie word meant, and we re-
turned their heavy fire determinedly.
= had command OF one piece of artillery,
The only one opposed to Mortons battery
Ftif. srtf i.ntt. H., Il
was toll. How true their aim was YOU may
know, Tor they Int our piece. once on the
lnder lip of the muzZle chiaping off half an
nch or SO of metal, demolishng the sponge
jucket and striking the axle, bat not with
ufficlent force 10 break it or disable the gun.
We kept up our fire. Often their balls
hey fired many solid shot-would whistle
trough the embrasuIe almost grazing the
,un.
After the battle was over / went ont and
ounted 26 distinct holes outside our lunet
nd around the embrasure That was fine
work for any set of artillerists But we were
o busily engaged returning these compli- |
nents as 10 be obiivIous to all other surround |
ngs Their fire had slackened or ceased. |
which we interpreted meant that they had |
nough, until an Orderly came and notified |
IS to cease firing, rs the enemy had displayed |
flag OF truce. That was the last gun fred |
rom that fort and by my orders After
living orders to repenish the limber-clest,
nd surveying the damage our angle had sus-
aimed, looked arounl that slaughter pen.
For our small force it had been carni- |
al OF death ; and now, standing at the door |
Coionels quarters, CnlonePs lifeess |
ody lag on the ground nearby,-I looked |
4 and listened. A council of war was |
eing held. Gen. Forrest had sent in his |