The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-24
The Night at Cedar Mountain.


The close of the day, August 9, found
us in position in the extreme front OF our
line. The enemy had fallen back and all
fighting had ceased. The full moon came
out. greatly aiding In caring for the
wounded and burying the dead. We slept
by our guns until about midnight when
an order came for our battery to 30 for
ward; pulling out in the road we started
in the direction of Cupepper court house
and the enemy. Passing through a piece
of woods we met lone cavalryman pick
ing his way to the rear. One OF the men
asked. How Tar ahead are the Yankees!
He replied: mo Yankees within hve
miles OF here
We moved forward, Generals jackson
and A. Pr Hill riding at the head OF the
column with Pegram. If there were any
other troops following ! did not see or
hear them. After going half mile or SO
we came to the open country. Here we
halted, jackson and Hill riding little In
advance stopped and seemed to consult;
Before us laid an extensive open PLAIN,
dotted with farm houses and covered with
heavy growth OF corn; not light was
to be seen or sound heard. Jackson
rode back, and pointing to the lett said:
Captain, put your battery in there ana
throw shell in the distance. we pulled
down the fence and went into position Oh
a little rocky elevation OF an acre or so
| in extent. At the foot of this hill. not a
hundred yards away, commenced a heavy
growth OF green corn that extended as FAR
! as the eye could reach. We had four
/ guns and opened fire by battery. fhe hrst
round woke up heavy body OF the enc
! my's infantry lying in the corn, anu so
/ close we distinctly heard their officers
ordering them to charge US. jackson salu
to Captain Pegram:
/ Captain, fire canister in that corn.
/ And how we did pour it into them, using
double charges of canister.
| For a short time We had 1t at all our
own way. receiving no reply to our hring,
and seeming to create great com usioi !.
! among the enemy, as We could near
wagons running at a rapid rate, and Oh
ficers talking as If trying to restore or
der which caused us to think the enemy
were retreating in confusion, and we used
every effort to increase the rapidity OF our
4 fire.
4 Presently our whole front blazed up with
the enemys artillery at short range, and
then commenced one of the most mag
J nifcent and destructive artillery duets
ever witnessed. The enemy seemed &c
have the range of our position almost from
the first shot, and burst their shells among
our guns so fast we could scarcely tei
when our iDN II D,e,eS went Uu. ~ iO'iNSN
as if continual stream of fire was so'he
and coming between the opposing guns
So accurate was their fire that one of theli
shots struck full in the muzzle of one %
, our guns. completely disabling It, Mel
, and horses were going down every mo
) ment. Every commissioned ofhcer was
working as a caDnonier in place OF mos
, that had been killed or wounded. A shei
,, came into our gun, taking the head en-
tirely off the lieutenant, killing anothe
man and wounding several others, am
killing three out of four of the gun team
This left us only three men and the gun
ner at this piece. We still continued. t
load and fire. Just as No. rammed
}, charge home it exploded prematurely
!. killing the man at the front of the gu
]. and sending the rammer in among the enc
e my, and blowing the hand off the man a
{ the vent leaving only one man and III
e gunner at this gun. Amid all this wrec
b and noise Pegram, who was then MIN
j the post of cannonier, at the next piece
y noticed that gun No. ! had ceased iirini
: and called to know the reason why. IN
d gunner responded only one man an
myself left Pegram said: Come owe
g here and help work this gun flnaii
: from sheer exhaustion, We slackened on
4 fire and then ceased altogether. ana ID
h enemy did the same.
II General Hill came up, and after express
: guns pulled down the hill by hand
. quickly as possible. as the enemy was
!, heavy force very near our front.
;, When We counted up the cost oil Tn
q little nights fight it was nineteen me
s. and one officer and over one-half OF
horses killed and wounded and two gun
disabled. We did not have to exceed Tor,
cannoniers engaged. We buried our det
by moonlight at the foot of the little en-, nj
cared for the wounded as best we coui
and laid low until daylight came. II
enemy keeping us continually on the ale
Re by firing occasional volleys Of mss ,u.,St
III tbiplt Hays' I,ouisiana) came up al
% Law in our rear When daylight came u
'e enemy had fallen back and could be s q.
OF in the distance formed in line OF patt
"A 90 n awaiting our attack. In the ear
l. morning we saw a courier coming at y
ed speed and from the direction OF the eh sap
g If the infantry called halt. He, seeii
III Mis- mistake, attempted to retreat, but
in shot from the infantry knocked MN