The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-11-28


TO hcIp it. I do The best I can. How
many Yankee cavalry do you think
you are good for?''
'WclI," said he, "E've got eight
hundred muskets present for duty.
BY weeks time, as the boys get back
from the hospital, Ill have one thou.
sand. Well, with one thousand mus
kets, think | can take care Of five
thousand Yanks on horseback"
"All right" said I, "wait and see.
l hope you can"
So | got my breakfast aud went off
nightly ticklcd at the conceit Of the
Tarhccl: for Shcridan's Cavalry, with
Custer, Torbett and Devcns, were
about as good soldiers as ever took
horse or drew sabcr. We had drilled
them SO that in three years we had
taught them to ride. They were al
ways drilled enough to fight, and they
learned the use Of the sabcr from ne
ccssity.
Well, things went on as usual.
Every morning Sheridan would send a
regiment out TO feel Early-to drive
In his pickcts so as to make sure
where he was, aud to know where to
find him; and every morning l would
ride over to the Bcrryvillc road, re-
| establish nv lines. and get nv break
fast off Of johnson.
by daylight the 18th Of September,
scared cavalryman of my own com
mand nearly rode over me, as lay
asleep on the grass, and reported that
the Yankees were advancing with
heavy force of infantry, artillery, and
cavalry, up the Bcrryvillc road. Early
was up toward Stephcnson's s depot,
and Johnston and / were responsible
for keeping Sheridan out of lVinohcs-
ter, and protecting the Confederate
line OF retreat and Of communication
up the valley. In two minutes my
command was mounted Eve always
saddlcd up and fed an hour before
dawn and moving at trot across the
open fields to the Berryvillc road and
to Johnston's assistance. There was
not fence nor house nor a bush nor
tree to obscure the view. Away off,
more than two miles, we could see the
crest Of the hill covered with cloud
of Yankee cavalry, and in front Of
them Give hundred yards in 'front.' was
thin gray line moving off in retreat
solidly, and with perfect coolness and
self-possession. AS soon as I got to
realize what was going on 1 quickened
our gait, and when within mile broke
into n gallop. The scene was as plain
as day. A regiment Of cavalry would
deploy into line, and then their bugles
would sound the charge and they
would swoop down on the thin gray
line of North Carolinians. The in
slant the Yankee buglc sounded North
Carolina would halt, face to the rear
rank, wait until the horses got within
one hundred yards, and then FIRE as
deliberately and coolly as if firing vol
leys on parade drill. Tho cavalry
would break and scampcr back, and
North Carolina would "about face"
and continue her march in retreat as
solcmnly, stubbornly, aud with as
much discipline and dignity as if
marching in review. But we got there
just in time. Cavalry aids the Tar
heels. Certainly half dozen charges
had been made at the retreating thin
gray line, and each and every time the
charging squadrons had been driven
back, when the enemy sent their line
with rush at the brigade Of TaYheeis,
and one squadron overlapped the in
fantry line, aud WAS just passing it
when we got up. In another minute
they would nave been behind the line,
sabering the men from the rear while
they were. held by the fight in front.
But we struck headlong strain and
went through the Yankees by the
flank of the North Carolina, and car
ried their adversaries back to the crest
Of the hill, back through the guns Of
their battery, clear back to their in
fantty lines. In a moment they raj
lied, and were charging us in front
aud on both fanks; and back we won't
in hurry, but the thin gray line of
old North Carolina was safe. They
had gotten back to the rest Of the in
fantry and formed lines at right angles
TO tho pike west of Winchester.
[ rode up to Bob Johnston, very
pert as wc say in North Carolina,
and said: "rretty close call that, Mr..