The National tribune., 1900-08-30
"Where are your men to relieve mine:'
He pointed to his few men.
YANKEE PLUCK.

''Where are your men to relieve mine:''
He pointed to his few men.
YANKEE PLUCK
"You can't hold this position with those
few men"
Il can try" was his reply. "Other men
are coming"
We had not fallen back over 100 yards
when the rebels charged over that field
again. The little band of infantry opened
fire before they were halfway across. but
to no effect. On they came with that aw-
full yell; Our Colonel, seeing they would
surely drive the infantry, cOmmanded:
"3d Iowa, about-face; double-quick; !;
march,
We were no time in getting to that
fence. Our Spcncers opened a killing fire
on them. putting many of them out OF
service, as they rctreated in great disor.
der back across that open field. Those in
fantry boys were glad that we were on
earth then, and were not slow in acknOwl-
edging it.
Their men kept coming up now by lit
tie squads, until there were probably 400
in line.
At this juncture one of Sturgis's Aids
came to our Colonel with positive orders
from Sturgis for the Sd Iowa to mount
and move directly to the enemy's left
flank.
IbIth We went at h. mounted
our horses, and in less than 20 minutes af-
ter we mounted and formed we had
charged the line and turned their left
flank. Had our men in front and on their
right flank held out ID minutes longer we
would have doubled their flank back upon
the center and brought them between our
lines, making cross fire they would have
been unable to stand. But when we turned
the left flank they turned our left and
hr,lr pnrtn tt,,.nx. H.,
full against rs and between us and our
lines, necessitating our cutting our way
through their lines, which we did.
REBEL SUCCESS.
In joining our army we found it whipped
and greatly demoraized. Our artillery and
train had been captured. We moved off
the field in good order. Well do | remem-
Der the Colonel sitting his horse. saying:
STEADY, men; steady" 1t was place
where it took nerve to be steady.
The rebels having turned our own artil-
lery and ammunition on us, great big
shells now came screeching and scream
ing through thctair, exploding over us,
knocking the limbs of the trees down on
us, sending death and destruction on all
sides. n little to our right we could see
the men running, with the rebels after
them. After moving about three-quarters
VI d iIliic ht "nttitu IiltD INT anu
back to assist our retreating men. We
poured few volleys in the rebels that
halted them, giving our boys n chance to
get into some kind Of order. \ more or
derly retreat followed.
We fell back slowly to the swamp
There we formed line, dismounted. and
with the assistance of the balance of our
brigade and some colOred troops held the
rebels in check until Sturgis and his body
ri and what in trVyh haI nnI
ture could move across the swamp on the
road we built the night before.
CUTTING OUT.
As darkness came on the rebels with
drew. We gained the east side about 10
o'clock, went into camp at a cotton-gin,
and at daylight moved forward, getting to
Ripley about 8 o'clock, to find they had
us surrounded, and. as they thought, our
capture certain. But we cut our way
through and turned their lines right and
left until the infantry could get through
and out on the clear highway.
AT Ripley, where our brigade had cut
the way open for our defeated men to pass
the rebels were reinforced and charged.
turning the right of the 4th Iowa. About
200 of these infantrymen, without any am
munition, but with fixed bayoncts. charged
that line of rebels, scattering them and
capturing Is of them. Then began our
retreat again. We had to fight them foot
by foot and mile after mile without ammu-
milton, and charging with our sabers We
broke their lines and stopped their pursuit
until we got another start. This was kept
up until Sunday morning about o'clock,
when we reached Hernanda to find the
2lst Mo. there with ammunition and ra-
tions for us. So we had reinforcements
enough to make it perfectly safe for us
to halt and go into camD for n much- -nend-
ed rest and count noses to find out how
many men we had lost. The army was
little over 10000 when we marched. When
we returned we had less than 900.
HEAVY LOSSES.
Our regiment went out with few over
1000 men; returned with less than 100:
over 300 killed, wounded and captured.
We were certainly glad to get back to re-
Inducements this well off, for it looked to
me like Il mighty good chance to get killed
or taken prisoner.
Resting Sunday and Sunday night. we
broke camp, marched to White Station,
arriving there about daylight. where we
went into camp Monday morning.
1t was now necessary for volunteers to
go back, pick up and assist those who had
escaped capture. Two hundred of us, un-
der Capt. Kerkendall, started back that
forenoon, Travelled all that day and night.
camping just long enough to rest and feed
our horses.
The second night out we had gone into
camp, and were taking Il nap when around
came the Captain. saying in a whisper:
Get up. Don't make any noise. Don't
talk. Get your horse. They are sur
rounding u.s.
While two men kept fires burning we