The National tribune., 1900-04-05

town. we'll protected by barricade, and The
incoming train loaded with soldiers, gave
the boys such an Unexpectedly warm
reception that they came back great deal
faster than they went in.
| '.McCock, ignoring the advice OF his
brigade commanders to ride over them and
go on. drew back and thought to make a
detoUr to the left and get around them
without an engagement; but in this he had
reclloned without his host. Enough of the
| enemy in our rear to haraSS and retard
| our progress gave Wheeler ample time TO
throw his main force in our front.
Late in the afternoon We crossed the rail
road. and four or five miles farther halted
| in front of WheeIcr'S wel-formed lines.
and went into business. Again McCook
was advised TO cut through, outrun them.
and get away. His reply to this was that
was going 10 chastise them.
The result was that after sharp fight.
that lasted Il little more than an hour, we
were pretty badly cut up. Col. Jim Brown
| low, commanding u brigade, cut his way
through with about 200 of his command
manding 4 brigade. was captured with
most of his command The two pieces of
artillery, having fired their last round OF
ammunition, We're cut down and spiked.
The firing ceased all along the line.
by this fima we were completely sur
the fighting line and fell back into a field,
where the prisoners We're held that We
had taken. McCook called a council to
consider terms of surrender. Lieut.-Col.
Jones, Sth Ind. Cav, (the highest officer
left on the tield,) as he left his command to
report to McCook. gave orders to Mai.
Rcrring TO align the regiment TO the right OF
the prisoners and face TO the rear.
THE council was held in the saddle.
All officers present. except Jones, were in
favor of surrender, McCook and his
staff concurring.
Col. Jones stated that his regiment
would not be surrendered. McCook asked
if he thought he could engineer it out.
Jones answered.: L will engineer it to -
before l will surrender TO rebels McCook
replied: 4 will devolve the command on
you Jones told him if he wanted to get
his horse, giving orders to all that he passed
10 fall in behind the Sth Ind, also relieving
the guard in charge of the prisoners.
''On reaching the head of the regiment.
in a loud, clear voice that rang along the
full length of the line he gave the order,
in his saddle, leaned forward and frightened
his rein, drew saber and spurred his horse
TO a gallop.
THE solid column, sweeping down like
a tornado, cut 4 gap through the rebel
lines in breadth the full length of the
regiment. through tlilS gap McJoOk ana
his staff, together with fragments of rcgi-
mcnts and companies and stragglers, fol
lowed.
After getting well through the lines We
filed to the right and came into road
leading to- don't know wherc. A negro
standing by the roadside, on being asked
by Col. Jones if he knew the way TO the
river. replied that he did He was mounted
on q led horse and told to guide us through
under penalty of death
BY this time darkness had set in. We
rode all night, striking the Chatta-
hoochee River Just before daylight. with
Wheeler III hot pursuit. Owing to delay in
crossing the river, which had to b. ferri cd.
Wheoicr'S advance came up and opened Il
SkirmiSh with the rear-guard, which CON
sisted of two or three companies of the
9TH Iowa-all that WAS left Of the regiment
after the fi9ht"of the day Before. Their
horses were abandoned and the men crossed
over under fire. After all were safely over
T." fcrryboat was d, stroyed The com
maad then moved on, directing its course
towards Marietta. whore we arrived about
sundown on the evening Of AGg 5, with
Lieut.-Col. Jones still in full command. -
J. \. JONES, Co. \, 8th Ind. Cav, Alex
audria, Ind.