The National tribune., 1901-02-28

he had withdrawn the troops the General
''simmered down." and directed a contin-
uance of the retrograde march.
Without knowing it, we were still in
trap. Before the General had finished
telegTaphing from Greenville the wires had
been cut-a suspicious circumstance. Fos-
ter's Brigade, four regiments, probably
$500 men, had marched by a neighbor
ing valley road and gained our rear. OF
this fact We were in blissful ignorance
until We reached point near HendersOn's
Mill, probably 10 miles from Greenville.
We were moving in the following order:
Gen. Jackson, with about 500 infantry,
having joined the division, was in ad-
vance, Carter following Jackson and Gilt
ner protecting the rear, we momentarily
expecting Burnside's cavalry to dash into
our retreating column.
At dawn, Sunday, Oct. II, an unseen
foe fired upon Jackson. Concealed be-
hind trees In the dense woodland that bor-
dered the road, the enemy was at first
supposed to be merely q band of bush
whackers. Jackson's skirmishers almost
Immediately thereafter received furious
volley from the unseen enemy, and we
became painfully conscious that for
midable array of troops, not bushwhack-
ers, was disputing our right of way to
the rear. Temporarily there was some
confusion, the darkness of the early morn
ing and the shelter of the woodland IN
terposing somber vail between US and
the enemy. The dullest mind realized
that we were in a critical predicament."
The overwhelming force fought at Blue
Springs was, presumably, closely follow
ing US, and here were blue-coats, we knew
not how many, in our front, their speak
ing rifles, in effect, saying. Thus far
shalt thou go, but no further"
However, we soon went at EN-. Our
artillery gallantly rushed to the fore, and
began shelling the woods. "Old Cerro
Gordo'' also came to the front 'a-swearin
an a-stormin'," and forthwith ordered
jackson and Carter to charge, himself,
veritable god of war, waving his sword
and leading the van. He ragged and
gtormed at Federals and Confederates
alike, "in one time and two motions" The
enemy also began to use artillery, but
Cerro Gordo's impetuOus charge drove
them so rapidly that their guns were kept
on the jump" not having time TO turn
and unlimber.
The somber cloud of despair that had
overshadowed US now showed silver lin
ing, and visions OF prison he proportIon
ately vanished. The enemy never rallied
after the stampede began. When they
had "skedaddled" the distance of three
miles they foresook the main road, turn
ing to the left, and went toward Kings
port. A prisoner, afterwards captured,
said the Federals lost in killed, wounded
and missing 60 men in the brief hours
fight at Henderson's Mill. OF the prison
ers captured that morning some were
members of the 9th Ind. Cav. We re-
garded this little engagement as bril-
liant AFFAIR." feather in our caps, so to
speak We knew full well that it might
have been" different When the first vol
ley was fred from the woods at dawn that
Sunday morning / was badly scared, and
my comrades had "a fellow feeling"
Having cleared the road, we moved to-
ward Rheatown, where we expected to en-
Obj IN f.Sal for mon md
take a rest.
A noticeable officer among the FEEDER
ais that morning at Henderson's Mill was
Colonel. l am not entirely clear as to
his identity, but l think his name was
Mckee Dunn, commanding the 9th Ind.
Cav. Throughout the East Tennessee
campaign, and during Longstreets invest
ment of Knoxville, that officer and his
gray horse were familiar figures. He chal-
lenged our admiration, when, day after
day, he coolly and intrepidly rode along
our front in easy range of our Enhelds.
Having become accustomed to seeing him
thus appear,
His line to marshal and to range,
And ranks to square and fronts to
change"
our boys by common consent agreed not to
shoot him, thinking him too gallant man
TO be killed.
A ludicrous incident Of that Hender-
sons Mill fight was the capture of a
Dutchman by the non-combatant Commits
Bary of the 4th KY. Cav. The Commits
sary inadvertently encountered the Dutch
man and ordered him to surrender. The
Teuton, not seeing the matter in that
light, exclaimed: by tam, you surren-
der your ownself" They argued, threat
ened and demonstrated" until the Com
nissary, out-blufing him, finally took the
Dutchman in"
THE BATTLE OF RHEATowy.
Having had neither food nor rest since
the beginning of the conflict at Blue
Springs, men and horses were hungry and
weary when they arrived at RheatoWn,
about 10 o'clock a. m.
Instead of q restful observance of Sun
day, the tranquility of which had been
broken by the clash of arms at Hender-
sons Mill, we were destined to pass the
entire day amid the smoke OF a conflict
the most desperate, the most horrible day
we had yet spent in the war. There is a
limit to human endurance, and apparently
we had reached that limit, when the boom
Ing of cannon, the hurling of bombs and
solid balls suggested an overture before
the rising curtain, revealing another act
In realistic play TO be performed on that
fateful Sunday.
A strange scene in wari An unac-
countable blunder OF a gallant Generali
Troops going into camp, wagons parked,
horses unbridled and fed, while the en-
huls y NUnDOn htiG IOdliub anu SGuulIS
shrieking shells over our heads and solid
balls ricochetinG through the encamp-
ment.
When we arrived at Rheatown. the en-
emy, moving on our left flank, had taken
possession Of q gap in the ridge opposite
the little town, q dense woodland, extend
ing from the base of the ridge to our po-
sitioD, effectualiy hiding them from view
The troops now occupying the ridge on
our left were largely the same that had
gone TO the left, retreating from our front
at Henderson's Mill. Under cover of theiI
artillery in the gap, and sheltered by the
woods, they were moving upon US while
we were going into camp. Carter's whole
brigade, still on their horses in the road
were suddenly fred upon from the margin
Of the woods.
Gen. Williams was even having his tent
erected while the cannon balls were fyinI
ever his head and the advancing Federal.
were swarming in the woods A cavalry
man inquired of a comrade: What il
- does all this meanT' The other fel
low replied, Strategy, my boy, strategy
To which number one rejoined, Strategy
the devil!'
In view OF the environment / unhesi
tatingly indorsed the soldiers emphati,
expression. Rather than resorting to
suse de gserre, the Generals tactics indi
Gated that he intended to simply play
game of blulf-bravado. IL ever in m,
life / thought discretion the better par
of valor then was the time. We ough
to have continued our march as rapid,
10 sfcsa r.~fth =.