Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-05-15

around to see what had become of
my old friend, and to my disgust.
| discovered, that be aud the grey
mare were still wedged between the
tree and the Yellow Tavern. Turn
ing in my saddle, and speaking in
an undertOne, not dreaming that
anyone could hear me except the old
man, | began, begging aud implor-
ing him TO come from behind the
tree, and In no uncertain tones told
him he was coward and ought TO
be ashamed of himself, and so on.
Turning my head in the direction of
the troop again, to my amazement
and modification found the whole
party had overheard everything
had said, and were greatly amused.
General Stuart who was riding
superbly handsome bay horse. had
thrown his leg over the saddle. and
was ia the act of writing "A dispatch.
Captain Walter Hulliheu. of General
LomaX's staff. was with this party.
After General Stuart had finished
writing the dispatch, he turned TO
Captain Hulihen and said. "Do Won
know that boy?" Captain Hull
hens answer was do. He belongs
to Company "D" of the 9th. Then
General Stuart said. "here. Young
man, take this TO General Lomax as
quickly rs you can. aud tell him 20
send it TO General Lee.
BY this time the firing had become
very brisk. After asking Captain
IIulhhen where could find General
Lomax. | started in full run back
down the ChickahomIny road. /
had not gone more than few hun
bred yards when, or the left, one of
our batteries, supported 10y the dis
mounted men Of the 9th Cavalry,
began Smelling the enemy, aud the
fire from the enemy's artillery was
equally "a brisk a. ours. The shells
were flying all over the road. some
of them exploding very near me,
when, to INV horror, my beautiful
horse, which had captured in the
Wilderness, aud which. 10y the way.
had been shot In the neck, refused to
bulge with me, Notwithstanding the
fact that | used my spurs most viz
OF Ously. He still refused 10 move.
Drawing my saber, ! began to beat
him most numerically. This too
had no effect, and in my desperation
and anger, | deliberately struck him
over the head with the saber, and
knocked him down on all tours. To
my great delight he then Jumped up
aud took me back TO General LomaX,
who was about quarter of mile
distant, ghting with the balance of
his brigade, aud to whom gave the
dispatch. Not knowing what furth-
er to do, | said, General, shall | 60
back TO General Stuart" His an
swer WAS, "You certainly can't 90
back to where you left General Stuart.
You had therefore better return to
your squadron, which you will find
down Oh this road (the Chicahominy)
about three hundred yards in the
rear, acting as support for these dis
mounted men" Taking my place
in ranks, by the side of that immor-
tai hero, Tread Smith, carelessly
dismounted, aud held my horse by
the halter strap. He, being an old
soldier, told me | should always hold
my horse by the bride instead of by
the halter strap. He had scarcely
uttered the sentence, when a courier
coming at lightning like pace,
shouted, "bring that squadron up
here quickly!" Immediately the
command wss given to mount, draw
saber and gallop. Off, we started
| had not gone a hundred yards be-
fore the pace was quickened to 1
dead run. All at once In the hurry
and furry of the moment, the haltel
strap dropped from my horses head
and my horse fell with me. | wa:
thrownagainst p plank fence andbadl,
stunned. When recovered conscious
ness, found, to my chagrln, that il