The National tribune., 1901-01-31
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON

were very close to us. and we opened fire
on them Mt once. When we had fired
few shots Serg't Nelson called to us to
come up and so to the west end, as he
feared that a rush would be made on that
end first, and he wanted all of us there
to help meet it.
We came up from under the bridge, and
had just got started toward the west end,
when the rebels first opened ire with
long and terrible yolley. One OF our three
men, Nelson, of Co. ii. was shot through
the back of the neck. When we got to the
west end we found that the enemy was
trying to charge up the railroad grade,
and we all stepped ont on the platform
we had built and gave them our fire,
which seemed to make them very eau
tiOus for a while.
The firing went on for about half an
hour, when the Colonel commanding the
enemy ordered his men TO cease firing, and
asked us TO surrender the bridge to him.
He gave his name as Col. Stearns, of the
LIST Tenn. Cav, &. :. ~. and said he had
us surrounded with over 100 men, and
as there were only 2'i Of us it was use
less for us to try To fight him. lie prom
Used to parole us all, only taking our arms,
but if we did not surrender lie would I'M
mediately charge and take the bridge and
would give us no quarter after that
The boys on both sides of the bridge re
piled to his offers some calling him all
sorts of names and some informing hlm
that if they had him by the neck they
would soon make him surrender.
The Colonel had n boat, in which he
crossed the river from one side To the
other, as his forces We're OH both sides.
He had very strong voice, and We could
plainly hear him giving his commands.
The enemy surrounded the little cedar
them cheer Justify as they took it, evident
ly expecting that a considerable portion of
our forces were there, but all of our men
were on the bridge before this.
After two or more hours of fighting an
attempt was made to set the east end of
the bridge on fire.
They had great many bundles of corn
fodder with them, and these they sat
urated with oil and made into three large
bundles on long poles. These were set on
fire, and three men CHobson's) ran with
them toward the pier, evidently intending
to throw them on top of it and thus fire
the bridge. The men OH the east end, I'M
der Serg't Makimson, let them come up
close with their torches, and then delivered
their fire, dropping all three Of the torch
bearers. The blaze from the burning
torches made it very light, so that we
could all see quite well, and the rebels
SttiEeu " Iau Ddth tuc NOctS.
After that their fire became weaker and
weaker, and finally ceased altogether. We,
thinking that they might be lying low and
preparing surprise for us, kept sharp
, lookout for the rest of the night, but saw
nor heard no more of them.
One incident happening that night, be-
| fore they tried to set fire to the bridge,
might be worth mentioning. On the west
end of the bridge there was about rod
| or more Of space between the shore pier
| and the river, and we could hear some of
| their men walking along there. Expecting
| that they would shoot up through the
bridge we scrambled for the top Of the
sill and in so doing one of the boys stepped
on q small iron mush-kettle left on the sill,
and it went rafting down amongst them.
| They, doubtless, thinking it a hand gren-
ade ran out from under the bridge as
fast as their legs world carry them.
When daylight came we went down to
examine the ground, and found one of
their dead, as well as number of guns,
revolvers and some well-filled haversacks
along the road. Later in the day we found
one of their wounded, a Sergeant, who
| had been left with n negro woman, near
the little saw mill before spoken Of He
had been shot through the right side, and
died 10 days later from the effects of the
wound. He told us that the attacking
party had consisted of four companies of
his regiment, the LIST Tenn, and a company
of bushwhackers, something over 400 in
all. Later on we found % of their wound
ed left along the mountains, and were told
that they had lost Is killed.
| On the morning after the fight we were
visited by Lieut.. Ford and his men from
WOodville. They came in with a freight
train, and you may be sure that they ap-
preached the bridge very cautiously, not