The National tribune., 1901-05-23
A FOOTRACE.
Excitement Attendant Upon the Capture of
Rebel Captain.

Excitement Attendant UPON the capture Ol
Rebel Captain.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Reading
''Bugle Notes from Dixie" by Geo.
Dallas Mosgrove, now being published in
the columns of The National Tribune,
recalls to memory some thrilling events
of my army life. MoSgroye's description
of the battle of Rheatown and Pughs
Hill is all right My recollection is that
was there, and l know that music was
in the air,
Had our whole brigade been engaged
in the fight at Henderson's Mill instead
of the 9th Ind. Cav. alone, Mosgrove
might have had a different tale to un-
fold. As it was, the brave boys of the
9TH Ind. Cav. were left to fight alone,
while We were back in the rear miles
away, cursing our i'll luck.
After the boom of cannon died out at
Henderson's Mill we pulled out toward
Rheatown, and a few miles from that
place halted; then the Sd battalion of the
18th Ill Cav. to which | belonged sneaked
up, dismounted, on 10 the ridge that over
looked Rheatown. FlatteniDg ourselves
to the ground, we awaited Developments.
Soon force OF cavalry was seen to our
right, on the road coming from the di-
rection of Henderson's Mill.
Then train of wagons hove IN slght;
| cavalry and wagon train came on into the
town leisurely, as though looking for
| camping spot. Quite a force of cavalry
halted in the road just below us, not more
| than 100 yards away, and we wondered
| why we were forbidden to fire on them.
| Pretty soon our artillery made its pres
| ence known to our right and commenced
shelling the wagon train. l saw the shot
| fired that halved the wagon Mosgroye
speaks of. The mountain belle did not
| see, but | think she was there all right.
/ have always thought that when our
| ~ chpllinp tho tram
then was the time for our brigade to
charge the enemy with saber. But
no; we on the ridge crawfished out, hast
ened back to our regiment, and then all
hands and the cook skurried up above
Rheatown. dismounted again, and formed
behind a rail fence close to the main road
| In few minutes the enemy came march-
| ing along, foot and horse, and we intro
duced ourselves with vOlley of lead,
| which somewhat ratified the JOhnnles.
| They were game, though, and soon took
| in the landmarks, and returned to us bull
| let for bullet.
| fence, trying to wing an officer who was
fiourishing his sword and seemingly Civ
| ing orders. Pretty soon | thought that
| the whole rebel outfit had made target
of me, and splinters from rails blinded
me. Like wOodchuck, l wanted to hunt
a hole / commenced to slide backward,
and as did so a man from Co. h, of my
regiment, crawled up to the place had
vacated "My God. man." said |, don
get in there, for the bullets are coming
so fast that the rails are on fire." L had
not got through admonishing him ere he
gave yell, saying, MY God, L am
| killed. and, sure enough, bullet had
caught him in the left breast.
After a few more yolleys from the ran
fence the word was given that we were
| 10; mi. .nI anl rushed. nell
nell, to intercept the move. BY the time
| we again sighted the enemy we were all
dome tuckered out" After 'em we went,
however. and made the boys in gray
hustle themselves. This was the Pugh' 8
| Hill fight. Capt Sam Duncan, whom
Mosgroge says was among the captured
| think l helped run down.
Our last charge we made over an open
field, then down a hill to a dwelling
house, barn and outbuildings. As we
went yelling down the hill the enemy
hustled from the buildings and up the
road they went to strip of timber, per.
haps a half mile from the house. As j
and several others got into the road,
rebel officer and a few men came from
the house into the road, and seeing MS
they started to run. Our yells to halt
they did not heed, and we commenced to
shoot as we ran in pursuit. The Captain
was not a good sprinter, for he could not
keep up with his comrades. He could
distance u.s. though, for we were wlnded
| fired six revolver and three carbine
shots at him as / ran, and the other boys
did as WELL We could see the dust made
by our bullets ahead, behind and around
him. Finally, along came some troopers
mounted. and overhauled the Captain just
as he was about to scoot into the belt oil
timber.
Coming up / asked the Captain if he
was not afraid we would hit him during
his race. ''Oh, no." said he. Some OF
your bullets came pretty close, but | felt
sure that you were so winded and eX,
cited that you could not hit barn door
And he was not far wrOng.-lsAAC u
DENNIS, Co. NJ, 14th Ill. Cav, Ferndale
CaI