The National tribune., 1901-12-26
REyIvIsCEECE,

tar, lar away
There's where my heart is turning ever
There's where the old folks stay.
All Ilp and down the whole creation,
Sadly | roam,
S!ii! longing for the old plantation,
And for the old folks ut home
The sentimental guitarist, who had left
-iri behind him somewhere. softly played
auh sang ''Juanita," but was interrupted
hy the yioinist, who merrily played the
Hills of Tennessee" On three strings I'M
a. one of them broke, when he reeretfuIly
threw away the fiddle and the bow. \
zaiyhful .'darky," accompanying young
Massa" on the raid, got possession of the
i.anie and cheerfully played and sang
"iahdy Jim. O'Caroline;" then with a
far-away look in his eyes, he mournfully
sang,
III the clUrehyarI over yonder,
Where the crimson roses grow,
And happy birds are singing
An the branches sweet and low,
Where the sunshine loves to linger,
Aud the hrcczes softly creep,
There good old Massa's lying
In his everlasting sleep.
Hc laid him meath the willow,
And we shed a parting tear
Tor him who died and left US,
Oh, 50 sad and lonely here;
Then we left him there to Slumber,
And the gate was shut and barr'd:
Farewell to kind old Massa,
Sleeping in the old churchyard."
The sounding bugle interrupted the mu-
s;caic, and soon the cavaliers We're in
their saddles bound for Burlington Island.
cd Dick Morgan strategetically made
a dctour, going to Georgetown, toward the
Ohio River, reioining the column later in
rhe day. Morgan's line of march from
Cincinnati WAS due east TO Burlington ISL
and. generally not more than so miles
from the Ohio River, sometimes within 10
or 20 miles of II. On the day the Con
federatn cavalry left Williamsburg they
marched steadily, frequently encountering
and dispensing the militia. They passed
through Piketon, Jackson and VintGn and
before nightfall arrived at Wilkesyille,
where Gen. Morgan permitted them to
resi- until 3 o'clock the next morning,
July Is.
2'rnUbies now rapidly multiplied, the
nt;iitia industriously telling trees, destroy
ing bridges and in every conceivable way
TetaEl9ng M0rgan's march. The advance
guard had to carry axes 70 cut away the
biOGtadeS. It was one constant fight, not
with militia only, but with regular troops.
fHhe read described q seni-circle around
fUmeroy, situated on the Ohio River, con-
>eaucnfly Morgan's command was near
PoneAgy while travelling several miles
fbe town, and whenever Morgan came to
enc Of the by-roads he found an enemy.
tiere, also, the road runs Il distance of
ii.c miles through deep ravine, the slopes
of the bordering hills being exceedingly
steep. The hills were occupied by the
c;-ang. and MOrgan's men, marching
through the ravinc, had 10 run the gantIet
"f the cnemy's fire. With the 9th Ky
GOi. Grigsby went through at Il gallop, oc-
"asi06ally dismOunting his men TO dis
Lodge the enemy, then resuming his rapid
march. Maj. WebDer, with the ''Regu-
lars, brought up the rear. fighting the
whiir. The poet, slightly paraphrased,
"p'iy describes MOrgan's environment:
"a iriendless warfare! lingering long
Through weary day and night so drear;
Wild and many weapon'd throng
Hang on thy front, and flank, and
rear"
Even the women frowned, and their
Yr;uble speech was uncomplimentary. In
Otic Morgan's men saw no bright smiles
10 haunt them StilF'-nOr in Indiana.
he sorcly-pressed GOnfederates arrived
at Chester. about l o'clock p. m. July 1S.
;'md halted until 2:30, to await the clos
:;iG ap of the column, and. il possible to
ted guide, Gen. Morgan not desiring to
proceed without one. The delay at Ches-
.-T, about 10 miles northwest of Buffing-
a'Iie. The column did not arrive at Buff
f.agtun ford until after dark-too late TO
attempt the crossing OF the river. ps-
J.ecia.iy as the ford was guarded by prob
a;'iy 900 infantry and TWO heavy guns
protected by an earthwork. 4 serious
rendition confronted Gen Morgan, re
~5nrccful though he was. He was en-
c.-fnpGsScd 10y the darkness Of the night
a"d 10y an enemy increasing in numbers
.'yerE hour:
I.,ejr marshalleG lines stretched east and
west,
And frontcd north and south.
And distant salutation passed
From The loud cannon-mouth.
TIE NIGHT BEFORE THE RATTLE.
The conditions at Burlington Island
r9err 50 peculiarly complicated that
Shaii let Gen. Duke, second in command
ard Il conspicuous actor in the varying
rcrGcs of the last act Of the drama, tell
ib" whole story:
'Our arrival ~ Burlington ford after
narii involved US ia q dilemma. If we
1aiird 10 cross the river that night there
was every chance of our being attacked
Ua IA" next day hy heavy odds The
troops we had seen at Pomrruy were, we
at one" and correctly conjectured. a por-
ti"a of the infantry that had been sent
after uS from Kentucky. and they had
i'c"m brought by way of the river. which
had risen several feet in the previous
week. to intercept us. The General knew
that If transports could pass Pomcroy they
could also run up to the bar at BuffiEg-
tra Island. The transports would Ger
fdiHiy bc accompanied 10y gunboats, and
car crossing could have been prevented
ley thr latter alone, berause our artillery
ammunition was nearly exhausted. there
hOt being more than three cartridges 50
the piece, and of course we could not
have driven off gnHbo1ts with small-arms
Moreover, If necessary, thu. troops could
march from PGmerOy 10 Burlington by an
excellent road, and reach the latter place
IN the morning. This they did
Gen. Morgan fully appreciated these
reasons for trying to cross The river that
Iight, as did those with whom he ad-
Fised, but there were, also. very strong
reasons against attacking rhc carthwork
at night; ard witiiout the capture of that
5ortiticatiOn, which commanded the ford.
It ETould be impossible 10 cross the river.
The night was thoroughly dark. and night
attacks are always hazardous experiments.
mad IA this case would be extremely periI-
.ngs. We knew nothing Of the ground
taad could not procure guides. Our choice
of the direction in which to move to the
t1esck would have been purely guess