The National tribune., 1901-04-25
DINWIDDTE COURT HOUSE.
Experience of gath N. Y. Cava1ryman-
Wounded and Riding to the Rear.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / noticed
In a recent issue of The National Tribune
a sketch from Serg't s. e. Chandler, OF
Co. A, 24th N. Y. Cav, in which he gives
pointers winding up his letter by adyis'
ing them to write up their own recollec'
tions of their army life.
/ belonged to the same company with
Serg't Chandler-"Chan" we used to call
him in the old army days. He and !, with
three others, were tent-mates while IN
Winter quarters the last year of the war.
The Second Division of the Cavalry
Corps performed picket duty from point
on the James River below City Point to
Fort Dushane, near the Yellow Tavern,
O distance of about II miles. This line
was to guard the -ear of the country oc-
cupied by the Army of the Potomac. The
infantry holding the front line from the
Appomattox River on the right, with its
heavy works, away round to Fort Du-
shane, where they were joined by the cav
airy.
Our brigade (the First held the left of
the line, and was divided into seven re
serves" with one grand reserve
We were camped a mile or two to the
rear of the military railroad, and about
the same distance from the picket line.
We broke camp along the latter part
of March, and Joined in the movement,
under Sheridan, to extend our lines to the
left. March 81 the regiment to which l
belonged was ordered into action, dis
mounted, near Dinwiddie Court House. AS
near as we could judge from subsequent
events, we were sent in at place where
the enemy were In great numbers, as a
feint, to hold them there while the general
movement was to be made at another
point. Anyway, Ii was not long before we
were Sin it" for all we were worth, op-
posed by four or five times our number.
h1-., lAfp
cabin, taking turns stepping to the corner
and firing, while we would drop back to
reload. About this time the rebs moved
around and got raking fire on us, which
made the log cabin poor protection. Still,
with our eight-shooting carbines, we were
holding our own till the rebs were on three
sides of us, when the order came to fall
back. / made for tree few yards to
the rear, but as it would not protect from
the front and both fianks, L concluded to
fall back. Just before l started Maj.
Doran, who was in command Of our bat
TALON, was shot while rallying the men,
and. Us l supposed at the time, killed. Il
since learned he was mortally wounded
and died few days after)
About this time the enemy In our imme-
diate front advanced and called on US to
surrender, and L am under the impression
that some of the boys were captured. AT
ter falling back about 200 yards what few
Of us who were together formed a line and
began firing at the advancing enemy. /
do not know now, nor did l at the time,
who was in command of us; we all seemed
to stop and form into line without COM
mands. Our firing served to disconcert the
enemy's advance; SO much so, in fact, that
several of our wounded boys were rescued
and assisted to the rear.
While we were busy pumping slugs at
the enemy a ball struck me in the left
which dJcoh hlaA ynQ IN cuah
that 1 could not walk. About this time
our little company fell back. George
Warn, of my company, and someone else
whom l DO not remember, each took an
arm and assisted me to where there was
woods on one side. Here we encountered
took the extra horse and helped me to
mount. For a few minutes there had
been q lull in the firing, but 1 had not
proceeded far before it began again quite
lively. / spurred the horse with my right
foot, which had the effect of quickening
his pace, when he was struck by ball,
causing him to fall to his knees, nearly
throwing me off over his head. The horse
recovered himself, and we moved on until,
finally, we came to battery in position.
The Surgeon dressed my wound and
helped me to mount my horse again, and
pointed out the road to the field hospital
at Dinwiddie Court House, which was
Colonel (now Gen. Walter @. Newberry,
of Chicago, ILL., was wounded at the same
time and place, and lay on the floor In the
same room with me, in building few
steps from the corner Of the Court House.
Later in the afternoon the sound Of the
battle came nearer and the boys began to
load us into ambulances. thought was
able to ride my horse, If he was able to
carry me, so / picked up long strip of
one of the curtains Of the Court House
windows, with which wrapped my foot,
got stick to aid me in hopping to. where
had left my horse, but found he had
been appropriated. I soon found another
and was just about to mount, when a 10th
N. Y. Cavalryman came up and claimed
him, but he helped me to the seat Of the
last ambulance, while they were loading
two men in the rear. Gone Of these men
died that mighty
We were on the road all night, arriving
at division hospital the next morning. At
ter breakfast we were loaded on cars and
sent to City Point-H. M. FOSTER, Go.
A, Oath N. Y. Cav, Barney, n. NJ.