The National tribune., 1901-05-16

ATE FLAG TO MARK HIS SEPULCHER."
we found about five miles south of Win
chester. Early's whole army had marched
with glad and gallant tread" seemingly
eager TO recover the laurels won and los
at Cedar Creek. On the night of Nov
! IL our biyOuac fires illumined long bat
! tle-line, and not far distant was another
| lcng line OF glowing fires, indicating that
Sheridan was ready and willing to meas
ure lances with us on the morrow.
The bands played inspiring melodies
and the veterans of many battefields
sang jested and laughed, apparently with
, out thought of the impending conflict
Their hearts filed with banquet, song
and dance and wine," they We're ObliviOus
| OF the morrows tear, the groan, the knell
the pail, the bier.
Here and there, however, could be seen
a group of Kentucky cavalrymen specu,
lating upon coming events" and grimly
discussing the probability of clash with
the gallant 'yellOw-haired'' Custer, known
TO be with the Federal cavalry in front
L0maXs Division was on the extreme left
of the Confederate line.
Early on the morning of Nov. -, both
armies were astir, apparently manuverine
for position. Gen. LOmax was soon or
dered TO double-quick TO the left to rein
force Rosser, who was being pressed by
a superior force of Merritt's admirable
cavalry. To reach ROsser we marched
along the entire front of the infantry, a
line four miles long. The infantry, with
FURNISHED guns and bristling bayonets,
made merry at our expense while we were
moving along their front. They wanted
to know what had become of that mule
of Morgans," and cordially invited us 10
come down out OF our hats" They
knew we were ''in there" because they
could "see our ears a-workin'."
Bosa armies were manuvering in broad,
I nTn hnfI Old Al.
pike, the highway of armed hosts.
Having run the gantlet of the infantry,
we found that Rosser had been driven
back from the flank front to line even
with that of the infantry, but he had
brought with him 104 prisoners.
The firing along the infantry lines be-
came heavy, continuing throughout the
day, but there was no general engage
ment. There were charges and counter
charges by the cavalry, which, however,
were generally inconsequential in results
Finally, after we had been sitting quietly
ON our horses in the piercing cold for a
half-hour, Gen. Lomax rode up and or
dered Cosby to follow him. The whole
Cavalry Division then repeated the per
formancc of the morning, passing along
the entire line of infantry, this time how
ever, in rear of their line, going to the DO
sition we had held when hostilities first
opened in the morning: We passed Gen.
III iioht VI AlCl4dF y DlNlSlOn, on
the left center. Although it was then
night, heavy firing rolled along the front,
the blazing guns making a fine display Of
fireworks. There had been very little ar.
tiilery firing during the engagement.
MORE INFANTRY pLEAsANTRIEs.
En- route across the Valley we struck
Gen. GordOn's retiring column at right
angles. We then realized that the army
was falling back; that under cover of a
heavy battle line in front Early was slow
" aud sullenly withdrawing his troops,
While waiting for GOrdon's column to
pass to the rear the cavalry became i'm
patient, and when they occasionally saw
gap in the marching column some of
them would attempt to ride through, but
the infantry, with bayOnets presented,
would double-quick to the gap, closing 1t,
and then give the adventuresome caYal-
rymen to understand that they could either
stand where they were until they (the in
fantry) passed, or ight-they did not care
- which.
An infantryman, with empty haversack,
offered to swap his gun for a horse ana
throw in his rations. Occasionally a sauad
of them would halt and cry out, rally.
boys, rallyw Here's the place to make
a standr' "We can whip them if a few
men will only make determined stand
here"-facetiously referring to the cries
Of their officers, who had endeavored to
rally them at Cedar Greek.
When at last-Gordon's men were out of
the way, Gen. Cosby was ordered to leave
the remainder of Lomax's Division and