The National tribune., 1901-08-22
AN EXCITING RACE.
why Cavalryman No Longer Suffered With
Cold.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The
sketch by G. s., 18th Pa. Cav, in The
National Tribune of July %, calls to mind
incidents in connection with my life as
a cavalry manor boy, rather, as l was
but Is years old at the time-of the old
Second Division of Cavalry, under Gen.
McGregg.. ~. = 4..
We started out in May, "a, as dough
boys" temporarily attached to the Ninth
Corps, and were in it, in all that the
term implies, from the Wilderness to and
including the assault and siege of Peters
burg.
Oct. % we were relieved from duty
with the Ninth Corps, and assigned to
the First Brigade, Second Division, Ninth
Cavalry Corps, and from that time on
were participants in all the movements
of the Third Division to and including
the capture of the Confederate Army al
Appomattox Court House, Va.
As mounted cavairymen we were prob
ably green at the start, but the service
required of us had tendency to ripen US
very rapidly, so that after having been
on one or two expeditions, such as the
Bellfeld Raid, Hatcher's Run, ETC., we
were pretty well onto our job
We were camped a mile or so to the
rear of our military railroad, and with the
other regiments of the division, the 18th
Pa. included, performed picket and scout
ing duty from the James River around
the rear of the Army of the Potomac
to where their left terminated at Fort
Dushane, near the Yellow Tavern.
| call to mind being on picket at one
of the seven reserve posts when an IN
cident occurred that might have proved
serious had other than cool, sensible
man been on post ut the reserve. line
line of pickets extended along our front
through a field and along an old road.
1t was the custom during the day for a
sentinel as soon as he was relieved to
go directly to the reserve; but at night,
when the countersign was supreme in au-
thority, we were required as soon as re-
lieved TO fall in in the rear and follow
along until the new picket was posted,
then all return to the reserve in body,
To be halted by the sentinel on foot, and
after one had dismonted and communi-
Gated the countefsignE;then to proceed to
the reserve. sCJ7'
One night, for some reason which / do
not now recall, Il was riding a horse
which belonged to f.. A. Teller. of our
company, which had a way of taking
the bit in his mouth,
| had stood" any two hours trick, and
when relieved undertook to swing the
horse around in rear of the column, but
he grabbed the bit and away he went for
the reserve? / could as easily hold a
herd of Texas" STEERS on a stampede
astride Shetland pony, with a ladies'
riding-whip. The moon shown reasona-
bly, bright and the ground was frozen so
that as he dashed for the reserve he made
a great clutter, and I,!trying to bring him
down TO a walk, all the time thinking
of the sentinel who might get ratified
enough TO shoot. Well we dashed past
the sentinel and into the midst of the
relief, who were off duty, and | can as
sure you / drew a long breath Of relief
after | dismounted. In taking with the
sentinel about it the next morning he
said his first thoughts were that it was
a dash of rebel cavalry; but when he saw
10y the "moonbeam's misty light" that
there was but one lone lorn cavalryman,
he jumped at the conclusion that it was
all right, and surrendered the right Of
way
At another time l was on the front
picket line. Our orders were to not dis
mount while on post, but to sit there in
the saddle for two hours, our left hand
holding the reins and our right hand
graSping our carbine at the small end Of
the stock, with the butt resting on the
right thigh. This was in the Winter. All
which wasn't enough to even Keep my
lungs warm; so / took a look off to the
front to see Il there were any rebels in
sight, then on all sides to see if there
were any friends around to give me away;
then ! dismounted. and after unbuckling
one end Of the rein from the bit | took
up little dog trot the length of the rein,
which | used as halter, hanging on to
one end of it. | soon arrived at the con-
clusion that 1 could get warm quicker il
/ ran farther, and as the horse seemed
TO be quiet, / dropped my end of the strap
and enlarged my borders, so to speak.
had made but one or two turns on the
new deal, however. before the horse
caught on to the racket, and worked the
strap game" on me by lighting out for
the reserve and / after him.
For the past - years or more l have
led the life of cowboy; have been in
many .'round-up;" been crushed into
many cattle JAM" where a mans life
wasn't worth a sprig of sage brush, I'M
less he was on good horse; have stood
guard nights and rode the range" day
in and day out; in fact, have, / might say,
lived in the saddle, but never before or
since that time have l had such a desire
to be in the saddle.
The horse took a trot for the reserve
in straight line, while l made a detour
to head him off. As he was not aware
of being pursued. he was in no particular
hurry, but you could have played check
ers on the tail of my blouse. l simply
made one of the races of my life, and as
good luck would have it, / succeeded in
astonishing the horse by appearing in
front of him when almost within hailing
distance of the reserve sentinel, and as
had the handling of one end of the strap
I came out ahead in the game. But
got warm, had 4 ns more trouble after
that in keeping warm, nor in keeping my
place in the saddle,
l said that was one of the races of my
life. The other was in, recent years, when
! ran from a big grizzly bear here in. New
Mexico. But that is another story.
Would like to have some of the Oath
n. Y. Cav. write of their experience in
the war.-H. M. FOSTER, Co. A, Oath N.
Y. Cav, Barney, N. NJ.
''If the Brewers Could only Give Passes"
This is Private John Aliens latest
story: u 81