The National tribune., 1901-05-02


camp-equipage, sick and convalescent with
a detail from each company to take charge
of same, the regiment moved out at a
late hour of the afternoon, arriving at the
depot about 4 o'clock. Red-tape had pro-
vided no train for that evening, and as
none would be in readiness before morn
Ing. we were marched out on to the open
commons and told to make ourselves as
comfortable as we could for the night.
Bright and early the next morning we
were up and stirring, and after partaking
bf the good things In our haVerSacks we
were marched back to the side-track,
where train was in waiting to transport
rs to Decatur, Ala. We were soon aboard
aud steaming away in the direction of the
Equator.
During the day we ran into thunder
Ih0wer, and anyone who has ever seen
Ihunder-shOwer in Midsummer in Dixie
;an well understand why there was not
Try thread of clothing on any of the boys
Eh0 were thoughtless enough to take pas
iage on the hurricane deck of that freight
train.
We arrived at Decatur about O'Clock
IN the afternoon, unloaded ourselves at the
Tennessee River, opposite the city, crossed
over a pontoon bridge; finding a few
- houses, but no native citizens in sight,
aiyouacked for the night in the suburbs
bf the town.
The 9th was spent in drawing horses,
equipments. rations, etc, which occupied
pur time till far into the night. The OBJ
iect of all this preparation was the get
ing in readiness for what is known as the
Rousseau Raid.
The command as organized consisted of
.wo brigades of the Third Cavalry Divi-
sion, under Mai-Gen. l.. H. Rousseau;
First Brigade, 9th Iowa, Sth Ind. Cav,
aud 9th Ohio, Col. L. ]. Harrison com.
handing; Second Brigade, I'd Ky. and 4th
Tenn, Colonel of the 4th Tenn, COM
manding; two Rodman guns and a train
of pack-mules, consisting of two mules
FOR each company of the command. These
oack-mules were to carry the camp equip
ige and rations of the expedition.
The organization of the Sth Ind. Cav.
pn this raid consisted of 10 companies, un-
der command of Lieut.-Col. f. A. Jones.
The 1St battalion, Cos. A, b. G. and ID,
Mai. Thomas Herring, commanding; Cos.
ermmanding; Sd battalion, Cos. l and X,
Mai. George Gordon, commanding; Cos.
J. and II having been left in Camp
Graham at Nashville.
Ny recollection is that the regiment
vas the only one of the command that
Eas armed with the Spencer carbine.
At l O'Clock of the afternoon of the
10th, all things being in readiness, grand
lnd orderly, the command moved out, but
pot so the pack-mules; they, being fresh
from the green fields of our own North
Ern homes, stTenuouSly objected to being
placed IN compress made of two four
,ushel panniers securely suspended one on
zach side Of the Poor brutes, and filled
1p with hardtack and sowbeily. besides
Ipades, picks, shOyels, complexities and
lrying-pans stacked up on top of that and
irmly tied on. The first crack of the
Ehip by the muleteers started stampede
Eith a din and clatter that nothing but
1 gramOphOne could reproduce.
Had it been at night, one might have
thought it a grand clash of the wedding
bell of some gigantic charivari. Look any
Tay you might, you would see some of
those mules with the panniers tapping
like the wings Of some huge bird whose
Bpeed was not sufficient TO raise him into
aerial flight, yet not quite willing to give
up the attempt.
Some Of them took the road that Rous-
beau had designated as his line of march,
md were making active efforts to
reach the head of the column, and as the
horses Of the Sth Ind. were also fresh
from the North and unused to the prep
eratiOn incident of war, they soon Joined
In the wild rush for more quiet quarters,
while some Of the new recruits were suf
fering the mortifcations of an uncere-
monious dismount.
The most serious result was that the
Three days rati0ns in our haversacks were
about all the visible supply left for IA
nays raId. Ne were soon Strengthened
but and moving on, minus pretty much
ali OF our pack-train, and went into camp
1T Summerville about / o'clock at night
The 11th we We're in our saddles at
daylight, the Sth Ind. in the advance
About 8 o'clock a. m. we scared up two
rebel scouts, fired few shots, but failed
70 bring them TO a halt. During the
march OF the afternoon occurred one of
these incidents that broke the monotony
of a weary ride or the ennui OF camp
Myself and five others were thrown for
ward as Videts, and rode about a quarter
Of a mile in advance of the column. We
captured a rebel soldier, who showed up
, furlough TO prove his right 20 be there.
He was turned over TO me to hold until
the General should come up. when he
made his appearance, seated an a ba-
ronche, with two of his staff, | saluted
Bnd reported my prisoner.
Rousseau, looking the fellow square in
the face, said Il presume you are a spy;
you intended to get behind a tree and
eount every man l have in my command as
they passed, and then report to your rebel
commander. Wen just hang you and
save further trouble. Major, where is
that roper" The fellow put up a very
earnest plea for his life, which after a
little parley Rousseau granted on condi-
tion that he would leave the road, run,
hing at top speed, not looking back, under