Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-06-25

so that I could not De seen. | did not
long have to chew the bitter cud OF
reflection. however, for soon we heard
some shots In the advance. Our pace
was Slackened; we became tightly
packed in the road. breaking our for
nation and causing much trampling on
horses hoofs, with the consequent
kicking and swearing. Then down the
column was passed In rapid succession
the orders:
Halt! Dismount"
Were we to fight on foot? Well,
whatever might befall the enemy, l
was sure 1t would be far safer for US.
Then came the orders:
Loosen your saddle glrths. Tie your
horses to the fence. Stand by and pre-
vent them from rolling. or your sad
dies will be broken"
What an inglorious conclusion! l
did not dare ask the lieutenant what 1t
meant. but lie evidently saw | was
curious. for he approached me and
said:
81 guess the advance has gobbled
them. There's never more than a COM
pany Of these fellows on the road at a
time around here"
That was better than | had expect
ed. and was wild to 60 forward and
see the prisoners. Soon there was
something else to look at, however, and
don't believe the prisoners could have
presented as sorry spectacle-it was
the mass of stragglers being urged for
ward by the rear guard. There SEEM
ed no end to the dismal line Of men
without horses, horses without men.
Some Of the stragglers were asking
where their companies were. and once
In awhile a member Of our company
would recognize his place by the letter
which each of US wore on his cap. What
astonished me most, however. was
Mick McTwyny plodding along on fost
and carrying little Brainard on bis
back. was so astonished that 1t was
some time before could ask Charley
what had happened. and he told me
that something was biting his side aw-
fully. When the surgeon. OF whom
we had three. reached our company,
Rrainard learned that in falling from
his horse be had broken two ribs.
Soon the colonel came riding down
the column. looking keenly to the right
and left. asked him about the engage
ment, but be stared coldly at me and
did not answer. When. however, the
captain saluted. the colonel told him
that the enemy's entire party had been
captured. being unsaddled and there
fore unable to get away. He also vol
unteered the information that our dash
had been worth more to the regiment
than q month Of battalion drill In camp
aud that II half Of the new men had
kept up with the procession they had
done better than be expected.
Thus ended the first charge OF the
Thirty eighth. and It had been quite as
successful In results as early cavalry
dashes in general. But what would
have happened had we, with 600 or 7OO
raw men and only a third as many
experienced members. encountered a
we'll armed. we'll trained regiment as
large as our own? Well, either we
would have run away or been badly
whipped.
Ii Is unlikely. however, that the colo
mel. who knew his business. would have
led US against such body. and 1t is
less likely that be could have done 1t II
he would. for there was not at that
time a we'll armed. we'll trained cavalry
regiment anywhere in the southern
army. Greenhorn against greenhorn
was the rule In those days, and not
only In the cavalry service either.