The National tribune., 1902-06-05

soon aftez. occupied by the Second Divi-
sion. under Gen. Gregg. The remainder
of the day was whied away in light Skin
nishing and excursions to unknown points
on the infantry lines, where we were form
ed in readiness for action ut the edges of
open spaces. The infantry, however.
proved capable of holding It's own; no call
was made upon us for assistance, and we
wen back to our own particular battle
possession. Here we remained mounted,
in line of battle. until after dark, before
| orders were given to dlsmount and
bivouac.
The stencil from decomposing horses
thickly strewn over the field was almost
sitting. 1t seemed nearly strong enough
to arrest the course of bullets. which were
flying about promiscuously in the dark
ness since the enemy had again appeared
on our front. and lively interchange of
leaden compliments was in progress be-
tween the picket lines but q short distance
removed.
There was no hunting about for choice
spot upon which to rest, but each one
nestled closely into the lap OF mother earth
wherever he was, however much he might
entertain views of more desirable posi-
tons. Neither were noses turned up at
dead animals when they could be felt with
| in arms reach. In fact, a snug berth I'M
DER the lee Ot Il uedu HOTsc Is HOt III DE-
despised when wild picket firing ut short
range is INDUCED in upon a dark night.
Daylight of the morning of the Sth
| brought the revelation that the enemy had
stolen away in the night. We then moved
over to Todd's Tavern. On the way we
were compelled to shoot some riderless
horses. wounded in the legs, since they had
no notion of being deserted. but persisted
in crowding into places in the ranks and
| The neighings of the poor beasts as they
we're dropped by the wayside were almost
human in their plaintiveness. From Todd s
| Tavern :.e marched to Silver, on the Fred
ericksburg Plank Road, where the entire
| cavalry corps were massed, and where We
spent the night.
| Thus WAC our service in the Wilderness
concluded. Nothing could be seen beyond
the little open stretch before US, and, for
a knowledge of what had occurred about
| us, We had been dependent entirely upon
tho sense Of hearing. We judged, by the
sounds of conflict which VIC had heard,
that great battle lad been fought, but
We knew no more respecting the result
than the man in the moon. As there was
| no eremy to modest US, we took it that he
had been wOrsted. We had but vague
ideas concerning the topography of the
country about us. and our relative position
TO the rest Of tho forces. The furnace
was the central point to our minds. We
knew that the road to our rear led back
t1ere. but that was about all we did know
with certainty, since our marches were
nearly all made atnight. We had glimpses
o: bits ofroad fiIted up with infantry col.
umns or with arlbulances for the wound.
cd Of w0btis choked with underbrush and
{; III thinner, and Of openings covered
4 growth of3scrub bushes, and it was
{; predon;inaIin5 idea iii the line that the
enemy was everywhere IN position at the
farther side of snch c;eaIings.
On the morning Of the 9th Of May the
Cavalry Corps started ON raid to Rich
mond, around tie right flank of Lees
army, the First Brigade Of the First Divi
sion having the advance. In moving of
we PASSED through the Provisional Ninth
Corps, which was motley aggregation
consisting Of heavy artillery regiments
taken from the forts around Washington
Baltimore, and Fortress Monroe, and
pressed into service as infantry, dismount
, cd cavalry regiments, negro troops, anG
, the odds and ends Of the service.
. All except the negro troops were growl
, ing and grumbling, declaring that they
, had never enlisted for any such service
. and they would not fight. Whenever the,
caught sight OF general officer they SCI
, up the cry OF 'Hardtack! Hardtack! Ra
tons"
STARTING ON THE RAID AROUND RICH
MOND.
The soldiers in the cavalry columns, rid
; ing by, "chaffed" them numerically.
: was said that they would not eat hardtacl
il it were given them. They ought to hay
soft bread and butter. terrapin soup, oys
, tiers and custard. Fears were expresses
) that they would catch dreadful colds with
out their feather beda, It was not intend
ed that they should fight; they were onlj
for the "darkies" to pile up for breast
works. etc.
never been mounted, called the 1st N. q
Hussars. The seams and edges Of fhsi
jackets were trimmed with yellow lace
while the breast was ornamepted with PAT
aiiel stripes Of the same material, runfinl