Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-07-25

DEPLOYING UNDER FIRE.
we saw cloud of dust from the di-
rection of Washington and a column
of infantry had filed into the trenches
on the right and left and a regim ent
was sent to the front as skirmish ers.
We saw the men deploy with preci-
sion, and Rhodes remarked: Those
are not hundred-day men. They are
old soldiers
The deploying of that regiment with
precision, and under fire from the con-
federates, convinced Early and Rhodes
that a portion of Grants army of vet
Grams had arrived. Early hesitated to
attack veterans from the army of the
Potomac, behind strong entrench-
ments. His hesitation was the saliva
ton of the city. Not until three
o'clock that afternoon did a soldier
from the sixth corps reach the city.
cit was the work of Divine Provi-
dence," says Col. S. E. Chamberlain,
the veteran who commanded the regi-
ment that Early saw deploying with
precision under fire. 81 was senior cap
tain and in command Of the regiment
that day, and as the years have passed
away l have grown to regard it as an
act of Providence that there should
! have been sent there, at that impor-
tant moment, our veteran regim ent,
which deceived Early and stopped his
whole army. We had only a skeleton
of regiment, some thing like 500 men,
and had been sent to Camp StOneman,
near Washington, to be remOunted.
Thus it happened that we were near
by, and We ordered to Fort Stevens
| The cOnfederates had taken possession
of the houses within rifle range of the
| fort, and we went out to dislOdge them
and destroy the houses. That was the
movement that Early saw. We
marched out like veterans that we
were, drove the confederate sharp
shooters out and burned the houses.
| We did this in the presence of the con-
| federate army, and it was the GOODNESS
and audacity of the movement that
convinced Gen. Early that back of that
regiment was an army of veterans
We were the Twenty-ffth New York
cavalry. My diary shows:
July u-Ordered out as skirmish hers at
| two p. m Rebs within rife shot of Fort
! Stevens. Advanced and drove enemy from
houses. Sharp fighting. Burned several
| houses by order. Was relieved by Sixth
Maloney, of my company, killed.
July 12-Went out skirmish line and
| relieved regiment of iEvalids. Exchanged
| shots with enemy until evening, when
envy advanced strong line of skirmishers
Sharp fighting by Sixth corps; enemy
| driven back.
| July .13.-Rebs all left. Sixth and Nine
! teenth corps in pursuit.
| 1t would have been gallant work for
that regiment to have charged an army
| of veterans. even if they had been sup
ported by an army of union veterans.
But to charge the confederate out
posts, with nothing but defenseless
| city to fall back upon, was an act of
valor uns surpassed, and the Twenty.
sixth New York cavalry deserves all of
the glory that is given to it in military
history. The boldness of the advance
the GOODNESS under fire. the successful
effort to dislOdge confederate sharp
shooters. all tended to convince Gen
Early that the almost invincible Sixth
corps was in front of him.
Early says that he came in sight of
the defesses a short time after noon
He ordered the attacking force into po-
sition, saying this was a work of
time" Col. Chamberlain's diary saws
that his regiment was 'ordered out b t
two p. m" That would tally with the
time of arrival of Rhodes brigade,
when he and Early saw thecavalry dis
mounted men in advance with such pre-
cision as to compel Rhodes admira ton.
as expressed: ''They are not hundred
day men; they axe old soldiers"
Col Chamberls' says: 81 know of
no human agency which directed us
during the forr days of wandering
which brought us to the right spot a,
the right tine. 1t was providential.
We were inst ruments in the hands of
powers invisible which said to the in
vading hosts: Thus far and no far
Their shalt thou CO."
The veteran commander of that regi-
ment of heroes is quiet, elderly man.
wholly unobtrusive and unpretentious
He is employed in a subordinate eapa.
ity in the treasury department. He
never speaks of the achievement Oh
that day unless in reply to inquiries by
his friends. and then always with mod.
esty. giving credit to Divine Providence
: for the work which was done val
!; ! iantly. sMITH D. Fstz.