The National tribune., 1902-07-10
A FRIEND WITH THE
COUNTERSIGN.
CONTINUED from first paEe.J

ton?'
Il think not"
We'll, he's got the Hampton Legion
"Whcre is it?"
| Fright down the road. You must have
seen some Of en-
Yes, i hid; but they didn't see me-
| hope. | didn't want to he stopped by
any cavalry: Are there no infantry troops
about herc?'
Not till YOU get most to Richmond
and then they are the reseryes-the old
men and boys"
Il haven't seen any infantry at all, y
said l.
Mr.. EnrOughty was very friendly, and
wanted to talk more, but | had to say
goodby. He showed me a path through
the woods, leading, he said to the Charles
City road. This path l took, and care
| fully made my way nOrthward, pausing
occasionally to rest, for | was in no great
haste. 1t seemed to me now that there
was no need to tire myself out by going
far to the north and waiting with Lees
| infantry. 1t would be better from every
point of view to take some position where
| could watch both the Charles City road
to Richmond, and the branch of the
Charles City road running south from
Bottoms Bridge through White Oak
Swamp, for on one of these two roads
Lees infantry must move if it would
reach Riddell's Shop. If | should 20
north II or - miles. rs Mr.. Darby had
called it. and reach the right of Lees in
fantry, then | should have to come back
~ or - miles more. Besides if / should
90 on up the Chickahominy toward Gold
Harhor. column of infantry might reach
lsiddelfs Shop from the direction of Rich
mond. without my knowing it. The path
which Mr.. Enroughty had put me on
reached the Charles City road in about
two miles-very nearly at the place where
that road crosses the White Oak Swamp.
L supposed that directly east down the
swamp to the Bottoms Bridge road was
about three miles, and I wanted to get
to some place between these two roads.
say, mile and half from either, where
| could watch both. The weather was
very hot and the roads were dusty, and
fully counted on being able to see. n
mile aud Il half away, a column of dust
made by great body of marching troops.
Moreover, | could use my glass.
1t was about 3 o'clock in the afternoon
when at length | selected a position suit
able to my purpose. On a hill in the
midst of the wood | found tall tree and
climbed it. l have since learned that a
man named Fisher lived in n house near
by. sat in a thicket some distance from
my tree, which I climbed almost hourly
and looked in every direction. | was
well provided with food and water. and
really enjoyed the rest. The afternoon
passed away and night came, and | re-
mained in my position.
On the morning of the 18th I made my
way to the Bottoms Bridge road in or
der to see if any infantry had moved in
the night. All the tracks in the dust had
been made by horses. / returned to my
lookout, and went on past it, and reached
the main Charles City road There was
no sign that any movement had been
made upon it, and l again returned to
my position near Fishers. The day was
wearing away. Doubtless by this time
Col. Chapman's Brigade had advanced to
Riddells, in bee line two miles south
from me, and the Army of the Potomac
was no doubt crossing at JOnes's Bridge
and Long Bridge, and pursuing its way
to the James, masked by the cavalry near
me.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon I
thought l heard musketry in southeast
direction, but was not sure | suppOsed
that skirmish was going on between
Chapman's Brigade and Gary's force. |
hastily climbed the tree: could see moth
ing IN the south or southeast. but to the
northeast L could easily distinguish dust
rising above the trees. | watched this
dust short time until / became sure it
was letting nearer. Cavalry or infantry.
one or the other, was advancing. / hasti-
ly came down from the tree. The skirm-
ishlng in the southeast was louder. I
made for the Bottoms Bridge road, bend
ing to the right so that | crossed the
swamp diagonally, and reached the road
some half-mile only from its junction with
the road to Long Bridge. When l came
in sight of it, it was crowded with cav
airy. retiring in disorder, and l hid my
self in the bushes to let them go by. The
hrst men that | saw were urging their
horses TO great speed, but the rear of the
scattered column was retiring very slow
ly. and ! inferred that there was no DUR
suit: The noise of fighting had ceased.
ANA now, but for that column of dust |
had seen, | should have gone at once to
the Long Bridge road and reported TO
Col. Chapman, but | wanted to see first
whether the column coming was infantry,
so l began to 90 north again, keeping
some two hundred yards from the road
and following after the slowly-retreat-
ing groups of Confederate cavalry. | had
gone perhaps a quarter of Il mile when /
saw. between me and the road. the flank
of a line of skirmishers, and at once /
knew that this was no dismounted cav
airy. just here the bushes We're thick,
and had no fear of being seen, unless.
indeed, the skirmish line should suddenly
be ordered to flank to the right, in which
case my situation would become perilous.
Yet even then. | thought. if | should be
seen, L should be taken for straggler.
and be ordered into the ranks. or else
passed by as thing of no interest. While
was thus thinking | became aware that
there were a few other men off in the
woods; they had passed around my posi-
tion-sOme fiankers thrown out to guard
the right of the line which continued to
advance south with great rapidity. | had
not been near enough to see the faces of
the men. but | had seen long rifles, and
cartrdge-boXes. and haversacks, and
blankets rolled around their shoulders.
and knew that these men were of Lees
infantry. | regretted greatly my previous
decision, and wished that | had gone
south and reported to Col. Chapman. for
now it seemed impossible for me to reach
him before this line should strike his
force, which was no doubt in some degree
dlsordered in consequence of the action
in which it had been recently engaged. |
had to act quickly. | rose and followed
the skirmiSh line. A few yards farther
south the woods were more open, and
now saw the line distinctly, with its flank
ers closed up on its right-a compact line
of skirmshcrs. five PAGES apart. advanc-
ing before me and cutting me off from the
troops. l ran on forward. for the Skirm-
ishers were now at the dOuble-quick |
was hoping that the line would swing to
its left. i'll which case by going straight
| could pass it in safety. But
the line swung to the right rather than to
the left, and the cracking of rifles was
heard. and the line kept on. and now |
saw Lieut.. Brunson. whom !
had seen on tlp pypniup of tho 9Th Of