The National tribune., 1902-03-13
ECnntinued from last week.

gees back to the OLD times anu WHITES loi
me a sketch of the days when we were
bovs together serving in the cavalry. |
give one of his sketches herewith, winch
I doubt not will interest the boys of the
ID Ohio Cav. the LIST Ky. Cav, the 9Th
Mich. CAV. and others
ACROSS THE CUMBERLAND.
Fifteen hundred men, well mounted,
well armed, well equipped and well or
dered. rode out and away from their line
of campfrcs into the darkness of moon
less night Their course led them down
through tangle. brake and fen toward the
banks of the Cumberland River, not far
away from Somerset, Ky, and Just as the
sentinels of the enemy on the opposite
bank were heralding twelve O'Clock ana
all's we'll the advance of our long, WIND
ing column entered the shallow, rocky
ford far above the first of the line of pick
Of fires of a foe as alert as love and as
wary as the hinges of hate.
After crossing the stream we made
wide detour through the jungle of marshy
growth too numerous to forget easily, and
our healuuarters' darkey was heard to re-
mark that Dis was de bes' lay for wool
carriers and copper snakes he had ever
ambIed fru in all his bon days. Winding
up a ragged bank path, we finally came to
".An old rail fence. whose angles hold,
We guess. bright briar and sasSafras;
Sweet. priceless wild flower, blue and
gold,
Starred through the moss and grass
Having finally found a neighborhood
road. our silent column was headed for
the line of watch fires where the Confed-
crates, as yet all unconscious of our ap-
proach. were, most of them, dreaming OF
the old Kentucky home.
Suddenly from out of the darkness
came the quick. sharp challenge, Halt!
Who goes thereT Our answer was a
yolley and an advance so impetuouS that
their outpOsts were soon made prisoners.
But such news reached the reserves all
too soon. stirring up in this instance
nervy batch of fellows just across a
wooded hollow. and right here the game
was sOrely delayed and the cards all
gummed up, so that by the time the pick
cts were all driven in the suns bright
lances had routed the mists of morning
and the opposition had held their cOnyen-
tion. named a candidate, and there was
no going back of the returns.
Fences were thrown down in our front,
every fourth man held horses, and we tried
such tactics as are cOuched i'll the COM
mand. Prepare to fight Oh foot but the
willy Kentuckians trumped in, and the
game lasted all day, with considerable
loss on both sides. At one time during
the prolonged engagement by some mys-
terious fortune Of war, my company (E)
was without a Captain, but not without
commander. for into the moment of hesi-
tation rode Lieut.. John V. Srofe, his reins
in his teeth and revolver in each hand.
the very impersonation of valor, he led
the squadron after the wavering enemy.
Gen. Pegram's wavering, however,
was like that of our own Gen. Sigel, and
we learned to respect him accordingly. Sew
eral times during that eventful day 1t
looked very much as though the trite army
joke-'We have met the enemy and we
are his'n-might go laundering down the
ages some more.
In the middle of the afternoon we
charged them with our entire force, driv-
ing them to the mountain foothills, where
they reformed on heavliy-wooded ridge,
from which We were unable to disiodge
them. Night was approaching, with the
river at our back, and without having
gained anything but experience and few
prisoners. we forthwith started to recross
the Kentucky Tugela. which we accom-
plished without the loss of a pound of
provisions and the next morning Gen. Pc
grams picketS silhouetted the bank of the
stream Just ovah yOndah.' and the 7th
Ohio. Cav. was occupying their old quar-
ters near Somerset ready for the next
move when plans were ripened.
Our regiment never sounded sick call
the shore Of the Tagus nor roll call for
ninst' the Guadalquivir, but there is
scarcely respectable bend in the CLASSY
Cumberland. from its source to its finis,
that has not cradled BHgle echoes anent
the movements of our doughty squad
rOns."
OUR CHIEF BUGLER.
double quartet of Southern cavalry
Cheftains are Just liable to mistake Ga
briefs trump for our Chief Bugler, Char
lie Alcock's. boots and saddles and con-
ciude not to 'resurrect according to verse
and text until notified by special messen-
ger. There are some buglers who should
he llnighted. Let but the name of Char
lie AlcOck be mentioned among members
of Ours and it is again the camp, the
field, the march. the strife, the JOY Of VIC
tory. the bitter pain Of wounds or sore
defeat, the anguish rife in tears that fall
for the unnumbered slain, and homes that
were darkened in the light of life-all
these the echoing bugle brings back
Nearly 40 years have lichened the
steps of memory since we donned helmets
on the plains of Somerset. How very few
of us are left TO remember that time.
Out in the fragrant acres where dead
comrades are wrapped in that dreamless
sleep
The honeysuckles lace the wall
The hyacinths grow fair and tall:
The mellow sun and pleasant wind
And odOrOus bees are over all"
Serg't.-Maj Brown, our boy soldier,
tells in such an interesting manner the
story of the discovery of Blind Tom, the
wOrld-famous musical freak, that | add
this story, which will be of particular in
tereSt to the survivors Of Gen. James II.
Wilson Cavalry Corps, this corps com
priSimg about 1900 troopers, which has
been truthfully referred to as the largest
and one Of the best bodies OF mounted
troops known in the history of the world.
The commander of this great force of
cavalry, Maj.-Gen. James II. Wilson,
was then only % years Of age, and won
the glory of being the youngest and best
Cavalry General developed during the
civil war. He has since held important
commands in the war with Spain, serving
in Porto Rico and Cuba. and also took a
hand in the imbroglio in China. when the
forces of the United States army were
sent 10 the relief of our Ambassador at
I'clin. In fact, Gen. Wilson seems TO
have the secret Of perpetual youth, and
Is ready for any old war wherein the
United States needs his service
WILSON CAVALRY RAID.
Serg't-Mai. D. S. Brown thus tells of
the famous Wilson Raid and the discov-
cry Of the world-famous musical freak.
Blind Tom:
I'VE were a scouting party. in advance
of Wilson's forces. and on this particular
day approaching Montgomery, Ala. About