Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-08-14

to show them our rear. They'd never
stop blowing about it If they got away.
We've twice as many men AS they. We
ought to be heavy enough to press
them back. If we can cross first we
! can drive them into our camp like cat
| tle."
They're as close to the bridge ms
We said the captain.
We'll try. anyhow" said the major.
mo sabers fnen--revolvers onlyw Then
the major put his hand on his revolver
and shouted:
Charger
We were within 100 yards Of the
bridge, so we easily heard the Confed-
crate commander, grayish brown man
from top to toe, who rode to the front.
dropped his bride in his saddle, drew
holsters and yelled:
"Gitw
Then that grayish brown man fired.
1t is astonishing how much damage
can be done by the buckshot which can
be put into an old horse pistol. aft
erward learned that all the horses in
the first set of tours. as well as two of
the men, were hit. though none was
seriously injured. by that grayish
brown mans double shot
In half minute some of our men
were on the bridge, but so were some
of the enemy. Ten seconds later the
bridge was damned with horsemen.
Our major.
The major meant well, but how mitch
firing could be done Oh a bridge only
wide eaOugE TO, about four mel
abreast after the men in front hac
emptied their revolvers? How welv
any but the surest shots and those near
est the front to fire without hitting theiI
own comrades, who already were using
their revolvers as hammers or hittins
the JohnnicS with bare fstsI Their,
was little firing on the other side, fol
nearly all the Confedcrates carried
shotguns or muzzle loading muskets
which rhey could not reload in haste
so after firing once they used thei
guns as lances, punching our men il
breast or face and being horribly ours
ed in return.
Meanwhile each horse was LOOKING
out for No. l. The horse is wedge
shaped animal, and each of our foul
footed wedges pushed his head ant
shoulders between those of horses in
front of him. This gave the anima..
absolute rest as we'll as safety whrt
their riders We're fighting.
The major turned to the rear. frs
cautioning his captains to maintain
the pressure, and soon we heard h.l
say:
Two rear companies dismount
Third company deploy on the right
fourth on the left. Pepper their reai
with carbincs as long as there's mar
OF them in the saddle! Aim carefully
BE careful not to hit our own men,.
This promised sickening slaughter
Tor our men with their carbines coule
get within 100 yards of the most dis
tant Johnny and do a great deal Oh
harm before the enemy could dismouut
ana flre more than single shot Prob
ably the enemy would follow our OK
ample as soon as they saw what we
We're up to, if any of them were LEFT
after we had given them a vollcy OF
two. This is not n joke. Our SHARP
carDines were as true as sporting rifles
For several months we had beer
taught, when fighting dismounted with
carDines or revolvers, to shoot from Il
rest whenever possible, and our prac.
tlce shooting showed that ywhere
within point blank range we could
shoot well.
At the majors orders three men OF
every set of tours in the last two com.
panies dismounted and hurried to trees
logs and fences near the creek.
Now, men," said the major to us,
"as soon as they begin to fire and clea,
away the rear you press upon the ad.
vance with all your might. II we
drive them off the bridge, divide, right
ana left, as soon as you get across and
ride down their TANKS. and Wen cap.
ture every mothers son Of them who's
alive"
This seemed practicable. and hoped
no other reason, it would be vastly
pleasanter to take a lot of prisoners
into camp than to bury an equal mum.
Der of Confederate dead, for burial
party duty stays In ones mind.
why don't those skirmishers begin
hringT shouted the major. though II
was not easy to hear him above the
horrid din on the bridge.
Crack" went one Of our carbines. II
refined my horse toward the edge Of the
road to see when the enemy's rear
should become weak enough for the
pressure to begin.
Crack crack. crackw sounded In
rapid succession, but the sounds were
not like the report OF revolver or car.
pine. Something new was occurring
on the bridge, for all the men, both
gray and blue, seemed to press to one
side. A second or two later that entire
bridge, containing 40 or 80 Union troop.
ers and as many COnfederates, went
down with crash and a splash into
the creek below.
Here was the unexpected again, and
a great deal Of 1t, too so ] looked anX
'ously at the major to see what he wa
going TO do about 1t. He didn't seem II
nlt puzzled. On the contrary, the bridSo
had scarcely fallen when he roared:
'Skirmishcrs cover the road on thu |
)thcr SHE Of tie EYi'!se, Don't let u