Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-07-02
CHAPTER XI.
CROSS PURPOSES.

&ES as any pavement anu
E-S we and our horses
had been imprisoned so long by the
preceding rain that we heartily en-
joyed the beginning Of the trip. We
had been we'll fed all winter, but no
one neglected the precaution Of carry
ing all the rations. particularly fat
pork, that he could get. In camp we
had good fresh bread daily, but once in
awhile when other rations abounded
had begged a days rations Of hard
bread instead and slowed 1t away
against the next scout. had never
forgotten the semistarvation Of our first
three days outing.
On the morning referred to only four
companies of us went out. but we felt
entirely safe What could happen to
us? We were strong enough to whip
any force Of the enemy that had yet
moved between our lines and their own
unless our irregular spies-all colored
people and natives Of the country-had
counted incorrectly the enemy's few
detachments. OF course we would be
fired upon rs soon as the advance
struck the enemy's pickets, and, as
most southernerS had handled guns
from their youth up. two or three OF
our men would probably be killed or
wounded. but we had come to regard
that sort Of thing as matter OF course.
1t was one Of the fortunes of war-or
misfortunes Of being at the head Of
cavalry advance. To prevent unfair
ness in this respect companies took
turns Of q day each at the head Of
scouting party. but the advance proper
was always taken from the right, or
head of the company, so in forming
line for a start there never was an un-
seemly rush for positions at the right
The extreme advance consisted OF
four men. riding abreast or by twos.
according to the width Of the road, and
CARRYING carbines or revolvers in their
hands ready for instant use. About 81
Yards behind rode a single trooper,
called q messenger. to pass back any
alarm or other information which the
men ahead might shout to him. Fifty
yards farther in the rear were two
men, who also had messenger within
earshot. and within so yards Of him
rode the remainder of the platoon
8 or 12 men-about as far from the
main body as from the man in front.
The specified distances were meas
ured only with the eye, but whether
they were too little or too great the
main body was far enough in the rear
to be out of point blank range OF Or
binary firearms, and most firearms OF
the enemy's cavalry were ordinary.
This distance enabled the main body
to draw sabers or get their carbines or
revolvers ready for action, according
to order. 1t also allowed US to get
into trot or gallop with some momen-
tum to 1t by the time we had closed on
the advance and begun the charge or
chase. Meanwhile the messenger and
reserve had closed on the first set OF
fours and begun firing II they saw any.
thing to fire at. Should the advance
halt, they began firing at once; If they
turned to run. they parted and gallop'
ed down either flank in single file, SO
the troop they unmasked could clear
the road by firing or charging. Il uev-
er had the melancholy satisfaction OF
seeing the advance break to the rearJ
Whenever we found the enemy in
line. even behind breastworks-for not
all Of them were cavalry-we would
deploy as skirmishers In the woods or
fields on either side Of the road and ad-
vance at the gallop. firing rapidly as
we rode. | don't believe carbine firing
at the gallop at mark 200 or 3OO
yards away ever did much damage.
but the successive puffs Of smoke
made our horsemen difficult marks to
hit. In such dashes the bugle general
ly sounded the recall before the skir-
mishers were upon the enemy's line.
Even If it didn't. most Of the horses
turned suddenly and dashed back, but
an occasional good rider with a horse
under perfect control would get far
enough within the line to estimate its
strength and see If 1t had any artillery.
Quite as often poor rider with an op.
stinate horse would get within the line
and find himself unable to return. The
horse that knew him would know him
no more forever. and the rider would
take up his abode for an indefinite sea-
son at the Hotel Libby, Richmond, Va.
A single man surrounded by enemies
Mt short range was seldom killed or
even hurt unless he refused to recog-
nize the inevitable. The general mass
Uf our men regarded Il skrmish dash
against infantry with very little ap-
prehrnSion. A trooper and his horse
generally are one for practical pur-
poses. the animal seeming to know
what is in his riders mind. Besides.
the enemy had only muzzle loading
weapons. which could not be reloaded
and fired more than once during the
forward rush Of cavalry skirmishers,
while the rapid fire Of our hrccchload-
ers and revOlvers had a disturbing ef-
feet upon n foot soldiers hand and eye.
Our advantages and precautions be.
ing so many, We felt entirely secure in
the scout Of which l have begun to
tell. Yet things did not turn out ut all
as we had expected. We struck the