The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-08

tySburg have always been of extreme in
terest to me. You know that most OF
my feeble efforts have been intended to
eXalt the man in the ranks and to show
that there We're heroes without commits
sions. Of these there is 10 better type
in our history than Alphonse Hodges.
Since writing the letter printed in The
National Tribune of the 10th, l have
looked up the record more carefully. In
it find paper by Capt. Cheney, of the
9th n. I. Cav, who was in command of
the picket line that morning. and who
sent Hodges out on the CashtOwn road
TO reconnoitre as soon as it was day
light. (And here let me say that there
was typographical error in my former
letter. The types make Gen. Heth say "a
few minutes to 8 u. M The 49, should
be "6.'o
Capt. Cheney told CorpT Hodges to
take three men and ride out the Cash
town road as far as he could. Cashtown
IS seven miles from Gettysburg and about
six miles from the Stone Bridge over
Willoughby's Creek. If you find the
enemy, Alph." said Capt. Cheney. 'send
one of your men back as fast as his horse
can carry him, and then do your best TO
find out the force of the enemy in our
front. If you run close up against
heavy force advancing rapidly. fire your
carbines once and then fall back together
at dead run"
They went out nearly two miles be-
yond the creek, keeping the road most OF
the way. About a mile and 4 half west
of Willoughby's Greek is & brook flowing
parallel with it. Between the two is a
low ridge. A mile beyond the brook is
Marsh Greek, and between them another
ridge little higher than the first one. 1t
was from the summit Of this ridge that
Corp1 Hodges and his three men saw
HethS head of column coming over the
crest Of the ridge west of Marsh Creek.
Hodges had glass, picked up on some
previous field of battle. Surveying the
people coming over the hill, he said:
Boys, they're Johnnies-infantry-
there's HI of a, lot of EN-. Go back,
all three of you. and give the general
alarm. I'll stay here a little while and
amuse them. They're Lees Army
want to get better look at them
The men rode back TO the picket line
at full speed. Hodges calmly walked his
horse down the road toward the advanc-
ing enemy, and when their leading men
had crossed Marsh Greek he fired at them
They returned his fire with half dozen
Shots, the distance being about half a
mile. He retreated to the top of the hill,
where he turned and fired two more shots,
which the enemy returned with 10 or 20
Hodges thought he had hit one of them
with his second shot, because he saw one
halt and sit down by the roadside. But
it was pretty long range for u Sharpe's
carbine. He now rode rapidly across the
valley of the brook and halted again on
the ridge west of Willoughby's till he saw
the enemy come over the hill he had just
left. He noticed that they were deploy-
Ing and throwing out heavy skirmish-
line, and he opened again on those near
est the road. Here he fired three shots,
which were not returned, and then he re-
treated at walk 10 the bridge over VIII
loughby's Creek. He halted again at the
bridge and fired two or three more shots
at the cnemy's skirmishers, who were just
coming in sight over the last ridge. Then
he reported to his Captain, who directed
him to report personally to Col. Sackett,
and he did orderly duty for the rest of
the day.
This is a simple story. but there is a
good deal in il. Eloquencc could not do
much for the fame OF soldier who sends
his three comrades back to the picket line
aud then alone deliberately walks his
horse toward an advancing division of the
enemy's infantry,
hodges own comment on it was the
best of ALL His Captain, who was very
fond of him, said: You were pretty
rash, Alph.; you should have come back
with the rest. It's a wonder you got
away"
''Oh. well, Captain, had the advaD-
tage. They were coming east and had
the rising sun right in their eyes. /
thought that would affect their shootng"'
This incident of history has been petri-
fed The monument of the 9th N Y.
Cav. on the Field of Gettysburg is a block
of light granite, the whole front of which
is has relief OF n soldier. mounted, the
horse with ears forward and nose extend
ed. The soldier is in the act of bringing
the butt Of his carbine to his shoulder.
Underneath is the inscription:
DISCOVERING THE ENEMY"
AS a piece of sculpture this bas-relief
has no equal on the field. The horse and
rider seem alive and ready to move. On
the face of the soldier is expressed intel
lisence and resolution that not even gran
lite can make cold. 1t is, in fact, a real
face. not ideal. 1t was modelled or adapt
ed from wartime photograph. The pho
tograph was that of Alphonse Hodges
Further comment might seem superfiu-
GUS. As already remarked eloquence
would be wasted on Alphonse Hodges
after the simplest recital of what he did.