The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-22
srUARr's RAID NORTH OF THE POTOMAC.

moved forward, the artillery opening, the
skirmishers in front boldly marching upon
the hill.
The Federals on the hill were of the
Doth Pa, commanded by their Colonel.
There were only few small companies,
possibly not more than hundred men.
The Colonel feared that his force would
be cut of. He could see column of Con-
federates-a column more than 10 times
his number. He ordered retreat down
the river. He left the ford open. There
is no doubt that his force would have
been captured, but there is great doubt
that Stuart could have escaped with it.
Here is a very delicate military question;
the Confederates thought that their enc
mics should have held the hill; no Fed
eral authority seems to have criticised the
Colonel for saving his men.
The ford was Stuart's. and Lees men
were crossing. Still Pelham, on the
flank, was hard at work retarding Pleas
Onton; but Pelham, also, was retiring
from position to position, getting nearer
and nearer the ford. Hampton, yet far
in the rear, was Withdrawing before
Stoneman's men-or, rather, between
Stoneman and Pleasonton. Already, at
the ford, there was a great gap in the
rebel column. Lees men had crossed;
JOnes's men had crossed; a great file of
led horses had crossed-all to the sound
of artillery and skirmishing, and under
the strain of momentary expectation of
seeing solid blue columns advance; but
HamptOn's troops had not come into
view. Was Stuart's rear-guard lost?
Man after man had been sent back to
hurry Hampton up-but no Hampton. At
last, Capt. Blackford proposed to go, and
Stuart consented.
Blackford rode to the rear-a headlong
pace; he passed courier after courier who
had been sent to Hampton: ne rode up
to Col. Butler, commanding the rear
gaurd. Buffers regiment, and the North
Carolinians, were across the road, formed
to resist Stoneman on one side and Pleas
onton on the other; the Federals were
pressing forward.
"Colonel.' shouts Blackford, "Gen
Stuart orders your withdrawal instantly
You are in danger of being cut off. Al
most everything has crossed"
But I'm afraid my horses can't move
my gum" observed Butler.
'Then leave the gun! Let 'em have
it! Save your men and your horses"
"Just hold on a minute" says Butler.
"Don't you go to getting excited; I'm not
going to give it up yet"
Butler rode to the gun, and, in stern
tones, commanded the drivers to get that
gun down the road. They sprang to the
saddles, piled whip and spur, and away
they ratified at a wonderful rate for a
broken-down team, the cavalry following
in good order, the enemy pressing. At
the turn of the road Buffers column was
q target for Pennington; as he approach
ed the river he was under long range fire
of infantry, but he made good his march |
and saved his gun.
And as Blackford, on Jeb, reached the
middle of the river Federal horseman
on the tow-path of the canal, with glass
at his eye, muttered to himself, 'That is /
Scott, beyond doubt, but that fellow
riding him looks no more like me than
Gen. Pleasonton does"
And at the same moment a Confederate
on the south side said, ''They |
thought they had us, Dan. but they
missed itT'
"I'm afraid they have got Sency," was
Morgan's reply.
TO be continued)