The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-12-17
CHAPTER XxIV.
THE RETREAT.
"Who would true vaIor see,
Let him come hither!v

-Bunyan.
It was long after sunrise when the last
raider left the desolated camp, and Moshy
could not doubt that tiding4 Of the dis
aster had reached the ears of more than
one Federal commander for, besides the
pickets who had been posted at dis
tance from the main road, and who would
at once have ridden fast with the alarm,
scores of frightened men and fran
tic horses had rushed into the dark,
ness, some Of thess men wossM
have been able to seize@.loose horses.
" fresh "H HeIp 9e however reae small the the reenfsree
ments might be, to reorganise and join
with any pursuing party. Mosby's trou-
bles had just begun.
Indeed, it is an easy thing to effect a
panic OF sleeping men; one man af0ot is
better than thousand such; frightened
COW has been known to stampede bri.
gade of infantry. You have fought well
i'm open battle; you have caught the Dag
as your comrade fell, and have carried Ii
aloft and far to the front and felt no
dimming OF ardor; but you unbuckle your
arms, and you lie down to sleep, and from
dreams of home you wake In blackness
total but for specks OF light at the mouths
Of the enemy's guns environing; you hear
their war-cry while yours Is silent; you
know not whether half yotr comrades are
still alive. or whether your commander is
in the hands Of the foe whose successful
advance means complete supremacy; your
you are cool-headed and brave-hearted
man IL you have even that thought.
The surprise had been easy; to retire
with safety would be difficult. It is no
wonder that Maj. Mosby's exploits. for
great part, began brilliantly and ended
in sorrow-always, nevertheless, with the
effect of great disturbance to his enemies.
His profession was that Of destruction
with greater purpose than to destroy
to demoralize And, although his failures
to save what he captured were many, yet
it must be confessed that more than one
such failure was to hts credit-he aban-
doned his booty in order to save his men.
And on this morning he knew that his
own place was at the rear, and until his
column should be beyond the reach of pur-
suit, his feeling must, be all Of suspense
and none OF graduation. For the moment
he had spread a sense Of insecurity in the
minds Of his enemies, In more or less de-
gree in the whole of Meade's army; but
unless he should succeed in bringing off
his band, this feeling Of his enemies would
be changed into satisfaction because OF his
future inability to endanger them. Then,
too, not only his men must surely be saved,
but his booty also must be saved If pos
sibls; though by its early sacrifice he
should be able to disband his men and
thus insure their individual safety, such
sacrifice must inevitably tend to the aban-
donment Of the partisan warfare which
was OF so great value; for how could he
or others hope to sustain the spirit neces-
sary for these enterprises III they were not
in q measure successful to the individuals
engaged in them? Doubtless he would
willingly have burnt every dollars worth
OF his booty il at the time he could have
known that his men would follow him on
his next raid with their accustomed zeal.
He knew that it could not be: he must
endeavor at any cost, except that Of his
tains value sufficient to keep the spirit at
high level.
The wagons retained were lightly loaded
for part with medical stores which
Lees army greatly needed. for other
parts with implements and clothing. Pro-
gress was rapid: though the men were
ton. The prisoners had. dwindled to less
than 20; in the confusion incident to such
an exploit escapes are easy and numer-
Gus. Only the officers were well guarded.
the teamsters being forced to handle their
teams and to drive them in the service Of
their eaptors.
Far at the front West rode, the advance
following; far at the rear Morgan and
Sency, vet with old Squire behind them,
bis invaluable services having been proved
at the pistols mouth. Even granted that
Squire be taken. confidence was felt that
he could make his way with his captors:
for the only man, the sentinel, who could
have told OF Squire's part in the surprise
was prisoner. On either hand, parallel
with the column, moved scouts familiar
with the country: u
Armstrong Aia shown more han his
Dgssadryz eaissa Essnsss ns,'s ns
and speech gave evidance OF Joy over sue
cess or at times manifested -ea Rern1sa In