The National tribune., 1904-05-26

phur Springs by parallel routes to the
west, struck Warrenton in the afternoon
Here he halted during the rest of that day
TO supply the troops with proyisions.(6
Lees plan now was to advance from
Warrenton in two columns-the left col
| unn (the corps of HID to move northward
Ey the Warrenton turnpike TO New Balti
more, and then strike due eastward to
lay hold of the railroad at BristOe Station
| the right column (the corps Of EwelD to
| advance by roads to the east of the route
of Hill, passing by Auburn and Green
wich, and uniting with Hill at Bristoe
Station.
AN ARMY FOOT RACE.
This project was put in execution on tie
morning of the 14tl; but whether Lee
would be able to make good his intent of
reaching Bristoe before his antagonist
would, of course, depend on the activity
of the latter. Meade, with the uncertainty
of what Lee was about, had the interior
line; Lee, with definite purpose and clear
line of conduct, had the exterior and longer
route to pursue. Anticipating the sequel
SO far as to say that Meade beat Lee in
the race, passing Bristoe with nearly his
whole force before Hill and Ewell were
able to strike his line of retreat at that
point, it remains to describe some inter
esting complications that arose out of the
proximity in which the two armies were
manuvering.
In the retrograde movement Of the
Union army OH the 18th. it was appointed
that the Second Corps under Gen. Warren
should, after halting at Fayetteville until
the Third Corps under Gen. French was
withdrawn, cover the rear of the army;
and its route was directed to be by way of
Auburn to Catlett's Station. and thence
northward along the line of the Orange &
Alexandria Railroad. In this duty, Kill
patricks Division of Cavalry was to CO.
operate.
Now. on the evening Of the 18th. when
Lee reached Warrenton, Warren reached
Auburn, distant only five miles to the st,
and there he bivouacked with his corps on
the south side of Cedar Run. To cover his
rear from attack from tie direction OF
WarrentOn, where Lee was that night (un-
known to, but not unsuspected by War
REM. Caldwell's Division with three bat
teries(1) was placed on the nights of Cedar
Run. Before dawn of the 14th. while the
head Of Warren's column was under way
crossing Cedar Run. Caldwells troops lit
camp-fres on the hilltop to cook break
fast; and in this duty they were engaged
when most unexpectedly battery opened
upon them from their rear and directly on
the road prescribed for the movement of
Warren's column towards Catlett's Sta
tiOn.(Sb This attack. sufficiently bewllder-
ing to those upon whom it fell. will readily
be understood in the light of the following
rather amusing incident:
ENEMIES UNCONSCIOUS OF MUTUAL RE-
sPECTIyE PROXIMITY.
Stuart with the Confederate cavalry had
the day previous met the head of French's
column, and, being forced back. retired to-
wards Catlett's Station. But on Sykes's
Corps moving up the railroad. Stuart found
himself inclOSed between the two main
Union columns. and bivouacked within
two miles of Gen. Meade's headquarters
and not more than 400 yards from where
Caldwell's Division was encamped, send
ing messengers through the Union lines
to notify his friends of his situation. When
Caldwell's men lit their fires. Stuart
opened on them. Unseen himself in the
valley, vailed by mist and the gray morn
ing light, he had yet plain view of the
Union force on the illuminated hilltops.
and for a few minutes, till the troops
could be moved to the opposite side of the
hill under cover, the fire from the Confed-
crate battery told with fatal effect G)
Having thus paid his compliments, the
dashing sabreur escaped by moving to the
rear around the Union rear-guard.
BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
But no sooner had Caldwell moved to
cover on the opposite side of the hill than
his command was opened on from that
side also. the fire coming from the direc-
tion Of the Warrenton road. The source
of this new attack will be readily under
stood from the already mentioned inten-