The National tribune., 1904-06-16

followed close. while the rest of the COM
mand, under one of my Sergeants, made
up the rear-guard, and thus We Eamped
along until noon. meeting no enemy. We
found a place in the wooded hills where we
built fires. made coffee and gave the people
much-needed rest. All the women had to
be helped along The young lady was my
arms at the crossing of every creek, helped
her over all the bad places. while Coon
Skin" slouched along. like a straggler in
the rear of a supply train.
Jim Card with two of my best men had
gone on in advance. We We're getting into
locality of many crossroads and pianta-
tions, where it was very unsafe to travel
in the daytime.
We had gone but a short distance from
our noon camp when we were startled by
the report of q gun. There was no mistak-
ing the sharp report of the Colts rifle.
There was no other rifle in the army that
had that defiant tone.
The command closed up. formed about
| the people were to protect, and waited
and it was only for short time when
! Card and the two men came in. They had
suddenly encountered a Confederate cayal-
ryman on a crossroads in the woods. He
attempted to shoot: his gun did not work
but my men firing at the same instant, the
Confederate fell from his horse, and they
left him there in the road. where his COM
rades would find him. We changed our
course slightly. with Card again some dis
| tance in advance. and had made a couple
Sf miles when the rear guard sent me word
that we were followed by mounted men
l then sent the Sergeant to the front and
| took command of the rear-guard and
fplanned an ambuscade along behind rail
fence that skirted a cornfeld. My men had
but barely got out of sight before there
came out across the edge of the woods
about 40 mounted men. | had only 10 men
| with me, but each one had five shots. They
| were coming on trot and were scattered
| along SO we had to wait until the leader
was quite close before the order to fire was
| given and how those fellows tumbled. There
was vOlley then scattering fire that lasted
but moment. and there was no enemy in
sight, except the poor fellows who were
| lying upon the ground and the horses that
were galloping about the field.
| But these men were only the advance
| guard of a larger force. | closed up upon
| the main party and kept them moving
under Cards guidance. and again planne,
| an ambuscade. This time it did not work
so we'll: only two men came on as advance
and with two shots from Tom Cards rife
1 they were mustered out.
| | had never seen Tom Card in a fighl
before, and the quick work he made oi
those two men gave me convincing proof
|
| Before the echoes of the rifles had dice
away in the rear there came yell and
| vOlley from the front. and then they cam,
at us from all sides. and We hurriedl,
| closed in for united resistance. The refu
gees--men and women--were huddled int
IA gronp. l had many times that day
planned what | would do in just such al
emergency, but now. with parties of mount
ed men coming from all Sides there was M
chance to get the helpless ones out of tn.
range of the bullets. We were i'm tract o
open timber. my men in circle. From
behind trees they were taking careful shot
at the enemy.
As l hurried from point to point I.sav
some of the refugees with their shotgun
and squrrel-rifes standing with the sol
diers But l saw Coon Skin" down on tn
ground behind log. | tried TO drive hin
wouldn't get up. and / gave him kick il
the side and he set up howl-thought h
had been hit with a six-pound she'll W.
had the women folks lay down on tn
ground. for the bullets were stripping tn
|, trees all about us.
looked for Kate. and found her wit
her father and mother. From behind
small tree he was loading and firing at al
advancing force of the enemy who wer
firing as they came on. The mother. OF
/ her knees with a prayer on her lips, raise
) her hands. gave faint moan and as
stream OF blood ran down her white face
; sank upon the ground dead.
The father turned to look-it was but a
, instant, and he tOppled over; clasping hi
arms about her neck he tried to kiss he
: face once again and they were gone.
Kate had taken but step to reach he
mothers side. but that step had brough
her into range Of a earbine shot, whic
!; crashed through her left knee.
l had witnessed it all in but the brie
part of minute. Kate, unmindful of he
, own injury, was moaning over the bodie
of her parents. l handed her a roll G
t bandages | carried in my pockets, then CAV
e my attention to the men.
: There never was such another fight i
!, Tennessee. Van Dorn's cavalrymen wer
+ good soldiers, they came at us from ever
point, but from behind the trees we me
{ them with fatal shots. Our boys were coz
and their five-shooters made their limite
, numbers as good as a full battalion. HUI
: rying from point to point, passed "Coo