The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-11

Emory lay behind Crook, and his men
had time to dress and turn out, but
there was no holding them. Fugitives
came running and shouting, and veter-
ans of a dozen fights were knocked out
in a trfce. The panic lent wings to
some men, while others were so over
scoTne that they could hardly hobble
away. The curses and appeals of the
officers were wasted on the air. A
major who was mounted struck a dozen
different men with the nat of his sword,
and he rode down others while trying to
rally them, but not one of the men
even those who received his blows
looked up at him. 1t was wild re-
treat before the Confederates got hold
of the artillery, but when they had
turned fifteen or twenty guns on the
Federals, and the bursting shells were
closely following the fugitives up it
was stampede like the rush of a herd
of cattle.
Here and there a man fell down and
cried out in piteous tones, but no one
succored him. Instead of lodging the
tents and camp fires, the fugitives
leaped over them and scattered them
about. The panic soon spread back to
the Sixth corps, which was in rear of
all, and only diplomacy saved the men
from rout. They were ordered forward
to check the enemy and cover the re-
treat, and action saved them. When
the great mass of fugitives had reach
ed Middletown, five miles away, they
began to grow ashamed of themselves
and to halt. Men began to form in
squads and companies, and soon there
was a general clamor to be led back
against the enemy.
The trouble was that nine men out
of ten had left their arms in camp or
thrown them away in the flight. and
so had nothing to fight with. Of 200
who fell in on the main street of the
village and called for an officer to lead
them, only twelve had carbines or mus
kets- Had Early continued to push along
he must have made a complete rout Of
it. His orders were to advance. but
his men fell out by hundreds to plumber
the Union camps, and by and by he
was so weak that the Sixth corps alone
could hold him. From 10 o clock in the
morning till 3 in the afternoon the
broken regiments were being gathered
and battle lines were being formed of
men who hadn't d gun to fire Sheri-
dan came up soon after ten and began
to stralghten things out, and at three
the whole Federal army moved for
ward.
The fighting did not last half an
hour, and as Early broke back it was
panic over again, but this time on
the other side. The feierals took nris-
oners by the hundreds, recaptlred every
& lost gun, and the confederate wagon
and ammunition trains which had
come down the valley by the high
ways, also fell into their hands. The
highway against pursuit with the stuff
they threw away, and muskets. car
bines, sabres, knapsacks and other
stores were gathered up by the wagon
load
It was a battle won through panic
and lost again from the same cause
At 10 O'Clock Early had every federal
camp in his possession. together with
over 100 wagons, 1000 mules and horses
5000 stands Of arms and "a field nieces
At o'clock in the afternoon he was
shattered end broken and flying for his
life, with the loss of everything which
could be thrown away or abandoned
Nearly every confederate prisoner
taken was either laughing or CRYING in
the hysteria of panic. At o'clock in
the afternoon Early had taken over
1900 prisoners, who were being guard
ed IN an open field. Two hours later he
had lost every one of them. and sorne
of them were guarding Confederate
prisoners on the same spot.
The attack was well enough planned
\ to have insured the destruction ~
5heridan's army. but those who planned
it. did not take into account that ann
dl'eds of confederates would fai; oiIt
ard engage in plumber instead of fght.