The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-24

switch and put the train on the main
 line. Turner, who was riding a mule,
 shot at him five times charging on him.
 The fellow brandished the lantern in the
 face of the mule and the mule turned and
 ran away
 We thought Pope was on that train.
 The boaster ran as fast as steam could
 carry him, showing his back to the en-
 emy.
 A few days after that was the second
 battle of Manasses, with the history of
 which you are familiar. In less time
 than one month from the date of his re-
 markable address Pope had lost more
 than one-half of his army of 6OOO0 men,
 his fame was obliterated from the face
 of the earth. and he was retired to the
 rear, where shame and disgrace turk.
 In that fight captured three prisoners,
 one of whom was Captain Harris, aide de
 camp of General Mcdowell. History says:
 An aide of Pope was captured who had
 with him important orders." I never
 heard of them and am inclined to think
 this an error. Captain Harris had orders,
 which I delivered to Colonel Lee, but
 they were of no importance.
 I will relate another incident. It seemed to me that in the lovely Pied mont valley of Virginia the sun shonS brighter, the moonlight was softer, the flowers blossomed fuller, the grain and the grass were greener the mountain top
 was bluer, and the autumn leaves were
 more golden than in any other spot on
 earth.
 One night, think 1t was in 1863, Gen.
 J. R. Chambliss' brigade of cavalry was
 marching in the direction of Middlesbnrg along a hard, flinty pike road, when 1t was suddenly halted at the intersection of another road running at right angles Five other men, myself and Lieutenant 4l-A Cax4Z eral Chambiss seemed somewhat disturb ed or bewildered, and said that we were very near the enemy. but could not locrEe them. He directed Lieutenant Pollard to
 proceed on that pike as far as Middle , burg if he did not encounter the enemy. We had gone but A short distance (the moon was shining as bright as day) when we rode up to barricade extending across the road.
 We could not see or hear a sound. I'm. agine our consternation. If we advanced
 we might be killed; if we wheeled the fire of the enemy was sure. One of the
 men slipped from his horse slided along on the shady side of the road up to the barricade and found it evacuated We proceeded to Middleburg, and while moving at a. quick march ride rode into the head of a column of cavalry, which at first we took to be Yankees, but they proved to be a North Carolina regimeE1. j.. It ndQ Deen eHRdBeu lIldt tNeiiiii6 With the First Rhode Island regiment. We returned to our brigade and report
 ed.
 General Chamblss then went into camp. cautioning as much quiet as possible. as he knew we were near the enemy The squadron to which I belonged was or dered not to unstable, and to sleep with the bridle reins in our hands. About day. light we were aroused with the firing of pickets and immediately mounted and ga vanced towards the firing and drove back a small force of Yankees. We had only
 sixty-seven men in line.
 The First Rhode Island regiment was mounted with head of column toward us, commanded by a French officer whose , name was Duffee. Our squadron was commanded by Capt. Thomas Haynes, | who was afterwards mortally wounded | at the third battle of Manasses. When we l emerged from a cornfield we were not I far apart. There was a rock fence on either side of a narrow road, and the | colonel of the federal cavalry regiment i had given the command, By fours right about wheel" While this movement was l being executed Captain Haynes flashed l his sabre and cried out. "Charge! | Chargei" We struck the rear of sfeir l column with full force; they were panic 1 stricken, and out of a regiment of over i 600 we killed. wounded and captured 347. | Count de Chambord, a French historian. I who was in the United States at that time, and who wrote history of the | war between the states which was pub | lished serially by the Philadelphia Times, | in referring to this engagement, mention- 1 ed the gallant conduct of Colonel Duffee, | and among other things said: His regi- ! ment had been overpowered by General | Chambliss' entire brigade, and while Duff fees regiment had suffered great loss. Chambliss' brigade had suffered propor- tionately a greater loss.'
 There was not a single man killed or wounded in our squadron of sixty-seven men, and no other part of Chambliss' l brigade was in the fight.
 When the fight was over and all the men had gotten into line we were count ed in the presence of Gen. Jeb. Stuart. An amateur soldier, MT. Rahm of R,yh- mond, Va, rode from our lines and hand | ed General Stuart the eagle from the flag | staff of the Rhode Island regiment. | Stuart made happy speech congratulat- | ing the officers and men of the squadron | for their victory.
 JOHN w. BUSH.