The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-11

Before had discovered myself there was
a crash of 1nuskotry. and thon rafting
skirinish fire off to our left half q mile,
and Sheridan turned sharply to Gordon
and said.
What does this mean, General Cor
DOM.
lie replied:
II suppose. sir. that the order to cease
firing has not reached them, but l will
send at once.,'
oh" said Sheridan. with a impetient
shrug Of the shoulders "let them fight
1t out"
NO" said Gordon. ~ will send the
order ut once and turning to me he
said:
Colonel ride along tho lines and tell
those men to cease firing until further
ORDERS"
wheeled my horse and was dashing
off, when General Sheridan said:
Hold on, will send one of my staff
to stop both Sides md calling to a
Young man of his staff we gnlloped off
together. We introduced ourselves TO
each other. 11e was Lieutenant Wander
bilt Allen, an aid dc.cainp on Sheridan's
staff.
We soon reached the scene Of tho
Isklrnish which was a cavalry affair. 1T
seemed squadron Of the enemy, eithHr
not having had the order or wishing to
mako display over n surrendered en-
envy, came charging into our lines and
Ind gotten pretty badly worsted. Most
of them who had not gotten killed or
wounded had been captured but there
was still some fighting going on with
squads who were trying to cut their way
back. We. that Is. Lieutenant Allen md
myself, rode on TO find some officer OF
rank to whom to give the order boh,,
but In the confusion OF tho melee 1t was
hard to find one. Just then heard the
crash Of vollcy of m,sketry n tGle
farther on In a pine thicket, and seeing
there was little moro going on where !
was / dashed off through the pines to
this new place. AS got to the edge Of
the wood 1found line of infantry re-
loading their pieces. and few PAGES In
front a Yankee officer, splendidly mount
ed, his uniform closely buttoned up to
his chin, displaying fine, large, manly
figure. But from this close-fitting coat
spouted many streak Of blood, and his
horse was trotting, with his hide rid
died with bullets. Just as rode up he
fell, and the dying rider rolled off at
tho feet Of the men. exclaimlng: My
God, boys, you hive killed me-
What was my surprise to find this
was my own regiment After the battery
moved off Colonel Talcott had moved to
the left and formed line OF battle con :
fronting n body of cavalry, who seemed
about to charge. This major of cavalry.
as his friends told us afterwards, was
pretty full OF ;whiskey that morning. Ho
knew Of the surrender, and seeing this
regiment forming had galloped up to the
line, and waving his sabre over the heads
of the men, .yshouted:
Surrender. you damned rebels
We had in the regiment quito q noted
character, old Sergeant Smith, a man OF
education, and soldier of fortune. who
had served in all the wars Of his day
in all parts of the world. He had been
with Walker at Nicarauga, with Cart
baldi in Italy,, and all through our Var,
and though a man of sixty with gray
hair, was as full OF fire rs ever, whiskey
having prevented his courage and talents
from giving him what he deserved I'm
fortunately for the Yankee major, he had
waved his sabre right over tho head OF
cur fiery old sergeant, and when ne
shouted: Surrender you damned rebels, :
old Smith replied: Surrender, hell, and
fired his piece into him. Then the Yankee
wheeled ana foolishly tried to gallop Off
when the men. equally incensed by his
insolencc, let !volley fly and brought
man and horse down.
I found Colonel Talcott and told hin,
what had happened and gave him Gen.
oral Gordons order, Then, to my horror,
I noticed that Lieutenant Allen was not
with me. and. very apprehensive that he
might have come to grief among the cx-
cited troopers where had seen him last
I hurried back to where I had left him.
AS I rode up he was in earnest converse
with an officer who proved to be Genera
Geary, of South Carolina.
"And you expect me to believe any
such damned tale as that?' said Geary
where is the officer who brought YOU
here, sir? No, sir; you shall go to the
rear with the rest OF tho prisoners. !"
IT am tho officer, General" said I, sa-
luting him. Geary turned to me and
paused n moment, his face becoming
more and more troubled. Then, bcckon-
ing to me- he rode off to one side and
sad:
what does all this nean?'
I said: "Gcneral, the army has sur.
rendered"
He auivcred as II he had been shot
md sat still in his saddle moment, and
then returning his sabre, which he held
still drawn in HIS hand, he said:
"Thon Will be damned if will sur
render" and that night he passed Out
OF tho lines to Join Johnston's army
heard
lieutenant Allen and ! rode quietl.
| back to the courthouse. where General
Sim r,dnn still was, and,on the way chatted
In a friendly way about the situation
he displaying good feeling and e good fats t.
ir all he said. remcmper 'ellins mn
| that the want otfrations was what hat
ruined ur, which was. Of course, llttlt
stretch Of the facts
! forgot to mention, as we rode up to
the battery, VIC expected TO support
lot OF prisoners passed BY battery Of
guns which General Fitzhugh Lee ha'
captured that morning. ms was con
seuuently before the sklrm'sh of Gan
ernl Geary, and, as the Yankee mato'
was killed after. this slS'rmish was ,, 9 over
there can be little doubt that the fSrs
Regiment Of engineer troops killed I'M
last man who fell by the fire OF Lees
army. c1,,,cr,,,
1iontenont- Colonel First Engineers.
FOURTH v|RG|N|A