The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-03

bound at the summit of the Gap; he or
dered his men to charge. Their cheers
echoed and re-echoed from peak to peak.
In railroad language, there was rear
end collson-and a wreck. IL Byron had
witnessed that cavalry combat in the
| snow above the clouds, he would nave
been inspired to write of 1t as he did of
| the storm on the Alps
Let me be
A sharer In thy fierce and far delight,
portion of the tempest and of thee"
| Major Gibson's report is a very hoqest
account of his disater. He says: Il had
| with me 125 men and three officers OF the
Fourteenth Pennsylvania cavalry.
The expedition was accompanied by Cap
tain Martindale and Lieutenant Baker,
both of the staff of the major general,
commanding the cavalry corps Captain
Martindale was accompanied by six
scouts. Up to this time | had captured
eighteen of the enemy, including Mosby's
quartermaster, and one lieutenant of the
line together with about fifty horses. At
| arriving at a point in the road from
| Paris to Berry's ferry, where the road to
| Shepherds ford turns off, 1t became nee
| essary to march the command by file
owing TO the narrow passage through the
| rocks of the path known as the road to
| Shepherds ferry. / halted the command
to put everything in the best order lest
we should be attacked while In the path.
- had placed Captain Duff in
charge of the rear guard, which consist
ed of forty men. The advance and main
portion consisted of fifty men. The pris-
| oners and led horses, under the guard of
twenty-five men, were in advance of Cap
tain Duffs portion of the command and
| in rear of the main body.
| / made my rear guard so strong in pro-
| portion to the size of my command ow-
Ing to the enemy's repeated and vigorous
attacks on 1t. l was at the head of the
column. | turned around in order to OBJ
serve the order of the column and look
ing to the rear. which had not entered the
new direction, | observed several men
holding up their hands and make gestures
| which l supposed were intended to in
form me that the rear was attacked L
Immediately ordered the command Right
into line, ordered the prisoners and led
horses to be led forward quickly into the
path and to follow the extreme advance.
which l did not recall. No sooner had L
/ issued these commands than | saw Cap
tain Duff and his party at the rear of the
small party who marched in the rear of
| the led horses. Captain Duffs command
was coming at a run. l saw rebels among
| and in the rear of his party charging.
| | ordered the command forward, fired
| a volley, and ordered charge-whch the
men did not complete. Captain Duff in
the mean time was trying to rally his
men in rear of my line. Before his COM
mand had reloaded their pieces, l had
fired another volley and ordered second
charge, All the prisoners and led horses
had not yet entered the path. The charge
| was met by one from the enemy and the
command was broken The enemy
was amidst the men, and both parties
were so mixed up that 1t was impossible
to get the parties into line. As fast as
men could force horses into the path.
where many of the men were crowded
| together, they broke for the river. l
waited until l was surrounded. and only
half dozen men left around; the balance
rhad retreated towards the river, or were
| killed, wounded captured. Captain
| Martindale, as he left said to me: 1t
| Is useless to attempt to rally the men
here. Wei try it further on l tried
| TO ride to the front. The prisoners had
| placed the horses they were on and lead
| ing across the path so as to prevent the
escape of the men. Men were crowded
into the path by twos and threes where
| there was only room for one to ride. Men
were being thrown and being crushed as
| they lay on the ground by others they
were falling from their horses from the
| enemys fire in front and rear of me.
| | rode past about twenty of the men and
again tried to rally the men. but all my
efforts were fruitless. I remained at
this point until nearly all our men were
past me. l rode ahead of a portion of
the command, and begged them to stop,
but / could not rally them. - A
couple of rebels were standing firing at
me, and my pistol was unloaded l turn
ed and passed a number of the men,
again ATTEMPTED to rally them. | told
them that there were only a few follow
ing us. and they would be easily taken.
My horse had been wounded and my leg
was altogether useless. l waited until
the last of our men mixed up with large