The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-28

into position In column by division for
the support OF artillery.
Suddenly the harsh whirr OF wheels
was heard. Thompson's Pa. Battery
was deploying into position on our left.
In moment afterwards the black
throated engines of death belched forth
their fiery wrath in sheeted flames A
desultory fire was the only reply. and
In 20 minutes the Confederate advanced
battery was silenced amid the exulta-
tons OF our victorious gunners. The
1oiiow1ng morning the spot was marked
by the carcasscs of 13 horses and the
dead bodies of 10 men. Gen. Hartsufr
at this crisis rode along our lines. say
ing: Men, when You become engaged
keep cool and fire low; be firm and
ebey orders"
Again the cannonade opened from
fresh artillery i'm position on the sides
OF Cedar Mountain. but in the indis-
tinct light the range was inaccurate,
and the shot mostly passed overhead
back into the forest depths. Late in
the night the firing ceased altogether
The dread vigils of night at last end
ed The dead lay where they fell, and
with glazed eyes and stony faces
war. Truly.
The drying up a single tear has more
OF honest fame than shedding seas OF
gore"
During the night. after their repulse
Dy Rlcketts'S Division, the enemy fell
back. An armistice was entered into,
and the Sabbath was passed in burying
the dead. In one spot the dead body
of Union Soldier was found in the
midst of the bodies Of nine Confeder-
ates. All over the field were dead
horses, broken wagons. scattered mus
kets, PROSTATE fences, knapsacks,
blankets and cartridge-boxes Our
losses in this battle were over 1000
men, and that of the enemy nearly the
same.
The Next Day.
On the morning of the 11th of
August our forces advanced toward
Robertsons River. On our left Cedar
Mountain loomed up grandly above the
ensanguined field. Standing there an
everlasting hilI,'' it is a proud monu-
ment to the graves of the slain, and
the winds of heaven when they breathe
through its moaning pines will sing a
fitting requiem to those who sleep in
dreamless beds beneath it's solemn
shadows.
On the 18th of August we arrived in
the vicinity of Mitchelps Station, near
the Rapidan. The Confederates were
in force on the south bank Of the river.
By the capture of the Adjutant-G General
OF Stuart's cavalry it was ascertained
that Lee was advancing in force against
Pope. While in this vicinity Gen. Car
roll was dangerously wounded by one
Of the enemy's sharpshooters.
On the 18th of August Gen. Pope had
decided to abandon the Rapidan for
the more defensible line of the Kappa
hammock, and the retrograde march was
commenced on the morning of the 20th.
At o'clock Culpeper was reached, but
there was no halt. At the depot a train
load of army supplies was burning to
prevent it falling into the hands of the
enemy. As the day advanced the heat
and dust became oppressive, but still
the line pressed on. In the afternoon
Gen. Hartsuf rode along the marching
lines, saying:
Remember, men, you are In rapid
retreat, marching in the center Of a
long column. The enemy are in hot
pursuit; therefore no one will be per-
initted to leave the ranks"
Night settled down upon the parched
earth, and yet there was no halt; but
OH, on, over miles of dusty roadway,
the footsore and fatigued brigade con-
tnued it's course.
Back Across the Rappahannock.
At o'clock on the evening of the
2cth the division crossed the Kappa
hammock at Rappahannock Station, and
went into position on the north bank
near the railroad bridge. Here we lay
down to rest, each recumbent line in
the rear Of it's gunstacks. On the morn
ing of the 21st great columns of dust
rising above the distant treetops dis
closed the approach of strong force
Of the enemy.
The historian Of the war passes brief
IL over the events subsequent to the
battle of Cedar Mountain and prior to
the bloody engagements on the plains
of Manassas The true history of the
war cannot be written. 1t sleeps in the
graves of the silent dead. Individual
6C af Iny ~, or7l Lott Ioxr
sunk into oblivion or been absorbed in
the more stupendous achievements Of
an army.
"A thousand glorious actions that
might claim
Triumphant laurels and immortal fame,
Confused in clouds of glorious actions
lie,
And troops of heroes undistinguished
die"
Smucker, in his History of the Re-
bellion, in relation TO the fight of Rick
ettSs Division at Rappahannock Sta
ton on the 21st 22d and 23d of August,
1862, merely says:
"One of the most signal repulses
which the rebels received was effected
by the troops of Ricketts's Division at
Rappahannock Station on Thursday,
the river near the railroad"
This repulse was effected by Hart
suff's Brigade of Ricketts's Division.
Gen. Pope contemplated an attack upon
the Confederate rear near the Station
while their main force was moving up
toward our right. A large force had
been accordingly massed for this pur-
pose on the north bank of the river,
but in consequence of the flood rise in
tine Rappahannock on the 23d, which
carried away some of the bridges, he
was obliged to abandon the project
Confederate Movements.
About 10 o'clock of this morning (21sD
the movements of the enemy indicated
a demonstration upon our lines oppo-
site the bridge. To counteract this our
brigade recrossed the river, and took
position on the ridge commanding the
on the south bank. Our
regiment, the "old 18th Pa under
command of Col. Dick Coulter, a vet
eran of the Mexican War, was posted
upon the most advanced eminence, with
orders from Gen. Hartsuff to hold and
defend it to the last. 1t was tete du
ponte.
Once upon the ground, / realized the
fact that war neither respects time,
place or circumstances. The day of rest
may be day of carnage, and the house
of God trapcferrad into a haSpita1 So