Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1905-02-02
CHAPTER XxIIr.


Gen. Gregory and his brigade were
detached from the Virginian army and
sent west, and John, leading life of in
cessant activity and hazard, saw nor
heard anything more of them for a long
period At fatal charlottesville his
beloved commander finished his heroic
career, and John, now a hardy veteran.
wearing majors uniform, asked To
be asairDcd to !; REGULAR command. His
request was granted, and he found him
self under that gallant Virginiau
whose brilliant career was So sniiv
cut short at Yellow Tavern, Jcb
j Stuart. Maj. Hewson was in q short
time the most popular officer
, IN the command. The officers liked the
unassuming, quiet young man who
seemed to have no kin, and no interest
beyond his duty, who never shirkcd,
never asked for leave of absence and
was always ready for any extra duty,
however pcrilous. Tho men soon
learned that tho nn;nr xya:s the hest ON.
Ger in the regiment on matters OF duty,
that on all questions affecting the COM
fort of his men he was tireless. TINT
while always in the front rank Of battle
he was extremely careful OF the lives of
his men.
After Gettysburg, as Lees army was
slowly dropping back into Virginia,
John found himself in command of the
regiment barely mastering two hum
drcd men guarding one of the inter
ninablc wagon trains as they slowly
crawlcd southwark. The lieutenant
nn1,nn1 had Ifriu y; 1:fa <., III
and was buried on the Pennsylvania
hills. The veteran colonel badly
wounded was miles ahead in an am.
bulancc.
/ One hot July afternoon as the little
command stopped to rest under a shady
grove on Il rounded western Maryland
Hill, John climbed up to the highest
point to get a hird's-cyc view of the
country, and unslung a field glass
which he constantly carried. He was
startled out of his usual coolness at the
first glance.
About Il mile to the southwest, riding
up deep and narrow valley which ef-
fcctually concealed them was a federal
cavalry force fully one thousand strong.
AS the direction OF the valley was
northwest. it was evident that their
aim was to strike the wagon train at
the point where the main road crossed
the valley and where was a small
creek where the tcamsters would halt to
water The teams Rushing down the
hill, and giving his orders rapidly, in
less time than it takes TO write this
sentence his men were in line Calling
out one Of the men who was daring
scout and rider he gave him line:
Col. HARDisoN: Train attacked by federal
brigade Of cavalry Can hold them but few
minutes HEwsoN,
Major Commencing, the = Virginia Cavalry.
Our lives and this wagon train de.
pend on You" was his parting word.
The gallant private salutcd, smiled.
gathered up his rcins and was off like an
arrow.
John turned to his men:
Men, a federal brigade four or five
times our strength viii strike this train
in fifteen minutes. They can only have
these wagons after ! am dead. What
say you9' The men gave one wild YELL
that WIS sufficient response. and the
next minute the regiment was riding
pell-ncll towards The point where dam
ger threatened. They arrived at the
crest of the Hill five minutes before the
dcierals reached the road and at once
dcployed sllirnlishers.
The federals, finding an armed force
in front where they had expected to
make complete surprise. became a lit
tie confused and fell back few hundred
yards and seemed unccrtair whether to
advance or retreat This respite was
invaluable to the conlcdcratcs. as it
gay. shcm Il few minutes for rest, and
every minute was OF priceless value as
. John calculated that Col. liardison
should reach him in thirty minutes.
For fifteen on twenty minutes a dcsuitory
: sliirrnish was carried on, and John
profited by it to halt the wagons and
7 mount a hundred or SO Of the drivers OF,
! wagon horses, which added largely td