Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-01-06

We were reused Gp before daylight by
the heavy firing over on the lett some
thing was evidently wrong. and We had
our horses saddied at once. We occu-
pied, with Sheridan's STAFF. the stone
house-the "Hite House." have since
heard il called-in rear of our first di-
vision. / was dispatched over 10 the
pike" to see what the trouble was and
report. ! did not reach the pike" inn
mediately; there was a great deal be-
tween me and it to prevent, and as for
reporting" never saw the Nineteenth
corps again till the next spring.
The morning was foggy. and 1t was
impossible TO see man at that hour
more than a few rods OF, but could
see the flashes Of the muskets of some
of the regiments of cur corps, and met
fugitives from the Eighth in large num-
bers gong TO the rear. a great noise
of shooting, and yell that was never
made by any but southern soldiers, was
heard from the left, and l saw enough,
besides what these fugitives told me, TO
be sure that there was an attack and a
panic in the Eighth. IL would have
been well for me If had been satisfied
with what / had thus far discovered,
and had gone back to headquarters with
the report. | should certainly have
found headquarters in the saddle" and
they were never SO near 10 me again that
morning. But wanted TO do my whole
duty. / was anxious 20 see the whole
trouble with my own eyes. that might
make faithful report. and on l went.
To avoid the streams OF fugiuves, I
bore we'll of to the eft. intending to
reach the pike rather below the line OF
their hasty retreat. I had not ridden
half way TO the pike when ! came slap
on four soldiers. The meeting was so
sudden, in the obscurity Of the fog that
they seemed TO rise out OF the ground.
At a glance saw that they wore gray.
and that each OF them had a musket.
can see now that II had acted with
the greatest promptness I might have
wheeled and galloped back uninjured
before fine aim could have been taken
at me; and then again I might have
been knocked dead of my horse trying
IT. l was not quick enough TO take the
risk. | pulled up. and their muskets
quickly covered me.
They saluted me as ''Yank," order
ing me to dismount promising to let
daylight through" me il / did not, and
conveying their wishes TO me in other
explicit language They had the con-
troversy all their own way, and yielded
without trying to argue the question.
got down. and was taken TO the pike.
and up il toward Fishers hill. TO a place
where many union prisoners had al
ready been collected. The number was
swelled TO 1900 by night. and we were
started up the valley on the long way TO
Richmond before Sheridan's cavalry
could overtake us.
That (said another comrade) reminds
me Of what happened in plain sight OF
our picket line of on the left. near
Hatcher's Rua, before that battle had
been fought
Our major was In command OF that
part of the line He had come out from
the reserve with a sergeant, and took the
notion TO go beyond the line and see
what he could see. IL would not have
been a wise thing for horseman TO do.
They were afoot, and IL was positively
foolish. But they went-full Of big head,
10 tell the truth.
The country was clear in front, there
being nothing but some scattering tim
Der 10 break the view for perhaps 800
yards. / was one of the pickets, and
watched the major and sergeant as they
strolled along out 10 the front, prob
ably suspecting no danger. We had
seen TO picket line, even in daylight.
and their presence never be suspected
What followed / got partly from my
own observation and partly from the
account of the major when he came in.
AS he and the sergeant approached a
low stone wall, being not more than 20
feet from il, three muskets were thrust
over it at them and a voice shouted:
Surrender, Yanks. or Wen shoot"
The sergeant at once threw down his
gun. He was captured, of course, and
sent to the Libby.
Not so the major
know the man pretty well. and |
think l can tell what flashed through
his mind on that stern hail. and the dis
covery OF what was before him.
1t probably occurred 10 him that he
was where he had no business to be;
that the months Of weary captivity be-
fore him would be followed by an Off
cial inquiry as 20 what he was doing out
there, and that some severe punishment,
If not cashiering, awaited his exchange.
He resolved to run for it. He must
have appreciated the fact that the
chances were nine to one against him !;
but the reasons that have stated made
him desperate.
] saw him whirl and rush for our line
/ heard the reports of three muskets to-
gether, and they were aimed so low that
one OF the balls plowed the dirt in front
of me.
I saw the majors hat fall from HIS
head. l supposed it was blown off by
the wind, in his flight but learned bet.
ter few months later.
We opened fire, of course, to cover his
retreat The confederate scouts got of
with the sergeant as prisoner; we did
not dare to leave our posts TO pursue.