The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1906-08-24


atsthing for us. AT first my inten-
ton was to wait for my command to
come up, hut when I thought of the
glory OF taking them by surprise with
my small force and frightening them
so that they would run into the arms
of our main force or surrender to me,
l couldn't stand it, so with my three
cavalrymen l placed myself in the
lane and we opened as hot fire as
| we could with rifles and pistols upon
the unsuspecting confederates, who
were taken completely by surprise
Il have never seen such panic as
followed our first volley, but it didn't
last long. Ahead of them was our
main strength, and they knew it.
They didn't know how strong we
were, and were too much startled to
see accurately, so they retreated a hun
dred yards or so, but the confederate
captain never lost his nerve for a min
ute, and from the start was trying to
rally his men. In a few minutes he
had them under his control, swung
them around and charged down on us
full tilt, with his sword out and his
men coming on behind, the hoofs of
their horses sounding like thunder.
| AS they Saw what a weak force there
was ahead of them they set up wild
yell, and just at that particular mo-
| ment l asked myself what kind Of a
fool l was to attack force that out
numbered us more than ten to one.
We were in a bad fix, and there was
| no time for us to reload. On each
| side OF the road was rail fence. One
side was steeply up hill, the other
| flat, and it didn't take any of us mo-
ment to choose where we wanted to
| go. l don't think any of us touched
rail when we were getting out of
the lane. for We were all pretty we'll
frightened. There wasn't any time
for us to get far away, for the coll
federates were close on us, and COM
ing as fast as their horses could run.
up on top of the hill could hear
my command coming as fast as they
could, for they were anxious to get
in the fight. The confederates must
have heard them, too, for they passed
us like whirlwind and the fraction
Of minute that they spent in going
by was the most miserable moment
that I have ever spent in my life. 1t
seemed to me as if every man that
We hadn't had any time to make a
run for it, so we crowded up to the
fence as close as we could and tried
to hide behind the stout oak rails.
Each one of us endeavored to take up
just as little space as possible, and
the roar of the horses hoofs and the
popping of carbines and pistols as they
shot at us going by on the dead run
made me think that our chances were
worse than small for getting through.
But the last confederate cavalry
man swept by us and there wasn't a
one of us touched Down the hill my
men came riding like devils, and when
they came to where their commander
was they found him tucked away in
fence corner and as far in the fence
corner as he could get, feeling of him.
self to see if he was still alive. My
men stopped but moment and then
set off after the enemy, but pursuit
was useless and they were soon back
awaiting my further orders.
what insane idea led me to attack
a force that was so greatly superior
1 have never been able to grasp. 1t
was sheer impulse, nothing else, but
IT, was an impulse that was SO strong
that I never hesitated a moment and
| the first effect was entirely gratifying,
for we nearly stampeded the confed-
crates into our lines before their cap
tain got them under control again.
| When they did pass us they were rid
ing so hard and going so fast that
they could not shoot accurately, and.
BESIDES the target that we presented
wasn't very big, for each one OF US
was drawn up into as small space
as possible When my men had salts
fed themselves that I wasn't hurt
they made little cast back up the
road and found two confederate SOL
| diers that we had wounded, and be-
sides there was almost wagon load
of eouipments that they had dropped
in their surprise, so it may be SAID
that my attack wasn't entirely with
out results.
1--WE been in tight places since and
know what the hum of bullets sounds
/ like, but I have always felt that the
closest call I ever had was in that
little narrow country lane near
Fayette, Miss, in December, 1868.
The force we attacked didn't know
how weak we were, but when their
captain had rallied them they came
down after us in as fine a cavalry
charge as I have ever seen. The cap
tain leading them was a fine fellow
and every inch brave man, but l
have never seen him since"
| ~ Sham Rattle