The National tribune., 1907-10-24
WASHINGTON

artillery, and arrfvedHat the double
bridge over the FlfRt Ritter at daybreak
battalion of ting 4thrNich. Cav. with
saber charge crossed: both bridges at
a gallop. capturingsa battalion that was
guarding them. sn J 8
The division arrived at the bridge the
forenoon of April rs, nhaving marched
63 miles since daybreak of the 18th.
April 10 it passed. thruiIThomiston and
camped three miles east, having cap
tured three large cotton mills. April 20
it marched at 3 a. m..iitakinS road di-
rect to Macon. Near, Spring Hill our
advance, the 17ths Indai Mt'd Inf. en-
countered a rebel forse, of about 400.
drove them rapidlHp ca pt uring number
of prisoners and Iabouti 100 stands of
arms. At Tobesfkee Creek the rebels.
about SEQ strong, were posted at the
end of the bridge. which they had fired.
having also torn up the planking. Their
isharpshooters were posted behind rail
barricades and in a stone mill. about
100 yards from the bridge Our ad-
vance went on to the bridge al a gallop.
but were stopped by the planking hav-
ing been taken up. They quickly dis
mounted, and crossed on the burning
stringers in the most gallant manner.
routed the enemy and saved the bridge.
which was an important one, being over
100 yards long.
About three miles from Tobesfkee
Creek our advance was met by Brig
Gen. Robertson. of the rebel army. with
a flag OF truce. bearing dispatch from
Gen. Cobb stating that an armistice had
been agreed upon between Gen. Sherman
and Gen. Joe Johnston. This docu-
ment was delivered by Gen. Robertson
to Capt Lewis, of col Minty's staff.
Capt. Lewis handed the dispatch to Col.
hn inf ,N1 nj
that the dispatch would be forwarded
to Gen. Wilson. the officer in command
and Gen. Robertson was instructed to
return Immediately to Macon and await
a reply. Gen. Robertson demanded that
these instructions should be furnished
in writing, which led Col. Minty' to be-
lieve that Gen. Robertson's course was
to delay our column. which he had al
ready succeeded in doing for nearly an
hours time. Col. Minty therefore wrote
as follows:
I'm the Field Near Macon, Ga,
April 20, 1865.
General: have received dispatch
from Gen. Cobb. and have sent it by
special messenger to Mai.-Gen. Wilson,
few miles in my rear. AS there may
be some delay in receiving an answer
it is necessary for YOU to return imne-
diately to Macon, to which place Gen.
Wilson's reply viii be forwarded. II
have instructed the officer commanding
my advance to move forward five min
utes after this is handed you.
Il am, respectfully. your servant.
"Rob't H. G. Minty, Colonel Command
ing Division"
This receipt was written by Joseph
c. Peters, a comrade of this battery
(the Chicago Board of Trade), who was
at that time connected with Gen. Min
tvs staff. Since the close of the war
he has obtained possession of the orig
inal receipt.
Col. White, comma nding the advance.
was ordered bv Col. .Minty to give the
flag of truce five minutes start. then to
push forward, and IL, Gen. Robertson
and his party did not, keep out of the
way to take them iprisoGers. After the
expiration of tim9 given. Col White
pushed forward rapidly, thereby saving
the bridge over Rock creek. which the
rebels We're about TO burn. and contln-
uing his pursuit. entered Macon with
I personally rehIemtier this scenc-a
scene which will always live in my
memory. AS / sat on ny artillery horse
1 saw Col. Mintxsl surrounded by his
staff, facing these" rebel officers. When
Col. Minty's dispatch vas given to Gen.
started for Maconoas hard as they could
ride. Five MINUTES LATER! our advance
followed them % the galipp. every man
cheering at the tor, of his voice. TheI
rebel officers and their escort were soon
overtaken by our troops. and were TAX
en- into Macon as prisoners of war BY
our advance.
On the entrance of Col. White and
command to Macon the city and de-
fenses were Immediately surrendered by
Mai. j.-Gen. Cobb, and thus ended the
greatest cavalry raid Of the civil war;
in fact, the greatest successful cavalry
raid known in any war-a raid which,
but for the termination Of the war at
that time would have been heralded as