The National tribune., 1908-04-16

| ranks of the enemy. who pressed us SO
closely that many of the horses were
| wounded by their bayonets. One squad
| ron, the 9Th, was unable 20 get thru
| and was obliged to take to the right
| and go thru the timber. When the rest
| of the command reached the Plank road
| where we were to turn to the left TO an6
Gen. Howard. we found it occupied by
a large and closely massed force of the
enemy, who were firing heavy volleys
| into the ranks of the retreating and
panic-stricken Eleventh Corps. but, up
on seeing our force approach. they turn
ed their fire upon u.s.. Gen. Howards
| troops having been driven more than
three-quarters of mile from where
| they were when we started. At this
moment heavy yolley was fired at the
head of our column, killing Maj. Kee-
nan. Capt Arrowsmith and AdPt Had
dock and also killing and wounding
| many of our men and wounding Lieut..
Carpenters horse. At this time we
turned to our right toward the Chan
! cellorsvilie House, finding some of our
| infantry and artillery in position ready
to meet the enemy. who soon made their
appearance, but were checked. During
this charge it seemed as tho the enemy
were firing almost in our faces so close
were their lines to US, and in one in
a moment by those in our front, a rebel
officer caught the bride of one of our
officers, and, pointing a revolver at him,
ordered him to surrender. The reply
was what is known in the saber exer-
else as left cut against infantry The
rebel officer did not respond to roll call
the next morning"
Gen. Pennock Huey's Account.
Gen. Pennock Huey, who was at that
time the senior Major in command of
the Sth Pa Cav, and was afterwards
promoted to Colonel and brevet Briga-
dier-GeneTal, in Battles and Leaders, -
gives this account of the charge:
From the information had received
from Gen. PleasontOn, and from hear
ing the Aid make mis- report before 1
started, / had no idea that we would
meet the enemy till after [ had reported
to Gen. Howard Therefore, the sur
prise was as great to us as to the enc
my, as we were entirely unprepared, our
sabers being in their scabbards. When
we arrived almost at the Plank road We
discovered that we had ridden right into
the enemy, the Plank road in our front
being occupied by them in great force
and that we were completely surround
ed, the woods at that point being filed
with fiankerS of JackSon'S column, who
were thoroly hidden from our view by
the thick underbrush. 1t was here that
| gave the command to draw sabers
and charge which order was repeated
by Maj. Keenan, and other officers. The
charge was led by the five officers al
ready named, who were riding at the
head of the regiment when we left
Hazel Grove. On reaching the Plank
road it appeared to be packed about as
closely with the enemy as it possibly
could be.
I'VE turned to the left facing the
Confederate column, the regiment
crowding on, both men and horses in
perfect frenzy of excitement, which
nothing but death could stop. We cut
our way thru, trampling down all who
could not escape US and using our sa
berS on all within reach, for a distance
of about 100 yards, when we received a
volley from the enemy, which killed
Maj. Keenan,, Capt. Arrowsmith and
Adj't Haddock, three of the noblest and
most gallant officers of the war, besides
a large number of men. AIT three of
the above-named officers fell at the
same time and from the same volley,
Maj. Keenan, falling against me and
lighting on the ground under my horse.
A few days afterwards his body was
found near the spot where he had fall
en-"
Capt. Wells's Story.
Andrew B. Wells, Captain, Co. F. SthI
Pa. Cav, in an account contributed to-
Battles and Leaders," confirms what
his brother officers have said:
THE command entered the woods.
and was still moving on a walk, when at
the distance of about one mile from
where we had mounted, Capt. Corrie
and myself saw the first squadron take
the trot, leaving a space between us
of about 25 yards. At the same time
we heard the command, Draw sabers,'
and saw the first squadron draw them
We then heard the musketry firing. 1t
was given in continuous but distant vol
leys
I've of the second squadron knew
that our time was at hand, and Capt
Corrie gave the order to draw sabers
and charge. Taking a trot, we found
that the road took a bend as we pro-
ceeded. When we turned the corner of
the wood road a sight met our eyes
that it is impossible for me to describe
After charging over the dead men and
horses of the first squadron we charged
into Jackson's column, and as luck
wound have it, found them with empty
guns-thanks to our poor comrades
ahead. The enemy We're as thick as
bees. and we appeared to be among
thousands of them in an instant.
after we reached the Plank road
we We're in columns OF fours and on |
the dead run, and when we struck the
enemy there occurred a jam of living |
and dead men. friends and enemies and
horses, and the weight of the rear of
our squadron broke us into utter confu- |
sion. so that at the moment every man
was for himself
THE third squadron, which Capt P |
l.. Goddard commanded, was in our
rear, and came laundering along afterI
us, but as to the balance of the regiment |
[ do not know how they came in or got
out.
The enemy were as much surprised
as we We're and thought no doubt, as
they now say. that the whole Cavalry
Corps of the Army of the Potomac wasl
charging them. I distinctly rememberI
hearing a number of them call out, III
l surrender We did not |
stop to take any prisoners for fear of
being captured ourselves-I had been
caught once and was just out of Libby
Prison, and did not want to be captured
asain-but made for our lines as best
we could
The whole affair was accidental We