Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-04-30

that had fallen back to that point, Gen
eral Custer had not come back, and,
at the courthouse, moved on Il gallop
down the narrow ridge followed by
my staff. The courthouse was, perhaps.
three-fourths Of mile distant. We
had not gone far before a heavy fire
was opened on us from q skirt Of TIM
Der TO our right. and distant not much
over 500 yards. | halted for moment
and, taking off my hat, called out that
the flag was being violated, but could
not stop the firing, which caused us to
take shelter in ravine running paral-
lei to the bridge we were on, and down
which we then travelled AS we APP
proacaed the courthouse a gentle ascent
had 10 he made. I was in advance,
followed by a sergeant carrying my
hattie flag. Within 100 to 100 yards
from the courthouse and Confederate
lines some % the men in their ranks
brought their guns to aim on us, and
great effort was made by their officers
to keep them from firing. | matted.
and. hearing some noise behind, turned
in the saddle and saw Confederate
soldier attempting to take my battle
fiag from the color bearer. This the
sergeant had no idea of submitting to,
and had drawn his sabre to cut the man
down. word from me caused him to
return his sabre and take the flag back
to the staff officers. who were some lit
tie distance behind, | remained sta
tionary after these events: then, calling
a STAFF officer directed him to go over
to the group of Confederate officers
and demand what such conduct meant.
Kind apologies were made, and we adj
vanCcd. The superior officers met were
General ]. II. Gordon and General Cad
mus NJ. Wilcox. the latter an old army
officer As soon as the first greeting
was over, a furious firing began in
front Of our own cavalry, from whom
we had only Il few minutes before sep
arate1. General Gordon seemed 20 be
somewhat disconnected by It, ~.
marked to him. General Gordon, your
men fired on me as | was coming over
here, and undoubtedly they have done
the same to Merritt's and Clusters COM
mands. We might just ms well let
them have It out TO this proposition
General Gordon did not accede. | then
asked. why not send STAFF officer and
! have your people cease firing? They
are violating the flag :" He said, Il
| have no staff officer to send I re
| piled, Il will let you have one Of mine. y
and calling for Lieutenant Vanderbilt
| Allen. he was directed to report to Gen
| eral Gordon and carry his orders. The
| orders were to 20 to General Geary,
who was in command of small hri-
| gade Of South Carolina cavalry, and
ask him TO discontinue the firing Lieu
tenant Allen dashed off with the mes
sage but on delivering it to General
Geary was taken prisoner. with the re
mark from that officer that he did not
care for white flags that South Caro-
linians never surrendered.
II was about this time that Merritt
getting impatient at the supposed
treacherous firing. ordered a charge o.
portion of his command. While Gen
erals Gordon and Wilcox were engaged
in conversation with me a cloud OF
dust wild hurrah, a flashing Of sa
bres, Indicated charge, and the eiac
ulations of my staff officers were
heard Look Merritt has ordered Z
charge :" The flight Of Geary's brigade
followed; Lieutenant Allen was thus
released. The last gun had been fired
and the last charge made in the Yir
ginia campaign.