The National tribune., 1909-03-04
ROMANCE IN RHADWAR.
The Second Corps's Disturbed Break
fast at Beistoe.IIo

II
| fast at Beisfoe.Eio
Editor National Tribune: Your paper
of Dec. II received, aTa hereby send
81 subscription for one iyeaEa11 That piece
by John McElroy waso notwithstanding,
because of having participated in said
/ movement myself IiwastGorporal of
Battery A, r. I. L. AZ, Capt. Arnold.
We were on that hiffside,' with Cald-
wells men, sitting sound campfires,
! looking wistfully to that1 woodland,
holding Stewards cavalry all night We
| all felt glum and eXpteSSeui our suspi-
] cions, saying to EACH other: .'Who
knows what's in thoSe woSds?" Be-
cause of the killing of-those seven men
sitting around Il fire making coffee, we
called it Coffee Hill After taking po-
sition on that hill, also noticed the enc
my drag thru the cornfield what was
in our opinion cannon, and We Informed
Capt. Arnold. Gen. Caldwell happened
along. and Capt Arnold informed him,
but Gen. Caldwell poopooed it as ridicu-
lous saying the enemy could not be
there, as our forces covered that
ground; so we lost the frs. fire, for
Gen. Caldwell had hardly spoken be-
fore we saw the flash. and the we'll
aimed shot struck in front of my gun.
While we could not see the battery.
they had the advantage of seeing us on
the hillside by the light of the coming
day. Gen. Caldwell left us, but soon
Gen. Warren came up and watched our
engagement. Then something happened
that miss in Mr.. McElroy's statements,
for our whole battery was witness to il,
and no doubt saved the Second Corps
from being cut off. Down in the low
lands, facing us, was a long. open line
of cavalry. To our astonishment a soli-
tary rider shot forward with great
speed to our side, lying fiat on the
horses back, the whole line of cavalry
firing after him without effect. He rode
straight around our battery direct to
where Gen. Warren sat on his horse
so suddenly that Gen. Warren pulled
out his revolver. but probably from
some sign he dropped it, and the rider
approached the General and they talked
together. 1 was wounded in face and
head about this moment - this was
early in the morning-and, being con-
scious. again found myself on cais-
son, and we We're in kaSty retreat. Ny
comrades told me then that the solitary
rider was q famous Union spy, who had
been all night inside the rebel lines,
and that his sudden appearance gave
Gen. Warren the news that the enemy
was cutting Off his retreat. One thing
IS certain, the engagement was broken
off at once. and retreat in all haste was
commenced. Contrary to the advice of
my Lieutenant and Captain, who told
me to go with the ambulance train, 1
stayed with the battery and served on
my gun in the engagement at Bristow's
Station. We found the enemy already
there, and it was our battery that ami
hilated that battery of six guns. Those
guns were carried over by our infantry.
They We're English Blakley guns, and
the powder we got with their limbers
was better than our own. That spy
was q fine-loolting young man in a
rebel Colonel's uniform. IT was said
his brother was Corporal in the rebel
army, and there was a big price on his
head. Once more / saw him beside Gen.
Warren near Gainesville. An old man
and woman came out of 3 a house,
wriIgfHg their hands and crying. but
he turned his head away ana would not
listen to them. My Lieutenant tried 10
lift the mystery of who that man was.
but could not. I have given you in this
nothing but facts. BY the way, / lost
my left eye in that early affair on Mount
Auburn or Coffee Hill.-Theodore
Richards, 81 Violet street. Providence.
r. /. i.-