The National tribune., 1909-10-28
AFTER HORSES.
That Scouting Party at the Battle of
MoUOCucy.

hmOtitNs
Anticipating a conflict with the enemy
at or near Frederick City, Md, the Sd
Nd. 2. II. Is. was taken to MonocaCy,
Nd. July ., 1864. Part of the regiment
previous to our march to Monocacy had
been located at Monrovia, Md, as pro-
lection to the Baltimore q Ohio Z. L.
After we landed ut Monocacy detail
was made. consisting of IL or Is men,
as Il scouting party to go out to the Po-
tomac River and keep lookout for
the enemy, so that they could not get in
our rear and in that way surround our
little army at Monocacy. / was one of
the men who were detailed TO perform
this important work. The orders we
received We're very important. and il
was necessary to the protection of our
army that the orders be executed rs
soon as possible.
AS We belonged to infantry and had
no other way Of locomotion only on
| foot, We were ordered to so out and
ipress horses into service from the farm
ers of the surrounding country for the
ISpeedy execution of this work. We had
our headquarters at Monrovia. Nd, and
one night about 10 O'Clock we started
out from camp in search of horses, for
we had to scout to the Potomac River
that night and rAn"rt at headquarters
the next morning. In order to get the
| horses as soon as possible, we started
out two men together and had it ar
ranged To meet at a certain point on
| the Washington road, so that when
each man would get his horse we would
1 pursue our journey to the Potomac.
| Three of us boys started out together
| to get each q horse as soon as possible.
/ When VIC got out from camp about
/ three miles we called at a farmhouse
where Il man lived who had six head of
horses. 1t was now nearly midnight
and the night was quite dark. Every
thing about the premises was quiet. and
the occupants of the house were sound
asleep. We called for the man Of the
house. and in few moments he hoisted
the window upstairs and said: What
do you want?" We 3pologiZed for dis
turbinS his slumbers at such an hour of
the night, and explained the nature OF
our business in as few words as possi-
Bile. We told him that We were ordered
by Gen. Tyler to press some horses into
service, in order 10 keep lookout fol
the enemy. and that there was great
danger OF the rebels coming in our real
and surrounding our army.
He said, My horses are not able tc
stand travel" and formed many ex-
cuses for not giving any of his horses
How many horses have you?" He re.
piled: Il have six We told him thai
we must have two Of them, and asked
him where he kept them. He said:
They are out in the pasture field" We
told him To- come and show us wher.
they We're. He hesitated for a littIs
while, but as VIC impressed upon hin
the necessity Of yielding to our requcs
he finally came down ON the porch, pu
on his shoes and took Us out into
l1rge field. The night was dark, and j.
CTdcr to find the horses as soon as pos
s:b'e we started ont in different ,direc
DDs. but failed TO find q single one II
tlat field. We concluded that the mai
vas trying 10 deceive us. 50 we remind
led him of the Importance of yielding Il
l0ur orders as soon as possible. He theI
took lis to another field, and there We
found them. We ordered him to TAX,
them to the barn. where brides an,
saddles We're procured, and we started
on our journey. Each night during tn.
time our army lay at MonOcacy w,
scOuted out to the Potomac River, anf
reported each morning at our head
iquarters at MonrOvia. When our army
retreated from Monocacy we joined the
procession at New Market. and wen
with the boys to Baltimore, Md.
l shall be glad to hear from any o.
the surviving comrades who were con.
nccted with that scouting party at the
''attie of Monocacy. will answer al
.lcttcrs.-Rev. W. II. Engler. Co. II, 81
Nd. i. II. r., Waynesboro, Pa