The National tribune., 1910-04-28
CEDAR CREEK.
The Most Vivid In His Memory OF the
80 Battles In Which He Fought

80 Battles In Which He Fought.
Editor National Tribune: OF the 80
fields Of battle that we were engaged In
the war to preserve the integrity of the
Union Cedar Creek is the most vivid
before my memory. It was the mos
sudden and unexpected of all the bat.
ties l was engaged in. On the NIGH
the writer went to suffers tent neal
Gen. Emory's headquarters to buy
some groceries for C6mrade Card, and
as we walked along he said:
Mont | have five 500 bills 1 don't
think that the sutler can change one
Of them"
said: card. I have plenty of
change 1 will loan you some"
No" he said, something tells me be-
fore the setting of another sun 1 shall
be dead"
tried to show him there was no
cause for his fears, and said:
Take what you want. It's all right,
Card. if you never pay"
But brave, honest Card would not
yield to my offer, and the sutler could
not lind change for one of his bills
L told Card there was no rebels for 20
miles and no danger of his fears COM
ing true
As we neared camp we heard a fid-
die and loud laughter. We approach
ed the crowd-Cos. L and X had gath
cred around bale of hay that Red. n
detached man in our battery, had taken
for stand to make a speech. He was
a faithful grumbler. who had wander
ed out with the wagons that day and
stolen n bag of meal, and some of the
boys had taken il away from him. He
promised terrible execution OF his
wrath, little thinking 1t was his last
night upon earth. 1 was detailed for
guard that day My post was the line
where we hitched the horses, and /
soon was on post until taps The fid-
die played and the men pranced. and
our friends in the cavalry Joined in the
merriment, none thinking of dying at
the dawn Of the next day. Then came.
at last, taps. All was dark and still,
and I thought, as / walked on my beat,
will cards surmise come true? / fear
ed that soneone-an enemy-would
take his life. When the relief came
L told him that Card had said that
he would be dead before another sun
set.
Nonsense said he.
SO you all see how unexpected the
battle was.
While lying on my blanket on the
ground just before the time to go on
my last watch, | dreamed. as I was in
a doZe, that the rebels charged me and
Card, and ran a bayonet through the
boy who served with me in two regi-
ments. 1t woke me UP, and a shell
fell in our camp and the roar Of mus
kerry sounded. / jumped up and cried:
The rebels are here" In 10 minutes
the camp was ready for action. What
a scenei Men buckling on arms; Gen.
Emery hunting for a horse to mount
to command his corps; men. barefoot
ed, loading and firing as they fell back
from the yelling foe; all told of the
dreadful surprise of the sleeping host.
Our division of Cavalry was in the sad
die. The Third Division. under Gus
ter. tie brave Custer, with sleeves push
ed back to his elbows. was on our
right. The grand old Sixth Corps stood
in the center of our line, ready for
battle. 1t was necessary to fall back
to form a new line. as the rebels were
partly in our rear, and twice we re-
treated to form line. and at last had
in two hours a perfect line formed,
when the rebels began to advance
against our new-formed line. 1t was
then a lone rider on a black horse was
cheered Sheridan. 1t was at 10 O'Clock,
or near about that time. Half an hour
later the tragedy of the warned Card
He and Mckinney drove
the same piece. A shell struck Card
and blew off his ribs over his heart,
entering the breast of the horse Nc
Kinney rode, and burst, blowing the
horse and rider into fragments. Card.
true to the land he loved, too noble
to be a coward, so sure his day had
come, sat there on his horse as tho
no shell could hit him, and died, the
brayest of the brave; and beneath an
oak tree by the roadside we laid the
body of noble hero Card. He sleeps
there, I believe. until this day.
At o'clock our time came. The
joke changed. Our infantry began to
advance. They were now flanking the
foe, and our cavalry was forming for
the charge. We got nearer and nearer,
and at last it became a grand rush, and
the JohnnieS got for dear life: and
1 suppose you never read of a battery
40 guns and wagons and am
balances, men and horses? The old
First Division of Cavalry, of which we
were a part, rode into that crowd and
grabbed them up.
Old boys. where are you to-day?
would love to see you, or at least hear
from you. l am in my 6Sth year. Can
not hear cannon when it 1t shot, but
can remember the naked bodies of my
as they lay that night on that
field, and seem to hear friend and foe
plead for water as the fever of death
brought thirst, and the efforts We made
to ease their dying agony To Sheri-
dan the fame of that day rests. but
who should have it is a question. as the
lines were formed and we were ready
to advance at 10 O'Clock. 1t matters
not. The same old song is ripe to-day
Union forever, hurrah, boys, hurrah.
Down with the traitors,
Up with the stars.
We will rally around the Flag, boys.
Rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom"
Solomon j. Montgomery. Cos. L and