The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-23
NEARLY TRAPPED
NEAR CATLETT'S In 1868
How the Great Confederate Cavalry Chief Els
capped From a Dangerous Situation-An
Anxious Night in the Cover Of the Hills.
Great Military Catastrophe
NARROWLY Avoided
Narrowly Avoided.

Avoided.
!, remain quiet as we'll as when to as
| sault
THE advance and rear guards were
I drawn In, with orders on no account
! to return the fire of the enemy AS
Iif by magic the road was cleared Of
horsemen. artillery and wagons. and
! darkness found us snugly sheltered be-
meath the hills which raised their
friendly crests between us and dan
/ ger How thankful we were for these
| hills! How thankful for that dark
4 ness
I Another hour OF daylight would have
wrought our destruction. for even with
| Lomex's assistance on the opposite
4 side. a passage of the diMcult
ford cat Cedar Creek would have
/ been Impossible IN tho face OF Warren's
Infantry; and In no other direction
| could be looked with greater hope ne
Eenemy inclosed US front and rear. Upon
our right a forest, upon our left a
4 mill-race.
our guns were soon posted upon
1.-The crest OF the hill which overlooked
1.-THE ford. and within 500 yards OF the
| road along which the enemy was NOV
ling. Nothing now remained for ID
but to watch. wait and be quiet, Quiet!
Yes. the men kept very quiet. for they
realized that even Stuart never before
ever had them in SO tight place.
4, but ever and anon some hungry
mule with discordant bray would sound
1.-THE alarm. Never was the voice OF
/ a mule so harsh.
Throughout the night did we listen
/ to the sound of hostile voices and
feet. Many were the plans OF relief
isuggested and discussed 1t was pro-
.lposed TO abandon the wagons and ar
.Itillery. mass the cavalry. override all
1 deposition. and break way through
1.-THE marching column. But Stuart
{. would listen TO no plan that involved
1.-THE loss of a gun or wheel THIS
Knight be adopted as last resort. put
5lthat crisis had not yet arrived. The
might wore on, and our main hope OF
4 safety lay in the expectation that the
5l,rear OF the enemy would pass our
4 position by dawn, or would have cleared
5Ithe vicinity of Warrenton Junction, SO
4 as to admit OF detour in that direc-
sItion, as Stuart had sent several mes
4 sensers, who under cover OF the dark
mess. had worked their way through
4 the marching column of the enemy. ne
/ had an abiding confidence that Gen.
! eral Lee would send forces to opr as
4 sistance.
tIifest that a collision OF some kind was
unavoidable Upon the adjacent hills
4 tops. and on the same side Of Cedar
4 Run with ourselves, but between US
and the ford. large force OF In
/ fantry had halted. stacked arms and
! prepared for breakfast. Now hearts
beat quick with suspense; saddles girths
4 were frightened and arms made ready;
1 for the moment OF our discovery could
mot be far distant.
Our seven guns were pushed a
little further over the crest Of the
hill. so as to command the opposite
| bivouac AS soon as 1t was light the
Infantry commenced to struggle in
search OF water, and some approached
| SO near they could not fail to recog-
/ Eize the Confederate uniform. A few
shots on the side OF the enemy next
to Warenton, informed us some one
was about to commence work there.
/ In an instant our seven guns We're
raining she'll and canister upon the
/ enemy. Never were men more COM
4 pletely surprised. Soon, however, they
recovered themselves. and regiment
/ or more moved In line of battle direct
lily upon our position, but the fire of
hour guns and the 5dismounted men was
more than they could face, and their
5|line OF battle quickly sunk behind the
5lcrest OF the hill.
"Our left fank extended across the
/ road to Catlett's and was our weak
spot and against this strong attack
4 was directed. IT was all important to
repel this, for our way OF egress lay in
! that direction. Colonel Ruttln now led
4 his First North Carolina Cavalry in
i a mounted charge. He rode over a
strong line OF skirmishers, most OF
whom surrendered; but his charge was
broken by. the close line Of battle be-
yond and his men returned and re-
4 formed for another attack, but left
4 their gallant commander dead behind
them. The enemy's advance was
j checked by Ruftln's charge. and seiz-
A ing the favora BILE moment the wagons
and guns We're Withdrawn from the
hills, and passing rapidly In rear Of
the eneny's> position, the whole COM
slgmand was withdrawn from Its peri
4 lous position. Stuart had expected
when he commenced the attack that he
would be aided by a Vigorous move
ment OF our troops from Warrenton.
and he hoped the combined attack
would infllct serious damage upon the
enemy, and perhaps bring on a gem
eral enga cement Ssi At IL
This hope proved a bortive and Meade
escaped by a rapid retreat to Centre
4 VILE, and the Bristow ca mpaign failed
4 of Its purpose. {{ n
Tho daring Chicahominy Raid and
and the no less audaclous Chambers
burg Raid. gave stuart's troopers
great confidence In his ability to ex-
|tricate them from dangerous traps;
hut the evening and night Of the 18th
and the morning OF the 18th OF October,
1862 came dangerously near crushing
4 that confidence, 4 Never. a more dan
4 geroQs ira p s,s nor q re relnarka BILE
Il deliverance occurred during the ."late
|unpleasantness,"sa and may be classed
as a mi litary miracle. Ss Il
M M jor Ms Clellan does not quote the
4 loss on 81 Ter side, but We conjectur
4 from stuart'z position ana the III II! as
.|Sprepared ness ofSthe q emy, his guns
must have done seri ousl execution. & 4 ii
was g renlar able q, noident, and de-
Il serves exploiting n, thpoug h$ the Con-
|8fedegate Column of5 The q lines iss
nat cb, 81