The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-09-26

GU III turning MIN rOunQ ana round,
and thus bringing him under control
by the time the command came up,
where we halted for developments.
Down an alley we could see the enemy
passing out on the next street which
caused us to bear off the right one
square nearer our own troops where
| after waiting few minutes We rode
onto the main street some time before
our more cautious cavalry commander
came over the brow of the hill.
On reaching the main thoroughfare
we could see our foes far to the left
feyidently as anxious to avoid an en-
counter as We were. Feeling safe
from an attack. We dismounted in
front Of billiard hall opposite the
court house, and were playing POOL
when the general and his staff rode
in behind his escort. Some of the
nen criticised me good naturally for
as they thought needlessly exposing
| them to such peril | defended myself
by contending that the recklessness
exhibited BY our small force in charg-
ing in the manner we did disconnected
our foes more than ten times our num-
Der would have done in the ordinary
way This was the theory of the
French reyolutionists, that audacity
can overcome numbers, which most
certainly proved true in our case.
Nevertheless poetry and romance
could not exaggerate my satisfaction
at the successful and bloodless term
nation of what but few moments
before seemed destined to be an I'M
avoidable catastrophe.
BY some means the general learned
my name and sent orders for me to
report to him at the court house. II
expected nothing less than to be
placed under arrest for not obeyine
order to skfrmish into town. and
would have preferred another charge
to meeting him. However. contrary
to my expectations he was all smiles.
shook hands and complimented me
and my men for making the most
brilliant charge he had ever witnessed
by a small body of mounted troops,
a sentiment in which all his star Of
ficers present heartily Joined Since
| was not called upon to defend my
conduct, and not wishing to disabuse
the generals mind of the favorable
iopinion formed of us, remained sill.
ient None OF my men suspected there
was any cause for my action other
than desire for spectacular display.
which for good reasons allowed them
In the interest of discipline for a
time to entertain.
While this incident took place some
iforty-eight years ago, / still remem.
I Der most of those engaged in Fl
Among whom was the late James I.
Wilson of Keokuk. Iowa; David Ma.
gil, Samuel Magner, and John Boat
man Of Paris, III; Frank NJ. Pueh
now OF Omaha, Neb.: Oliver j. Guncle
prominent insurance man of Dav.
ten, Ohio, and others whose faces are
yet familiar, but whose names are
forgotten. Before our discharge AT
Louisville, KY. August %, 1865. I call
ed the boys into line and recounted
some of our many narrow escapes.
OF our fight in the streets Of Fay4
ietteyille. n c.. where Captain DIM
can. chief of scouts, was captured.
cur ride through the confederate
lines at night under command OF Can.
lain McClintock. carrying a messag 90
to and return from General o. O.
Howard TO General Granger. when We
saw the Phantom Mule and his rider
iof cur miraculous escape on the Ed
ifsto river near orangeburgh. S. G..
and last, cur capture of McDonougb
for the brilliant and daring charge 81
which gave them all the credit, re.
Serving to myself the credit for rn,6-
Ing my horse against an old barn in.
stead Of leading them one square
farther into what would undoubf4dlv
have been our last charge.
| IA. n. COLLINS.
Q. s. Signal Corps.