The Washington herald., 1914-03-21
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
March a. 1ss4-Federa Under Brig Cen Joseph Mower, Surprised
Dstaehnent Coneds Hndersons Hill La Twenty-Five Miles
West Alexandria Capturing 2sl Pison-A Hard March Through
Sleet and Mud.
written expressly for The HeraidJ

! to occ'Ipy the attention OF the enemy in
front. took Col Hubbard's brigade. the
Sixteenth Indiana mounted infantry Of
Col Lucas command. and a section OF
the Ninth Indiana Battery, and started
to circle around to the rear OF the hill.
The twelve-mile mud march" to the
rear of Col. vincent's position was tell
was a mere track. unknown even to the
/ guides. In one part Of the course the
guide missed the path and led the party
into the heart Of a swamp. from which
| IL was extricated only with great diff
Guilty and loss of valuable time. In many
places the mud was up to the horses
girths Late at night The command found
| itself directly In the rear Of the Confed-
| crate fires
In the meantime the troops who had
been left in front OF the Confederate had
maintained a semblance of advancing,
but had not been SO aggressive as TO
drive the game away.
\ On reaching the rear of the HILL Gen.
Mower was fortunate enough to capture
two mounted Confederate couriers bear
! ing dispatches from Gen. Dick Taylor.
Gen. Mower, overtaking one Of them.
J in very indignant tones accused him of
being a id Yankee spy" This the
man denied, asserting that he was
Confederate.
As a proof of his identity he handed
over his papers for the general to ex-
anime, asking him to read them quickly.
as he did not wish to be detained. Gen
Mower pronounced the documents forE-
cries and said: You are a Yankee.
sir: intend to take you before the col
onel. l am Gen. Walker and you can
/ not deceive me in this way
| The astOnished soldier replied that he
would lead the general to headquarters.
where IL would be explained that he
was not a Yankee.
Suiting the action to the word, the
Confederate soldier piloted the way to
the rear OF the Confederate cavalry en-
campment, explaining to Gen. Mower
the exact position of the troops and ar
tillery and warning him to proceed with
great care as il was feared that the
| Yankees were in the vicinity. II was not
until the Federal force was in the midst
OF the Confederate troopers that the
obliging courier realized that he had been
deceived.
! Once in the heart Of the Confederate en-
campment the Federals made short work
Of capturing the unprepared cavalrymen.
In 4 few minutes the bulk of Col Vim
Icent's men, as well as those OF the
battery. were disarmed. The guns. horses.
wagons, and ammunition were secured ::
only Col. Vincent and a handful OF his
| troopers made their way to safety in the
darkness.
The asl Confederates who fell into the
hands OF the Federals included Capt
Charles LeDoux Elgee. OF Gen. Taylor :
staff, who had been sent from the rear
to ascertain the cause of the firing early
in the afternoon. He rode into camp
without knowing that II had changed
owners. Elgee was a popular member OF
| the Harvard class of 1856.
l The total Federal loss was one man
wounded
i BY the time the last prisoner was
secured the storm had ceased and the
moon shone upon the scene. 1t was l
o'clock. and the long and weary march
OF thirty-two miles over such difficult
roads had well-nigh exhausted the ener-
gies of even the iron men Of the West.
After rebuilding a bridge over Bayou
Rapids. which the Confederates had par
TALLY destroyed. Gen. Mower enCamped
for the balance OF the night. and AT day
break started the return march 10
Alexandria.
! Tomorrow-Johnn CIem.
j Copyright. l9,4l