Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-12

these woods our men. in advance. met
the enemy's picket. and made a dash
FOR It's capture. and the squadron to
which WAS attached followed at
sallop. When we reached the Old
Church Road strands OF barbed wire
the first we had seen In military use
were encountered. which ran Into the
woods with only Il narrow space left
between two small pine trees suHcicnt
TO admit one horse mt time. Here sew
"rar OF the enemy were captured and
mono was left to give warning Of our
approach Our course was taken from
TINS point at gallop towards Old
church. and two or three Federal cav
airSnen whose horses had been left at
the gates OF houses by the roadside
were seen rushing from the houses to
the woods in the rear.
Half mile or SO beyond wc came
upon the reserve picket, most of whom
hah discovered our approach. mounted
their horses and fed, but several had
not yet mounted. and few seemed TO
halt for battle. one of these was killed
ana the others captured.
An animn,ing chase nov ensucd. and
the captain commanding the Federal
chueavorirG TO rally his men and make
stand when we came upon him and
no Tell dead In the road. Farther on
Lieutenant ial. Washington. b,vinr
reached the encmy's ranks. raised bi.
| '!Sh, arm not less powerful than that
vi me English King styled "Cour de
Leon and smote one Of them with his
"hafp Sabcr a ghastly and fatal blow
splitting his skull in twain.
AL Old Church our impetuous cb. so
was abruptly halted when we came into
we" OF Dne Of entertainments wou
manned with infantry and artillery
:. ms malt was not true, however. Of Jim
sullivan. Of the Lancaster troon WIN
having been shot through his wrist wa,
unable to check his spirited s,eed and
so nashed on and into the breastworks
ana was made prisoner. Tho Federal
infantry encountered here were of a
Gusky and sable hue, and belonged to
General Ferrero's negro division, and
our contact with them at this roint
offered the only slight opportuni.v wo
ever had of exchanging a shot with
them.
though fully anticipating vigorous
pursuit by the Federal cavalry. and ar
ranging to meet H.. orr return was
without serious interruption. On reach
Ing the spot where the Connecticut
L
nearly nude body with a sense OF shame
for that small part Of our men whose
aim In battle seemed to he rather for
the pockets OF the ene,ny's dead than
the armed persons Of the living and
whose bravery was less noticeable than
| their brutality.
ESTABLISHED BIvOUAC
NEAR COLD HARnOR
After this We established our bivouac
n y
breastworts. Very soon II became an
parent that Grant, weary OF his unsuc-
cessful and bloody assaults here. was
retiring. and that Ice was also with
drawing to oppose him south OF the
James River. Our regiment followed
Inc ilne 81 the retrcating Federals, and
in doing so passed through the works
which General Lees men had held II
was enough 10 make one shuddcr to sec
on this line how the bodies OF the ceda r
trees had been SCARED and chipped and
the branches cut and splintcrcd and
the foliage piled on the earth with the
twigs from the terrific artillery and
muSkctry nrc to which tho brave men
under Lee had been exposed
On reaching tho opposing works
where the Federals had fought, these
evidences OF the terrific DISCHARGE OF
shot and she'll and bullets which they
had faced were no less marked
Between the two lines OF works
where thousands had fallen. there an
peared as We traversed the ground what
seemed 10 have been an intervening
line of carthworks that had been dug
/ down and lcvclled. In crossing this
newly-turned earth our horses hesitat-
| ed and showed much unwllingucss to
proceed, a s II distrustful OF the ground
beneath them. When We urged them
forward the sinking Of their feet and
the breaking OF bones beneath them re-
vealcd the horrible truth that We were
marching over long scpulchre Of dead
soldiers. n fact OF which we had no
previous suspicion. In the gospel il is
recorded: For ye are as graves which
appear not. and the mon who walk over
them are not aware OF them but this
truly could not he said OF our horses
in their walk over the graves OF the
dead at Cold Harbor