New-York tribune., 1918-06-30

great campaign-not even the story
Ct this first grapple between those
matchless chieftains, Grant and Lee
But, following what / have already
set down, it may properly be said
that had Sedgwick instead of the
over-cautious Warren led the column
across the upper ford, there would
have been no Battle of the Wilder
ness" but one which might have
been decisive, on the open plains be-
yond.
Volunteered to
Garry the Message
The New York Tribune had four
correspondents in the field, of whom
l was one, attached at that time to
the Second Corps. At the close of
the first days fighting we came to-
gether at army headquarters to COM
pare notes and to lay plans for the
future. The battle was to be re-
newed the next morning. 1t was an
open secret that Meade had sug-
gested a retreat across the river
under cover of the night and fresh
start over some more promising
route, and that Grant had vetoed the
proposition and had ordered the lines
to be formed for an assault upon the
enemy at daybreak.
1t was very quickly decided that
one of, us should start for the North
with the several reports Of the STIR
ring events of the last two or three
days. .-As I was the youngest, I knew
the task naturally belonged ito me,
and my offer to undertake it was in
stantly accepted by the others. 1t
was known to be an adventurous un-
dertaking. The Ninth Corps was al
ready crossing the Rapidan to sup
port the fortunes of the battle line
in front, and thus by tomorrow the
whole country between the Rapidan
and the Bull Run rivers was to be
abandoned by our troops. How full
of peril the enterprise really was
may be inferred from the fact that
Of four or five messengers for differ
ent newspapers | was the only one
who had the good fortune to get
through.
My favorite mount was Ken
tucky bred racing horse that had
procured from Captain Cline,
Meade's chief of scouts. AS soon as
it was decided that I should make
the trip / went up to the corral and
instructed the "boy" to give Jesse a
hearty breakfast at 3 o'clock in the
morning and to have him groomed
and saddled at a. He might have to
take me more than seventy miles to
Washington-possibly without even
a feed or halt-the following day.
| then went up to Grants head
quarters, and, approaching him, said
that l was coming out the next day,
and asked him if he had any mes
sage to the people that l could in
sert in my dispatches to The Tribune.
"Well, yes" he replied, "you may
tell the people that things are going
swimmingly down here"
The remark was so evasive, or
purposely misleading, at the close of
battle in which every one of his
plans had evidently gone wrong that
/ smiled as entered the exact words
in my note book, thanked him and
turned away. / had only taken a
step or two when he got up and
joined me. When we had walked
out of hearing of his companions he
laid his hand upon my shoulder and,
quietly facing me, inquired, "You
expect to get through to Washing
ton?"
replied that that was my pur-
pose. and that I should start at day
break.
Then, in low tone, he said:
"Well, if you see the President tell
him from me that, whatever hap
pens, there will be no turning back" ("
He silently gave me his hand in
farewell greeting and we parted.
Riding Through
The Encmy's Country
AT a o'clock, the next morning,
after three hours of sound sleep and
light breakfast, l was in the sad
die. In my saddlebags were the
general reports of march and battle.
to I'LL at least whole page of the
Daily Tribune, and strapped behind