Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/38

32 "Stop firing; you have killed Captain Hayne's horse," now shouts an unknown voice. The question: "Who's there?" is heard, followed by the flash of a pistol, and as the dying man falls the exclamation: "Dn you, take that," reveals the presence of Lieutenant Dade. To the command: "Forward march!" "Close up, Captain Pratt!" The Captain replies: "There are no squadrons in front to close up on; they have gone upon some other road."

Halting now, and for the moment without orders, we find, on looking around, that we are at a railroad station. Lights in the windows soon revealed the bright barrels of muskets and men hurrying to and fro. When ordered, they surrendered, and soon quite a large number of prisoners was collected by this squadron. Another squadron, as they charged in, passed a tent, the fly of which was drawn aside, and within a man was seen in his shirt-sleeves. As rapidly as possible two or three of these troopers entered the tent. The man had escaped. On a table in the tent they found a flask of brandy, and near by a military coat and several note-books. These articles were soon found to belong to General Pope, the commander of the Federal army. One of the note-books, retained by the writer of this account, was nearly filled with battle orders, written with pencil and pen, and cypher dispatches, and signed by General Pope, or his assistant adjutant-general. Near by were an ambulance and horses, which General Fitz. Lee directed to be brought off.

The command was now very much scattered. Officers and privates alike were engaged in searching wagons and stores. Upon riding up to one of the men thus engaged, and who hastily crouched beneath a wagon, Colonel Lee was greeted with the exclamation, "I surrender," and the response to the inquiry, "What regiment?" was "Ninth Virginia Cavalry."

The collection of wagons was by far the largest we had seen, the flashing lightning revealing an immense encampment. The teams generally were tied to the wagon-poles. Ambulances, too, there were in great numbers. The effort