Page:History of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry in the War Between the States.djvu/59

Rh occupied. The fault was not the regiment's, but the Colonel's. Lieutenant Ball and Adjutant Gawin C. Taliaferro were the only officers who understood the order to charge, and they were both dangerously wounded. The men in the lead of the charging squadron dismounted on reaching the open panel of fence, and at the same time the enemy's dismounted skirmish-line, closing in upon them, opened fire at close quarters. Our loss was three killed, six wounded, and six or seven missing, and about twelve horses killed and disabled. Adjutant Taliaferro, with thigh shattered, was left on the field, and fell into the hands of the enemy.

Captain Pelham, with his guns, checked any further advance of the Yankees, and after remaining in line of battle some time, the brigade leisurely fell back to Waterloo Bridge on the Rappahannock. At early dawn next morning we crossed to the south bank, and, being ordered to guard the ford at Hart's Mill, proceeded to that point. After reaching it an order came to hold it at every hazard. From the topography of the country this seemed to involve the sacrifice of the regiment. An amphitheatre of broken rocks, covered with a growth of small brush-wood on the opposite bank, commanded every inch of ground on our side within rifle-shot of the stream. No enemy made his appearance, and at nightfall four squadrons were sent to Jeffersonton, the Colonel remaining with one till morning, when he rejoined the brigade at that point. Captain Crutchfield left the regiment about this time, and shortly afterwards sent in his resignation. His name was finally dropped from our roll. The Colonel's last horse having become totally unfit for service, the regiment was placed under Major Waller's command, and was employed on picket duty north of Hazel river. The brigade moved towards Culpeper Courthouse, and the regiment followed next day. Two days later it recrossed the Rappahannock with a body of infantry and cavalry under General Stuart, and, with some difficulty escaping overwhelming numbers of the enemy, reached