Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/430

 The Cavalry Affair at Waynesboro. 429

my men coming on with a splendid squadron front; looking forward I saw the enemy in column of fours, turning to retreat. The ground was down hill towards the enemy, and I had never seen a better opportunity for a sabre charge, and, as the squadron neared me, I shouted, "Come on, boys, they are running!" and, jumping my horse over the low barricade, dashed in among the Rebels, only to find myself making the attack single-handed. I had ridden past a dozen of the enemy before I discovered my desperate situation. They were retreating in a loose column of fours, and, as I rode in among them, there were three files on my left hand and one on my right. I felt that death was certain, and, like a lightning flash, my whole life seemed to pass in review before me, closing with the thought, "and this is the end."

There was but one chance; fifty men behind me were shouting, "Kill that Yankee!" To turn among them and retrace my steps was impossible ; my horse was swift, and I thought if I could keep on until I came to a side street, I might dash into that, and, by making a circle, again reach our lines. As I rode, I kept my sabre swinging, striking six blows right and left. Two of the enemy es- caped by quickly dodging their heads, but I succeeded in wounding four of them Captain William A. Moss, Hugh S. Hamilton, color- bearer of the Fourth Virginia cavalry, and two others unknown to me. The first side street reached was on the left. Keeping my head close to my horse's neck, I then broke through the three files on my left, and reached the side street in safety, fully twenty yards from the nearest horseman. For a moment, I thought I was safe, when sud- denly a bullet, doubtless intended for me, struck my gallant steed and he staggered under the shock. With rein and spur I urged him on, but it was in vain; he fell with a plunge that left me lying on the ground. Before I could rise two of trie enemy reined in their horses by me, and, leaning over in their saddles, struck at me, one with a carbine, the other with a sabre. I could parry but one, and with my sabre stopped the crushing blow from the carbine at the same instant that the sabre gave me a cut across the forehead. I at once rose to my feet and said to the soldier who had wounded me, " For God's sake do not kill a prisoner." " Surrender, then," he said; to which I replied, " I do surrender." He demanded my sword and pistol, which I gave to him, and had scarcely done so when I was struck in the back with such force as to thrust me two steps for- ward. Upon turning to discover the cause of this assault, I found that a soldier had ridden up on the trot, and stabbed me with his