Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 22.djvu/163

 Gen. \Y'i'l, /I f<m't< (''ltd, H'liil. 151

ing. These pickets he was to drive in, and move then to occupy the roads leading from the direction of the enemy to Sycamore Church. General Dearing was to proceed by the Mines road to Cook's mill, where he was to halt until the attack in the centre was made, when he was to dash across to Mingo Ferry road, attacking the post on that road, and cutting off all retreat, guarding at the same time against an attack from Fort Powhatan. Rosser's Brigade and Mil- ler's Detachment moved on by roads direct toward Sycamore Church. General Rosser was to carry the position of the enemy here, and after doing so, to push forward at once to secure the cattle. General Hampton says the three columns all reached the points to which they were ordered without giving alarm. Our long wait was about to end, our naps were soon to be broken.

ROSSER ATTACKS THE ENEMY.

At 5 in the morning Rosser, over on the right, made the attack. At the sound of the first shots every man in the road who had dis- mounted, sprang to his saddle, and we heard the well-known yell, that cry known as the " Rebel yell," and which had struck terror to our enemies on a hundred bloody fields. It is an exultant sound, unshrouded by the form of words, and on our right it rang out on the early morning air from lusty lungs, and in a minute every horse was in full gallop in our road, and we were upon the picket, who seemed to have no idea of an enemy, although we had been so near him since 9 or 10 o'clock that night. We rode the picket down and found the camp on both sides of the road. Some, of course, were up and on guard, but the majority of the Federals were in bed in their little buttoned tents.

CAPTURED IN NIGHT CLOTHES.

We ran them out and took them prisoners in their night clothes. It was the First District of Columbia Cavalry, and I think we took the most of them with their camp and splendid horses. I remember how forlorn they looked as we mustered them later in the day, many sitting on barebacked horses with nothing on but their shirts.

General Rosser, it appears, had about as much as he could attend to. He encountered Colonel Spear's Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, the same command that had made a name for itself as a fighting regiment. They made a good fight for their meat, but Rosser finally whipped them and they fell back, leaving their dead and wounded in