Page images
PDF
EPUB

Colonel Straight pursued them but a short distance, as being so much better mounted, they soon distanced him.

Having buried the dead and cared for the wounded, Colonel Straight resumed his line of march south, and having advanced about twelve miles, was again overtaken by Forrest, who had been strongly reinforced by a brigade of well-mounted infantry, with a battery of six pieces, under the command of Colonel Roddy.

The attack was immediately renewed, in hopes of overwhelming Colonel Straight's command with their superior numbers; but, to their mortification, they were repulsed two or three times, in a contest of three hours' duration, with heavy loss.

In this engagement Colonel Straight made use of the guns he had captured in the morning, as long as possible, but subsequently spiked them and left them on the field, having no suitable ammunition for them, and no spare horses for their removal.

This fight lasted till after dusk, when Forrest not renewing the attack, Colonel Straight resumed his line of march, being within eighty miles of the Georgia line.

While on the field, after the fight, the narrator of the particulars thus far stated (H. R. King, Ass't Surgeon, 51st Penn'a Vols.) was taken prisoner, while looking after the wounded, in company with Brig.-Surg. Wm. L. Peck, who barely escaped a similar fate.

Mr. King was taken before Forrest, who inquired of him, "what General commands your forces ?"-to which Mr. King replied, "he is not a General, but a ColonelColonel Straight." Forrest seemed surprised at this, and remarked that the Colonel was as brave a man as he ever had to contend against !"—that "he understood his business well, showing excellent generalship in the posi

66

tions he selected; and that he was surprised at Colonel Straight's holding out so long as he did, against superior odds."

At Huntsville, Mr. King heard General Forrest remark to some citizens, that he never could have taken Colonel Straight's command, had his men been well mounted. Mr. King also learned that the force pursuing Colonel Straight was 4,000 men, with a battery.

After Mr. King was captured, he informs us that he knew nothing more of the proceedings of Colonel Straight's brigade, until he met him and his officers in Libby Prison, in Richmond, Va. The following is given by Mr. King, as a brief statement given him by Colonel Straight's officers:

"After the last battle, above alluded to, Colonel Straight again started, marching toward Rome, Ga., and Forrest, as I was told, having telegraphed General Bragg to send a brigade on to Rome, followed him, and overtook him at Bluntsville, where another fight ensued, Forrest being again repulsed.

"Skirmishes now occurred every day, until out troops were within a few miles of Rome, when another fight took place, at Cedar Bluff, where Colonel Straight fought Forrest until all his available ammunition was exhausted-some of it having been wet in the hold of the boat, while on the river-and the mules were completely worn out, so that they would not move, either by coaxing or beating.

"Colonel Straight was therefore compelled to surrender, which he did, on condition that the officers should retain their side-arms, and be paroled, and exchanged immediately. Nevertheless, as soon as he and

his officers had been removed from General Forrest's command, their side-arms were taken from them.

"Previous to his surrender, Colonel Straight sent three hundred of his men (the only ones in his command who were mounted on horses) to destroy some bridges and alarge rolling-mill, all valued at about two millions of dollars, which they accomplished.

"The officers in Colonel Straight's command," continues Mr. King, "justify him in all that he did, express themselves well pleased with his management of the troops, say that he acted as bravely and as nobly as a man could act, and are extremely desirous to continue under his command."

Had it not been for the rise in Town Creek, which prevented General Dodge from crossing, and engaging the enemy, as originally planned, Colonel Straight would have been able to have succeeded in his expedition; and would, notwithstanding, had his men been well mounted, as was admitted by Forrest, himself. Our entire loss in all the engagements, was seven killed and fifty-eight wounded. The rebel loss was one hundred killed and four hundred wounded, which Mr. King says he ascertained while within their lines.

STORY LXIII.

A HEROIC INCIDENT.

A YOUNG man in our employ, says the Mansfield (Ohio) Herald, in April, 1863, received a letter recently, announcing the death of a former school fellow, named

Austin Macy, of Montgomery County, Ohio, by the Rebels in Kentucky. The letter gives the following details of the courageous manner in which he met his fate, and we doubt if the annals of the war, so prolific of heroism, can parallel young Macy's audacious gallantry.

Macy belonged to an Ohio regiment, stationed at Camp Dick Robinson, Kentucky, and was sent out with a detachment on a scouting expedition. After a time he became separated from his party, and soon discovered a party of Secesh, who did not notice him. Concealing himself, he fired on and succeeded in killing seven of them, before they saw where he was hidden.

There being no further chance, Macy attempted to escape, but unfortunately, his horse threw him, severely injuring and disabling him. He was thereupon easily captured by the Rebels, who deliberately shot him seven times, wounding and mangling him in a most dreadful manner, but not killing him. He was still able to raise up and shoot his eighth man! An end was then put to this gallant hero by bayonetting him, and his mangled remains were then thrown into a mudhole. He was in his twenty-second year.

The above particulars were obtained from a Union woman, who witnessed a part of the affair, which occurred on her farm. She plead unsuccessfully with the leader of the Rebel party, for the privilege of burying Mr. Macy's corpse. He had not the humanity to grant her request.

When once a man descends to be a wicked heartless Rebel,
His remnant of humanity is scarcely worth a pebble:
From lesser to outrageous crimes-the length and breadth of evil,
And heighth and depth of infamy, his progress shames the devil.

STORY LXIV.

A SAD AND REMARKABLE INCIDENT.

In the second year of the war, a private in the 19th Indiana regiment was tried by a court-martial for deserting his post, and found guilty, the punishment for which is death. His execution was deferred for some time, and he was kept in a painful state of suspense. At last the day was fixed for his execution, and five regiments were drawn up in line to witness it, while a file of twelve men were in advance to execute the sentence of death by shooting him.

The prisoner was led forward blindfolded, and the usual words of preparation and command were given, in a low, measured tone, by the officer in command. During the interval between the commands—“Take aim," and "Fire," and before the last was given, a horseman rode rapidly up the road, waving in the air a paper, which was understood by all to be a reprieve. Covered with dust and perspiration, the horseman rode hurriedly up to the officer in command, and delivered to him what really proved to be a reprieve.

The shout "reprieve" fell upon the poor soldier's ear. which was already strained to the utmost, in anticipation of hearing the last, and final word that was to usher his soul into the presence of his Creator-it was too much for him, and he fell back upon his coffin, apparently dead. The bandage was removed from his eyes, but reason had taken its flight, and he became a hopeless maniac. He was discharged from the army, and sent home to his friends.

« PreviousContinue »