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as if numb as the animal and vegetable life which had been shrinking all
the long hours under the fierce chill。
The Major's bugler had saluted the morn with the lively； ringing tarr…r…
r…a…ta…ara of the Regulation reveille； and the company buglers； as fast
as they could thaw out their mouth…pieces； were answering him。
I lay on my bed； dreading to get up； and yet not anxious to lie still。
It was a question which would be the more uncomfortable。 I turned over；
to see if there was not another position in which it would be warmer；
and began wishing for the thousandth time that the efforts for the
amelioration of the horrors of warfare would progress to such a point as
to put a stop to all Winter soldiering； so that a fellow could go home as
soon as cold weather began； sit around a comfortable stove in a country
store； and tell camp stories until the Spring was far enough advanced to
let him go back to the front wearing a straw hat and a linen duster。
Then I began wondering how much longer I would dare lie there； before the
Orderly Sergeant would draw me out by the heels； and accompany the
operation with numerous unkind and sulphurous remarks。
This cogitation； was abruptly terminated by hearing an excited shout from
the Captain：
〃Turn Out！COMPANY L！！ TURNOUT ！ ！ ！〃
Almost at the same instant rose that shrill； piercing Rebel yell； which
one who has once heard it rarely forgets； and this was followed by a
crashing volley from apparently a regiment of rifles。
I arose…promptly。
There was evidently something of more interest on hand than the weather。
Cap； overcoat； boots and revolver belt went on； and eyes opened at about
the same instant。
As I snatched up my carbine； I looked out in front； and the whole woods
appeared to be full of Rebels； rushing toward us； all yelling and some
firing。 My Captain and First Lieutenant had taken up position on the
right front of the tents； and part of the boys were running up to form a
line alongside them。 The Second Lieutenant had stationed himself on a
knoll on the left front； and about a third of the company was rallying
around him。
My chum was a silent； sententious sort of a chap； and as we ran forward
to the Captain's line； he remarked earnestly：
〃Well： this beats hell！〃
I thought he had a clear idea of the situation。
All this occupied an inappreciably short space of time。 The Rebels had
not stopped to reload； but were rushing impetuously toward us。 We gave
them a hot； rolling volley from our carbines。 Many fell； more stopped to
load and reply； but the mass surged straight forward at us。 Then our
fire grew so deadly that they showed a disposition to cover themselves
behind the rocks and trees。 Again they were urged forward； and a body of
them headed by their Colonel； mounted on a white horse； pushed forward
through the gap between us and the Second Lieutenant。 The Rebel Colonel
dashed up to the Second Lieutenant； and ordered him to surrender。 The
latter…a gallant old graybeardcursed the Rebel bitterly and snapped his
now empty revolver in his face。 The Colonel fired and killed him；
whereupon his squad； with two of its Sergeants killed and half its
numbers on the ground； surrendered。
The Rebels in our front and flank pressed us with equal closeness。
It seemed as if it was absolutely impossible to check their rush for an
instant； and as we saw the fate of our companions the Captain gave the
word for every man to look out for himself。 We ran back a little
distance； sprang over the fence into the fields； and rushed toward Town；
the Rebels encouraging us to make good time by a sharp fire into our
backs from the fence。
While we were vainly attempting to stem the onset of the column dashed
against us； better success was secured elsewhere。 Another column swept
down the other road； upon which there was only an outlying picket。 This
had to come back on the run before the overwhelming numbers； and the
Rebels galloped straight for the three…inch Rodman。 Company M was the
first to get saddled and mounted； and now came up at a steady； swinging
gallop； in two platoons； saber and revolver in hand； and led by two
Sergeants…Key and McWright；printer boys from Bloomington； Illinois。
They divined the object of the Rebel dash； and strained every nerve to
reach the gun first。 The Rebels were too near； and got the gun and
turned it。 Before they could fire it； Company M struck them headlong；
but they took the terrible impact without flinching； and for a few
minutes there was fierce hand…to…hand work； with sword and pistol。
The Rebel leader sank under a half…dozen simultaneous wounds； and fell
dead almost under the gun。 Men dropped from their horses each instant；
and the riderless steeds fled away。 The scale of victory was turned by
the Major dashing against the Rebel left flank at the head of Company I；
and a portion of the artillery squad。 The Rebels gave ground slowly；
and were packed into a dense mass in the lane up which they had charged。
After they had been crowded back； say fifty yards； word was passed
through our men to open to the right and left on the sides of the road。
The artillerymen had turned the gun and loaded it with a solid shot。
Instantly a wide lane opened through our ranks； the man with the lanyard
drew the fatal cord； fire burst from the primer and the muzzle； the long
gun sprang up and recoiled； and there seemed to be a demoniac yell in its
ear…splitting crash； as the heavy ball left the mouth； and tore its
bloody way through the bodies of the struggling mass of men and horses。
This ended it。 The Rebels gave way in disorder； and our men fell back to
give the gun an opportunity to throw shell and canister。
The Rebels now saw that we were not to be run over like a field of
cornstalks； and they fell back to devise further tactics； giving us a
breathing spell to get ourselves in shape for defense。
The dullest could see that we were in a desperate situation。 Critical
positions were no new experience to us； as they never are to a cavalry
command after a few months in the field； but； though the pitcher goes
often to the well； it is broken at last； and our time was evidently at
hand。 The narrow throat of the Valley； through which lay the road back
to the Gap； was held by a force of Rebels evidently much superior to our
own； and strongly posted。 The road was a slender； tortuous one； winding
through rocks and gorges。 Nowhere was there room enough to move with
even a platoon front against the enemy； and this precluded all chances of
cutting out。 The best we could do was a slow； difficult movement； in
column of fours； and this would have been suicide。 On the other side of
the Town the Rebels were massed stronger； while to the right and left
rose the steep mountain sides。 We were caught…trapped as surely as a rat
ever was in a wire trap。
As we learned afterwards； a whole division of cavalry； under command of
the noted Rebel； Major General Sam Jones； had been sent to effect our
capture； to offset in a measure Longstreet's repulse at Knoxville。
A gross overestimate of our numbers had caused the sending of so large
a force on this errand； and th