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As they came on down the hill as almost equally disorganized crowd of
pursuers appeared on the summit； yelling in voices hoarse with continued
shouting； and pouring an incessant fire of carbine and revolver bullets
upon the hapless men of the Sixty…fourth Virginia。
The two masses of men swept on through the town。 Beyond it； the road
branched in several directions； the pursued scattered on each of these；
and the worn…out pursuers gave up the chase。
Returning to Jonesville； we took an account of stock； and found that we
were 〃ahead〃 one hundred and fifteen prisoners； nearly that many horses；
and a considerable quantity of small arms。 How many of the enemy had
been killed and wounded could not be told； as they were scattered over
the whole fifteen miles between where the fight occurred and the pursuit
ended。 Our loss was trifling。
Comparing notes around the camp…fires in the evening； we found that our
success had been owing to the Major's instinct； his grasp of the
situation； and the soldierly way in which he took advantage of it。 When
he reached the summit of the hill he found the Rebel line nearly formed
and ready for action。 A moment's hesitation might have been fatal to us。
At his command Company I went into line with the thought…like celerity of
trained cavalry； and instantly dashed through the right of the Rebel
line。 Company K followed and plunged through the Rebel center； and when
we of Company L arrived on the ground； and charged the left； the last
vestige of resistance was swept away。 The whole affair did not probably
occupy more than fifteen minutes。
This was the way Powell's Valley was opened to our foragers。
CHAPTER III。
LIVING OFF THE ENEMYREVELING IN THE FATNESS OF THE COUNTRYSOLDIERLY
PURVEYING AND CAMP COOKERYSUSCEPTIBLE TEAMSTERS AND THEIR TENDENCY TO
FLIGHTINESSMAKING SOLDIER'S BED。
For weeks we rode up and downhither and thitheralong the length of
the narrow； granite…walled Valley； between mountains so lofty that the
sun labored slowly over them in the morning； occupying half the forenoon
in getting to where his rays would reach the stream that ran through the
Valley's center。 Perpetual shadow reigned on the northern and western
faces of these towering Nightsnot enough warmth and sunshine reaching
them in the cold months to check the growth of the ever…lengthening
icicles hanging from the jutting cliffs； or melt the arabesque frost…
forms with which the many dashing cascades decorated the adjacent rocks
and shrubbery。 Occasionally we would see where some little stream ran
down over the face of the bare； black rocks for many hundred feet； and
then its course would be a long band of sheeny white； like a great rich；
spotless scarf of satin； festooning the war…grimed walls of some old
castle。
Our duty now was to break up any nuclei of concentration that the Rebels
might attempt to form； and to guard our foragersthat is； the teamsters
and employee of the Quartermaster's Departmentwho were loading grain
into wagons and hauling it away。
This last was an arduous task。 There is no man in the world that needs
as much protection as an Army teamster。 He is worse in this respect than
a New England manufacturer； or an old maid on her travels。 He is given
to sudden fears and causeless panics。 Very innocent cedars have a
fashion of assuming in his eyes the appearance of desperate Rebels armed
with murderous guns； and there is no telling what moment a rock may take
such a form as to freeze his young blood； and make each particular hair
stand on end like quills upon the fretful porcupine。 One has to be
particular about snapping caps in his neighborhood； and give to him
careful warning before discharging a carbine to clean it。 His first
impulse； when anything occurs to jar upon his delicate nerves； is to cut
his wheel…mule loose and retire with the precipitation of a man having an
appointment to keep and being behind time。 There is no man who can get
as much speed out of a mule as a teamster falling back from the
neighborhood of heavy firing。
This nervous tremor was not peculiar to the engineers of our
transportation department。 It was noticeable in the gentry who carted
the scanty provisions of the Rebels。 One of Wheeler's cavalrymen told me
that the brigade to which he belonged was one evening ordered to move at
daybreak。 The night was rainy； and it was thought best to discharge the
guns and reload before starting。 Unfortunately； it was neglected to
inform the teamsters of this； and at the first discharge they varnished
from the scene with such energy that it was over a week before the
brigade succeeded in getting them back again。
Why association with the mule should thus demoralize a man； has always
been a puzzle to me； for while the mule； as Col。 Ingersoll has remarked；
is an animal without pride of ancestry or hope of posterity； he is still
not a coward by any means。 It is beyond dispute that a full…grown and
active lioness once attacked a mule in the grounds of the Cincinnati
Zoological Garden； and was ignominiously beaten； receiving injuries from
which she died shortly afterward。
The apparition of a badly…scared teamster urging one of his wheel mules
at break…neck speed over the rough ground； yelling for protection against
〃them Johnnies；〃 who had appeared on some hilltop in sight of where he
was gathering corn； was an almost hourly occurrence。 Of course the squad
dispatched to his assistance found nobody。
Still； there were plenty of Rebels in the country； and they hung around
our front； exchanging shots with us at long taw； and occasionally
treating us to a volley at close range； from some favorable point。
But we had the decided advantage of them at this game。 Our Sharpe's
carbines were much superior in every way to their Enfields。 They would
shoot much farther； and a great deal more rapidly； so that the Virginians
were not long in discovering that they were losing more than they gained
in this useless warfare。
Once they played a sharp practical joke upon us。 Copper River is a deep；
exceedingly rapid mountain stream； with a very slippery rocky bottom。
The Rebels blockaded a ford in such a way that it was almost impossible
for a horse to keep his feet。 Then they tolled us off in pursuit of a
small party to this ford。 When we came to it there was a light line of
skirmishers on the opposite bank； who popped away at us industriously。
Our boys formed in line； gave the customary； cheer； and dashed in to
carry the ford at a charge。 As they did so at least one…half of the
horses went down as if they were shot； and rolled over their riders in
the swift running； ice…cold waters。 The Rebels yelled a triumphant
laugh； as they galloped away； and the laugh was re…echoed by our fellows；
who were as quick to see the joke as the other side。 We tried to get
even with them by a sharp chase； but we gave it up after a few miles；
without having taken any prisoners。
But； after all； there was much to make our sojourn in the Valley
endurable。 Though we did not wear fine linen； we fared sumptuouslyfor
soldiersevery day。 The cavalryman is always charged by the infantry
and artillery with having a finer and surer scent for the good things in
the country than any other man in the service。 He is believed to have an
instinct that will unfailingly lead him； in the dankest night； to the
roosting place of the most desirable poultry； and after he has camped in
a neighborhood for awhile it would require a close chemical analysis to
find a trace of ham。
We did our best to sustain the reputation of our arm of the service。
We found the most delicious hams packed away in the ash…houses。
They were small； and had that； exquisite nutty flavor； peculiar to mast…
fed bacon。 Then there was an abundance of the delightful little apple
known as 〃romanites。〃 There were turnips； pumpkins； cabbages； potatoes；
and the usual products of the field in plenty； even profusion。 The corn
in the fields furnished an ample supply of breadstuff。 We carried it to
and ground it in the quaintest； rudest little mills that can be imagined
outside of the primitive affairs by which the women of Arabia coarsely
powder the grain for the family meal。 Sometimes the mill would consist
only of four stout posts thrust into the ground at the edge of some
stream。 A line of boulders reaching diagonally across the stream
answered for a dam； by diverting a portion of the volume of water to a
channel at the side； where it moved a clumsily constructed wheel； that
turned two small stones； not larger than good…sized grindstones。 Over
this would be a shed made by resting poles in forked posts stuck into the
ground； and covering these with clapboards held in place by large flat
stones。 They resembled the mills of the godsin grinding slowly。
It used to seem that a healthy man could eat the meal faster than they
ground it。
But what savory meals we used to concoct around the campfires； out of the
rich materials collected during the day's ride！ Such stews； such soups；
such broils； such wonderful commixtures of things diverse in nature and
antagonistic in properties such daring culinary experiments in combinin