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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (July 2, 1911)
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, rORTLAyP, JULY 2, 1911. AMO V l; v -r -- f r.- r- fitt TVO rcw.'s - - JaA I i 1 1 ii I 1 1 1 i i i in I1 I f " ' ,7 f fJrfD - V f : S vwv III II ill yx fhfri-jr. THF.I rhi IIF.RK wpm many famous cavalry rharcra durinc th Clrll War. now Its avml-cvntrnnlnl. and the first irreat rharjrc of cavalry under tha Mtara and Strip- was on an October day In The old Indian fighter. General John C. Freemont. waa resting in tha hills of Missouri when a dta-patrh-bearer italloped Into camp. "Kour hundred Confederates have re captured Sprlnsflcl J." reported the courier. Fremont understood Its purport. "Pend Major Zajtonyl to me." be or dered. ZaRonrl was a Hungarian " sol dier who foujtht with the plumed Hus sars In a famous Kuropean campaign. Zs"onyrs horsemen were the pride of Fremont's acmjtTas they swung; along tha forest r"ad.. slnglna; and lauxhlns; like tha Kay cavaliers of knighthood days. . The clatter of hoofs soon echoed through the camp on this 24th of Oc tober, as Zagonyi. seated on his black charger. Issued his orders In broken KngUsh to his troopers. With shouts of readiness the 10 horsemen, led by Major White's battalion of prairie scouts, swept around tha bend In the road and disappeared In the woods. their volcea dying away In the dis tance. H was soon after sunrise on the fol lowing day that the troopers emerged front the 'wilderness near Springfield after a hard day and night ride In which they had covered nearly 19 miles. Their Jaded horses were whit with foam. The men were swaying In their saddles, but their spirits were high at the thought of but 400 Confed erates opposed to the thoroughly trained and disciplined trooper of Fre mont's body guard. The troops halted, the horsemen dis mounted and fell upon the grass for a moment's rest while the horses grsied. There was a cloud of dust along the road as the scouts came back and hur ried to Major Zagonyi. A grim look set tled upon his fare. He shook his head with determination. Then, swinging his horse about, he rode to the front of his 1 men and In his broken English informed them that Instead of a foe of 40t there were nearer 2000 Infantry, artirierr and cavalry " soldier of the Confederacy awaiting them at Spring field. I promise you victory If you will be what I think you to be." he said. -If some of you are too much fatigued from your St miles riding or are sick, step forward!" The Hungarian gazed at his troopers; nt one left the line. His soldierly pride overcame him and he cried with Joy: This day I want to fight the first and last hard battle, so If they meet us again they shall know what they have to do. And remember the Body Guard:" The Confederates had come' from the town, and were lined In a thick clump of woods on the far side of an open field at the base of a steep hill. Sep arating the field and the woods was a rail fence, behind which were the Southern fighters. At the foot of a lane leading to the battleground was a creek, and Just beyond another, fence. -Soldiers." shouted Zagonyi. "when I was to recruit you. I told you you waa not parade soldiers, but for war. Tha enemy Is more than we. The enemy Is 2ao. and we are but lt. It la possible that no man mill come bark. The guard that follow me will take 'the battle cry. 'Fremont ami 'the Union.' and charge!" The Federal troopers plunged down the lane, between rows of trees and shrubbery. Before the charge had fairly begun a terrific storm of bullets cut through the foliage a cross fire. For an Instant tiie troops quailed, but the thundering tones of the Hungarian cavalryman urged them on. and the cavalcade fairly flew toward the fenr and creek. In the very forefront gal loped Zagonyi. aeated on his spirited war horse. A bright and sharp saber waved above his head, hi eye flashed, and hi dark beard and mustache seemed to bristle. The charge halted for a moment, while some of the troopera leaped from their horses and tore a gap through the barrier. The bullets fell about them : like hall, but the dauntless Hungarian calmly formed his lines, preparatory for one of the most daring and brilliant charges of the war. Again. Zagonyi appealed to his horse men: -Whatever we met. keep close to gether. If I fall, do not give up. but avenge mine death!" The bullet threatened to annihilate the troopers If they delayed. Zagonyi raised himself in the stirrups. "Fremont and the Vnion!" he shouted. Instantly the cavalry dashed across the field. The flro from the op posite side poured Into the troopers. Men swayed In their saddles, finally slipping beneath the plunging feet of the horses. Still, on rode the troopers. The Confederate horse dashed toward d toward heck the Infantry, . the advancing troopers to rh charge before It reached the but In vain. With shout of defiance, the Federal cavalry crashed Into the gray ranks. Saber flashed In the sun light, dripping with blood. The shouts of battle-Infuriated men mingled with the clash of steel. The Confederate horse gave way and plunged toward the moods. The Infantry had quailed before the fearless attack and fell back through the forest. Themounted foes were now fighting each man for himself. The Confeder ates, equal in courage, fought desper ately. A Lieutenant In graY. bare headed and with a bleeding gash on his fare dug his spur deeply Info the sides of his horse and plunged head lonr Into a group of SO or 0 Federals, flrlnr bis pistol and slashing right and left with a gory saber. Zagonyi stood in his path. The Southerner ranged alongside the Hun garian veteran. He thrust his pistol Into Zagonyi' rib and hi finger closed upon the trigger, but a sudden whirl of the horse placed the old warrior ont of danger, and the bullet sped harm lessly by. Instantly a dosen sabers crashed "through the skull of the dar ing Southerner, a score of bullets lodged In hi body and he rolled from ils horse onto the rround dead. The snapping of pistol and tie hoarse, crlea of combat were dying I away as the sun set 'n the west, and Zagonyi. fsaahed with victory, rode leisurely Into Springfield and raised the Star and Stripes over the court house. . (Confederate Charge at Klkliorn. It was in these same Missouri hills five months later that the mounted men of the Confederacy made one of the most heroic cavalry charges In the West. The Federal army of Genaral Curtis stood before Elkhorn Tavern on this March day. The wind waa blowing a gale. General Von Dorn. with his Con. federate legions waa holding the ground as the battle ragea ror several nours and It was still uncertain which side was lo be the victor. . Guibor's Confed erate batteries held the narrow road leading to the tavern. The Federal ar tillery was hurling Its defiance. Behind some corncrlbs near Guibor's position stood a small group of Con federate cavalry, under command of Rock" Champion, who was watching the effect of Guibor's fire upon the Fed eral line. As he turned to examine a piece of woods on the flank of Gulbor'a batteries, he saw the gleam of hun dred of bayonets among the trees. "Gulbor. they're flankln' you!" shout ed Champion. I know It." erled Gulbor. "but I cant spare a gun to turn on them! Seventeen hundred lnfantrmen in blue, with muskets In hand from, which bayonets pointed, were Just emerging from the woods, forming for a charge upon the batteries. The annihilation of Van Dorn'i army seemed Imminent. Champion's lips were moving In thought: he seemed to be talking to himself. Suddenly he burst Into speech. "I will!" he cried aloud. Instantly he wheeled his horse and cantered to his trooper. "Mount!" he commanded. Twenty-two horaemen rode from be hind the protecting corncrlb Into the storm of shell and bullets. Before them k--f i i !ri " - IS ' wNv;; . T - i.&t;jgW l r :. ' ' III ' J2&k3s&:t'i - . . jrp : ; ' ! lay a small field, with fences down. A hundred yards away was .the bayoneted front of the foe. rapidly advancing to ward the Confederate batteries. Plac ing himself at the head of the trooper Champion for a moment looked upon the acene. and then his voice rang out: "Battalion, forward! Trot, march! Gallop, march! Charge!" The spurs of the cavalrymen dug Into their horses as 'they pjunged toward the 1700 Federal Infantrymen. Behind the cavalcade ran. a corpora,! on foot, having lost his mount but anxious to be with Ms comrade In the fray. The cir cling sabres, the glistening pistols and the atern facea of the charging horse men struck fear into the hearta of the foot soldiers. i Like a whirlwind the Confederate horsemen struck the column in blue I and scattered It like chaff. Sabers rose and fell with fearful regularity. Moans mingled with the uproar of the mus kets of the infantry and the carbines of the cavalry. Gulbor swung his guns around and poured a tempest of can lster Into the left flank of the column and the Federals, gave way, each man looking out for himself. As they reached the shelter of the woods they looked over their shoulders, expecting to see Champion at their heels, but the. veteran knew when to stop at the height of the tide of vic tory. Recalling his troopers, they slowly cantered back to the corncrlb to watch Guibor's battery burl Its chal lenge of reslatance Into tbt Federal battle line, 23 horsemen having saved a defeated army from annihilation. Charge That Saved McCIellan. One of the first great cavalry chargea In the East occurred during the Federal retreat from the Peninsula In 182. McCIellan' army was in des perate peril at the close of this June day near Gaines' Mill. It looked like a forlorn hope, as the great -Army of the Potomac was . filing across the Chlrkahomlny bridge. Behind It rum bled the artillery under General Fits John Porter. At the bottom of a gen- tie slope the Confederate Infantry be- gan Its final attack and the Federal artillery teemed in imminent danger of capture. It was an hour of confusion. Gen eral Wesley Merrltt. awaiting orders to go to the protection of the artillery, but falling to receive them, leaped into his saddle and plunged away to the danger spot, where he Informed Gen eral Cooke of the conditions. Cooke looked gloomily at the advancing Con federates. He needed but a few mo ments' time to save the guns, but tha Southern legion were drawing close, and a hall of bullet wa falling all about the gallant guard. The Fifth United State Cavalry stood behind a plateau. The ground between the regiment and the foe was clear of obstructions. Gneral Cooke, with regret marked deeply on his face, rode toward the mounted men and or dered Captain Whiting to charge the Confederates and to die in the effort it necessary. It seemed suicide to hurl those 220 sabers against the thousands of Southerners, who, although weary after a day's hard fighting, seemed still Invincible. But time must be gained m order to save the remnants of Me Clellan's Army of the. Potomac. The little body of horsemen unhesi tatingly rode out into view. Tha bugle sounded. At a slow. pace the rider begsn their charge, Into, the Jaw of death. Again the bugle rang out above the thunder of the artillery and mus ketry and the trooper broke into a trot. A third summons cam and the cavalry began to gallop down the. hill side, straight for the bristling front In gray. Then came the final bugle call, and the gallant troopers charged. Their sabers were In hand, and their pistols loosely In their holsters. The battle flags flapped noisily as they streamed but behind In the, strong wind. The entire fire of the Confederate line poured Into the ranks of the fly ing horsemen. Score ofthem rolled from aaddle to the ground, beneath the flying hoofs, but on rode the survivor. .The First Historic Springfield, Mo., Led Zagonyi, With Fremont's f ederate Charge at Elkhorn Tavern Thfi Cavalry Charge That Saved McClellan's Army in 1862 The Most Famous Charge of the Ciil War,' at Chancellorsville.in M ay, 1 863 Famsworth's Desperate Charge at Gettysburg Wilson's Cavalry Raid in .the.Far; South. Oiw' " :t rt C'A The crasji of the above the roar of two foe sounded the battle as tha cavalrymen plunged through the Con federate line and only (topped when fare to face with a dense woods at the bottom of .the slope. The necessary time had been gained; the Confederate advance was so de moralised that further attack that day was abandoned. McClellan'a army waa saved. 'Troopers and horses la thick ly on the field. When the Survivors returned to the Federal Unas amid- a thunder of cheers, SS men and 24 horses were missing. The Comte de Paris, a grandson of King Louis Philippe, of France, who was on the stair of McCIellan's army. stood on the hills looking at the horse men as they charged into the valley. Tears later. In speaking of this gallant charge, he said: "The cavalry certainly saved a part of the artillery, as did, on a larger scale, the Austrian cavalry on the evening of Sadowa," Charge at Chancellorsville. The most famous cavalry charge in the Civil War was that May day at i.nanceiiorsviiie. In 1863. when every moment was a stroke of destiny. It was late in the afternoon of the sec ond day. of battle; "Stonewall" Jack son had delivered his famous attack on General Howard's Eleventh Corps, which formed the extreme right of the Federal line, and had. driven the Union. warriors lit- rout from their position. It seemed as if tha whole army was to be turned and annihilated in detail. Hurried calls were sent for reinforce ments. In a grove of hasels near the head quarters of General Hooker, who was t the battle line commanding hla army,, sat the troopers of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, dismounted, and waiting for orders, unaware of tha rout- Tha neigh of tha horses mingled with their laughter. "What's this?" exclaimed one of them as an orderly daahjed up to Major Huey and delivered an order to hurry to the front, but' not explaining what waa re quired of them when they arrived. "To horse!" sounded the bugle. Mount!" "Major," exclaimed Keenan to Huey, as they moved out on the road, "you have spoiled a good game!" As they were galloping along the plank road the sound of the battle mo mentarily became more distinct. Pis tols were still In the holsters and sabers In the scabbards. Suddenly, the advance aquadron with which Majors Huey and Keenan were .riding espied a group of Confederate officers in the road ahead of them. Affiuiiituuivoh uvvisyreKU (lie ikcbb ox . j ... , . tha Federal officers. How did- . tha Southerners happen to be on the road which Howard's corps had occupied a few hours before. At almost the same Instant the Confederate sighted the galloping cavalacde and turned and fled back along the forest aisle. In stantly, the woods on the sides of the road were alive with soldiers in gray uniforms. The 400 horsemen stood face to face with 10.000 of Jackson's vet erans. 'Draw sabers and charge!" thun dered Huey, 'Draw sabers! Charge! thun dered Major Keenan. The clank of scabbards and the swishing of tlfe blades were the imme diate response. Horses of the first Charge of the War, at by the Hungarian, Maj. Body Guard Theon- squadron leaped forward - under the urging of the spurs. Troopers scream fng at the top of their voices, their sabers describing circles above their heads, swept down the road Into the face of the foe. Keenan, Huey and three other officers plunged at the head of the charge. Deadly sabers be gan to cleave right and left as first the squad son penetrated 100 yards into the legfon In gray, which seemed stunned by the suddenness of the at tack. Jackson's veterans, recovering them selves, poured a volley Into the plung ing horsemen. The gallant Major Keen an ' and two other officers swayed in their saddles and fell beneath the thrashing feet of the snorting horses. On came the second squadron a lew rods in the rear of the first. The men had witnessed the drawing of the sab ers, the desperate charge, the fearful vnllav and its resultant execution among their comrades. Still, on they came, shouting, cursing, swinging their sabers as the hot breath of their horses blinded the faces of the foe, riding rough shod over the prone bodies of ihir fallow troopers straight for Jackson's columns. In the rear of the first two squad rons galloped the third. It. too, plunged Into the breach In the line. The horses. maddened by flame and tumult, froth lng.at their mouths, careened Into the second battalion. The weights served to bend the line of gray" back In the center. The melee was frightful Thrown horses were lunging .on their backs, striking the upright animals and bringing them to the earth as their riders, falling into the maelstrom, were kicked and crushed by the flying hoofs. On one side was the lonV-gray line of soldiers, bent back like a huge bow from the contact of the flying regiment of horsemen. In the rear were the frantic Confederate officers striving to align their troops. On the other hand were the terrified horses wildly dash ing against each other in their blind fright, carrying death in their lrdn shod hoofs to the troopers on the ground. In the midst of it all were hundreds of dismounted men darting here and there to avoid the terrified animals, desperately striving to reach the lines of Howard's corps and safety. Almost as quickly as It had happened the chsrge was over. The Eigljth Penn sylvania had stayed the advance of Jackson's sojdlery for a few previous moments. During this time the artil lery had been wheeled Into a new po sition and a storm of shells was sweep ing the roadway and woods In which the Confederates were concealed,, thus saving the ..Eleventh Corps from com plete annihilation. On the grounds, In pools of blood, lay SO brave, cavalrymen and among them were the white features of Major Keen an. Captain .Arrowsmlth snd Adjutant Haddock. Fafnsw'orth's Famous Charge. The greatest cavalry charge In tha Civil War, however, occurred about eight weeks after Keenan s thrilling ride to death. It was on the .battle ground at Gettysburg on that historic day of July S Just before Pickett s famous Infantry charge against the Federal lines. The Cnlon cavalry had been harassing the flanks of the Con federate battle line, and detachments j , IT of Southerners had been taken from the center to support them. In command of a portion of the Fed eral cavalry were two officers who presented a striking contrast. One was a young cavalier 29 years of age, whose fine features were animated at the prospect of the coming battle. He wore a blonde beard, and his campaign hat was turned up Jauntily. The other was tall, slight, stern and pale. ' He was clad in a makeshift uniform bor rowed from the cavalry chief, Pleasan ton, a few days before when he had been promoted to Brigadier-General, as he did not have time to obtain a regu lation uniform before the great battle. The two stood looking over the ground separating them from the foe. "It's all right!" exclaimed the former, who was the young Geneva! Kilpatrlck a West Pointer, who had graduated but three years before. "Cavalry , can fight anywhere except at sea." '; Turning impetuously, he j ordered Farnsworth to charge ifie Confederate Hens with his First Vermont Cavalry, Farnsworth looked at his superior of ficer In wonder. -t "General, do you mean it? Shall I throw my handful of men over rough ground, through timber, against a brigade of Infantry? The First Ver mont has already been fought half to pieces; these are too good men to kill." . Kilpatrlck turned ons him angrily. "Do you refuse to obey my orders? If you are afraid to lead this charge, I will lead it; he thundered. A wave of passion swept Farns worth'e face. He raised himself in his stirrups. "Take that back!" he de manded. The infuriated officer had risen to strike his chief. Before the blow was struck, Kilpatrlck saw bis mistake and apologized. Farnsworth struggled to calm him self, and after a moment he said in low but determined tones: "General, if you order the charge, I will lead It, but you must take the responsibility." Kilpatrlck ' hesitated a moment-and then, turning away, decided: ."I take the reeponsibillty." Farnsworth looked at him an instant. Then, riding to the front of his regi ment, which stood near a thick clump of woods at the baseof the hill on which the Confederate line was to be charged, he looked at . his troop. The men tightened their belts and pulled their caps low over their eyes, reidy to follow their leader wherever he led, even into the mouth of death. A battalion started at a slow trot, and before It had advanced 30 paces came In contact with the skirmishers of the Confederates, who fled before the cavalcade.. Reaching a road lead ing to the hill, the troopers galloped) forward. Suddenly an officer cried: "An ambuscade!" Simultaneously with the cry came a thundering volley. The aim was faulty and the bullets sped over the heaas of the horsemen. "Charge!" thundered the officer. As the troop reached a stone wall a scat tered volley poured into their ranks and several of the men rolled from their horses, wounded. There was a snout ot a hundred voices as the horses leaped over the barrier and took shel ter from the storm of shot and shell that was now hurling down upon them from' the Confederate line above. Meanwhile, another battalion, under Major Wells, swung out on the left of the first,, galloping across the base of the hill and then across a valley up the hillside straight for the belching Confederate line. Behind thundered a third group of cavalrymen, the horses speeding across the rough land, their bodies lying low and their nostrils and mouths dripping with sweat, while the men sat easily in their saddles,, silent and erect. At the head of the troopers was Farnsworth. his sword flashing In the July sun and his eyes gleaming with determination. On plunged the horses, leaping stone wails and rail fences, hurdling ditches and fallen trees, un til now they were separated from the Confederate lines by but a single low stone wall. Surrender!" they cried, unwilling to turn. $heir fire on such a gallant troop. The flash of a shot was the only an L W i . t JT- M :. 3 IL9 Iff 1 II r'v I r v -s-v :T.Aji .III swer of the dauntless leader as ha emptied his revolver at them, tiring deliberately until there wae not a shot left. Then with a defiant thrust J9 hurled the empty weapon at the foe. A volley, from the far side of the wall answered the savage challenge and Farnsworth swayed in his saddle and went down, with five mortal wounds in his body. The Northern horsemen had plunged at the Confederate line to find it Im pregnable and in , final desperation turned to seek shelter from the death dealing storm of missiles that poured across the stone wall. x ,-- Wilson's Famous Charge. On that April day in 1865 when Rich mond and Petersburg fell. General Wil son and his cavalry divisions were on their great raid through Alabama and Georgia. Opposed to him were General Taylor and that redoubtable cavalier of the Confederacy General Fosrest. Ter rific flKhtins ensued throughout the day. Twilight was approaching. The Confederates were entrenched behind strong fortifications. But the veterans of Wilson's corps had breached the walls by artillery bombardment and charges on foot. The critical moment had come. A series of dismounted charges threw the Confederates into disorder. Two hun dred, horsemen now essayed to carry the works, but met with disastrous re pulse1. From the rear of the firing line tme an excited orderly: . "General Wilson orders a charge!" he cried to the colonel of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry. "All right!" responded the officer. "To horse, Aien!" he ordered two of his battalions. The men rushed to their horses. In a t-lnkling the spurs were, strapped . upon the boots and sabres were clasped about their waists. In a moment's time the battalion was riding forward in col umns of four, the horses cantering. From the rear came a second orderly, who pushed his way through the troopers until he had reached the aids of Colonel Peters. "General Wilson , orders the Fourth Iowa to charge at once! Spare no horses !V was his urgent message. A bugle rang above the battle din. "Battalions, forward!" The caval cade increased its speed. Now the troopers were nearing the Confederate firing line. Bullets were falling thickly around them. The horses were flying over the ground. At the head of the battalions by the side of the colonel of the regiment rode the chief trumpetsr. He raised his lnstru- ment to his lips: "Charge!" , Again and again the ringing call ol the bugle sounded above the thunder ing tread of the horses. The breach In the Confederate line was reached. Sud denly the bugle ceased. The trumpeter had fallen with a bullet through his head as he gallantly directed his com rades in their stirring charge upon the foe. Like a hurricane the battalions swept through the , gap and Into the inner line, of the fortifications. Instantly they deployed right and left, present ing a long battle front to the Confeder. ates. Twilight had falUn and darkness was fast approaching: Lightning flash es of exploding carbines and pistols marked the positions of both forces. Sabres circled and thrust through the dim light. Above all sounded the hoarse cries of the wounded and the dying, mingled with the snorts and screams of the frenzied horses. Human endurance could not stand before the troopers and the constantly increasing reinforcements. They fol lowed the retreating foe for a number of miles, but night came and the pur suit was abandoned. A few days later the great cavalry man, Sheridan, was lining up his men on their last firing line on the road to Appomattox, and the btigle was call ing the cavalrymen for the last time in the Civil War. (Copyright, 1911, by the Search-Light Library.) , Editor's Note The ninth article in this series by Dr. Miller will appear next Sunday. It is entitled "Aboard.' Ship With the Great Sea Fighter," thrilling story of the sea. . '. t j. k.
