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Michigan Civil War
Eighth Regiment Infantry
The boat was half a mile away, with some thirty or forty cavalry pressing closely. At the entrance to the bridge the party faced the enemy, bringing their guns to a ready; the rebels hesitated. He then directed his men to stand fast, and regaining his breath after the long chase, he ran from the bridge and through an open gate in the field, and gave the following orders as if to a large force concealed about the bridge, and in a voice so that the cavalry would hear him, and cautioning his command to keep well to the right and under cover: 'Attention battalion ! Take arms! Shoulder arms! Load at will! Load ! Forward, march !"
During this time nearly a whole company of cavalry had come together; he then went back where the three men were standing at the entrance to the bridge, stepped out in front, took off his cap, and dared them, in a short speech, to come on. But in place of doing that they beat a retreat, and left the captain and his three men masters of the field. A quick march was made to the boat and an embarkment made in the shortest time possible. Just as he got out of range of their carbines, the cavalry, fully a company strong, rode down to the bank of the river, evidently feeling very small at being so ingeniously outgeneraled and foiled by only five Yankees. The captain and party cheered them lustily, and bidding them good bye struck up the song of Tramp, tramp, the boys are marching, " and wound up with "Old John Brown. "
Civil War
Page 70
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