edition, as has been shown,
was to ride into Richmond and liberate the prisoners. It was a daring
enterprise. A courage to execute commensurate to the ability to conceive
was presupposed. So far everything had gone by the clock. Officers and
men alike knew what that forced march of thirty-six hours, without
pause, meant, if it had any rational meaning. Each one had screwed his
courage to the sticking point to follow wherever our gallant commander
led, prepared to share with him success or failure, according to the
event. Indeed, there was safety in following rather than in falling
back. We were far afield in an enemy's country. It was necessary to
"hang together to avoid hanging separately." The goal was in sight. By a
bold and quick forward movement alone could it be reached. An order to
move up into a line of squadron columns was momentarily expected. That a
dash into the city, or at least an attempt would be made nobody doubted.
Anything short of that would be farcical, and the expedition that set
out big with promise would be fated to return barren of results. The
good beginning was worthy of a better ending than that.

Well, some of Davies's advance regiments were dismounted and the men
sent forward deployed as carbineers on foot to feel of the
fortifications and make a tentative attack on their defenders. Some of
Ransom's guns were unlimbered and opened fire at long range. Reply was
made by the enemy's cannoneers, for some of the earthworks facing us
were manned with artillerists.

In the meantime, Sawyer's brigade held on the pike in column of fours,
mounted, anxiously awaiting orders and developments, listened intently
to the desultory firing of the carbineers and the occasional boom of the
cannon in front. There was a growing feeling of uneasiness and
incertitude which began to frame our minds for doubts and fears as to
the outcome.

At length, a staff officer was seen riding slowly from the front towards
the rear. The thought that ran along the column was, "Now the order is
surely coming to move forward at a trot." Not so, however. He had been
directed by General Kilpatrick to notify commanding officers that in
case any of their men should be wounded, they would be obliged to make
their own arrangements for the transportation and care of them, since
there were no ambulances available.

Cheerful intelligence, surely, and well timed to put men and officers
upon their fighting mettle! From that moment, the me