romptly, and suiting the action to the words, "charge, boys!" he rushed
furiously forward at their head, while the fields rang with their
maddening yell. But the brave lieutenant fell severely wounded before a
murderous discharge of grape and canister, which killed three of his men
and wounded several. The lieutenant's faithful horse was also mortally
wounded. But before the piece could be reloaded with its only one
remaining shell, the surviving comrades were crossing sabres with the
gunners over the gun. The conflict here was desperate, but of short
duration. Mosby's lieutenant, Chapman, fought with the rammer of the
gun, but fell wounded and was captured. At length those who could not
escape surrendered, and the howitzer was ours. It bore an inscription
which showed that it had been captured by the Rebels from the lamented
Colonel Baker, at Ball's Bluff.

Among the enemy's wounded and captured was a Captain Hoskins, formerly
of the British army, who had run the blockade and espoused the Rebel
cause. He received his death-wound as follows: having wounded a private
soldier in a hand-to-hand encounter, he roughly cried out, "Surrender,
you d----d Yankee!" "I'll see you d----d first," was the characteristic
reply, while the Yankee boy lodged a pistol ball in the captain's neck,
from which he did not long survive. An interesting diary was found in
Captain Hoskins' possession, describing mainly his private life since
entering Mosby's command.

Mosby himself barely escaped being captured on this occasion, and he
carried the mark of a sabre-cut on his arm. The fight had been desperate
on both sides, but the guerillas were badly worsted, and driven away as
far as the jaded condition of our horses would permit us to pursue them.
In their flight the spoils, which had been taken from the captured
train, were left behind, strewn in every direction. This fight occurred
near the little village of Greenwich, and gave Mosby a blow quite as
severe as any he had ever received.

CHAPTER X.

CHANCELLORSVILLE AND STONEMAN'S RAID.

1863.--Review of the Army by the President.--Deserters Punished.--Sports
and Pastimes.--Stoneman's First Move.--Storm.--Reconnoissance to
Warrenton. --Another Move.--Other Storms.--Catching "Rabbits."--
Stoneman's Great Raid on Lee's Communications.--On the Virginia
Central Railroad.--Kilpatrick at Louisa Court House.--He Marches upon
Richmond.--Bold Advance near the City. --Import