The Maine bugle ... campaign; 1-5 Jan. 1894-Oct. 1898 - Maine.gov

310 THE MAINE BUGLE.
bines of Smith began to rattle in the woods below that the head
of Custer's column reached the high ground in front of Din-
widdle Court House.
On the right of this open ridge the brigades of Gibbes and
Gregg were seen slowly retiring and forming in line again, covering
the Boydton Plank Road. Along the edge of the woods
in their front, the gray uniforms of the rebel infantry could be
distinguished moving off toward Smith, and evidently bent upon
ousting him from his position on the bed before they attempted
anything further. Seeing this, Gibbes's brigade, on our extreme
right, moved forward again with spirit, and kept the enemy in
its front diverted, while Smith continued his splendid effort
against the large force now attacking him. General Sheridan
instructed General Smith that when compelled to retire, as every
one saw he must do, he should fall back to the high, open
ground in rear, and go into. position on the extreme left of the
line, which we were now preparing to defend to the last. The
first brigade of Custer's division was dismounted on the hill,
and immediately set to work with a will to throw up a breastwork
of rails, and the neighboring fences were rapidly sacrificed
for the purpose.
Now, for almost the first time during this hard day's fight,
could artillery be used, and the horse batteries went quickly
into position and awaited the coming enemy. Smith held onto
the bed with tight-clinched hands, and only let go his hold when
he had hardly a round of ammunition left; then, abandoning
the road on which he had been fighting, he took to the woods
in front of our left, and trudged up the hill toward Dinwiddle,
followed by the enemy, unmolested.
At this moment the enemy's cavalry appeared on the stage
in one short act. Apparently they had been formed on the
west bank of the bed, and now, as Smith abandoned the road,
these fiery cavaliers dashed over the bed, and galloped wildly
up the slope to cut off Smith, to get possession of the Court
House, to salute the ladies, and be patted on the back ;
and as
a staff officer, who had just left General Smith, was telling