forward after having found
cover, and ran back to a portion of the troop near an old
brick wall, and ordered them forward at once. They then made
a dash forward, and in doing so three or four men were
wounded, Private Russell severely. Who the others were I do
not know. We encountered a severe fire directly after this
move forward; and Private Wheeler was wounded in the left
leg. There was a wire fence on our right, and such thick
underbrush that we were unable to get through right there,
so had to follow along the fence for some distance before
being able to penetrate. Finally, was able to get the
greater proportion of my men through, and about this time I
met Lieutenants Fleming and Miller, Tenth Cavalry, moving
through the thicket at my left. I there heard the order
passed on 'not to fire ahead,' as there was danger of firing
into our own forces. In the meantime there was shouting from
the First Cavalry in our front, 'Don't fire on us in rear.'
My troop had not fired a shot to my knowledge, nor the
knowledge of any non-commissioned officers in the troop.
About this time I found I was unable to keep the troop
deployed, as they would huddle up behind one rock or tree,
so I gave all sergeants orders to move out on the extreme
right and to keep in touch with those on their left. Then,
with a squad of about five men, I moved to the right front,
and was unfortunate enough to lose the troop, i.e., I could
see nothing of them except the men with me.

"But as I had given explicit instructions to my sergeant, in
case I was lost from them, to continue to advance until
halted by some one in authority, I moved ahead myself,
hoping to find them later on. In making a rush forward three
men of my squad were lost from me in some way. I still had
two men with me, Privates Combs and Jackson, and in the next
advance made I picked up a First Cavalry sergeant who had
fallen out from exhaustion. After a terrific climb up the
ridge in front of me, and a very regular though ineffective
fire from the enemy kept up until we were about sixty yards
from the summit of hill, we reached the advance line of the
First United States Cavalry, under command of Captain
Wainwright. I then reported to him for orders, and moved
forward when he next advanced. The