"Cozzens," the character of the regiment, the butt of the whole line, the hero of one of the most remarkable military funerals on record, -let Cozzens not be forgotten in the annals of Cedar Creek. He redeemed himself. When the fire was hottest, when the fortunes of the day trembled in the balance, Cozzens was sent to supply the skirmish-line with ammunition. Coolly, bravely, faithfully, did he perform his whole duty; and on that field he filled the uniform of a soldier and a man.

The Fourteenth slept in its old camp that night. Sheridan had grandly kept his word.

The first division went on picket beyond Strasburg. During the night the wounded suffered fearfully, and the Rebel citizens engaged in shameful plundering.

Even the Rebel women, living in the vicinity, wandered over the field, robbing the helpless Union soldiers; in several cases going so far as to strip from the groaning victims their trowsers and drawers. The atrocities of that night were worthy of Arabi Pacha.

The next morning there were parked, in front of Sheridan's headquarters, fifty cannon which were captured after five o'clock on the evening of the battle. The boys thronged up to inspect the booty.

Unparalleled transformation! The Union army rested on its peculiar yet magnificent laurels, and wondered long and exulted over the whole serio-comic drama.

Early thus sums up, in his unique fashion, the situation on his side:

"This was the case of a glorious victory given up by my own troops after they had won it; and it is to be accounted for on the ground of the partial demoralization caused by the plunder of the enemy's camps, and from the fact that the men undertook to judge for themselves when it was proper to retire. Had they but waited, the mischief on the left would have been remedied. I have never been able to satisfy myself that the enemy's attack in the afternoon was not a demonstration to cover his retreat during the night. It certainly was not a vigorous one."

Silence is the fitting comment upon such arrant nonsense.

LIEUT. HOLMES'S STORY.

293

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

The following sketch of the battle was written by Lieut. M. M. Holmes, of Company H.

The regiment was partly in line, just at the dawn of that hazy Indian-summer day, when on the extreme left, in front of Crook's corps, was heard the ominous rattle of musketry, sharp and distinct at first, and increasing in force and volume until it became a continuous roar, mingled soon with the booming of cannon. Our division was in two lines; our brigade was in the front line, on a ridge facing, and at some little distance from, Cedar Creek. Our breastworks (that is, in front of the Fourteenth Regiment) were on the slope of this ridge fronting Cedar Creek; so that the company quarters were on a little higher ground, and the tents of the field and staff were on the top of the ridge, which then sloped to a small ravine or depression, rising to another little ridge a half-mile or so beyond, on which lay the second brigade, forming the second line. We were ordered to lie in our intrenchments to repel an expected attack in front. The Eighth Corps, completely surprised, was driven from its position in confusion, and was forced to the right upon the Nineteenth Corps. Our second brigade changed front, and offered a most stubborn and determined resistance to the Rebel advance. The battery at the left of our brigade was captured, and soon-probably an hour after the first volleythe bullets came whistling over our heads from the rear and left On account of the ridge before referred to, but little damage was done; though the boys had to hug the breast works, or rather lie in the ditch behind them, pretty closely. We lay in the intrenchments until we were completely flanked in the rear, and the regimental headquarters captured; when the order was given to retreat by the right flank, which was done in good order, though the Rebel flank was abreast of, and less than a dozen rods from us. The Rebel line halted at a sutler's tent (which was newly supplied the night before), and even the color-bearers went in to help clean it out. That was one case,

rear.

certainly, where the sutler was of great benefit. Capt. Ripley tried to rally the regiment at some lateral breastworks on the right of our brigade; but the Rebels were pressing too closely, and no effectual stand was made until we came to some breastworks on the ridge, next to the ravine by the mill. Here a halt was made, and the Rebel advance stopped; but in the mean time the second brigade had been crushed, and the Rebels again overlapped our flank, when Capt. Ripley gave the order to retreat and form on the next ridge.

The ravine into which we then retreated was heavily wooded, or, perhaps more properly, was full of small trees and underbrush; and the regiment got badly scattered. It was here, or at the mill beyond, that Ripley and many others were captured. Some went to the right of the mill, and some to the left, and some tried to make a stand at the mill. This was about eight o'clock. The next stand was made on a ridge some distance in the rear, that is, by the colors and a part of the regiment. The remainder were scattered, and many fought in other parts of the line. The color-bearers were Charles G. Howard of Company F, and Charles F. Heath of Company H. They never flinched under the hottest fire, and deserve special mention. Here we fought nearly an hour. The Rebels were on the ridge beyond, and kept firing all the time, but made no attempt to charge. Here many were wounded, but none killed. It was a good place in which to test a man's courage; for we were on the slope of the ridge facing the Rebels, and without any protection whatever.

Here occurred an incident which is as vivid to me now as then. Corpl. Amos C. Bailey of Company H, as brave a man as ever wore the blue, during the hottest of the fire was on one knee loading his gun. I was standing two or three steps behind him. A Minié-ball struck him in the left shoulder. He turned to me as coolly as though nothing had happened, and, pointing to the hole in his shoulder, said, "See that!" I said, "Bailey, you'd better go to the rear;" but he replied, "I guess I can fire a while longer." But he soon lost the use of his arm, and started for the rear, taking his gun with him. He has suffered