Sweet Saturday Samples - June 8, 2013

Welcome back to Sweet Saturday Samples. Today I'm giving you a short sample that I had intended to flesh out and use in my WIP, Gone for a Soldier. Now I'm not sure I'll be able to use it, but I thought I'd share it anyway.

Rulon had never seen such chaos, nor felt such a rush of energy than he experienced that day. Already worn out from the long ride out of the Valley through the pass, the cavalry companies had nevertheless feinted and parried with Federal forces all the day, capturing some here, some there, breaking away when necessary, but mostly pressing forward, as was Stuart's wont.

General Early's brigade came up and Stuart sent a rider to inform him that the Federals could be repulsed if Early acted with courage and swift movement. Then Rulon's company dashed again into the fray. He was nearly deaf after each cannonade from Lieutenant Beckham's guns. However, the artillery battery made up of sixteen guns was most welcome, as it's shelling drove the Federal troops into cover and prevented them turning the left flank.

They rode around a house and Stuart directed Beckham to open fire upon a regiment drawn up in front of a wood. The enemy began to retreat. Troops from Early's brigade took after the Federals while Beckham's guns continued the cannon fire, but when the enemy moved out of range, the battery fell silent. The cavalry moved on the chase once more, with Beckham's battery following.

Rulon learned that the very last of Stuart's chasers followed McDowell's army a full twelve miles, although he himself had been detailed to the rear accompanying a squad of captives. As he said to Ren Lovell that night, "The Colonel surely does cotton to the chase," to which Lovell replied with hoots of laughter.

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