Gideon Weidman Landis

Riddleburg, PA
August 12, 1903

Dear Father,

There is a very good account of our regiment, 9th Pa. Vol. Cav., taken from "Bates History", but of course it would not be possible to go into details, especially small details like what you ask for. If it had been in the Spanish American War it would have been published all over the country as a great feat of daring and would likely have given the names of all who took part.

After we (Sherman's Army) reached Savannah, GA., the most of the Cavalry was sent about eight or ten miles south near the rice fields where we got our horse feed. A short time after we were settled in camp there was a detail made about eight or nine o'clock at night to be ready to start at 11 p.m. Fifty (50) men from our Regiment (only) taken from the different companies, picked men and best horses. Brother I. D. (insert: Isaac David) was acting Adjutant. he knew of the danger attending the undertaking and just what was to be done. I had a good horse which had to go and he told me to let the horse go and let someone else take him and said we would have another man detailed. I said if my horse had to go, I would go myself. I remember how he insisted on me letting someone else go in my place. He said it would be a hard and dangerous trip but I saddled up and was ready. When we were in line ready to start Brother came to me and said Goodbye, for he did not expect to see me again.

We started on time under command of Captain Hancock (afterward Major Hancock, now living in Philadelphia) and next morning just as day was breaking, we were drawn up in line and Captain Hancock said, "Men, we have a big job before us; we are expected to destroy the bridge across the Altamaha River and destroy as much of the railroad as possible (Florida & Western R.R.) and the possibility is that we will all be captured or killed as they do not expect us to get back. Are you all ready to undertake the job?"

Of course we were, and then I understood why Brother was so anxious about me. We moved on and about sun up we struck a small town, Sand Hill, where a Company of Rebel Cavalry had stopped for the night on their way to Fort McAllister. We had plenty of fun; they had gone to bed at the different houses (undressed), turned their horses loose in the lots and yards. We wakened them up without much ceremony. Some got away in their undress, mounted bareback and quite a number we paroled as we did not have time to fool with them.

We traveled till afternoon without anything worthy of note. About 2 p.m. we struck a bridge across a stream and swamp. (These swamps are worse than rivers.) I was in the advance. The noise of our approach wakened up a lonely sentinel behind the Breastworks who fired one shot which went somewhere; then we charged and he quickly mounted and rode up the road about one-half mile where a company of Rebels were having a good time. There were only a few houses but a lot of girls. We did not stand on ceremony; did not give all of them time to get to their horses and about half that did, we captured in about a mile chase and the remainder we never heard of as they crossed the Railroad at Johnston's Station. We paroled what we had and left a guard with them while we crossed a trestle about 100 feet height and 300 feet long with only a plank between the tracks but the horses walked over nicely. (We didn't care to ride.) About a mile further on was another trestle. We were surrounded by swamp, an island and one small house. About one-half mile further on was the bridge we were after, bet we did not want it just then as the Rebs began to swarm out of the bridge like bees. The whistle of an engine seemed to waken them and presently we saw the locomotive back out and come towards us with a cannon on a truck. By this time we had Trestle #2 on fire, the rails torn up, then bang went the gun and they retreated to reload and fire again.

We continued to work in this way, under fire, and presently had No. 1 Trestle fixed. Then we took the horses over to the station, tore up the rails and fired the Trestle. The Rebs would run their engine down to No. 2 Trestle and fire and fire again but never hit a horse or man. They must have been wonderfully excited. There were several hundred men guarding the bridge and we waited until we saw No. 1 trestle drop into the water and mud, then we twisted the rails so as to be of no further use. There was plenty of tobacco and other stuff in the warehouse, we took such things as we could use or carry and started to Camp. As it was night we did not go back the way we came. We had a guide and traveled through the woods and swamps and reached Camp next afternoon without the loss of a man or horse, but you may be sure we, as well as the horses, wanted rest.

The Officers at Headquarters were greatly surprised and on the whole there was a time of great rejoicing. A few days after, the Brigade went out to destroy the same bridge, going with artillery but they did not get as near to it as we did, but merely tore up some rails nearer Savannah and the men did not all get back.

The double-barrel gun I have is one that was thrown away on the charge by the Rebs; there was quite a number of things such as Saddle bags and anything to lighten up, was thrown away. They certainly made a great effort to get away from the Yankees. If they had not bothered about the girls and remained at their post so they could have occupied the barricade before we reached the bridge (where the one man was) we would not have had the fun of a big chase. We could not have crossed the bridge, and the stream and swamp were impossible.

written and signed by Gideon W. Landis