“'Tell Gen. Weller that if Mr. Davis is here in person I will see him; but if Gen. Weller wants this fort he must take it at the point of the bayonet. Col. Harden never surrenders to the enemy.'
“This was reported to Gen. Weller, and he remarked, 'We will see.'
“Forrester deployed his command and moved forward up the hill, but as he galloped up under a heavy fire his loss was severe. The soldiers who were defending that part of the outer works retreated inside of the heavy fortifications. A murderous and destructive fire was now opened upon the enemy from all sides of the works.
“Forrester fell back and formed a new line, and Weller put his whole force in action. Lawting joined Forrester on the right, and the assault was made.
“Old Col. Harden said: 'Boys, here they come; let them charge close up before you fire. Fill that old 32-pounder with bullets on top of the shell;' and they did.
“So Forrester charged with his men right up to the works. Col. Harden gave the command 'Fire!' and with one volley from muskets and the old 32-pounder the cavalry retreated in every direction; many horses and men fell under this terrible fire. Our men leaped out of the works, and with bayonets fixed charged down against Forrester's men and captured many of them. Forrester's best Colonel was killed and his command routed and demoralized. Lawting had captured the Cemetery Ridge, where some of Col. Harden's men had made a stand, but finding they could not hold it, fell back into the fort. Darkness here closed in and the old flag still floated over Dolins-burg. During the night a gunboat came to the rescue.
“The next morning there were no rebels in sight, save killed and wounded. Dolinsburg was never again assaulted by the enemy during the war. Col. Harden was a brave man, and dearly beloved by my whole family; not alone for his bravery, but for his kindness to Gen. Anderson during his stay at the Colonel's Headquarters.
“Weller was being followed up by Davies, who had finally gotten on his track. But he took another tack; he moved a short distance, as if intending to meet Davies, and then suddenly wheeled to the right and reached Center-town by way of Pinche's Factory, along the line of Goose River. After fording the river he called a halt at Colesburg. His men were now worn out with fatigue, and his horses totally unfitted for further service until thoroughly recuperated. This ended Gen. Weller's exploits for a considerable length of time. Just then another raider appeared upon the scene—one Gen. Van Doring, in command of some 5,000 fresh cavalry. This new force gave the enemy courage, and they at once renewed their former audacity. They were determined to wipe out if possible the terrible and painful result of their attack upon Col. Harden at Dolinsburg, and immediately advanced within a short distance of Rosenfelt's main encampment, drove in his outposts, and threatened his short Une of communication with Nashua. By this time large re-enforcements had arrived by way of transports up the Combination River to Nashua. Sleeman's division had moved forward to the main force at Murphy's Hill. The General felt that he must rid the country of these raiders, or his situation would become intolerable. His detachments, except in large bodies, could not venture out of camp without danger of being attacked by rebel cavalry. Later on, one day, a report came that our outposts were attacked and part of them captured within a few miles of his main army. Rosenfelt was greatly excited to think that with his force of cavalry—one brigade at Nashua, one at Franktown supported by a division of infantry at each place, and two brigades at his main position—the rebels were audacious enough to come in sight of his camp and menace him. Just at this moment Gen. Sherlin, a small man, but a great soldier, came into his headquarters and said:
“'General, how would you like to have an infantry commander take one of your detachments of cavalry and try his hand on Van Doring, who, I understand, is running round your camp playing marbles on your boys' coat-tails?'
“'Well, sir,' said Rosenfelt, 'I wish we had some one like old Col. Harden at Dolinsburg after this fellow Van Doring. Do you think you can run him back on his own ground?'