Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-31

Nf -
Scenes and incidents OF the War in Nir
glnia," etc. etc
VIRGrNIA. November, 1855.
The career Of Stuart, chief Of the Con-
federate cavalry In Virginia, was rather
a page from rOmsnce than a chapter oi
history. Everything stirring, brilliant
and picturesque centered in ii. There
was about the man a flavor Of clivalry
and adventure which made him more
like a knight of the middle age than a
soldier OF the prosaic nineteenth century,
and il was less the science than the
roerrv Of war which he summed up and
illustrated in his character and career.
With the majority of those who took
mart in II, the late revolution wss a
hsrd and bitter struggle which they
entered upon resolutely, but with unccu-
cealed distaste.
To this soldier. however, it seemed 10
be a splendid and exciting game in
which his blood couTsed joyOusIy through
his veins, and his immensely strong
physical organization found an Arena for
The display of all its faculties. Tie afiu-
entlife of the man cTaved those Perlls and
har,iships which flush the pulses and
make tie heart beat fast. \ single look
NJ him was enough TO convince anybody
that Stuart loved danger and adventure,
AID that the clear blue eyes Of the sol
= er. with frolie welcome took the
thunder and the sunshine" He swung
himself into the saddle at the sound Of
the hugle. as the hunter springs on horse
back: ans at such moments his cheeks
sylowcd, and his huge mOustaehe curied
with enjoyment. The romance ana
roetry Of the hard trade Of arms seemed
inst 10 be inaugurated when this joyous
cavalier, with his floating plume and
splendid laughter, appeared upon the
great aRfna Of the war IN Virginia.
This gay bearing Of the man was
,,,sinly ma tFacted, and few persons could
Re-. ist it. influence. There was about
Srusrt an inspira lion OF joy and youth.
The war was evidently ike play TO him
and he accepted its most perilOIs scenes
and crr,elest harlships with the careless
abandon OF a young knight-errant seek
ing adventures. Nothing seemed strong
,.nof,of 70 break down his powerful or
,,qniZa-ion Of mind and body; and dam
yer only aroused and brought his full fac
mites into play. He greeted II with ar
dor and detied it with his Joyous laugh
ter-leading his column IN desperate
charges with a smile upon his lips. 9th
.e-s might desBOnd, but stuart kept ms
-,noS sDirits. and while the air around
shells he would hum his gay songs. In
CuIpepper the infantry were electrified
bv the laughter and singing of Stuart
a. he led them in the charge
and al Chancellcrsvills, where he com
naDded Jackson's corps, after that great
mans fall, the infantry veterans as they
,ssgept on carrying line after line OF
braastworks az tbs point OF the bayonet,
saw his plume floating il front" Ike
Henry Of Navarrt's,n - one Of them said
and heard his sonOrOus voice singing,
.. old Joe Hooker will you come out OF
-rhe Wilderness 80 This curious spirit OF
sovish gaiety did not charaeterize nun
on certain occasions only, but went with
him always, surrounding every move
uoept ~ the man with a certSin atmos-
ohere Of frolic and abandon. immense
st.imal health and strength danced in
his eyes, gave elasticity 70 the lilouohs Oi
hia ,aerson. aud rang in his cOnta-
.riof,s laughter. IL vas hard TO realize
maj anything could hurt this pow
erfrl nachine, or that death could
ever come 70 him; and the perilOus posi-
tions fro,,f which he had 50 often escaped,
uDharned, appeared to justify the ldea
ofhis iuvuluerability. Although he eX-
-.,.ad Ills terson recklessly in more than
a hundred hot engagements, De was
never wounded in any. The rosebud IN
his button hole, which some child or glri
had given him, or rather say his mother ;
Bible which he always carried, seemed
70 protect him. Death appeared TO shrinA
before him and avoid him; ana ne
laughed IN the grim face, and dared lt
for three years OF reckless hghllisr III
which he seemed every DAY 10 De tIS "iS
10 get himself killed.
H.a.4Hr G ImErsNT1fEnn
ara youth in the character Of stuart
His personal appearance conceded Win
Ais character. Everything about the
man was youthful, picturesque, ana bril-
liant. Lee, Jackson, and other eminent
soldiers Of the south seemed desirous OF
avoiding. in their dress and accoutre-
tnents. every sDecies Of display, and to
aim AT making themselves resemble a.
CLOSELY as possibie their brave soldier
whose uniforms were sadly deficient IN
military gewgaws. Stuarts taste wa
exactly the opposite. He was as Iona Ol
l,olors as boy or girl. las nghlhg
Jacket shons with dazzling bdttons ana
was covered with gold braid ms hat - g
Iooped up with a golden star, ana deco
rated with a black ostrich plume; his nnt
Inf gsuntBets reached TO the elbow
around his waist was tied a splendid vel
low six sash. and his spurs were Of pure
.sold. The stern ErOnsides OF Cromw wei
1youJd have sneered at this =" frivolous
how a. they sneered at Prince Hupel
with his scarlet cloak, his waving plIiae
MS white dog, and his twenty-threi
ve,trs-all the saore a. Stuart had WHIT
dog for a pet, WCse a cape lined VIII
SCARLET, had a.plurle iR his hat, and-ii
..ass,plete the comparisOa-is said 10 haN'
belonged TO that royal family % StuaTt
rom Rihien Rupert sprung Many eX
esllent people did not hesitate to take a.
TroRside view. They regarded anC
y.r.ok,. Of stuart a. trifiing military Top
a man who had in sOIss manner obtalne'
"A great cosHuasnd for which he wa
wholly unfit. They sneere5 al al spien
a;l costume. his careless laughter, -
..I.va Of ladies:f at bis banjo payer, D.
flower wreathed horses, and 1ls ga,
verses. the enemy were wiser. Buiord
pIezssnt8a. StOneman and their asso
,.istes did nox commit that Dlundei
They had felt tbs heavy arm OF StusI
TOO often: and knew es9 well tfle welgh
IL that fiUweE-sncircied weapon, lhef
were three other men who cQll9 peNe
lie persuaded that Stuart was no c&sfif
officer. and who persisted in regAIdiia
tnis bovish cavalier as their right haii
luan-the "eve sud eErsi Of their armies
These mea were Lee, J2hnston an
jackson.
Scarcely a reference 70 Stuart's cares
can be made ia this contracted space
Years, crammed with incident and ad
venture, cannot be- summed up IN psgs
He was twenty-seyen when lie resigne
his fret ieutenaacy IN the United State
cavalry, and came u oEfeT bis sword
the State Of Virginia. He was syFun
rNH 4. -.
there, aud bis love fur bis native soil wa
strong. Upon bis arrival be was mad
Lieutenant Coiol =, aud placed u con
Dnand Of the cavalry on the Upper fOol
mac where he proved him,self 50 viz
LAM A soISiar that JohnstoA called hil
1ltba indefstiQable Stuart and con
,..-ed him 10 "a yellow-jsCzet whic
80 No sooner brushed of than Il
i,ecl- . He had command OF the who
cont tlufis Johnston leftthe Valley whe
he moved with the column TO MalsSssa
aud charged and broke the New 1ol
Zo1ayess Afterwards held the front
ward Alexandria under be,luISsa. :
then came the bard falling p;aea
struggle UP the Peninsula tpe gatI. st !.
Cold Harbor, and the advance ~lllel l-De ~ !
bowed, into Maryland stuart vs. ~
a General. aud laid the foundation OF
the Chickaholniny. TheneefoFth ne y
the right hand Of Lee until his dea5
TheincidenJs Of bisbareer from the sprt
of eighteen hundred and sixty-two,
Mag, eighteen hundred and sixi
four, would al whole volume
The ride aEoG4d Mcclellan; the figt
on the Rapidan, the Hight march
Gatlett's where he captured Gen. Pop
GOAT ane Official papers; the advance
Manassas; the attack on tllpt Hill 1
hard real guard work at South Mou
Isia; holding the left at Sharpsburg; {
.sire5it Of Mcclellan se;ain il Aiarylan
he bitter eessaicts near Uppe-yille
ice fell back ele 4gtting all along i
sores Of TIE Blue RfIse, iks "erowdi
isra with arliIlery'' oS the nighI a IN
-s5-,,ca Rupart was tho nophsT Of Charlie
and fRe son u Eiizabsth Ntuart'