Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1865-12-05
VIRGINIA. October 1868


There is young gentleman in Virginia.
bearing name so illustrious that, if 7 we're
to give 1T, the most ardent opponents of the
mythologic +. L. VS. would take certain
historic Interest. in what I am going to relate.
When L say that he is called Licatenant
w you can not possibly guess hic name.
But the curious incident with which [ prG
pose to amuse those reader who take an in
terest IN the veritable otcurren ees of the great
struggle just terminated, is entirely correct.
On the ninth day of June, 1868, there tool.
place at Fleetwood Hill, near Brandy Sta
ton, IN Culpepper, the greatest and most des-
perate cavalry conflict of the var Nearly
. Zo,OOO Eorsemen fought there ''nll & SUM
mer's dag y''-as when Earl Pcrcly met the
Douglass in the glades of Chevy Chase-and
this combat was one Of unexamped f1ry.-
General Stuart commanding all the cavalry
of General Lees army, had held grand re-.
7Iew'somc days defore, in the extensive fields
below the C0urt>house. and mi1Gic battle
had taken place, preceding tie real one. The
horse artillery, posted on hill, fred blank
cartr1dGes as the etcavalry charged the guns ;;
the columns swept by great pole, from which
the white Confederate flag waved proudly in
the wind; General Lee with his grizzled
beard and old gray riding cape, looked on,
the the center OF all eyes; bands played, the ar
tIIlery roared, the charging squadrons shook
the ground, and from the great crowd as
sembled to witness the imposing spectacle.
shown the varicgated dresses and bright ewes
of the beautiful women, rejoicing in the hev-
day of the grand review.
But that roar.of artillery in the mimic hat
tie reached other ears than those for which il
was intended. There were some friends of
Ours upon the opposite shore of the Kappa
hammock who took even greater interest in the
movements OF General Lee than the fair
daughters of Virginia. The thnnder of the
artillery was heard by them, and they at once
conceived burning curiosity to know what
all this firing meant. SO one bright morning
about dawn, they came across the river about
seventeen thousand In number. to sec what
Old Uncle: Robert was about ,ThGreupon fci-
lowed the hard fight of Fleetwood Hill ::
A description Of this long and desparat5
struggle is 10 .portio" of the present subject.
The Federal forces Gall cavalry advanced il
'front.' on the right flank, on the left flank
everywhere. The battle was thus fought. so
to speak, "from the centre outward" What
the eye saw as Stuart rapidly fell back from
the river and concentrated his cavalry for the
defence of Fleetwood Hill, between him and
Brandy, was great and imposing spectacle
of squadrons charging in every portion of the
fleld-men falling, cut out of the saddle with
the sabre; artillery roaring. carbines crack
ing-a perfect hurly -burly of conflict.
Some day, perhaps, the present historian
may give page to this hard battle, and speak
of its "moving accidents !" Of the manner in,
which the cannoneers of the horse artillery
met and repulsed charge upon their guns
with clubs and spouge-statfs; how that gallant
90 n Il
heavy fianking rolumn attacking from the
side of Stevensburg, and swept it back with
the sabre; how the brave William F. Lee
received the charge upon the left and fell in
front of his squadrons at the moment when
the Federal forces broke and how Stuart, on
fire with the heat of BATTLE was everywhere
the soul and guiding spirit of the desperate
struggle.
AT four in the evening the assault had been
repulsed, and the Federal cavalry were in
nasty retreat across the river again. Many
PFISonars remained in the hands of the Con-
1edeTates, but they also lost not few; for
the tlght had heen so Tmixed up" and SO
many small detachments of the Southern cav
airy had been cut off and.surrounded in the
melee, that the captures we're considerable.
Among those who were thus cut off and
captured in this wild struggle made up of
dust, smoke, blood, anduproar, was Lieutenant
W. His horse had mircd in the ground
near the Barbour House, and he was inconti-
nently gobbled up by his friends in the blue
coats, and marched to the rear, that is to say,
across the Rappahannock. lieutenant W
vas an excellant specimen of those brave
youths OF the valley who gathered around
jackson in the early months Of the war, and.
IN the hot fights OF the great campaigns against
banks and Frem3nt, had borne himself with
very great courage and distinction. Wound
ed and captured at Kernstown-I think it
was-he had been exchanged, secured a -trans-
fer to the cavalry, and was now again a pris-
oner.
He was conducted across tho Rappanan-
mock with the Confederate prisoners captured
during the day, and soon found himself minus