The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-08-29
From the Land we Love.
Cavalry scouts..
By GENERAL WADE HAMPTON.

p'a. EDHOR: amongst the very many
claims your Magazine has upou tho favor Of
the South, none has appeared to me greater
than the strict impartiality which has uni
formiy marked Its conduct. Its pages haye
always been open to record deeds Of hero
ism, whether they were performed by the
gallant officers OF our armies. or by the
humble privatea This recognition Of Che
brave soldier, whatever may have been the
position he held, makes " Tie. Land We
Lon" F" favorite with all classes, amongst
those who tried TO do their duty during the
war, which SCENE now drawing to close
Emboldened by this kindness on your part
venture to record few of the perform.
ances of men, whose courage, devotion and
skill, though known only 10 their immediate
commands, contributed greatly to the sue
GEES Of our arms. 1 refer to the regular
scouts OF our service, and shall eonfine my
narrative to those With whom served, not
becau's their exploits deserve higher praise
than those Of others, but eolely because
want to give you only such facts as came
under my personal observation, aud for the
men whose deeds will form the subject Of
this communication belonged to the cavalry
corps OF. the Army Of Northern Virginia.
and most Of them were regularly detailed
for tho especial duty Of scouting, within tho
lines Of the enemy. or course, It would
occupy too much of your space TO give On
account, either Of oil these gallant men, or
of even a small portion OF their services. -
So shall only give you ono or two instances
OF scout life, at present, but If these prove
agreeable t" your readers, CON promise
| them more Of the same sort.
Captain Jno. Esten Cooke. in his last
book, Wearing of tho Grey "a most in
teresting and captivating work--has given
a chapter TO, this same subject. He gives
various gallant deeds and hair. breadth es.
capes as occurring to one of those brave
men, whom / recognize we'll, though his
namo is not mentioned, hut he omits one
exploit which was among the most remark
nble Of hfs career. In supplying this omis.
sion, shall preserve the incognito Of s.,
ms Captain Cooke has not given his name
The occasion, 10 which allpsion lie here
made, took place when Meade had his army
camped near Culreper Court House, and
tho object was 10 endeavLr TO nscert ain the
position, numbers, &c, &C., of the Federal
troops. s., undertook to accomplish
thi, Object, and he adopted plan worthy
Of his boldness and address. Disgusting
himself as O country ,ooman, he procured q
small cart, which he loaded with poultry
vegetables DC, ard he drove boldly into
the Yankee lines, where he made applics-
Lion for pass. This he obtained; he then
sold his stock and after spending three days
at Meades heddg,iarters-it is 70 be hoped
without scandal to that wsrthy-he left his
friends in blue, bringing in to General
Stuart all the information desired. This
anecdote forms the only exception to the
statement made by me prsviously-tha,
only such as came under my personal OBJ
seryation would be given. This occurred
before s. was associated with us, aS he
was after Gen. Stu ,rt's death; but have
every reason to bolieve that the affair hop
peued just as has been described
Selecting special scouts and particular
| incidents from the whole number, as ! pro.
pose to do, beg now to introduce to your
readers, Sergeant Shadbourno, Of tho jeff.
Davis Legion, whose exploits would Of
| themselves form O volume. Shadbourne
was detailed rs n scout Joy Gen. Hampton,
and ho was constantly engaged on .his duty
| fha Of ha
man of very prepossessing appearance, tall,
active and resolute. 0rdinsrily, = he appear
ed to be only a handsome young fellow,
with large, soft, mild eyes; but as soon as
| fight began, he became transformed instantly
into the dashing cnvalryman; his whole soul
| seemed TO be in the battle, and HE black
eye blazed Ike FIRE. Armed with at least
two pistols, and often three, he would dash
against the enemy, firing with o rapidity
and precision not surpassed by even Mosby,
who was Every handy with his pistol.
But in all the excitement Of battle, Shad-
bourne was perfectly cool. ready for any
| emergency, or to avail himself Of any ad-
vantage On occasions OF this sort he
proved that he possessed qualities, which
! only needed wider field for their exercise,
| to make him leader. As illustrative Of this
shall give, first. an account of one Of his
performances which was witnessed by my
self If you remember, Wilson and Kautz
with large force made raid against the
South side and Danville Railroad. Al
Staunton river-bridge they repulscl and
returned to join Grant near Petersburg
Near SLoney Cloek they were met Dy our
cavalry and defeated with loss. Rotrcating
towards Reams' Station they were met by
Filz Leo and Mahoue, when their rout be
came complete and final. Kaptz pushed
| down TO cross the Halifax road, SO that III