The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-12-11

sponge-staH of a gun, from which all
the cannOneers had been driven, and
ramming home charge of canister, di-
rected the gun upon column of the
enemy.
Before he could fire, Federal caval-
ryman rode at him, and cut furiUusly
at his bare head, with the full weight of
his sabre.
Davenant did not try to draw his
sword-the attempt would have been
useless. In his hand he had weapon;
and with swing of the rammer he
swept the cavalryman from the saddle. =
He fell headlong, covered with blood;
and Davenant aimed and fired the
charge OF canister-leaped upon his
horse and drawidg his sword, plunged
into the melee, his head bare, his eyes
flaming, his voice rising loud and in
spirIng, above the combat.
1T was stubborn, n superb struggle.
Three times the enemy's guns were
charged and captured; three times the
Confederates were furiously charged III
turn, and the pieces recaptured by the
enemy.* A final charge Of the gray
cavalry carried all before it. The Fed
eral artillery was seized upon, and their
cavalry driven back-but at that mo-
ment a heavier force still was seen adj
vancing upon Stuart from the direction
of Kelly's ford.
1t was splendid spectacle. They
came on in solid column, and rapidly
formed line of battle on the slope of
Fleetwood, with drawn sabres, and flags
floating. As they moved they seemed
to shake the very ground. had never
before seen so great force of cavalry
Il n arif nf
the battle had plainly come.
At'that instant the great field present.
ed a remarkable appearance. Cavalry
were charging in every direction, and it
was hard to tell friend from foe.-
Stuart was fighting, so to say, from the
centre oItwards. The enemy were in
his front, in his rear, and on both his
flanks. If they closed in, apparently,
he would be crushed as in vice. The
iron hand would strangle him,
That moment tested the nerves.
Stuart's ssheart of oak" bore the strain.
He was aroused, stung, his cheeks burn
cd, his eyes tiamed-but the man was
sufficient for the work. looked close
ly at him. 'tDo or die" was plain on
his face. From that instant l never
had any doubts about Stuart.
He rushed two pieces of artillery to q
knoll in front of the line of Federal
horsemen. A moment afterward two
reports were heard, and two shell burst
precisely ia the middle of the line, ma
king wide gap in it, and checking the
charge which had begun.*
All at once L saw a column of cavalry
coming up from the river, and turning
to Stuart said:--
"General, what cavalry is that?"
champions !" Stuart exclaimed. -
bring it up like lightning !''t
set out at full gallop, and soon
reached the column. At the head of 1t
rode Young, the beau sabrew of Georgia,
erect, gallant, with his brave eye and
smile.
Ipointed out the enemy and gave the
| order.
gall right !" exclaimed Young, and,
turning to his men. he whirled his sa-
bre around his head and shouted.
s'Forward !"
The column thundered on, and as it
passed recognized Mohun, his fash
ing eye and FURNISHED sabre cleaning
from the dust-cloud,
In five minutes they were in front of
the enemy-the men wheeled and faced
the Federal line.
"Charge ~ rose from a hundred lips.
Spurs were buried in the hot flanks; the
mass was hurled at the enemy; and
clashing like thunder, sword against
sword, swept every thing before it -
Not single shot was tired-the sabre
| only was used. The enemy were bro
ken to pieces-what l saw was wild
melee of wEirling swords, flying horses,
men cloven to the chin; while others
were seen throwing themselves from
the saddle, and raising their hand to es-
cape the keen swordsmen slashing at
them.*
The great force of the enemy sweep
iGg down on Stuart's flank was thus
routed. The spectacle which followed
WAS ludicrous as well as exciting. The
enemy fled III disorder. Never before
had seen the nails in the hind shoes
Of hundreds of fho-ses-myriads of hors-
es' tails streaming like meteors as they
ran.
The force disappeared in the woods,
hotly pursued by their foes. The dust
followed them in great cloud-from
that cloud arose yells and cheers-can-
non thundered; carbihes rattled;--but
that sound receded more and more rap
idly toward the river.
On our left the brave William II. F..
Lee had been as successful. He had
charged and repulsed the enemy, fall :
ing wounded at the head of his men,
They had not again advanced upon him.
Near the Barbour House he presented
an unbroken front to them.
Stuart held with his cavalry, indeed.
the whole Fleetwood range. The long
thunder of his artillery said to the ene-
my,
"Come on 7"
They did not come. They Went back.
Their cavalry had crossed the river TO
ascertain the meaning of the great re-
view. They had discovered nothing,
after heavy loss. The ground was
strewed with their dead and dying
they retired. shattered and bleeding.
Stuart's loss was also great--even his
staff was not spared. One ofmy BROTH
er staff officers was killed, another
wounded, third captured.
But Stuart had won the greatest cav
airy fight of the war.-From "Moh,n; or
the Last Days of Lee and His Cavaliers.
&Fact Hills words.