The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-11-09
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UNION 6. H, SOUTH CAROLINA NJ s AR 8. 1877
THE FIGHT AT BRANDY STATION,

THE FIGHT AT BRANDY STATION.
NY first courier found General Stuart as
incredulous concerning the presence of the
enemy In his rear as I had been but stimuli
taneous with my second message came the
sound OF the cannonading, aud there was no
longer room for doubt. The nearest point
from which . regiment could be sent was
Jones position, not less than two miles dis
taht from Fleetwood Two Of hiss REQ; -.
lments, the Twelfth Virginia, Colonel Har.
man, and Whites Thirty fifth Virginia Bat
taiiion, we're Immediately withdrawn from
his line and ordered at gallop to meet this
new danger Bnt minutes expanded SEEM
llngay INTO honrs TO thosc; anxious watchers
could not arrive in time But it dill come.
The emergency was SO pressing that Colonel
Harman had no time to form his regiment
in squadrons or even platoons. He reached
the top of the hill as Lieutenant Carter was
retiring his gun after having fred his very
last cartridge. Not fifty yards below Sir
Percy Wyndham was advancing strong
regiment in magnificent order, in column Of
squadrons, with flags and guidons Hying.
directly upon the hill, aud to meet this at
tack the Twelfth Virginia was compelled to
move forward instantly, though disordered
Dy hard gallop, and in column of fours.
The result was recoil, which extended for
a time to Whites battalion, which was fol.
lowing close after. Stuart reached the hill
a few moments later, and, satisfied that he
had here to encounter u large force of the
enemy, he ordered both Jones and Hamp-
ton to withdraw with the artillery from the
Bsverlys ford road and concentrate upon
Fleetwood hill. And now the first serious
contest was for the possession of this hill,
and SO stubbornly was this fought on eithe,
side, and for so long time, that all of
Jones regiments and all of Hampton's par
tlcipated successfully in the charges and
counter, charges which swept across its face.
AT one time Gregg would have possession,
at another Stuart but at no time did Gregg
retain possession sufficiently long to bring
up his guns to the crest. He did indeed
advance three guns to the foot of the hill
but there they were destined to remain
On the other hand, Stuart did gain position
little by little. How fierce this struggle
was, and with what determined galantry
fought by both sides, mag, perhaps best be
sho IN by an extract from Major Beckham's
report He says:
''The pieces first placed on Fleetwood hill
were under he command of Lieutenant
Carter, Of Chew's battery, and had been re-
peatedly charged by the enemy and. retaken
by our cavalry; and at the time that the
two guns of McGregor's were brought to-
wards the crest of the hill it was very doubt
full which party had possession of it. The
two guns were, however, moved up rapidly,
and scarcely had they reached the top (and
before they could be put in positon) when
small party of the enemy charged them.
The charge was met by the cannoniers of
the pieces. Lieutenant Ford killed one of
the enemy with his pistol; Lieutenant Hex
ton killed one, and private Sully, of Nc
|Gregor's battery, Knocked one off his horse
with q spopgs staff Several of the party
werss ssa ee1 prisoners by the men at the
guns"
Aid was close at hand for these gallant
cannoniers, and soon concerted charge by
both Jones and Hampton's brigades cleared
the hill of the enemy, and placed it secure
ly In our possession. And now covetous
eyes were cast toward the foot of the hill,
where stood those three rife guns, and
around them the battle ragged fercely.-
Three times were they Over-ridden by the
Confederate Horse, and three times were
they retaken by their friends But Colonel
Lomax with the Eleventh Virginia made
the last charge, and the guns remained with
US. One was disabled, the other two ser.
viceable. These two points decided the
struggle in our favor, and Brandy Station
was soon cleared of its unwelcome visitors,
who were hurried .baak along the road up
on which they had advanced. The pur-
suit was continued by Lomax and Hampton,
until checked by The fire ofour oDn artillery,
for the dust and smoke of the conflict was
so great that from the position of the artil.
lery friends could not be distinguished from
foes.-MAJ. MCCLELLAN IN Philadelphia
Times
Be kind to your parents, or grand. parents,
care for them tenderly, lovingly, watchfully.
Age has taken from them the vitality which
gives buoyancy to youth. Mayhap tI.ey