The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1882-10-13
THE CAVALRY Ar BRANDY STATION.

1hE CAVALRY AT BRANDY STATION.
Gen. Stuart reached this part of the field
at the critical moment Gen. Gregg was ad.
yancins to seize the road. The whole face
OF things had changed in what seemed a
single Instant. The fields aud woods in front
of Fleetwood, recentlyso deserted, had sud.
denly become scene Of agi,a,io !, hurryiny
columns, dust, uproar every thing was con-
centrating toward the range which was yir-
tually occupied by the Federal cavalry. while
four hundred yards southwark was the tbrea.
tening line of Gen. Gregg, about to close in
like wise. With his cavalry scattered and
apparently having no time to concentrate
at thepolnt where the fiual attack was now
about to be made, Stuart was certainly in II.
ninent tanger. Gen. Buford was pressing
hard at Beverly's and Gen. Gregg was on his
hsnk and rear. contsssd eopiba WAS soip.,
son on in ever dtfaStiS6, msxSd 3 itii SS
and the galop of jaded horses altogether
1t was such melee as have rarely wit.
messed
The fate of the fight was decided, as |
have said, as far as my observation went,
by an incident, which will now describe.
L am able to speak of it wit accuracy, as It
made strong impression upon me.
When L found Gen. Stuart again near his
artillery at the eastern foot of the range he
was In state OF great excitement, his fine
face wearing very different expression
from that had noticed in it when he gave
me the Jocosc order to 90 aud bag the ar
tillery OF the incousidcrable demonstration
in his rear. His face was flaming aud a
vein IN his forehead had turned black. |
never saw eyes more like rcd hot Goals.
TIL; Federal cavalry within three or four
hundred yards had already moved to charge
and he had but one gun in battery. This he
aimed in person, having thrown himself
from the saddle for the purpose, and shell
hired at the charging line burst within few
feet OF It, The men had not broken iuto IA
trot and the fire created some confusion ::
the line paused for u moment and when an
other shell WAS fired the line halted Quite
astonishcd at this looked for some other
causennd soon discovered it. A column of
cavalry was advancing from the direction
OF Bevery's toward the right flank of Gen.
Gregg,0and it was, no doubt, the appearance
OF this f"rce which induced the hesitation
in charging the artillery. When puinted
to the approaching column. which [ could
not sec plainly from the dust it raised, and
asked Stuart what cavalry it was, he cx.
claimed
"lt is Hampton Bring him up like
lightning!'
reached the column in few moments
aad-hading the Cobb ~Lcgiuns i,,s- 'front.' x.Ss
tho order to my friend, p. NJ. b. Young,
who commanded. 1t was not necessary To
explain to him what he was expected to do,
aud certainly unnecessary to doubt his do.
ing 1t. One of the greatest pleasures Of
the gay and gallant young Georgian was u
charge, and he turned ir his saddle and
whirled his sabre with the order to gallon.
AS he had been advancing almost directly
upon the right flank Of the Feeeral column
the advance brought him in front oft and
1t was only necessary to face the column to
the left, where they were in line of battle.
The order of charge was then given, and
this was done without firing. The move.
ment had been made so rapidly that the
Federal line received it standing. Thus
the impetus carried all before it, aud the
Federal force, after Offering brief resist
ance, gave way and scattered all over the
large field, pursued by Young. The engage.
ment was from first to last an unmixed lght
with sabres, aud some of the dead were cut
through to the chin. Neither clrbiae nor
pistol w:s used in the fight, and prob .bly
the whole affair did not continue fivo min.
utes. Calculating that it took ten minutes
to form line and charge, this would give
a quarter of an hour, in which time the
event of the battle of Fleetwood was decided
Gen. Gregg retired to the woods in his right
and rear to form junction with Gen. Bu.
ford, under heavy shelling from the artiL
lery on Fleetwood, and Gen. Hampton fol.
lowed, steadily pressing him back to the
river.-J E. Cooke in the PaHadclphia
Times.
IL