The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-12
SABRE TO SABRE.
An Excellent Instance at Brady Station Of
ure ombat Between Cav
alrymen.

Gen. Stuart reached this part of the field
at the critical moment when Gen. Gregg
was advancing to seize the road. The
whole face of things had changed in what
seemed single instant The fields and
woods directly in front of Fleetwood, re-
Gently so deserted, had suddenly become a
scene of agitation, hurrying columns, dust,
uproar; everything was concentrating tow
ard the range which was virtually occu
pied by the federal cavalry, while four
hundred yards southwark was the threaten
ing line of Gen. Gregg, about TO close in
like wise. With his cavalry scattered
and apparently having no time to concen-
trate at the point where the final attack
was now about to be made, Stuart was
certainly in imminent danger. Gen. Blu
ford was pressing hard at Beverly's, and
Gen. Gregg was on his flank and rear. A
confused combat was going On in
every direction, mixed with shouts and the
gallop of jaded horses; altogether it was
such melee as / have rarely witnessed.
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 with accuracy, as
it made strong impression upon me.
When found Gen. Stuart again near his
artillery, at the eastern foot of the range,
he was in a state of great excitement, his
fine face wearing very different express
sion from that I had noticed in it when he
gave me the jocose order to go and bag
the artillery of the inconsiderable demon
stration in his rear. His face was flaming
and vein in his forehead had turned
black. / never saw eyes more like red hot
Goals.
The federal cavalry within three or four
L.. - 4 Il
and he had but one gun in battery. This
he aimed in person, having throwing him
self from the saddle for the purpose, and a
shell fired at the charging line burst within
a few feet of it. The men had not broken
into trot and the fire created some con-
fusion; the line paused for moment,
and when another shell was fired
the line was halted. Quite as
tonished at this, looked for some
other cause and soon discovered it. A
column of cavalry was advancing from the
direction of Beverly's toward the right
flank of Gen. Gregg, and it was, NO doubt,
the appearance of this force which Undue
ed the hesitation in charging the artillery,
When / pointed to the approaching col
umn, which could not see plainly from
the dust which it raised, and asked Stuart
what cavalry it was. he exclaimed:
ut is Hampton Bring him up like
reached the column in few moments.
and finding the Cobb legion in front gave
the order to my friend, Gen. P. NJ. B.
Young, who commanded. 1t was not nee
essary to explain to him what he was ex-
peeted to do, and certainly as unnecessary
to doubt his doing it. One of the greatest
pleasures of the gallant young Georgian
oh nd 6a fy4r iTah 10
and whirled his sabre with the order to
gallop. As he had been advancing almost
directly upon the right flank of the Fede-
raj column, the advance brought him in
front of it, and it was only necessary to
face the column to the left, where they
were in line of battle.
The order to charge was then given, and
this was done without firing. The move
ment had been made so rapidly that the
Federal line received il standing. Thus
the impetus carried all before it, and the
Federal force, after offering brief resist
ance, gave way and scattered over the
large field, pursued by Young. The en-
gagement was from first to last an un-
mixed fight with sabres, and some of the
dead were cut through to the chin. Neither
carbine nor pistol was used in the fight
and probably the whole affair did not con-
tinue five minutes. Calculating that it
took ten minutes to form line and charge,
this would give quarter of an hour in
which time the event of the battle of
Fleetwood was decided. Gen. Gregg re-
tired to the woods in his right and rear to
form junction with Gen. Buford, under
q heavy shelling from the artillery on
and Gen. Hampton followed,
steadily pressing him back toward the
river.