Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-05-25
CUsTER's GRAND CHARGE.
The Tempcstuous Charge of Gen.
Custer at Yellow Tavern, Va,
Where Gen. Jeb. Stuart Fell.


Where Gen. Jeb. Stuart Fell.
From the Philadelphia Times.
The situation by $3.50 p. IN. on the 11th
of May was one of anxiety to all, and all
believed that the crisis was near at hand.
Within an area of ten miles eighteen
thousand cavalry were now forming their
lines for deadly battle. The prize was an
important one. Not only was the rep
utation Of the leaders at issue but Rich
mond was in actual danger, for at the
hour of noon on the 11th only the line of
Stuart lay between Sheridan and the
Confederate Capital. This was believed
at the time by the Union officers in COM
mand, and has since been verified by the
interesting article written by Colonel
Cooke and published in the Times Of
March IS, 1882 Nor was this all; if
Stuart could halt us in front, if Hampton
could force in our rear and thus hold us
until the morrow, troops could be has
tened forward from Petersburg and the
Union cavalry could be crushed on the
18th. This was the day dream of
Mr.. Davis and measures were
taken to effect this end. From
prisoners and other sources of infor-
nation the staff were fully apprized of
the many distinguished officers in COM
mand of the Confederate line in front of
us, many of whom were personally
| known to those in command of the
Union troops. Stuart, Fitz Lee and
LomaX were well known to Gregg, Mer-
| ritt, Gibbs and Custer. Stuart was in the
zenith of his great reputation as dash
| ing officer, preferring to fight mounted
| rather than dismounted, while Sheridan.
conscious Of the superior armament and
equal valor of his horsemen, had the
| reputation of man whose habit was to
| win.
1t was at this critical hour, as nearly as
| can be remembered, $50 p. H., while in
company with General Merritt, near the
convergence of roads directly in front of
Breathed's (rebeD Battery, and in rear
of our dismounted troops, that an eveut
took place in the life of General Custer
that immortalizes him in the history of
the day. Fully realizing that the mo-
ment for striking a decisive blow had
come, he rode up to Merritt and said:
Merritt, l am going to charge that bat
terry"
His manner was gallant and deter
mined, and the response of Merritt, "Go
in, general, I will give you all the sup
port in my power" sent him away in the
gayest mood. Just at this moment Gen
eral Sheridan and two or three of hi S
staff reached our headquarters, having
arrived from Gregg and Wilson, and re-
ported the line on flank and rear secure
beyond all doubt. General Merritt i'm
mediately told Sheridan that Custer
was about to charge the battery that had
given us so much trouble. Sheridan's
reply was:
ABully for Custer. I'll wait and see
it."
By this time Custer was seen forming
his brigade in column of regi-
ments, placing his mounted band in
front. His headquarters flag, of the gay
the moving mass of blue and glittering
blades. The shrill blast of hundred
bugles, with the familiar air of yankee
Doodle" by the band, rang out upon the
battlefield, while fully eighteen hum
| dred brave men of the Michigan Brigade
| rode boot to boot into what seemed the
| very jaws ofdeath.
There was depression in the plain
| that lay between the point where Custer
formed and the eminence on which the
| battery was in position. The task of
reaching the guns was further complica-
ted by deep Virginia ditch" running
| parallel to the enemy's line over which
were three corduroy field bridges. This
| ditch was impossible at all points in Gus
| ter's front and the entire brigade had to
| break from regimental front to column of
fours, cross the bridge and reform in the
| 6, ~ no hoff
| turned upon it. Fortunately, the enc
my's guns could not be depressed suf-
| ficiently to be effective upon the troops
| while crossing the ditch and reforming
This obstacale. Overcome (and it was done
in a very short timel the charge was made
up the rising ground within sight of the
Union line. The wild huzzas of thous-
ands of men from right to left went up to
| cheer the gallanthorse men as they dashed
upon and passed the guns and plucky
gunners, completely stampeding the
troops in support of the artillery
In less than twenty minutes from
the time the bugle sounded the
charge the enemy was completely routed,
with the loss of many killed and cap
tured, with all bis artillery, save one
piece, and that was flying from the field
in an easterly direction, while every
where in front of us could be seen the
broken fragments of Stuart's troops.
exhausted and became fruitless pur-
suit, as the enemy once broken retired
SO rapidly that capture was impossible
| and the recall was sounded within Il mile
from the point where the battery was
captured.
General Sheridan remained, with Gen
| eral Merritt, an eyewitness to the splen-
did charge, manifesting great interest
when apprised that the obstacle of the
ditch had to be passed; but as he saw the
promptness with which it was overcome
and the rapid formations after its pas
sage, his eye took in the situation at a
glance, and he expressed the belief that
Stuarts support to the battery would be
unable to check the force and impetuosity
of the charge. As Clusters men emerged
from the depression at a
trot, and when on the higher ground
| der the firing of the battery, which now
had perfect range of horse and man, the
| scene was of the most exciting character
When the guns were reached and passed,
and the brigade was lost to sight in the
smoke and dust that enveloped it, the
whole line from right to left was ad-
vanced, the victory was assured to the
Union troops. AT this moment General
Sherman turned to Merritt, his face ra-
diant with joy, and said:
| General Merritt, send staff officer to
General Custer, and give him my COM
pliments. The conduct of himself and
brigade deserve the most honorable
| mention"
The writer had the pleasure of convey
ing the gratifying message to Custer, who
was found some halfmile or more beyond
the point where he had captured the
battery. The charge was over and the
recall was being sounded for the mount
ed men to reform. He received the COM
pliment paid him with evident pleasure,
modestly expressing his thanks, and
/ deeming the honorable mention" of his
brigade, while under his personal COM
mand, one of the most pleasing and for
tunate episodes of his life.
A sense of relief was experienced by
the whole command, and the situation,
for hours previous so critical, was now
one of undoubted success. The news
that General Steward was mortally