Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-07-28
A Merited Tribute.-The following

A Merited Tribute .-The following
tribute to the bravery of Col E. V. White
a native of this county, and his command
we extract from the Leesburg (Va.) Miro,
of last week. A large portion of the 35th
Battalion were from this county and as
many of its members are still living among
us this sketch will no doubt be read with
interest. In this engagement Col. White
and the late Capt. Geo. w. Chiswell were
wounded, and among those captured in the
heat of the battle were Capt. Jas. Anderson
and Hezekiah w. Veirs, of this town;
Standing on that hill called Mizpah, on
that dreamy, October day, l saw the man
sion known in history as Fleetwood, with
its broad acres around il gently rolling way
toward the east.
This mansion was the headquarters of
Gem j. L. B. Stuart, on the 9th of June,
1868, and the fields around it were the scene
of the greatest cavalry fight of our civil war,
and perhaps Of modern times, which &C.
Cured there on that day. General Stuart
named the battle, the battle of Fleetwood,
but History more properly calls it the battle
of Brandy Station. On that day was illus
~,
cheney of the southern cavalry in battle, and
no more yels were heard after that, as the
troopers rode along the lines of the infantry.
Before had often heard the infantry ex-
claim, as cavalry would ride by, mo fight
to-day boys, the cavalry is going to the
front" | never heard anything of the sort
after the 9th Of June, 1868. 1t was mag
nificent battle, and a glorious southern VIC
tory, and the noblest hero Of that fight was
Col. Z. V. White, commanding the 35th
Battalion, and the 35th won the brightest
wreath of glory, which was borne away
from that hard fought field, but it was at
the cost of one-half of its number
As | stood upon Mizpah, and gazed upon
the fields around Fleetwood, now waving
with ripened corn, or dotted with cattle
grazing peacefully, the whole wild scene,
as | saw it that day, only chastened and
soemnized with the shadows of nineteen
years upon il, passed before me again. |
heard again the wild rush of charging
columns-the shout, the groan, the yell, the
roar of cannon, and the rafting crash OF
carbine and pistol, the trumpet call, and the
quick, ringing command. saw again that
Prince of Cavaliers, Gen. Stuart, upon his
spirited, bay steed, with his broad slouched
hat, and long black plume, seeming proudly
happy as the battle deepened, and looking
ON with swelling breast and flashing eye as
regiment after regiment dashed, at his COM
mand, into "the war clouds rolling dun.
| saw again the boys of the 35th, in a line
dismounted, and holding their horses, pale
firm, resolute, with the light of battle and Of
victory on their brows, after the charge in
which they scattered Davis Federals to the
wind, killing their commander, and killing,
wounding and capturing large number Of
the blue-coated invaders. | saw again the
35th mounted, and charging hither and
thither upon Fleetwood hill, sweeping the
Yankees before them, wherever they charged
| saw again the blue ring forming around
Stuart and his gallant troopers; and then
the tornado like sweep of the Both down
upon battery which had been playing
upon them for some time, and was still
pouring grape shot into them rs they went,
dealing fearful destruction upon their ranks.
| saw again, the battery captured and its de-
tenders annihilated; and then the swelling
ranks of the foe closing in upon the gal
liant boys, who seemed, indeed, to be de-
voted to destruction that day and then the
desperate valor, with which they cut through
those fierce and confident ranks TO safety
again. All honor to the Both for its almost
unparalleled deeds of daring on that bloody
day. And then, when its roll was called
and so many failed to answer. | saw again
the cypress wave sadly over the laure
wreath which they had so nobly won
Many of those brave boys never answered
to roll call again. They sleep in their quiet
graves to-day, and the flowers only tell the
simple, but beautiful story Of their heroisn
and devotion.