Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-06
SABRE TO SABRE.
An Excellent Instance al Brandy
station of a Pure Combat
Between CaVaIrymen.

j. Estes Cooke In Phila Weekly Times.
General Stuart reached this part o
the field at the critical moment whel
General Gregg was advancing to seiz,
the road. The whole face Of thing
had changed in what seemed a singl,
instant. The fields and woods directly
in front Of Fleetwood, recently so de
serted, had suddenly become a scene
of agitation, of hurrying columns
dust, uproar; everything was conoen.
trating toward the range which was
virtually occupied by the Federal
cavalry, while 400 yards southwark
was the threatening line of General
Gregg about to close in like a v,se
With his cavalry scattered and appar
emily having no time to concentrate at
the point where the final attack was
about to be made, Stuart was certainly
in imminent danger. General Buford
was pressing hard at Beverly's and
General Gregg was on his flank and
rear. A confused combat was going
on in every direction, mixed with
shouts and the gallop of jlded horses;
altogether it was such a 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. | am able to speak of it
with accuracy, as it made a strong i'm
preston upon me. When | found
GeneralStuart again near his artillery
at the eastern foot of the range he was
10 a etate of great excitement, his fine
face wearing very different expires
sion from that had noticed in it
when he gave me the jocose order to go
and bag the artillery Of the inconsid.
erable demonstration in his rear. His
face was flaming, and a vein in his
forehead had turned black. | never
saw eyes more like red hot Goals
The Federal cavalry within three or
four hundred yards had already moved
to charge, and he had but one gun in
the battery. This he aimed 10 person,
having thrown himself from the sad
die for the purpose, and a shell fred
at the charging line burst within a few
feet of it. The men had not broken
into a trot, and the fire created some
confusion; the line paused for mo
ment, and when another shell was
fred the line halted. Quite astonished
at this looked for some other cause,
and soon discovered it. A column of
cavalry was advancing from the direc-
tion Of Beverly's toward the right
flank of General Gregg, and it was, no
doubt, the appearance of this force
which induced the hesitation in oharg.
ing the artillery. When | pointed to
the approaching column, which | could
not see plainly from the dust it raised,
and asked Stuart what cavalry it was,
he exclaimed:
"Itis HamptOnl Bring him up like
lightnin9l'
| reached the column in few mo-
ments and finding the Cobb legion in
front, gave the order TO my friend,
General P. NJ. B. Young, who com
manded. 1t was not necessary to
explain to him what he was expected
to do. and certainly as unnecessary to
doubt his dOingit. One of the great
est pleasures OF the gay and gallant
young Georgian was a charge, and he
turned in his saddle and whirled his
saber with the order to gallOp. As
he had been advancing almost direc tly
upon the right flank of the Federal,
column, the advance brought him in
front Of it, and it was only necessary
to face the column 10 the left, where
they we're in line OF battle.
The order to charge was then given,
and this was done without firing. The
movement had been made so rapidly
that the Federal line received it
standing. Thus the impetus carried
all before it, and the Federal force,
alter Offering brief resistance, gave
way and scattered over the large field,
pursued by Young, The engagement
was from first 10 last an unmixed fight
with sabers, and some Of the dead
we're cut through to the chin. Neither
earbine nor pistol was USED in the
fight, and probably the whole affair
did not continue Ave minutes. Cal
culating that it took ten minutes to
form a line and charge, this would
give a quarter Of an hour, in which
the battle of Fleetwood was decided.
General Gregg retired to the woods in
bis right and rear to form a junction
with General Bgford, under a heavy
shelling from the artillery on Fleet
wood, and General Hampton followed,
steadily pressing him back toward the
river.