Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-12
rse CAVALRY AT GETTYSBURG
wade Hampton Tells How He Ike
ceiycd His Sabre Cut.
ftana a PAtlllelDALa Tlmss.

have got one SWlpe at MIN Win my saul <
tbough," was the closing remark made
By Wade Hampton, as he told TO small
group OF ex-otiicers of both armies the
story of the sabre cut he received on July
g. 1865. at the hands of an officer OF the
Seventh Michigan cavalry. TIE distiL-
Suished eX-COntederate caYalryman ana
present United States Senator was eJahu-
ing on the ground where, i'm the cut ana
Larusf oil that day, be received not Only
the Michigan MANS slGn manual on ms
face, but later on wound from a piece on
srrapneI, which still remains II MS
body.
Mai. Gen. Gregg, l.. $, A., who com,
manded the Union cavalry, engaged ana
other distinguished officers h'i"htlnS !"
both armies were groUped around ade
HAMPTON, as. in order to prove now hoi
the ight became, he told lhjs lhcldeul ;
~ duu't bear him any an'W"e''N' OUT
would have liked TO have 20, al ann as
dubbed my pistol and threw II ID MS race
All the chambers were empty, es' ne
added. with half humorous twinkle III
his quiet ewes. II think even now thal
would have been satisfaction"
AHOr CAVALRY FGGHT.
The incident illustrates the hot give
and take OF that brOilug afternoon OF
july. 1868 1t was charge and counter
charge, cut and thrust, rally ana sally,
the most vigorous and splendid cavalry
6ght for the number engaged OF the war
And the men VINO led and cohlmandeu on
either side, generals, cOion9le, nelu anu
company commanders, with The bTilllanl
staff officers, who bear the burdens OF adj
minislration and are often SO little known,
were there in perfect peace and goCd lei
lowship. assisting the represeni aIlNes Oh
the government they either defended or
assailed, in definitely locating the places
other several commands.
Greg and Hampton, Mumtord ana Nc
Iutosb. Mcclellan and YrOwbrdge and
Gray and jenkins, Irwin ard Powers ana
scores Of others stood together describing
and indicating in the serene beauty OF tae
loveiyscene about them the various places
of their several commands, with all the
circumstances wbich attended their move
ments. There mas been no drum or trum-
pet parade to-day, yet The cavalry reunion,
with lis remarkable gathering OF repre-
sentative officers from both sides, has I'M
QUESTIONABLE been the most notable Elil-
tarv reunion had here since the war
closed. No set GRAFTON or even accidental
speeches nave attended It's progress. IL
was very busIness-iike affair.
At > o'clock Senator Wade Hampton
left the field and the friends, old and new,
be had met thereon TO return to his I'M
pOrtant duties at Washington tne ut
most good feeling and courtesy prevailed
among all who were present. One OF the
pleasant features was an Open-alr IL n
cbeou provided in the woods TO the south
OF the cavalry monument, which were
once occupied by tue First brigade OF
Gregg's division, under command OF Col.
John b. Mcintosh.
THE BATTLE FIELD.
This cavalry tight OF July 3, 1868, was
the greatest fought by that arm OF the ser
vice during those few fatetul days. There
were about 1000 men engaged besides
artillery. No inner field for such a com
bat could have been found, and the OBJ
iects aimed at by Gen. Lee, through Gen.
StuarCs troopers, were commensurate
with the strength displayed and the eff
forts made. The battlefield lies about
four miles north OF Gettysburg on the
east of Gem 'crg Ridge and the lines oc-
cupied by the Union army. Stuart moved
out by the York turnpike and then de
plOyed into heavy body OF timber to the
east Of the road, with open and gently
sloping fields, whose lines ran southwark
in his front.
The timber afforded perfect mask for
the Confederate formation, while a mile
away along the Hanover road the Union
brigades waited unshetered, and IN the
open TO the east, about two miles, was
Gen. Meade's headquarters and the rear OF
the Union position. On the right, 30 the
sOutnward, was the ordnance train,
parked IN full sight OF Stuarfs position.
1t was superbiy chosen. If the culmi-
mating effort of Lee in ordering the mighty
assault OF Pickett's on that third day
could have been helped in any strong way
by a cavalry attack stuart held the best
position from which to launch 1T. There
is no doubt that such was the object for
Gen. stuart. Ii was the terrible thunder
Of PeudletOn's guns beyond the ridge
that shot stuart from behind his timber
screen, TO encounter three Union brig
AIDES OF cavalry under Gen. Gregg and
Gen. Clusters famous brigade of Michigan
TROOPERS. The latter properly belonged
10 the division posted below the Round
Iopunder Fitzpatrick. Custer was always
spoiliug for night and, being on the
ground, had fun measure Of his desire.
THE GROUND MARKED OUT
This was the iiXdt which was cOnsid
cred, debated and marked ont to-day
For tour hours the several groups OF otli
GERS and troopers moved TO and through
TO salient places, pointing out where tAt il
several commands We're placed or enga LeG
on this field OF hghting hOrsemCn, 1t was
sometimes said: Nv no ever saw dead
cayalryman, or who ever knew Of the
actual crossing OF sabTes in a charger
Yet here one OF the most distipguis shed
Confederates was slasbed in the head By
o Union trooper. Tue Federal command
did not exceed 3, 800 men, and one-fourtf
OF that force was reported killed anC
wounded. or this total Clusters wolyer
ines lost over 600.
now THE WORK WAS DONE.
The work began with the Confederate
position at Cress aud Wolf hills, at tn
northern part Of the Rummel farm. Gen
Hampton was especially cOnsiderate il
the indication of the lines ON which Gen
Stuart moved and where, within the tim
Der, his own command was placed. Mai
Mcclellan was able 10 point out wher
the various commands had been aligned
Some OF the narratives were Intensely in
teresting, aud they were all simply tol,
in direct sOldierly way that gave then
excellent point.
one OF the most interesting circum
stances was the narration OF Capt. Miller
of Carlisle, VINO described the dash madl
by the two squadrOus detached aud uude
bis command, that were stationed 10 thl
Confederate right and south Of their line
within the open field. At the cayalr,
monument the Union officers took up tn
tale and aided cscn other IN pointing gu
the several movements o! the eVentfu
day. A ii.tle friendly dispute arose as t,
whetScr or not there bad been for "A brie
period any Withdrawal OF his troops bl
Ton tNt.r -. al rI. .,tsf.