Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-06-19

l
moned nom mountains, hills, and plains her
sons 10 her support When the clear call q me
| State bugle sounded throughout her limits
! lts ringing notes reached the ear OF TINS
! young lieutenant OF cavalry, then serving on the
head waters OF the Ara ansas. Distinction had
! already woven chaplet around his youthlui
brow, and by his blood he had attesied hlsdeso-
tion 70 the nac Of his country ia encounters Win
hostile lddians but he promptly left this service
and laid az tho feet OF his mother COMMON
wealth his trusty SATIRE. The resignation ot nis
| commission as a lieutenant in the army oil inc
! United states, while terminating there the ca
| reer Of an accomplished officer. brought as
bright blade TO the cause OF Virginia and OF the
South as was ever drawn In the defence OF me
rights Of people determined to maintain at the
! mouth Of the cannon the cause which enlistca
1 their sympathy and support
THE MILITARY METAL OF TIE MAN.
Under the orders Of Joseph z. Johnston. and
in front OF Patterson beyoud the lines Of Win-
chester. the military metal OF this man readily
| responded 20 the crucial test Of the fires OF war.
! and in a mastery manner he masked the move
mont Of his commander 20 unite his forces with
/ those Of Beauregard. His conspicuous be
havior on the field OF tho first Manassas did
| much towards placing the crown Of victory upon
| the banners Of the men who there won imperl,h-
able glory: aud from that period 10 the ono We
| are now considering the star Of duty ever IL
| umincd his hopes ana aspirations. and gul1ed
his course onward and upward over the dh1lcuI
accent upon whose summit rests tho temple o'
| fame. lApplause.l
By his aide it feli 10 my lot 10 sleep. 70 march,
20 bivouac, and 10 Fight for three long years. ana
! feel that would not be doing Justice 10 MS ca
recr, or 70 the reputation Of the brave men he
| nobly led upon so many hard-iOught helds. II
| failed 10 respond 10 your cali upon any occasion
| having for its object the commemOratiOn Ct his
virtues in tho hearts Of his countrymen.
GOES TO BATTLE SINGING.
With pride watched bis course, with love !
| suDpC ried his military plans and with tears 1
lamentcd his heroic death. Time does not adj
| NIT OF my dwelling upon the war services OF
| Stuart, or telling you OF his ride around the rear
I and both TANKS OF McClellan's array In front ot
| Richmond 70 blaze tho way for jackson, or 20
| speak OF him at the second Manassas, or OF his
services At Sharpsburg. or 10 tell OF his deeds on
| the right OF tire army at FredericksDurg, or ~
! Chauc sllOrsyiille, where he led the spend'd
CORPS Of Jackson against tho Federal lines, sing
! ing:
"Old Joe Hooker. won't you come out Of the
Wilderness
where an eyewitness said no "could not get rid
Of tho idea that Henry Of Navarro was presen',
except that Stuart's plume was black, for ne was
| everywhere in front Of The line, and his
men followed his feather" or must stop 10
tell Of his march, In the exercise oi "A discteuoh
| given him by General Lee, through Pennsyk ania
and Maryland 10 Gettysburg, where he dld Ms
accustomed hard fighting on the left OF tho Con-
federate army: or OF his march around Mctlel-
| lan's army in Maryland ana PennsyNonia; or OF
his intuitivo military perception and sEiliul
management Of the numerous cavalry Dhttles
and skirmishes between the series ot greaer
| conflicts already mfubouedI III Il 10 ihe tdih-
pAign Of 1854 your attention must now Dc calico.
whore tho skill Of the commander anu the
courage OF the southern soldier haS never Deen
surpassed, though tho pages Of military history
are adorned with the renowned eXplolts oi n
| ScipiO and his Romans, OF Hannibal ana ME
CarhaCenians, OF Cesar and his ieglons, OF
Gustavus AdOlpbus with his Swedes. OF Crom-
| well with his lTonsides, Of Frederick the breHt
with his PrussiaDs. Of n Napoleon with his
French, or a Wellington with his English.
THE ODDS We FOUGHT.
II viii be difficult 10 convince the world Of the
odds we fought against said General Lee. ana
| when we consider the results accomplished by
the southern army often numbering less than
hs!f Of the army Of their OppOneuts-1iih scanty
! ratlOns torn clothing. deficient in material and
transportation Of war, the proTees OF ihe Army
Of Northern Vnginta will take equal rank with
the conduct Of those who havo performed tho
choicest deeds Of war. ..
What n wonderful campaign was that of 1864 !
! The Army Of the POtOmar-esiimated a. over
100000 men-crOssed tho lower tords Of the kApi-
dsn on the 9Th Of May, but no longer commanded
by Mcdowell. "A Mcclellan, burnside, Il
Hooker, or q Mende.
General L. : Grant had been placed In COM
mand OF all the armies OF the United states, and
was 20 command 4 person the Army OF The TO
tomac. Ifo decided 10 move II across the nvor
aud place It II possible upon the right flank Of
the Army Of Northern Virginia. IL was believed
that the effect Of this movement would be 70
force General Lee either 70 move rapidly Dy me
most direct route go tho ki 'nmoHd tnes, or v
possible TO select and occupy the nearest de-
fensible point that he could interpOse his army
between the advance Of the Federal troops and
the Confederate capital.
BLOODY MAHGUyREs.
General Lee did neither, but a. once attacked
by the shortest route the grand army OF his op-
pOnents and a series Of tho most saDguinafy
conflicts then took place. The superior numbers
Of General Grant enabled MIN IN these success
sve movements not only 10 threaten the whole
front Of his enemy's army, but also 70 spare
sufficient troops 70 threaten by turning move
ment his tanks. By such msnmuVres ne sue
ceeded, but win great loss 10 HIM, IN fOrclng
the Army Of Northern Virginia back 10 the lines
around Richmond.
In the vicinity Of SpOtsylvania Courthouse the
Federal commander detached his large cavalry
force. under General Sheridan, ordering them 10
the rear of the Confederate army for the pur-
pose OF breaking up the lines Of communication
between that point ana Richmond, and capture
by a coup de main, II possible, the capital II
self
1t can be readily perceived that In case Of q
successful attack being made upon tre lines OF
the southern troops al SpOtsylyania Courthouse,
and OF their retreat In consequence, what great
military factor the presence OF some lCO0O
hOrsemen would be il they were In position 10
retard such retreat until the army IN pursuit
! could close up and Cnce moro attack.
With force largely superior IN nnnh hers and
equipment hammering on the whole COnfede-
rate front at Spotsylvauia, with it5 nanks threat
ened, and with Sheridan's cavalry corps march
ing for its rear, the position OF General Lee 5
army was surrounded with dtmculue5.
THE GATHERING STORM.
Tho Confederate commander must strike blow
for blow with General Grant, 50 Stuart must
follow, watch and fight sheridan with such
cavalry as could be spared from the operations
of the army.
On the sih Of May, 1854. the Federal cavalry
corps was concentrated near Fredericksburg.
and On the morning OF the 9th marched by
Hamilton's Crossing 10 the Telegraph road, and
moving TO tho night Of General Lees right tank,
marched 10 Beaver Dam station, on the Newport
News and Mississippi-Nalle railroad, aud from
that point by the Louisa, or "Old Mountain
road" Uid Glen Allen, Il station on tho frede-
ricksburg railroad 10 tho "Y elbow Tavern"
| His command consisted OF three divisions, un-
der Generals Merritt, Wilson, and Gregg, num-
bcring according TO the Official returns OF the
Federal army, dated Nay ii, 1864, 800 men IN
the saddle. HIS brigade commanders were
Custer, Deyns, Gibbs. Davies, j. Irwin Gregg,
Mcintosh. and Chapman.
General Stuart followed these seven brigndes
OF Sheridan with the three brigades Of his COM
mand-yiz., LOmaxs and Wickhnms OF my di-
vision and North Carolina brigade under Gene
raj Gordon, making Total elective lorco of
some 100 troopers.
GOING TO MEET SHERIDAN.
At Beaver Dam Stuart divided his command.
Gordon was left 10 follow Sheridan. while Lo-
msx's and WIckham's brigade were put Ia mo
tiOn towards Hanover Junction with view of
outmArching sheridan by line almost parallel
10 his route. and thus occupy point on bis
route to Richmond in advance Of him.
BY marching most OF the night this was sue
ccssfully accom- mplisned, and stuart found hini-
self on the morning Of tho llth at the point OF
junction Of the road he was travelling with The
"Old MOuntaia road upon which Sheridan was
marching. Dispositions were at once ma10 10
dispute any further advance OF the Federal
cavalry. Lomhxs brigade was dismOunted: his
line Of battle ran along the road here for a shore
distance, then across the heid 10 the left, upon
which was stationed gun; two other guns were
placed on au mine nee near the road Nickham
was on LomAxs right IN a position 70 make a
hank attack upon any troops brought forward
against LOmax.
In view OF the smallness Of the Confederate
force, 10 was deemed best % keep IL rather upon
Sheridan's flank than 70 throw II directly ucrozs
his fiont where. n driven back, IL would DO
forced within the fortiicati0ns at Richmond.
Tue ENEMY on tbs BROOK TUENPIKE.
The Federal column soon made its appear
ance, aud the Fret division, under Merritt. AZ
once attacked and got possession Of the Brook
turnpike, which was only held by small force.
Tho contest at once became general. Lomax 4
thin line gallaatiy hold It's position against the
attacks made upon IL, relieved by tho counter
attacks Of " shAm. until al last dispositions
were made 10 attack both b.teades simulta-
neously, and such attack was made by Gibbs nd
Deyin. supported by artillery, whilst Clusters nd
Chapman's brigades charged Lomaxs posirons
supported by tho whole Of Wilson's division and
one brigade Of Gregg's
This attack Of SIX brgad0s against two was
successful In breaking up Iomax's line and cap
turing the guns there. The road being thus