Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-06-22
A Shaft Unveiled Where Gen.
Stuart Fell.

Stuart Fell.
On Monday last, Memorial Shaft erect
ed near the Yellow Tavern, just outside
of Richmond, and within thirty feet of
where Gen. J. E. B. Stuart was mortally
Wo unded, was unveiled. Among those
| present were the widow of the famous
cavalry chieftain, Mrs. Gen. J. E. B.
Stuart of Stanton; her daughter, Mrs.
Virginia Pelham Waller of Norfolk; her
sou, j. E. B. Stuart, Jr.; Gen. J. r. Cooke,
Mrs. Gen. Stuart's brother; Rev. W. @.
Hullihen, rector of Trinity church Staun-
ton. who was captain and aid on Stuart's
staff; W. A. Stuart, his brother; Captain
Richard E. Frazier, his signal officer; Rev.
DR.. Joshua W. Peterkin, who received his
last dying words; Gov Fitz Lee, Gen. w.
q. Wickham and others. The shaft is
twenty-five feet high aud stands on
small bluff facing the road where fell The
Inscriptions on each of the four sides read
as follows:
"Upon this field Major. General j. E. B.
J Stuart Commander Confederate Cavalry, A,
N. v, received his mortal wound Nav IL.
1864"
''He was fearless and faithful, pure and
powerful tender and true"
''He saved Richmond, but he gave his life.
Born February 6, 1888.
Died May 12 1864"
'This stone is erected by some of his COM
rades to commemorate his valor.
Gov. Lee, who was with Gen. Stuart in
the fight, delivered the grafton. In mar
rating his death, which occurred while
successfully repulsing raid by Sheridan
on Richmond, at a time when Richmond
was wholly unpTepared for it, the Cover
nor said:
During hull in the firing, when we were
: undecided whether the enemy would retire or
! attack again, Stuart came to my position, and
! after short conference l left him to ride
| down to inspect and see for myself the condi-
ton of the left on our lines.
I had not proceeded far, however, before
fire was opened all along our front, showing
that another attack had begun, and few
minutes afterwards Maj. Venable of General
Stuarts staff, reported to NE that that officer
had been seriously wounded.
I galoped back in the direction of the spot
where I had left him, and upon turning into
ported by soldier on each side, while two
others were leading the horse.
STUART REMOVED FROM THE FIELD
portion of Wickham's men were then rap
idly falling back just in front, and being APP
prehensive that the Federal advance might be
so rapid that Stuart would be captured, I
passed near him, but without speaking. for
the purpose of rallying that portion of the
line. Seeing me and my object, he called ouas1
in his accustomed clear and ringing voice:
eco ahead, Fitz, old fellow, I know you will
do what is right" and few moments after
wards I heard him call out: ''Stop that am
bulance," and looking back saw an ambu-
lance going at rapid trot up the road, as I
| thought to get out of the enemy's fire. 1t was
| an ambulance, however, sent by Major Vena-
I able for the purpose of removing Stuart from
/ the field; in that ambulance he was placed
and brought by a circultous route to Rich
mond, where died the next day.
HIS OWN ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH-woUND.
Two hours before his death Stuart described
to Majo Venable, q member of his staff the
manner in which he was shot He said that
the charge of squadron of the First Virginia
cavalry had driven back charge on that part
of the line by the Federal cavalry and had dis
| mounted some OF tine men who were retreating
on foot; then he rode up on horseback and
discharged every barrel of his pistol at them,
when sergeant (he recognized his non-com
missioned rank by his cheyrons) having passed
him, turned when but q few PAGES away and
fired his pistol, the ball from which took fatal
effect.
The General could not return the fire be-
cause he had no loads, and, it not being his
habit to retreat, he coolly set on his horse and
received the fire without being able to return
it.
imous as the German Emperor, Stuart sent a
courier to Colonel Pate, who with his Fifth
regiment of Virginia cavalry had made glori-
| Gus stand against great odds, to Say that should
they both survive the fight, he intended to
publicly withdraw what he previously said
about him-for Stuart had upon one occasion
preferred charges against him.
And so, too, on his bed of death, waiting for
his summons from the King of Glory, he call
ed to his side Major Venable, one of his trusty
staff officers, and told him he had commended
Pate's heroic conduct on the battlefield, and
amid the whistle of bullets and the scream of
Shell, had ridden up to him and offered h is
hand But few moments afterwards, both
had fallen, not as enemies but as friends.
LAST SCENE OF ALL.
And SO the curtain of life that separates us
from the shade of the trees across the I'M
known river dropped, as IN Fredericks case,
upon the act reconciliation.
In the city close by James Ewell Brown
Stuart-or as he was lovingly called Jeb Stu
art-died on the 18th of May, 1864, at the
age of thirty-one years and three months
On hearing the cannon that day, and upon
being told his men were fighting at Meadow
Bridge, he prayed for the Confederate success
Later, with his hand clasped in that of the
honored President of the Southern Confeder-
acv, he expressed his willingness to die if the
| God whom ba co devOte6lv W. rShiDDed decl-
ded he had fulfilled his destiny-if the coun-
try he so grandly served thought he had done
his duty.
sssing to me,n said he to our beloved DR..
Peterkin,
| "Roek of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hid myself IN thee"
and with a voice whose fast failing powers
gave evidence of the 'feeting BREATH" he
Joined in the rich harmony of the grand hymn
as it rolled in melodious measure from the
chamber of death to the living mansion beyond
the skies.
His last earthly thought was wish express
ed to see once more the cherished partner OF
his lfe with whom he had parted SO hastily
two days before at DR.. Fontaine's,
Beaver Dam, route to this point, that the
farewell was spoken from the saddle.
| His final heavenly meditation found its Ut
terance in his last words in this world
Goods will be done" And SO, with heart
filled with a prayer for the success OF his
troopers, hope that his duty had been faith
fully performed to his country, desire to SEQ
his beloved wife, and submission to the de
cree of the Great Judge who sits on the
throne of mercy, the great soldiers ''eyelids
closed In death"
May the God of Battles guard and bless this
spot sanctifed by the blood of hero hailed
when living as the Prince Of Cavaliers, "a
and who dying 'wears a truer crown than any
wreath that man can weave HIM.