Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-12
A HERO'S DEATH.
SENATOR BUTLER TELLS OF GAL
LIANT YOUNG FARLEY'S DEATH.
A Graphic Description Of q Tragic Event
Narrated In his Private Letter to
General 8. ID. Leo.

| In McClclland's History of Stuart's cay
airy he tells IN incident showing the great
coolness and generosity Of General NJ. @.
ButIer. We are enabled to-day to publish
letter from General NJ. @. Butter to friend
which very modestly relates the oc-
| currence referred to by Major McClelland.
This letter is of great value as a contribu-
ton 10 the history Of those days and as an
illustration of how the brayest are ever
the geptlest and the most modest. This
letter was never intended for publication,
but we cannot withhold it.
WASHINGTON, June 18th.
General s. d. Lee, Agricultural College. Miss;
| NV Dear General received your very
| kind letter of the 2lst uitiino IN the ex-
pirinr t,ays OF the last session, and the
| rush and crush of business suspended
| everything like private correspondence.
! IL was very gratifying to learn OF Maury's
| complimentarv reference 10 fariey and
| myself at Brandy Station.
| Farley was n volunteer aid on Stuart's
| staff, and could not have been more than
twenty-three years Of age-about two years
4 Younger than myself, should say.
NV REGIMENT was on the road leading
from Richards ferry. on the Rappahannock,
| through the town of StevensbuTg &c Gull
peper Courthouse. We were separated from
| the main body of Stuart's cavalry, which
was engaging the enemy in front OF Brandy
| Station.
NV regiment was resisting the advance
Of Gregg's division, supported by Ames's
Farley to me about 10 O'Clock in the morn
ing. and he remained with Inc until we
| both were wounded by the same she'll.
We were sitting mounted In the road
very near each other, facing In opposite
directions, laughing about an incident
that had occurred on our skirmish line
short time before, and had ceased to regard
the firing from q field-piece OH hill just
east Of Stevensburg, when O shell struck
the ground in an open field. rIcochetted,
passed through my right ankle, through
| my horse, cutting the soddle-glrt. and
through Farley's horse, and took OH his
right leg at the knee. My horse bounded
in the air and landed me, saddle and all, IN
the road and disappeared. Farley's horse
fell at nv feet. and somehow or other Far
lev fell with his head resting on his horses
| side. Nobody was Immediately near us AZ
the time. and we soon discovered what
| havoc the shell had made, and our first i'm
pulse was that we would bleed 10 death be-
fore aid could reach us, so told him to got
his handkerchief and tie it tightly above
the wound, at tho same time getting out
|
pulling for dear lite 10 stop the flow OF
blood. when Rhett and Chestnut and
| Others came to our rescue. | did not know
| until afterwards that there was no imme-
diate danger of bleeding to death. as the
| contraction of the muscles would have
prevented it. go,
NV horse had gone. but Farley's was still
struggling in his last agonies. | was AFRAID
he would hurt Farley with his hoofs, so |
told them to move him on the other side
Of the road, and we were in this position
when Wat. Taylor surgeon OF my regi-
ment and DR.. Moore, assistant surgeon)
reached us. Farley was handsome young
fellow, with dark hair and a splendid
physique, one of the finest horsemen L
ever saw. full of dash and gallantry. He
| was riding that day horse with complete
equipments that he had captured few
DAVIS before from q Federal major-a fine
BAY horse with new outfit OF saddle,
bride, martingale, blanket. and all just as
he had captured him. Soon after he Join
ed me that morning he was riding with
me along the line of my dismounted
skirmIshers i'll very thick wood, when
the enemy's mounted skrmishers opened
q yolley at us at very short range. 1t was
q very easy matter for my men 10 drive
them back with one yolley, emptyins a
good many saddles.
We were the only persons mounted on
our line, and of course very much ex-
posed, but Farley drew his revolver and
spurred his horse in front OF my line,
firing at the enemy. His impetuosity and
daring was subjecting him to unnecessary
exposure. and L ordered him back. We
were laughing about the GOODNESS and
sonq troid of Private Turner. of Company
CT, of my regiment, when we were shot:
Turner wore very raklsh-looking striped
bat. did not then know his name, so we
referred to him as the man with the striped
hat. Farley's death was very sad one.
He was 80 full of life and hope, with such
huovant spirits and splendid gallantry.
His leg was taken completely OFF by the
shell, and when they placed him in the
blanket TO carry him to the ambulance ne
embraced il as they laid it by his side IN
the blanket and felt that the hand OF death
held him. He died about the time that my
leg was ainputed, at 5 ?. N. on the 9Th OF
! June, 1868.
A knightlier soldier never drew sabre,
a truer patriot never fought Tor his coun-
try.
Lieutenant Colonel Frank Hampton was
killed in the same fight, aud | have often
intended to place on record my high ap-
probation OF him as n soldier and gentle
man, but the absorbing cares and duties OF
life in the struggle we have all had SINCE
those stirring and eventful days nave
| taken so UluCu VI NY AN'N A.D'
allie to do so. i will, however. the first
, leisure / have. am afraid that | have
made this letter too long.
Very truly yours, Nj. y. BUTLER.
ADpENDUM.
I ought to have stated in reply to inquiry
: that the entire cavalry forces of both
armies were engaged at Brandy Station
. the Confederates commanded by j. Il. b.
Stuart, with Hampton's, Robertson's, tltz
Lees. Rooney" Lees, and Joness bri-
cades. The Federal cavalry, as | now re-
member, was commanded by Pleasanton.
| do not now recall his division command
ers except Gregg. Pleasanton was sup;
ported by infantry-Stuart was, not.
suspect it was the heaviest cavalry fight
/; during the war--certainly in Nirglnia-an
open square fight between cavalry. Gen
: eral Lee had reviewed the cavalry few
DAYS before. in the open fields between Gull
pepper and Brandy. just on the eve of his
move into Pennsylvania, and the Federal
: commander sent his cavalry across the
Rappahannock supported 10y infantry
Ames has told me his brigade OF infantry
: supported Gregg's division to reconnoitrt
: in force, and find out what General Lee wa:
= doing. They had to return without find
t ing out, for they never reached Longstreet,
' who was near Culpeper. Ewell was at that
r time crossing the mountain, and was, II
the Valley on his way TO PENNSYLVANIA be.
| 60 tho&, bpaxv ha had broken camp aI