Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-06-24
LYING HlB U RIG S HERO:
The Greatest March of the Whole War.
BY EARLY's ssFOOT CAVALRY"


HIS MEN IN DEFENSE OF LYNCHBURG AND
INGTON, ETC.
Written for the Virginian.]
June 18th 1864, -June 18th 91,-twen.
versary of the battle which settled the fate
of Lynchburg twenty-seven years ago.
1t was ''close shave" and Lynchburg
with the enemy's guns laundering on her
suburbs was indebted to Gen. Early and
his heroic little army for her escape.
The Confederate War abounded in great
achievements; but there was none in which
military genius and prowess shone more
brightly than that of which Lynchburg was
the scene and center.
On June 3, 1864, Grant was repulsed at
Cold Harbor by Lee, losing $4,000 men.
He gave up then the direct attack on Rich
mond, his aggregate loss being $4,000 men,
or more than Lee had in his whole army.
His new plan, and it was we'll conceived,
was for Gen. Hunter to march down the
Valley with about 10000 men, and for
Sheridan with his cavalry corps to join
him, capture Lynchburg, break up Lee's
communications, and thus turn him out of
Richmond.
HAMPTON WHIPS SHERIDAN.
On June 18th Sheridan was overtaken by
Gen. Wade Hampton at Trevillian's on the
Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, and after two
days hard fighting, defeated in the biggest
cavalry battle of the war. Had Hampton
lost that fight, Sheridan would have been
upon US.
We 5an never forget Wade Hampton.
Great as a soldier, pure as man, wise as a
statesman, he stands amongst the few
whose names history will cherish.
ON TO LYNCHBURe.
Hunter, joined at Stanton by Averill
and Crook, left there June 9Th, after hay
ing defeated Gen. W. E. Jones at Pied.
mont June 9Th, that gallant officer being
slain and his small command routed.
Ga Juue 10Th Hunter was at Lexington,
and started to Lynchburg by way of Liber-
ty, now Bedford City.
AT 2 o'clock that morning gray line left
Cold Harbor on the march to the rescue.
1t was the old Second Corps Of jackson
and Ewell, much reduced in numbers but
fleet of foot and stout of heart. Eight
thousand muskets and two battalions of
artillery they were now, and at their head
was Jubal A. Early. How quickly they
came through the hot sun! Eighty miles
in four days they tramped to Charlottes-
vile, and were there the night Of June 16.
IN AND AROUND LYNCHBURG.
Hunter started from Liberty to Lynch
burg June 18th, but he was slow and plod
ding.
On the morning of the 18th he was near
our gates.
All was commotion here!
Do you see that old earthwork, with a
school house in it now, just north of the
toll gate on the Salem turnpike? There
were two nlooth bore cannon in it then,
and few cannoneers. On the Forest Road
there was another little earthwork, and two
more smooth bore guns, and handful of
the Botetourt Artillery.
There is trench across College Hill, Just
beyond where the street cara now run.
The V. M. |. boys, the same little game
cocks that under Breckenridge gave Sigel
touch of their spurs at New Market, May
18th, are yonder near the old Methodist
Cemetery.
The old men and the lads, and the in.
valids from the hospitals have turned out
with shot guns, all they can get, and are
out beyond College Hill.
Gen. Nichols is here, with an arm and
leg Oft, lost at Charlottesville, but good
soldiers head on him. Gen. D. Il. Hill is
hoio hOiPihS w LA uP iUE
Gen Breckenridge is here, but in bed from
an injury received at Cold Harbor. Gen.
Harry T. Hays is here too-wounded, but
stirring about to help as he can. Generals
there are here indeed, but ''tke thin gray
line" istery, very thin, and Hunter, IS, 500
strong, as he stated it, is coming.
McCausland is out on the Forest road
with small brigade of cavalry, and I'm
baden on the Bedford pike with another,
and they are being pressed back by heavy
numbers.
THE QUARTER STRETCH.
The sun of June II is getting hot, and
popl popl go the guns two or three miles
out of town. The jaded csvalrymen are
falling back, the massive blue lines are
pressing on yonder ridges beyond the toll
gate, and the cavalry reserves are in the
woods beyond the railroad bridge across
Blackwster.
Will Early come? Anxious hearts sprung
to the lip with that question. Ali what's
that?
A cheer along Main street! All! there
they come jumping from the train of the
Orange road, the dusty bronzed veterans OF
the Wilderness and Spottsylvania-it is
Early's old division. That trim young man
with a waist like school girl and the eye
of an eagle is Ramseur, the young major
general who leads it; and there riding to
the front with the gray SLOUGH hat and the
black feather-there is the sturdy warrior
Of a score Of battles, Early is here.