The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-03-28

at the Hunton house, which was near the
mill. When l entered the house General
stuart was at breakfast and two beauti-
1,il girls We're attending him. They were
the TWO Misses Hunton. He presented me
and they invited me to breakfast Stuart
FINISHED and left me, telling me not to be
long as we were forming on the other size
OF the creek and the enemy might catch me.
When was about through q shell exploded
over the house and my courier called out:
Iney are coming, sir. we must hurry or
be cut off from the bridge" l left the
Young ladies and the breakfast with many
regrets, saying l would return, mounted my
horse and rushed for the bridge just in time
to get over safely We retired slowly to-
ward Warrenton, sending Fitz Lees di-
vision down the creek. We SGT IL trap for
our friends, the enemy, and they walked
INTO 1t. AS soon as we left me MILL Gus
ter's command came up. Custer himself
rode up and politely asked the young la
dies to have breakfast prepared. They
told him breakfast was on the table, a con-
federate general had just left it. He in
qnred all about who had been there. The
ladies told him that General Stuart and
myself had Just left. but that l had not
finished my meal and it was now on the
table Custer said: Very well, ladies,
Young and j are friends. I will take his
breakfast" So he took it and enjoyed it.
He chatted on gaiy, telling the young ladies
of our former intimacy, and when he hat
finished he said: "Now young ladies be so
good as to have something prepared for
dinner for myself and staff, as l am likely
to be about here till after dinner"
Stuart's ruse worked well. We attacked
in front and flank at a charge. and. as the
boys say, wiped him up" AS Custer passed
he stopped a moment at the gate, saying:
Ladies', give Young my compliments and
tell him ] took his breakfast. He can take
my dinner, and please give him this pic
ture of myself and tell him to send me his"
and he galoped away. for he was crowded.
Gallant Custer, he lost his life in that
dreadful massacre by the Indians. He has
been criticised by some, but he made his
record fighting soldiers as brave and ac-
tomplished in the art OF war AS the world
ever saw. and when his defumers have
been buried forever in oblivion, his name
will iumine Il bright page in his coun-
try's history.
Fitzpatrick was not only a brave officer,
but he was something of q wag, always
fond of joke When he broke through our
lines on the Rappahannock. on his way to
Richmond. he halted for a few minutes to
feed and take lunch. He called up one Of
the farmers. who lived on the road, lame
man. and said to him: "You tell Young
I hear he has a little brigade hid over there
in the bushes. [ haven't got time to bother
With him now, but tn pay my respects to
grinned as he said, "Gineral, he's got
enough folks with him to eat YOU up. 1t
took 'em all night to pass my house" Well,
poor kill, as we used to call him. He was
very glad TO get back himself with his com
mand torn all to pieces, without having
time to pay his respects to Young He
was an excellent soldier and aD able man.
He died since the war, while minister to
Chile. l think.
Meade and Young
General Meade's friendship for me came
about i'll this way: l had been at West
Point one year when George Meade,a young
lad the son of then Captain Meade, of the
engineers, came TO Nest Point. Meade
was one of the cadets appointed at
large. He was Il delicate young fellow,
very handsome and rather eliminate look
Ing. The old cadets were disposed TO have
a little fun at his expense as was the Gus
tom. l stood up for the new cadet, and
shielded him as much as | could. A warm
friendship grew UP between us, which the
war never interrupted: and when General
Meade came to Atlanta the commander of
the military division of the south, called
TO pay my respects, and to my delight found
my odd friends George Meade, Il lieutenant
colonel and a member of the staff of Cen
eTal Meade, his father. We talked of Old
times and renewed our friendship. l was
u frequent visitor at headquarters, aad
often enjoyed the hospitality of the general
and his son, On one occaEion few days
after / was nominated for congress, | was
at General Meade's to dinner He said to
me, Il see you have been nominated for
congress, Young. Win you be elected?'
l responded Yes, but [ will, / fear, never
be able to get my seat" He said, Never
mind about that. Get elected, and we will
get you in" ! was elected and was the first
10 get my certificate of election of all the
Georgia members, and with bundle of
letters to some Of the strongest men In the
ma sion from General Meade. l went to
nd 1f
getting my disabilities removed, Which had
10 be done by special act before | could
take my seat in the house of representa-
tiVes. One of my letters was to Hon.
Thadeus Stephens, the leader Of the house,
and the representative from General
Mead's district in Pennsylvania. He was
4 very radical republican, but III response to
General Mead's request he used his infiu-
ence in my behalf, and without which |
should not have succeeded. GeQeral Grant,
General Scofeld and General Howard all
gave me letters to congress which aided me
very materially in getting my bill through.
Generals Scofed and Howard had been
my instructors Mt West Point. and they
cheerfuliy did what they could for me.
The skill of West Pointers.
There is but Ole opinion of professional
soldiers as to the part played by West
Point in the ci'I war. War is an art,
arms Il profession. Many civilians rose to
on both SIDES, but it must be remembered
that they did so after months and years of
experience in the camp and on the battle
field under the con IL and and instruction of
officers, who had received their education
and military training at West Point. No
armies in the void were ever formed and
disciplined and prepared for war as rapid
ly, as quickly ana as thoroughly as the
union and confederate armies. No school
Of military instruction today, in tho world
is as thorough as that al West Point The
course Of studies Is the highest and most
difficult Of any in e2 istance and the stan
Gard for the highest. The nations of the
earth have their separate schools
Of engineers, artillery, cavalry and
infantry, but West Point com
bincs them all in one, and the
graduate at West Point, when he steps out
of It's doors in tic world can command an
army. He can build forts; he can construct
bridges; he can make railroads, and in short,
he can do anything that an officer NAV
be called upon III an emergency to do. He
ought 10 be accomplished in all the arts
that pertain to war, for his education costs
the government more money than is spent
by any other nation upon the education
of it's officers. The cost of each officer at
West Point is estimated to be something
over $1,000.
There Is an erroneous opinion entertained
hy some people as to the number of officers
of the regular army, who resigned in 1861,
and who entered the confederate army.
Ihprp VAS i'm 7'f. litV only fro ctiou oyo,.