The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-01
THE CAVALRY BATTLE OF JUNE o, 1868,
AT BRANDY STATION.

In giving a brief account Of General
p. Nj. i. Young. Of Georgia, just APP
pointed our minister TO Guatemala. the
press dispatch from Washington states
that "he was the commanding officer at
the battle Of Brandy Station. one Of the
principal cavalry battles of the war, and
the engagement in which General NJ. c.
Butler lost his leg"
II makes the old veterans melancholy
10 see the rising generation manifest such
ignorance as this of the great events that
they participated in thirty years ago.
When the great cavalry battle at Brandy
Station, spoken of in this dispatch, took
place, on the 9Th of June 1868. General
Young was no more than a colonel in
Cobbs Legion. from Georgia, and, though
he did soldiers duty on that memorable
field. he was FAR from being the command
ing officer there. There were many Off
GERS there superior in rank to Colonel
Young. and. in point OF fact, the Con-
federate cavalry was commanded directly
throughout the day by that glorious SOL
That was a glorious day for Confederate
arms and. as no adequate account of it
has ever been published. we will give
brief sketch of some of it's principal
events.
On the 9th Of June, 1863 large part
Of the infantry ard artillery of General
Lees army was at and around Culpeper
Courthouse on its move from Fredericks-
burg to Gettysburg. Stuart hai collected
together the finest body of horsemen ever
marshalled IN the field, which lay near
Brandy Station, between Culpeper Court
house and the Rappahannock river. lie
was deservedly proud of his soldiers, and
wished to show them off to his beloved
commander. ''Marse Bob" Accordingly
on the Sth Of June. he collected them to-
gether on one OF those immense plains
near Brandy Station and passed them in
column Of squadrons by a slight knoll, on
which General Lee stood. mounted, look
ing the very impersonation of war with
all her most attractive and splendid
adornments.
1t was a pageant which those who wit
messed IL can never forget. Ten thousand
horsemen. all splendid riders and all su-
perbly mounted. spread out before the
eye in this immense field. and moved past
their immortal commander with the pre-
cision OF the oldest veterans.
Meantime. General Hooker. command
ing the Federal army. had learned that the
Confederate army was moving north
wardly. and, in the early morning Of
June 9Th. he sent his whole cavalry corps
across the Rappahannock river at Kellys
ford. the ford at Rapphannock Station
and ct Beverly's ford. 10 ascertain what
was going on on the line Of General Lees
march. Stuart's outposts were suddenly
and sharply driven in in the early morn
Ing OF June 9Th, all along the line from
kellys TO Beverley's. 1t is useless TO
deny that Pleasanton, commanding the
Federal cavalry, secured many Of the
advantages over Stuart Of a partial sur
prise. But by the middle OF the dav
Stuart had succeeded in. concentrating the
whole OF his cavalry corps near and
around Brandy Station. and in those
great felds shocks took place between
contending squadrons, the like OF which
Ney and Murat never dreamed. The re-
suit was that though surprised and driven
from his first positions in the early part
OF the day. Stuart. after concentrating
ms men, gave the Yankee cavalry a
SOUND drubbing and sent them back In
oon'usion across the Rappahannock. But
'ue command of one modest gentleman,
"ss was enc OF the noblsst sens Virginia