Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-05
STORIES OF THE CIVIL WAR
Cleaned From the Narratives
of Brave Veterans
HOW GENERAL CLEBURN DIED
Killed While Heading a Con-
federate Charge.
One of Many Thrilling Stories Embaimed
In the Century War Book" Which Is
Now Being offered bY .'rhe Gazette"
The Greatest War History Ever Issued.

Among the stories of war which i'm
press themselves upon the fancy there
are some which, by certain striking
quality, are SO wildly pictured upon
the mental screen that they become fixed
forever.
Such.is the story of General Cleburn's
death as related by an eyewitness. 1t
appears that a certain desperate charge
was to be made which involved the pass
ing of an old fashioned rail fence, behind
which at short range the Federal troops
were massed in a strong position. As
the story goes, there were some doubt
expressed about the ability of the Con.
federates to pass the fence in question,
as it was the focus of tremendous
fusillade.
Cleburn, who rode thoroughbred
hunter, placed himself at the head of the
charging body and rode at the fence.
The road before it was sunken, and rs
he rode down the embankmcnt upon the
opposite side he gathered his horse for a
mighty leap.
The steed- rose CALAMITY and beauti.
fully to the jump, but as they reached
the highest point and paused apparently
in. mid air whitening volioy pierced
both horse and man with a hundred
wounds, and they sank dead across the
top rail OF the fence.
General Cleburn's hat had fallen "a, ,
and his sword arm was raised in u
gesture of command. The death stroke
had been instantaneous, and while his
soldiers Swarmed over the fence beside
him and madly continued the charge so
calamity headed the dead leader still
sat erect in the saddle, with his eyes
wide open and fixed upon the enemy's
position, his sword held rigidly above
his head.
Such are the stories the veterans love
to tell, and such are the vivid pictures
emOalmed in the records of the civil
war. Those who delight in listening to
the recital of gallant deeds find endless
store in that standard history of the
great rebellion, the "Century War
Book
Every page is replete with material
for war dramas and novels beyond the
flight of Imagination to compass Here
the great leaders, the commanders on
both sides, deploy their forces again in
action or unfold the maps and plans of
those tremendous campaigns. Here the
private soldier tells with glee how
Uncle Billy" rode plain and erect at
the head of his glittering staff, and mo
man looked so much commander as
did the fatherly general"
he tells also of the hot days when
marching with footsore pace was an
endless agony only forgotten when the
enemy's works lay before them. He
tells of the games and routine of camp
life-the forbidden raids upon alien
barnyards-the "song of home" and the
death of "my chum" as they lay "be-
hind log upon the skirmish line.'
= And all this is told by the Southern
soldier, as well as by him who came
from the Northland. We catch glimpse
here and there of the reality which lay
behind the meager newspaper reports
of the period.
We see the self-sacrificing women at
home-toiling in fields and shops-that
their loved family hero might give up
his precious life for q principle. We
see the terrible anxieties which beset
the aching yet steadfast heart of the
great President. We are told of deep
laid plots and successful counter plots.
We grasp more clearly the meaning of
the mighty word Freedom" and realize
in some measure what it cost.
The Century War Book" as issued
by The GAZETTE, is revised edition
OF the standard history known as
BATTLES and Leaders of the Civil War"
In the revision the great aim has been
to evolve from this huge mass of data,
figures, and detail an interesting, graphic
and comprehensive story in popular
shape.
Nothing has been eliminated which
is of vital importance, and the re-.
vision has in many instances, as re-
CARDS particular narratives, but re-
arranged the matter in more attractive
form. Nine hundred of the best illus
trations are retained, and these alone
without line of letter text will wildly
tell the story to the ordinary reader.
For students of history, as well as for
the younger generation, the book is in
valuable. 1t is an educator without a
peer in respect to the salient facts of
that momentous period of American
history. 10 the veteran soldier the
book is already well-known, and the
only reason it has not been hitherto
placed upon the library shelves of every
loyal American household has been the
necessarily high price placed upon it in
the original form.
This drawback is happily removed
and the work as now issued is brought
easily within reach of the most moder.
ate purse.
The terms upon which the "Century
War Book" may be obtained will be
found elsewhere in this issue.