Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-01-25

half lnll between the boom of the
cannon there fioated above the noise
a sound that seemed strange on that
day of multitndinous terrors-the
Napoleon detachment singing the
Marseillaise as ttey fought their
gun. Like internal imps in Tophet
they fitted abont in the smoke OF
battle. Two armies looked on while
the Mobile Frenchmen wrote histo-
ry with blood. Arms, legs, heads
we're whirled of, and the ground
arssnd torn as By Titan plows. No
other Confederate gun had opened, /,
but the fierce Federals could not
pass the believing Napoleon. Time
wore on. Still the gun roared, and
the sound of its roaring thundered
through the air in breaths of the
battle to the ears of General Robert
+. Lee, as he viewed the red revel
from the heights. "It is glorious,
he exclaimed, '.to see such courage
in one so young" And in his re-
port of the battle he spoke of no
one but Pelham below the rank of
Major General, terming him "the
gallant Pelham" Once, twice,
three times Pelham drove back the
Federal columns and delayed the
battle an hour. When his ammu-
nition was spent he retired, in obe-
dience to a peremptory order. and
was assigned to the command of all
the artillery on the Confederate
right.
Amid shot and shell he had OPEN
ed the great battle of Fredericks-
burg, and had become immortal.
The part played by Pelham at that
fight is history that will survive with
General Lees report. lie was D
Major of artillery then. His COM
mission as Lieutenant Colonel was
issued soon after and only waited
confirmation when he was killed.
This was at Kelly's Ford, on the
Rappahannock, March IL, 1868.
He had gone to visit some ladies in
Culpeper County, when he heard
the cannonading and hurried to the
scene. His artillery had not come
up, but he galloped to a regiment
that was wavering and shouted !:
"Forward, boys forward to victory
and glory!'' and at that moment
was struck by the fragment of a
shell that penetrated the brain, and
he died shortly after midnight.
He DIED AS He HAD WISHED
amid the roar of battle.
General Stuart .telegraphed to
Hon. |. l.. NJ. Curry, at present
trustee of the great Peabody Fund,
and well known at Louisville, who
then represented Pelham's Alabama
district in the Confederate Con-
gress
"The noble, the chivalric, the
gallant Pelham is no more. He
was killed in action yesterday. His
remains will be sent to you to-day.
How much he was beloved, appre-
ciated and admired let the tears of
agony we shed aud the gloom of
mourning throughout my command
bear witness. His loss is irrepara-
ble."
His remains were taken to Rich
mond and lay in state at the Capt.
tol, viewed by thousands. He was
buried at Jacksonville, Alabama,
amid the scenes of his childhood.
General Stuart's general order to
the division announcing his death
concluded
"His eyes had glanced over eve
ry battle field of this army from the
first Manassas to the moment of his
death, and, with single exception,
he was brilliant actor in all. The
memory Of the gallant Pelham
bis many virtues, his noble nature
and purity of character is enshrined
as a sacred legacy in the hearts Of
all who knew him. His record has
been bright and spotless, and his
career brilliant and successful. He
fell the noblest of sacrifice-on the
altar of his country, to whose glo-
rious services he had dedicated his
life from the beginning Of the wal" Z"
He was calmly and recklessly
brave, and saw men torn to pieces
around him without emotion, be-
cause his heart and eye were upon
the stern work he was performing.
Such is the brief but resplendent
career of the "boy artillerist."
The deeds of Pelham's nephew,
who was private in Terry's Texas