Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-01-27
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
DESPERATE FIGHTING.

The Bulldog Courage of a PIuclsy Union
Onicer.
Strip almost any gallant or heroic
act, performed at sea, at fire, or ut
the cannon's mouth on the battlefield,
of the circumstances of performance,
and the picture will look tame and
commonplace; and then if the same
performance is clad and recounted IN
all the terror of its tragic details, the
pulse will be made to quicken and the
heart, to swell with wild emotion.
Prudence, it is said, is the better part
of valor, and, while that may be true,
caution is so closely allied to timidity
that it is hardly ever found associated
with the daring deeds performed in the
great tragedies of life which the world
delights to listen to and class as heroic.
! know that strategy and cunning are
called prudence, and l know that their
observance is wise, but they are only
employed to conceal intention, and
when the moment for action arrives
true courage acts openly and with the
greatest boldness.
There is crisis in every conflict
which q quick sagacity detects, and
then it is courage which grasps it and
acts regardless of all consideration of
personal safety and strikes the fatal
blow.
In the army of Northern Virginia
there was no command more dis
tinguished for genuine pluck than the
Stuart horse artillery, and one of the
bravest officers of that command was
Maj. "Jim" Breathed. Breathed was a
young man, and was one of the gal
liant Pelham's most trusted captains
On the retreat of Gen. Robert e. Lee
from Petersburg to AppomattoX l
reached Rice's Station on the morning
of the 9th of April about eight o'clock,
my division of cavalry being the van
guard of our army.
Gen. Theodore Read, of Gen. Ord's
staff, with two regiments of infantry
and one of cavalry, had just passed this
place en- route for the high bridge over
the AppomattoX river for the purpose
of destroying it
Although an attack was momentarily
expected from Gen. Grant Gen. Long
street, who was in command, directed
me to pursue Read and save the bridge,
over which our army was compelled to
cross.
Taking two small brigades l over
took Read near the bridge, but being
apprised of pursuit he had taken a
strong position of defense along the
edge of piece of dense woods on a
high ridge, and was awaiting my at
tack. A hasty reconnaissance satisfied
me that / could not dislodge him OK
cept by assault, and l therefore dis,
mounted one brigade under Col. T. 7.
Mumford, and moving it to the charge
on foot charged with Cen bearings
brigade. mounted.
Col. Washburn, who commanded
Reads cavalry, had secured his force
behind clump of old field pines ant
had not been seen by me, and as Dear
ing moved up against Reads fanl
Washburn charged him in flank in the
most gallant and determined manner
The suddenness. boldness, effective
ness, and surprise of this charge, al
though with inferior numbers, threw
my mounted brigade into disorder, an,
a hand-to-hand fight resulted whicl
temporarily suspended the blow aimee
at Reads flank. 1t had been rain
ing little, it was foggy, and through
the fog and smoke of battle i
was difficult to see how to direct tn
attack, and leaving Dearing to dispos