The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-18
From Captain schiebert'. Diary.

s,shing No cxcitcdly awakened as from
osr slumbcr. which we were enjoying In
DIR tent. partially dressed as usual. They
,eroriod that our outposts at the Rap
,shannock had been surprised by the
,ncmy The sound Of the discharge OF
snuskcts and the firing Of guns at not too
rreat a distance proved the truth Of the
reports In an instant Stewards hastily
alarmed headQt artcrs was wide awake
and the c0uriers we're IN the saddle 10
qv with short orders OF the general IN
every direction. A few closely formed
cavalry troops also became visible which
were detailed az once toward the first
blows Of the adversary. Stuart soon be-
came master Of nearly the whole corps
which was gathered ga a very short
while The cavalry which was now ad-
yancing IN perfect order met with hard
resistance near Beverly Ford seven regi-
mcnts Of infantry. II was said, having
crossed the river beside the hostile cav
airy and having forced back our avant-
guards. The combat now came 10 a stand
stl and II gradually turned into a hsht
between the dismounted sharp-shooteIs
and the batteries.
After telling In his diary Of the skir-
rnish on the lcrf WING Captain Scheibert
writes
This skirmish. combat Of dismounted
ravatrvnen against infantry. being pro-
longod very much. l rode back 20 be
beftor able 90 overlook things and TO
crqIire about my very valuable diary.
ON this trip the grapeshot passed me so
closely that 7 could feel the pressure OF
the air. When l approached our former
camp I found everything in the greatest
excitement Scattered cavalrymen, couriers
and negroes dashed down the hill; sud
denly six cOuriers rushed upon me like
rr.nars two Of whom yelled: The Yam
Eses are in our rear; the Yankees are
mon the hill
~Ani only at this moment I noticed
iraf the lines which 1 believed 10 be re-
serves we're enemies who were chasing
the scattered Confederates Hating along
side ~ Wilford's house / hrricdly made
a sketch of the situation.
OBJ began 20 feel still more uncomforta-
IT, however. when I saw small troops
rah up from an sides whom at their
request I directed 20 General stuart
ID seemed TO me that there was hardly
lra lcft wherein 10 crawl in case OF
rs-lssity. Negroes with the horses of
rlar masters. ambuiances and everything
else scattered about, vainly seeking cover
in the woods.
suddenly Stuart appeared like a cash
Of lightning upon a small height near
Wexford md at once sent two regiments
up 20 Fleetwood TO arrest the enemy;
these. however. lost their breath and
reh0un0fd from the attack Of the superior
aleorsaros. the entire hunt could then
b. seen % move of In a wild mass 10,
wards ihe right Another regiment gal
laury Deb 10y Won Borcke, acted in
similar manner Presently a few regi-
m.nfs NJ llamptons brigade arrived i'm
perfect order upon the hill and they
succeeded tn single attacks. two reci-
uents at Time 20 repulse the adversary
before Brandy and at Fleetwood. But
a. other places the combat also COM
mencei, becoming more and more en-
wrapped IN imnenetrable clouds Of dust.
Wherever the eye glanced. there was
dust and smoke through the gaps Of
which cavalrymen could be seen fighting
or fresh troops rushing into the combat.
Everything was in the closest proxi-
nifty, while further behind us I'm the
opposite direction, part Of Jones brigade
Vas engaged In "A hot fight near St.
James church. Meanwhile you could hear
cries, the yelling Of the Confederates
while advancing 20 a charge. the roaring
a. cannon, the discharge OF carbines and
Tavolvers. the kissing Of bombs and the
vhistling Of balls. In the open space
scattered cavalrymen dashed around.
thrown commands rallied. friend and foe
hN.fN iilAfu UP Win fdfU OlMtIs
Between the many smaller whrls Of
dust which surrounded the various fight
ing commands. finally great main cloud
rolled toward the South towards the
woods along the Rappahannock. All We're
Of the opinion that they had never wit
messed similar cavalry-battle.
When ] with several Confederate Of
fcers rested. tired 10 DEATH had only
recently recovered from a severe fever
around a cooking fire upon Fleetwood hili.
suddenly "a shell dropped into the ashes
quickly chasing rs away; luckily, how
ever. IL did not burst. Being uneasy MS
Oh the fate of my diary, which | had
kept with great care and illustrated with
numerous sketches. after consulting with
Stuart 1 rode 10 Fleetwood whore
learned that our headquarters and all
The papers had been raved by Fitz Hugh
while riding into the woods through
which the expected infentry had TO come,
taking little rest and allowing my half
starved horse 10 enjoy himself eating
some spilled corn, 10 my agreeable sur
prise i saw General r.. +. Lee. the COM
u andcr-in-chief approach with his en-
tire staff. lie was apparently in very
bad humor. FOR he called 10 me: Well
/ am certainly Glad TO see that at least
one OF you people has survived II seem
el that he had conceived a very gloomy
impres sion of the actual situation In front
from the description given him by desert
ers / furnished him with a report Of the
battle as far as I was able to and showed
him what a splendid victory Stuart had
gained the enemy already retreating to-
wards the Rappahannock.
"Wher we reached Stuart who held his
position az the time near the Wexford
house. which had been turned into hos
3ital, the old General congratulated him
on his splendid victory. Through our field
glasses We watched carefully the retiring
~ the enemy. General II. T.. Lee the
c'mmander-in-chief then took me aside
and asked me. II / would like TO be his
guest az his headquarters (by the way. the
only one whom he had ever received. !
accepted with great pleasure and the
same night / rode back with him to Cul-
l.per. few days later General Stuart
brought me I'm person my much-looked-
JOY diary into my tent, which had been
saved like all the documents of head
quarters and the baggage. thanks 10 the
care or Major fitz Hugh.
From Gen. Plensantons Reports
Highly amusing are the reports Of Gene !
Ial fleasanton Of the Northern army |
lie telegraphed at A. NJ:
The enemy has opened with artillery |
ana shows some cavalry. Faint skrmish |
colonel Davis is severely wounded. II |
O'Clock. The entire hostile forces oppose |
At l viii detain them until Gregg APP |
pears; his cannon are already heard in /
M