The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-21
BATTLE OF STAUN7ON RIVER.
Graphic Account Of the Engagement BY
Professor Holt.
fHB FIRST DETAILED STATEMENT.
Really One of the Most Important In
gagement. of the War, but OF "hic"
Very Little 1. known-Honort TO
Whom Honor Il Due.

Ton River bridge on the Kichnoha an an
Danville rairoSd. rms was tnc nj or ~
of railway then open FOR ranspoI,"uiV.nn, -, -,
e1id,ers and suppncs TO Lees army VIZ
was concentrated around i'lcniny'nu 6 Ma
Petersburg. The Federal caN",rS GO. ,s
been railing along the ranroa's -, 49,
Wilmington aua Weldon. y. &, anu I'm.
munication had been stoppei ., ye' 80" 49,
Weldon and Petersburg, va. GO
icok was quite serious ana gloomy 10
~ main hone and dependence Tor me
,nntinusnce OF the struggle on IN" par
of the Conlederates lay IN tle y. 49, t.,ac,
ton Of this single lire OF rali"ay nr.,roe
The destruction of an import M n LII,
-, s,,ch n t,n.turc would have seriously
embarrassed the situation OF LEG . anu 49,, ,,'e
gallant hosts, who were conf Viz, a.,
enemy around Petersburg anu Hai t.t ~
- H. iioe If defence at the capital OF
Nc confcderacy. The demolition 81 ~,
railroad bridge over stanton river ~
mean an easy ana Inoo s'ti, ~ ere the
~ the enemy on 10 DanNlHe' Mhclc
sne destruction OF another lnpoItahs
bridge OF the Dan river "ouin suiit1s Is
low. Besides the town OF DahNlhe 10 w.
ne entrepot for army supplies, ana 'nole
,.ere Immense stores being gatherel thtlc
nj this very time. a repulse OF the IN
my at stanton river meant the pr. $3.50
i'm Of panvile and its Valuapie lnlci
80 Thie would keen Lee and has army
in security and repose go Tar as '"~"
base Of supplies was concerned. ,,
General Sheridan had begun the $500
49, 81 a Grand campaign with his strong
force Of cavalry He had been ehSab'r
FOR several weeks In an cNpeai,lon ~
had for its object the destruS'ioh u 800,
1orsviile charlottesville and LynchDuIs'
Go &c IN threaten Lee from the IcAi.
This Imposing piece Of strategy VIZ .oil ~
~ the quick movements anu Nl~uI o"' ~
,son ~ General Hampton, VINO was li"C "a
- o,,m and of the cavalry after me
death of stuart. lie rad defeated sur
tdan in the brilliant ensagelntht az -
villains station on the I'M OF ,,o@ersl cam
1sander cavalry expedition uhuei
Generals Wilson and kautz was .hSn ~ -
ganized by the Federal commahuSi ~
operate against the idiii"'"S 800 ~
.npomattox. which force set out on tne
evening of the 2ist OF june flllhush
1eoss division OF cavalry went IN 1uI-
suit of the enemy ana came up WIN III
Wilson near DinHlddie & H., MneIe -
,yas repulsed but he struck wilson me
next day near Nottoway {. H.. ana tam
cd such a victory over hlm that Hsoh
withdrew from his front. foimlns 4 JIM
zion with kautz Oh the Richmond ana
psnville. railroad. From this point q Ju'lO-
tion the Federan FASTENED towards 'he
bridge over S'auntCn river. when was
vuarded by a battalion Of home guards
rndcr the command Of Capt b. j. Farm
holt of the Virginia reserve milua
This much by way of preface 10 an
account of the battle at stanton river.
1e, me further premise b. saying tiidt
40 far as my knowledge goes no d'''i ..
statement OF this engagement mas -
take il now by curious coincidence a
friend of mine sever al months ago WIS
rumaging among some ola HeWs.d.'ci"
in a vacant warehouse r. West bI1S
vile and he can across file OF me
Daily Southern Guar1lau. pCDli,'tts ~
Columbia ;. c., by the iainehlSd NnaS.
j. Pelham lie discovered the iac' lna'
enc Of the copies contained lettei VIZ
ION by me from the hospital at banNlilc'
Va. On the 4th Of July. 1861. when
made a brief statement OF the ,acls ,oi-
p,cted with the rbfi on the Z',h OF jun
nj Stanton river and to Wnicn was APP
rendcd a partial list or the men una,
my command III that engagement IN
,ustice 10 the gallant soldiers VINO mddr
The frht | determined To put together
The facts and incidents which illustrated
their personal daii lag ana ndehty 70 tho
Lost Cause under most trElns vii o o1'hi.-
have chosen the 3lst anniversary OF me
tight 10 jot down these memories, anu
will be compelled "a appear more OF re-
egotistical In giving this account, LOT IL
WIS my fortune 10 be second in command
where the fighting took place.
After the battles of the Wilderness thu
SpotsvlVaria. ! was sent 10 tht JdcNSoh
Hospital IN Richmond on account of zen
eral debility, being 81 eNccedingly poor
health. / was .ssi6Led TO the Georsia
division OF the hospital with NUMBER
of other officers from south tdrCilia, as
our division Mas filed with wounded Of
fiCers and men from Hnsood,s brlSaGr'
ii so happened thPt my cousin III w
j.. hoyt, new Of Rome. Ca, mas tht
e,lrecon I'm chfre of the division. ano
In a week or ten days nc directed me q,
20 with a sick and wounded Detachment
ne was sending 10 the hospital IN coluih
bia, :. &.
and on reaching Columbia was not Ions
in procuring a permit 10 visit my lathel
home In Iaurena, where l rcclultru nil'
der the tender care of my mother iol
two weeks, gaining good deal o.
strength in that time. AZ er the "Npira
tion Of my hospital furlough, i reporie-
10 the surgeon IN charge at Columbia
ard requested to be discharged and :en
back TO the army, as the ews every ia
indicated active movements around re
tcrsburg where the command 20 which
BELONGED palmetto Sharp Shooters). was
then stationed The surgeon remonssfat
ed with me. and urged that my improve
ment was only emporary, or al least INA
my health was not permanently recover
cd and he proffered an extension OF
my leave for return to Lau.ens. This
was respectfully declined. ana upon N!
request a discharge was made out oi
Sunday morning. June 18th, IN time 10
me 10 reach the Washington-Stfcct Meth
odist church, and ind a seat In the eal
lcry, TO hear the commencement sermon
of the Columbia Female College iron
that prince OF orators. Bishop George +
Pierce. whom | had met the year be
fore at Greensboro, Ga. IL was sran'
effort. and the thought uppermpst IN m,
MIND. with that discharge in my pocket
was whether | would ever enjoy such
privilege again. for every hour the I'll
grew heavier with the reports of impcnd
Ing battles In Virginia.
The train left at midnight. and j wen
via Kingville to Wilmington. ~ c., as IN
most direct route TO Petersburg. NJ
recollection Is that the journey 10 VII
mingon was not completed until rnesda'
morning. owing TO delays at kingville AM
Florence. But there was even great
er delay at Wilmington. for the RAILROAD
between there and Weldon was beini
threatened with tn Federal cavalry. AM
30 waited for trains TO be sent out
! had an interview with Gen. Martin
who was commanding the post. and h
gave me permit 10 go on the Hrs
train. with the understanding that
would take command OF furloughed an
convalescent soldiers who might be 81
the train, I'm case the enemy was TO al
tack the rain. The engineer and cOnduC
tor felt sure that We would encounter IN
Tederals. and more than once durn
the slow and cautious ride, we olsen
barkcd at their instance. when | woui
place the men on the opposite side Q
the railroad track. with he cars as a sOi
Of breastwork. and await the comm
OF the raiders. who did not appear dun
ing the Gay.
When we reached Goldsboro in N
afternoon the news was received that IN
Federals had severed all communicate
with Weldon. and that We must take
train for Grecnstt 70 and Danville. TT
party was being augmented all the tim
and when We reached DanNille on Thur
6ay night there were forty or fifty of,
GERS and men who felt themselves
come way under orders 20 follow m
lead At Danvilie. the news was eve
more exciting. as fumOrs We're nyln
.hick and fast that the Federals wei