The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-08-05
50 much evil, this one altogether ad-
r!irable product of the age of slavery.

| lGlluE SblllC VI hlo bSiiSiiSSS All SAS
war. He had been asked especially to
tell Of the capture of the corral Of cat
tie, which Cen. Grant had brought to-
gethcr as base of supplies for his
for his army, on the Chickahominy, in
1864. This capture was one of the
most brilliant aud successful raids of
the war, in which Gen. Young had
played gallant and conspicuous part;
but throughout the narration casual
listener would have thought the
was merely present and was relG =
the incident to show how magnificent
ly Hampton had conducted the affair.
The conception and plan were Hamp.
ton 8. 1t was arranged that picked
body of 500 cavalry, under Hampton,
should sweep around to Grant rear,
capture the corral, and drive the cat
tie into the Confederate lines, while
Gen. Young should hold at bay any
Federal troops that might come to the
support of the corral guard. The
scouts had gathered every detail of in
formation needed. They knew the
exact location Of the cattle, their num-
Der, the number and quantity of troops
on guard, the relative position of the
great army of Grant, and how long ii
would require for him to dispatch as
sistance to the guards when attacked.
Hampton relied upon Young to keep
back the entire army, if necessary.
until he could get the cattle out Of
reach As cattle have to be driven
slowly, and over fairly good country,
it was necessary for Hampton to drive
them quite close to the enemy's lines,
making the risk very much greater.
Everything worked smoothly until
the cattle had been captured. The
negro guards were soon disposed of, and
the corral, consisting of $500 head of
cattle, was shortly being driven to-
ward the Confederate camp. 10 reach
the rear of the lines Hampton and
Young and all their troops had been
in the saddle day and night and had
ridden fifty miles almost without a
halt. Despite the fatigue of horses
and men, forced march had to be
made by Hampton, while Young and
his weary cavalryman had to face the
entire Federal line and "draw their
fire" until the raiders we're out of
harms way. Gen. Young accom-
plished this in most brilliant style.
He stretched out his .. 800 troopers in
to long a line that it seemed as if
nothing less than an army division
could occupy the space. BY rushing
from one point to another a considera-
bic body of his men and concentrating
fire on the Federal advance he sue
cccded in keeping up the deception.
The Federals expected momentarily
to engage the Confcderates in force,
and so advanced cautiously, feeling
their way. The dashing cavalry Of
fccr was playing Napoleonic tactic in
miniature. Before the army of Grant
realized that it was putting forth its
giant strength against handful of
daring horsemen Hampton was safe,
and the spectral lines of the grand
army of Confederates closed up and
gallopcd away, having completed the
most reckless foray of the war. "Thc
Federal cattle" added the General,
"formed the basis of our supplies for
the rest of the campaign.
Gen. Young, like Stuart and Hamp-
ton, was a skillful and daring swords
man, and frequently sought personal
encounters in battle. Whenever he
led charge he took part in the hand
to-hand fighting, aud his sabre was
nearly always dyed with blood. For
rest would never use his sword, but
relied upon his pistols, with which he
was an unerring marksman. He once
rode up to a cavalryman as his sword
was raised, not trying to avoid the
blow. He merely turned his head so
that the descending blade should fall
upon his hat, which, he said, would
always turn cavalry sabre. Before
his opponent could recover Forrest
had shot him dead. Young, however,
trusted to his sword, and he eknew how
to make it effective. The only blem-
ish in his character as a soldier was a
love for display. AS this has been
true of all cavalry leaders from Jehu
to Murat, it is hardly to his discredit.
1t made him aconspicous figure, sort
of mounted orihammc in battle, a ban
ner for his own troops and target for
the enemy On one occasion he was
present at ball in Richmond. lie
was the most youthful of the Confed-
crate generals, and he was the most
dashing personality in the Capital.
He attended the ball in all the splen-
dor that he could muster His new
generals uniform cleaned from afar
with gold lace, and his high boots glis-
tened and his silver spurs and jewel
handled sabre clankcd as he strobe
into the hall.
\ Southern beauty whose tongue
was as keen as the General $ sabre
called out to him so that everyone
could hear: General, why didn' you
ride in?'
After the war Gen. Young followed
the usual fortunes Of a Confederate
officer. He was elected to Congress
several times and received important
appointments in the diplomatic SER
vice. This part Of his life is well
known. Two Statcs-South Carolina
and Georgia claim him, and his death
will be sadly felt by thousands of his
old comrades in arms, and by all who
knew him as gentleman and as a sol
dicr.
IIaw "Bcnu" IIiYcd the Flies.