Birmingham state herald., 1896-08-06
GENIUS FOR ARTILLERY. i.
Pelham, the Gallant Alabama 6unner-Stone- wall Jackson's Admiration of
 His Work.
Atlanta Journal.

III ueItllSe u lle SOulft'
 When stricken down in the heat of bat
 tie he was only 25 years old, but had al-
 ready won the rank of major and stood
 among the foremost artillerists in the Confederate army.
 John Pelham was born in Calhoun county, Alabama, in September, 1858, and in 1859 he entered West Point as cadet from his district. When war was de- clared between the states he did not he's itate a moment but cast his fortunes
 with the south. He became attached to Gen. J. E. B. Stuart's command and was soon in charge of a company of artillery as captain.
 Undaunted courage, ability to com
 mand and a thorough knowledge of the intricacies of artillery maneuvers soon won for him the rank of major On March IT, 1863, while he was leading his men into action at Kellys Ford, Va, he was killed by fragment from shell. In his face he bore the firm lines of de- termination and valor, and his clear, blue eyes never quailed in the presence of danger. Despite his courage Pelham was as modest as a girl, and when com plimented by superior officers he would blush like maiden.
 Pelham figures largely In John Esten Cooke's Surrey of Eagles Nest" and many of the incidents of the young ma- jor's career are historic.
 Cooke's first impression of the artiller- ist was of a young officer slender, beardless, modest looking and covered with dust" He came to the front. His blue eyes flashed, his firm lips gave evil dence of an ungovernable spirit. "Ths boy had fought his guns at both | battle of Manassas till the enemy were | at their very muzzles; had held his ground with one Napoleon at Cold Har- | bor, against the hurricane of shot and shell poured on him from the batterleS near McGee's house; had commanded all l 1aff a SharnSbllro. | held the ford of Shepherdstown, driving | back hour after hour the heavy masses | of the enemy; and at Fredericksburg had fought with that stubborn persistence, that unconquerable nerve which made the silent and uneXcitable commander-in- chief exclaim:
 "It is glorious to see such courage in one so young
 In this connection several incidents in his brief career related by Cooke, who was his personal friend, may prove in- teresting.
 During the continuous fighting at Mountsville, at Union, at Upperville, Pei hams guns were in imminent danger or capture" says the writer. T admired now more than ever the splendid genius of artillery which this mere boy possess ed. There is a genius for everything Pelham's was to fight artillery. He was born for that and found his proper sphere in command of Stuarts guns. With WndI uHyleluluS ODSlludCy iiC lOd6 it, with a nerve and courage how gay and splendidl No part of the ground es- capped his eagle eye-no fuse could de- ceive him. He fought with the ardor of | boy and the stubborn obstinacy of gray | hairs. Rushing his guns into position on every hill there he stayed until the, en- | emy was almost at the muzzle and were | closing in upon his Hanks. Then, hastily | limbering up and retiring under a storm | of bullets, he took position on the next | elevation and poured his canister into | the advancing columns as before." In one battle Pelham was described as | follows:
 "'Action rearr Pelham shouted, dart | ing to his guns, and two pieces were whirled about and opened upon the | charging column. The fire raked the enemy with deadly effect, and they way | cred for an instant. Then reformed and | came on again headlong. At the same moment the line of sharpshooters in | front charged at run right up to the | muzzle of the guns. We were surround ed and from that moment the fight be- came desperate. Pelham was every | where, cheering on the men, with his | drawn saber flashing in the last rays of | sunlight-and as that blood red light | streamed all ablaze with the fire of battle his appearance was grand.
 s%The boy artillerist was in his proper | sphere-fghting his guns to the very muzzle, determined to die where he stood 1 or drive the enemy back.
 Suddenly above the thunder of guns resounded the loud, imperial Marseil- l laiSe, sung with a species of ferocious roar by men of the Napoleon detach- ment as they worked the guns, driving back the charge upon the rear. There was something in the voices of these men inexpressibly defiant and determin- ed-the martial chorus rang out splendid and triumphant; it seemed to say: Come, we will die here where we stand! Above them, on his horse, lowered the form of Pelham, and his voice made the men grow wild
 Never have I seen such a sight. It was an episode from the wars of the Titans-the conflicts of the giants and the thunderbolts."
 On one occasion Stonewan Jackson
 detailed Pelham to superiptend the erec-
 tion of Qualifications. Of this Cooke says:
 "we reached Jacksons headquarters. and Pelham was received with that cordial pressure of the hand which the general bestowed upon those who were favorites with him. I knew the opinion which he had formed of Pelham from their first meeting on the day of Cold Harbor, and now saw that Jackson had a higher regard for him than ever. His object in sending for the young artillerist was a proof of this. He wish ed him to direct and superintend in per son the fertilization of his line for the next days battle; and, as soon as he had possessed himself of the generals views, Pelham energetically applied himself to the work. Heavy details were placed at his orders. He superintended the work throughout like magic. General Jackson
 said to General Stuart, who accompanied him:
 "'Have you another Pelham, general? If so, l wish you would give him to me- !" The Death of Pelham. It was at Kelly's ford after the days battle had been won when the boy ar tinerst's brilliant career was ended It is thus described by Cooke.
 Stuart was leading on the men when
 Pelham galloped up and made-some re-
 port in relation to his artillery. under
 stood in an instant what. had brought
 him-he could not stay in the rear with
 his guns. He turned to be in the charga
 "As he turned away regiment swept
 by right down upon the enemy and Pei
 hams sabre flashed from it's scabbard.
 At that moment his appearance was
 superb. His cheeks were burning, his
 blue eyes darted lightning; from his lips,T
 wreathed with a smile of joy, rang For
 ward! as he cheered on the men.
 -fo q 1irncr