The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-11-24

were the eyes fhis army, the outpost
guard to detect and signal danger
But the day when Burnside federals
marched across the plains Of the Rap
pahannock to attack the confederates
on. the heights of Fredericksburg,
dense fogs obscured the field. A
trooper in the saddle could not see be-
vond his horses head. The swish
and tramp Of the marching column re-
vealed their movements, however
and the troopers emptied their car
bines at the blind targets, then slow
ly retreated toward the hills. There
was mounting in hot haste the moment
The dull reports Of firing reached Stu
arts reserve bivouacs. Still the at
tack was surprise and Stonewall
Jackson's line upon Hamilton'Heightss
was in danger Of being overrun by the
federals before the men in gray were
ready for battle. A crisis like that
must always have its hero and the he
70 of Stonewall jackson battle at
Hamilton Heights proved to be Major
John Pelham, the boy leader of the
horse artillery Of Stuart's famous cav,
airy corps. The little major ordered
his batteries to move down into the
plain, but the horses were net in har'
ness and the men were scattered abou'
the camp. AS soon as the teams fol
a single cannon were ready Major Pei
ham started down the slope, followed
at, gallop by one Napoleon gun
manned by creoles from New Orleans
These creoles had been trained fol
their business by the boy artillerls
when he was cadet just out of West
Point, and men and leader knew eact
other. Their gun was the first te
break the silence that morning ano
arouse the army for defense.
When the federal leaders saw the
havoc created in their advancing rank:
by that single cannon they ordered
FIVE of their own batteries, one after
another, to make target OF it. 9th
er guns were rushed down the slope te
Join Pelham. When the fight was
hottest he had with him twelve to TT
teen pieces, contending with thirty or
the federal side. Lee and Jackson
were attracted to the scene. AS the
federal infantry retreated Pelham
moved his cannon forward and contin'
ued to pour CALLING fire of canister
into the confused ranks.
After the battle Stonewall turned tc
his chieftaih and said: ''Have you an
other Pelham, General Lee? If SO,
wish you would give him to me.
Fredericksburg was the last great
battle Of this beardless artillerist, fol
he was killed in slight. engagement
soon afterwards. He then held the
rank Of major. and was twenty-fou1
years old. Already his exploits hao
been heralded in Europe, and the
London Times, noticing his death
said: s:For his age, no soldier on Ell
ther side in the war has won such fame
as has young Pelham,
Pelham was in the graduating class
at West Point when the war broke ou
in 1861, He vas noted as an athlete
fearless rider, and his feats of horse
nanship remained tradition at thu
academy for years. Being a native o
Alabama, Pelham responded to tn
call Of his State, resigned his cadet
ship and started for the South. Ol
the way he was intercepted by tn
federal authorities and placed unde
surveillance. Reaching Louisville
he found the river picketed. Adopt
ing the disguise Of federal aid, n
went into society and won to his eaus
a loyal yankee girl. She tried to in
duce him to stand by the old flag, bu
finding that his heart was set upo1
the one with the single star, she row
ed him across the Ohio river in a skif
and bade him farewc on the Ken
lucky shore. Reaching Montgomery
he was commissioned lieutenant, ant
appointed drill master of a battery.
With his creole cannoneers: Lieu
tenant Pelham fought all day at tn
first battle of Bull Run, and Genera
"Jeb' Stuart offered him new bat
terry Of six pieces Of horse artillery.
A battery of horse artillery whicI
keeps its end up with u flying colum
Ike that led by Stuart finds enoug
excitement in war to cool the hotties
blood. Pelham was raised to the ran
OF captain and whenever Stuart rod
on the peninsular his guns were at tn
front. At the battle Of Cold Harbe
and again at Manassas: Stuart trooI