Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-20
wilcox Wharf, Charles City county
Tune 6 1897.

Rrrouut-Ihnt fiEht 4" "A"'''S
wilcox Wharf. Charles City county,
June S. 1897.
.,., r.,tor OF the Dispatch;
idle Of old papers found the
..... clipped from the Richmond Tx
...- few days after the battle OF
,...,tauia The article was written
...- "a statement made by me to him.
.t, late John NJ. Daniel, the apies'
...- and paragtaphist Of his time
r..s days after the battle "he"'
..er,ng out from Chimborazo hosPi'"i
g., lie freedom Of the city IN gray
,.. went into the Examiner otncs'
Jan on my old schoolmate' H. a.
,...~5 the historian OF the war MI
r..,.-s was not in, but his brother RiVes'
ne and he received me very kihulI' ""u
...., ,oe 10 make a statement OF "h"'
-.3 nj Taad's,s Tavern TO MI
az course I was glad TO Know
-l.+ man, whose fame as an 49, 49,
,, -,e~ two continents. MI bdii"io'
.r.1 me very cordially ana sal' ~
=. rlad 10 have an account
,-...t csvalry battle that hau ' dNS' -
= Tl55's Tavern. lie said' iul'nSi, ''' ~
r.,hushed in the closing se.a ~
h.. article. that II was uiiioi -, the
.t. fine service Of the eaN"1Is strbt of
,' "a eork was so often lost slsHS -
rerorts of the great battles tisS
~ pay. ,,.. fo,ioved. only about nan "
-;,oie has been preserved. for ..''S
.--a 80, as il contained a nne ti'Du
".' '-a,.o,rv arm OF the service am ~
~ -" - eeneralship I'm the SOleu S
"a .t~.a davs' fighting TO Manu..
a. '-os,tion AGAINST such oYer"h9'''''''S
o-~s. .a1 % General Hundley's interest,"
va" ,.,,-.,,'t of the battle, and Nj. -
.17ii,,s timely publication o. en-
,.-.9,ts that II was IoushV Tbe
tfreiv with dismounte4 c1Nn- q, ali.
norees were hardly usea oI s.,,,.s Good
D,,r men by this time hs-' "a Well off
s,,ne and most Of them "ciS
:, his respect as the enemy 1,,s exne-
- - -, ,,-as in his element. rs -
W. -, tho frontier with the lnu'". -,
49,. conNdence IN himself ana IN "a "a he
-. and men Of his command az tne
80 conrage made him master "a Ia
,,.,,,tion The big forest aioeu mn, he
49,, 6.oention OF the enem! aS -
numbers was complete. ,r,.v and
vricl.bam was there, and boiiisN' -
.,d owen. ell as brave as MuIas
I az intrepid. But TO the SPIN
o..- fshin ~ Fitz Lee the successlu'
-, of tho position was NANNY uu.
49, eroat General had repulsed "ian'
HE in the wilderness just apoVe US
-ovg the Federal commander was
-, sr,erior numbers assaultine' III az
wa. 70 turn our right hank. anu -
r~vtNZ
rs was combating thousands Vi y.
,rrv and infantry. Had he gwen S 60
.rr oarlod of Thursday, tIluaS, "a DOT
6av the battle Of pSpotsyiNaiiia Law
been fought.
DID HOLD 1T.
rut he did hold tho position. ,,rdn nv
s.snv nassei all his force on ,~,,
sf.a~noon. and. came on win o .,','
e.mouuted. and infantry anu q 49,,
The position Of my company wa '' Id
5.t.i, scross the public highway leau-
go, crotsvCyania Courthouse 10
r-r,'s Tovern A slight barricade OF
rr.1 t~aes had been made. Wlckhain
,.. ro~,ax on horseback were near Dy'
--.rr. US some confusion, and LOT inc
C..- H-ne apurehension, as 1 thousnI
..,.rrnt In the manner OF our men, sumo
~ +bl-, falling out. Wickham was talh-
,,- 81, r.ornax very earnestly about this'
e-lrs were bursting all around theh,
,,f ,,,ria halls striking like rafting
s.1 sgolnst the trees. At this point fltz
he came I'm a gallop 10 where we We'o
b voice thundered out, "Wickham' eA-
orf the line on the right; LomaN' on 'no
en" Then fying toward the barricaae'
leaned II. and rode rapidly down the
.oaI In front Of us, and toward tle
nemv. He was alone. lie hau slNeh
hs order 20 wait for them 10 come w
Iose But he changed ms MIMI -
BAD seen with what numbers anu YIN
'f. enemy was advancing. and he came
.... ,,- The road at full run, Cooking like
Ceateau on lis superb gray mare. ne
ssv. back over the barricace, and curbing
ma turning his stced within forty leel,
B. cried out. go over after them boys
I'LL. voice was above the din or Datue.
T.e Two brlgades went forward almost
Ire and down into the woods, hghtihg
l.s C0manchee Indians. Inc Sna.sV
Geo.. made and the yen were 'eii ny.
Tie enemy fell back and the DfisaaeS
resumed their places.
came out wounded from the WOODS
end IL half mile back had a bed OF pine
ttGa ] woke up next morning just a.
la dawn Of day on that SUNDAY ol
tgc.svlyania. and heard the lighting
NM lilH bLl44IAAtg 'AiNt
any " nay comrades could survive sucn
ll mccarthy rattle Of small arms ana
screams Of bursting shells. that lasted
Tor .Wo hours or more. His work hau
been accomplished at that point ana
about or 8 o'clock Fitz Lee retired MS
Command through Spotsylvanla Court
house. drawing the enemy into the
youcx which General Anderson was
mak.ng for him. ~,
The world knows what followed. MY
statement Of what happened at ToaoS
Tavern was necessarily meagre. i have
learned much more Of II since. IL
BIAS been q long time since Mr.. Dahlel
wrote II out But an eyer-recurrins IN
terest attaches TO the Confederate
Column" and men who have souls not
cead' viii read It for generations 10
come. And brave. true women OF %ne
South will teach their children to Know
these things that preserve the history OF
proud though mournful, period. Ana
10 no craven spirit OF thrift shall draw
their heart allegiance from the glory OF
me past. and our heroic dead shall nave
honor. ISAAC IL. CHRISTIAN.
THE ARTICLE.
From a gentleman Zone OF the true
PATRIOTS OF the war; who participated
and was wounded IN the battle near spot'
-1iyaufa (sourthOts we have an infclli~