The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-11-24
GALLANT YOUNG PELHAM.
His Horse Artillery in the Battles of
Stuart's Corps.
George K1lmer, ii. atlanta Constitution.

which was guarded on the retreat by
Stuart troopers. At one point the
pursuing federals came close upon a
gun which Pelham keptfar in advance
of the others. SIuart ordered the boy
to retire, but he legged so hard to re-
main little longer that the request
was granted. It became hotter and
hotter, and even che cannoneers took
! advantage of Stuart's order and ran
away. Pelham fired che piece in the
face of the enemy, and then, all alone,
i mounted one Of the head horses to
haul the cannon away. The horse
was shot down. Pelham cut the ira
ces, mounted another horse, and after
he had got the remaining FIVE fairly
into a gallop, the second horse was
shot down under him. Mounting an
other he started again, and the third
horse was killed ard cut from the ira
ces. With the three remaining ones
the piece was hauled back to safety.
All this was previous to the,battle
of Fredericksburg, where the young
. artillerist won the high ,encomium
! from Stonewall Jackson. Lee said to
Jackson at that time: It is glorious
to see such courage in one SO young
4 In his report General Lee went still
further, for he coupled the name OF
the boy major with those Of the gen
erals, calling him "the gallant Pei
ham, A commission as lieutenant
;. colonel was issued at Richmond when
Lees report was read at the war de-
partment, but the parchment did not
reach Lees bivouac on the Rappahan-
mock until the brave boy had met his
death in battle.
One day Stuart's line Of pickets
along the river was suddenly attacked
by the federals at Kelly's ford. Pei
ham was in the vicinity, but not on
duty with his battalion. Sending a
courier to bring up his guns, he gal
loped toward the scene of fighting,
and, overtaking regiment Of mount
! ed men that was wa7ering under the
!. confusion of sudden attack, placed
himself at their head and shouted,
''Forward, boys! Forward to victory
and glory!'' At that moment feder-
al she'll burst over 5he squadron he
was leading, and a fragment penetra-
trated his brain. ''The noble, the
chivalric, the gallant Pelham is no
morel His loss is i-reparable," said
Stuart in a message wired to the con-
j federate congress.
But the most remarkable tribute OF
all, and one so rarely paid to SOL
der of subordinate rank that it is
worthy to be quoted infulE, was agen-
eral order issued. by Stuart to COM
memorate the tragic death of the boy
) hero. It was as follows and appeared
in the archives of the war department
of the Cenfederates States:
Headquarters Cavalry Division,
Army of Northern Virginia, March 20,
1863.-General Order No. 9: The ma
jor general commanding approaches
with reluctance the painful duty OF
announcing 10 the Division its ire
parable loss in the death of Major
John Pelham, commanding the horse
artillery. He fell mcrtally wounded
in the battle of Kelly's Ford, March
II, with battle cry ON his lips and
, the light of victory beaming in his
: eye! To you, his comrades, 1t is
, needless to dwell upon what you have
so often witnessed, his prowess in &C.
ton. You we'll know how, though
, young in years and a mere STRIPPING in
: appearance, remarkable for his genu'
inc modesty of department, he yet
disclosed on the battlefield the con
, duet of veteran and displayed in his
; handsome person the most impertur'
bable GOODNESS in danger. His eye
had glanced over every battlefield Of
/ this army from the first Manassas tc
the moment of his death, and he was
a brilliant actor in all. In token OF
respect for his cherished memory tht
horse artillery and division staff vii
wear the military badge of mourning
for thirty days. By command OF ma
ior general. j. E. j. STUART.
, No boy can too soon learn the
kIoxS. Ia.