Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-03-05

Stuart did not give the Murat Of his
corps to jackson His was the talent
needed in the kind Of fighting which
the Jolly sabreur instituted in the east.
There is a story OF every battlefield
from Bull Run on until his death, but
one or two will suffice to show the tenn
per Of the hero and that his laurels were
won by merit, not by favor. When Lee
retreated from the Potomac down the
valleys toward the Rappahannock, after
his defeat at Antietam, Stuart's column
was rear guard of the army. The Fed
erals followed up and every hour had
its sl1irmish, enough to amount to a
battle. Pelham, as usual, staid by one
gun and that gun was always last to re-
tire. Once when he was far out to the
front with his forlorn hope Stuart be
came alarmed for his fate and ordered
him to retire. Pelham was then major
and he begged his chief to allow him
TO remain little longer. Stuart con-
sented. All the other pieces of the bat
terry had gone to the rear and one by
one the cannoneers serving the piece
with Pelham took advantage Of orders
and skipped away until the brave major
stood alone. He loaded and fired in the
very teeth Of the enemy crowding upon
him, and then, mounting lead horse
began to gallop away with the gun.
After going few PAGES the horse
Pelham rode was shot. Cutting the
traces so as to free the team from this
extra load, the brave fellow mounted
another horse, which soon shared the
fate of the first A third horse was shot
and cut loose in the course Of a few
rods, but Pelham rode into the battery
with his gun, to the astonishment Of
his men and his superiors.
This deed with Inc rear guard and
others like it were mere exploits, likely
to give "A soldier camp notoriety. Pei
ham crowned them with feats equally
magnificent yet more mighty in results.
Take his work ON the Confederate right
at Fredericksburg on the 18th of De-
cember, 1862. It is customary to look up
on Fredericksburg as an easy slaughter
for the Confederates, attended with lit
tie and no actual danger With Pelham
out of the case all is changed. The
night before the battle Jackson's column
arrived on Lees right below the city,
expecting to guard that flank while the
center and left defended Fredericks-
burg proper. On the morning of the
18th, when a fog obsoured the field,
Stuart's rowing horsemen carried to the
chiefs the news that q heavy Federal
column had crossed the river below the
town and was preparing to attack Lee S
right flank or to pass it, the leaders not
counting upon Jackson's presence.
Neither side was prepared for the col
lision which resulted and is known in
history as the battle Of Hamilton :
Heights. Stuart held the key to the pc
sition, yet he was there only as cav
airy picket. On the extreme right Pei
ham s guns were parked. When word
of the Federal advance across the river
was sent to headquarters, Lee, Jackson
and Stuart rode across the plain, which
wgs covered with dense fog. Stuart
whispered to Pelham and instantly the
order was given to the batteries to move
down to the plain among the cavalry
pickets. Pelham, with the one single gun
of the Napoleon detachment. dashed
down the heights, halting at fork in
the road coming up from the river.
Before the other guns Joined the Mo
bile creoles the mist slowly cleared, and