The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-09-14
MIGHTY CAVALRY CONFLICT.
A Private Soldier on Battle of Trevillian
Station.
The following is the story Of one
Station.

LEG &VlIVW4uS 40 on0 'uS@S W
of the bloodiest cavalry battles the
world ever saw. Itwas given to Camp
Hampton's (Columbia) members last
week by Capt. U. R. Brooks under the
title sObservations Of a Private Sol
der at the Battle Of Trevillian Station
IL and 18th Of June, 1864, and recol-
lections Of some subsequent events
relating to the Lost Cause. :"
Memory crowds and the shadows
luminous and grey file before me-"
Time is always snatching something
from us; its deeting moments pass as
quickly as they come, never, never
more to return, as water which is gone
from its source runs TO it NO more.
The Confederate soldiers course is
almost run out, the past time appears
as "a shadow; SO will that whichis now
to come when it shall be once over,
and no tears, no entreaties, no endeav-
.ors can recall the least moment we
have already let slip unimproved;
therefore, it is our duty to record the
gallant deeds Of our brave comrades
who fell.on the bloody fields of strife,
battling under the Confederate flag
which waved SO proudly over our
south land for four long years. Should
we fail to do this then Why find fault
with those who fought us so hard and
so long for not giving as justice in
writing up the part they took in this
terrible strife.
Every heroic virtue grew in the
matchless inspiration Of the war.
Every noble quality aourished in the
stern and splendid discipline Of these
unrelsntingyears. Courage, patience,
sentiment, devotion, duty, unselfsh-
ness and de,thless patriotism flashed
like radiant ssars across the gloom and
darkness Of the time. Men learned
there 20 lore their counsry better
than themselves and TO pledge their
lo,Yalsy freely with their lives. Wo-
men raised in luxury forgot their sell
dsh comforts in their solemn duties,
and the white hands Of fashion swept
the looms Of labor and fastened the
bandages Of blood with q self-denying
Sheroism that was indeed sublime.
ssWhen triumphs came, they re-
joiced with reverent gratitude they
met disasters in their turn with dig
nifty"
Comrades. let me tell you tonight
Of the bloodiest cavalry fight that ever
occurred on this continent:
On Wednesday, che 9th Of June,
1864, orr scouts, Shadburne, Shool-
bred, Scott and others. reported to
Gems. Hampton and Butler, on the
Chiskshominy, that large body Of
Federal cavalry had moved out from
behind their lines at Cold Harbor and
was crossing the Pamunkey at point
heading northward. Butler division,
consisting Of his old South Carolina
Brigade, Young s: Georgia brigade and
Rosser's Virginia brigade, halted at
Mechaniosvine, Eve miles from Rich
mond, to draw three days rations,
which consisted Of about one and one
half bounds Of hard-tack and one-half
pound Of meat which they ate raw.
Butler's men never unsaddled their
horses for eight days and nights.
Gen. Hampton, as senior major gen.
eral of cavalry, Immediately put the
division Of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee in mo-
tion to join Butler who was already on
the direct road leading from Richmond
to GordonsTille,
1sAnd they rode forth SO glorious in ar
rag.
So msnnerly and full Of gentle grace
That every tongue would be compelled
to say
They were the noblest ofa noble race"
Hampton rightly divinipg that the
movement Of the Federal cavalry was
directed to the destruction of the rail-
road connection north of Richmond,
and to cooperate with the Federal
Gen. Hunter, then operating against
Lynchburg.
On Friday evening, 10th June,
Hampton's column had placed itself
squarely on the left flank Of the Fed
eral cavalry under Sheridan. Butler
division occupied the extreme left and
encamped near Trevillian Station,
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee had halted and
camped near Louisa Court House some
six miles south.
Early on Saturday morning, l1tt
June, our scouts having located Sheri
dams forces at a point some three
miles east Of Trevillian, dispositions
were at once made to attack: Fitz
hugh Lee was directed by Gen. Hamp