Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1899-02-08


bers on each side were nearly equal,
the ground was favorable for mounted
operations. and the fighting lasted all
day, from in the morning until nearly
I at night There were two young Off
GERS on the Union side who won great
glory that day. They were Merritt and
Custer, both of whom were Immediate
ly afterwards made brigadier generals.
At the battle of Gettysburg his next
big fight Merritt performed service
which was not fully appreciated until
later His command got into the fight
on the third day, the day after Pick
ett's charge and engaged the extreme
Confederate left near Round Top. He
was facing superior force, but he
kept it so busy that when Lee sent
word to Longstreet to move forward
and back up Pickett Longstreet replied
that the Yankee cavalry was giving
him all that he could attend to, and
that he was unable to help Pickett.
Considering the mighty results that
hung on small chances that day, it is
difficult to say how great Merritt's ser
not go unrewarded, for Merritt was
breyeted major from July 1, 1868, ''for
gallant and meritorious conduct"
On the nth Of May, 1864, Sheridan
was only six miles from Richmond,
when he was opposed by Stuart's cav
| nj Tho 1at haltnxad fhat ha On a-
| ty Of their capital was at stake and
| fought like demons. Sheridan usually
knew how his battles were coming out,
but he was anxious on that day, and
for time the issue hung in the bal
ance. Then n great cheer rose on the
left of the Union line, and Merritt's
and Wilson's divisions dashed forward
in sabre charge that swept the Con-
federates off the field and carried the
day for Little Phil. That action made
Merritt brevet lieutenant colonel.
Merritt's fourth distinguished reward
was won in the battle of Howes Shop,
seventeen days later. Gregg's division
and the brlgades of TOrbert and Mer-
rift were opposed by the enemy from
Il strongly entrenched position. Mount
ed troops could not dislodge them, but
the cavalrymen held their own in the
face of q CALLING fire until Clusters
men, who had been hastily dlsmounted,
came up with band playing and colors
flying.
1.-THE music and the yell which al
ways identified Clusters men was like
an electric shock to u.s." says one of
Merritt's officers, "and we went for
ward over the Confederate works as
though carried on a wave. The General
was In front among the Johnnies, yell
ing with the best of us. We were all
delighted when he was breveted colonel
for his work on that day."
1t was only year from the time
when Merritt was assigned to duty as
a line officer with the cavalry of the
Army of the Potomac, and already his
gallant and meritorious conduct had
been rewarded fourt times from Wash
ington. During the following year he
added three more to his list of brevets.
When the battle of Winchester was
begun Merritt was six miles away fac
ing Breckenridge's column. He follow
ed Breckenridge into the fight, although
he knew nothing of the state of the bat
tie or whether he might not have to
face the whole Confederate force. He
fell upon the line with a rush, break
| ing it, driving the cavalry back through
the infantry lines, and, In the words of
Sheridan's report, "sent the enemy
whirllng through Winchester" For his
service in this battle and at Fishers
Hill, one month later, Merritt became
a brevet major general of volunteers
from Oct 10, 1864.
In the following spring occurred the
battle Of Five Forks, in which Merritt
and Fitzhugh Lee fought on opposing
sides. Some of the flercest fighting of
the whole war occurred here, and Gen
Merritt was in the thick of it. His cav
airy command distinguished itself by
It's gallant work on ground as insult
able for the operations Of mounted
troops as any that could we'll be select
ed. 1t charged through woods and
earthworks, captured battery Of artil-
lery and carried everything before It,.
Merritts bravery was again rewarded.
this time by brlgadler generalship In
the United States army, dating from
March 10, 1865.