Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-31

sence from the ranks for their places
would be hlled In three days. Ire had
only limited credit in bank Grant had
credit as wide as the atmosphere. as
deep as the sea. COMPRISING The whole
orb. Leo had parts OF twelve States TO
draw on. Grant had al the continent
America. Europe. Asia. and Africa. The
Coniederates denied that he had any re-
sources above. but willingly gave him
credit for command OF the lower regions.
Grant started with the Weli-dehned pur-
pose to destroy Lees army. and lac pun
sued bis object with intelligent teHaciy
and uulmching courage for year. so
slaughter appalled, MIN. no defeat para
lyzcd him. and he went straight on. re-
gardloss OF intermediate Incidents, to the
cUd-tho surrender Of Lees Army at APP
pOmattoX. April 8. 1915. 1nirty-fve years
have only revealed the rugged strength
of Grants character more clearly, and he
grows with every generation, ~ he VIII
grow among students OF the military art
until The end OF time. Grant was
butcher. but De destroyed his enemy. Ills
army 0isObeyed orders 10 Cold HarJOf,
1853. and refused 10 repeat 81 charge, three
times repulaed. But Grant moved ON,
drove h.s enemy before him. and cap-
turel him. in Wa. o. all human en-
draVors. success Is the first duty Before
D
vine are sometimes ignored and tram
Piled upon. Grant never did that he left
40 memory, as others nave done. of
burned homes. of starved babies, and OI
outraged mothers, but Dec bit hard iicks,
slld he never tired until his work was
done.
GREAT CAVALRY DUEL
When he had pushed Lee back 10 Rich
mond, In June, 1864, there were only TWO
AL fIn I .l
army the valley of Virginia and the
corn-nelds Of the Gulf States. The Viz
giria Central railroad led from the first;
the Virginia and Tennessee from the last
Grant sent Sheridan, as bold rider and
as tough fighter as ever charged line
Of latue ON The 9Th Of June 10 Gordons-
vile. TO destroy The railroad from tho
Valley there. thence 90 Charlottesville,
t0 burn Lees magazines at that point,
and thence 10 Lynchburg, to cut The VIZ
eiuia and Tennessee railroad, unite with
Hunter and sarch down James river TO
Dis lines around Petersburg. This done,
Ice would have only the line from PEE
tershurg TO Weldon TO draw supplies from
the South.
ID was o. grand programme, and grand
attempt al executing ID. As soon as
sheridan. at the head of. $500 men-as
good cavalry us ever rode hOrse-crossed
the Pamuukey. Hampton's scouts report
ed the fact and that he was moving
north. This information he transmitted
10 General lee at once by signal, and by
letter suggested that the latter's pun
pose was TO strike at GJrdousvile and
Charlottesville. and destroy the railroads
and then unite with Hunter who was
moving up the Valley 20 Lynchburg. He
urged that he be allowed TO checkmate.
80 he could.
Lee consenling, Doe moved out with lis
First Division ON June 9Th, ordering Fitz
Lee 10 follow at once. Rooney Lees Di-
vision being left with the army Hamp-
ton. with IitZ Lee had 400 men and
twelve guns, Sheridan, 900 men and
twcny-f0ur guns The latter were armed
with magazine guns ana breech-loaders,
and Were as fine troops as ever fought
under the stars and Stripes. Hampton'a
DiVis wars not of such fine quality, in
accOutremcnt. one brigade was made up
of the cavalry OF Che Hampton Legion.
of the Cohn Legion. The JEFF Davis Lee
glOn. the Phillips Legion, and Buffers
Brigade composed of regiments, who,
Tor the preceding three years, had been
doing picket duty along the coast Of
South Carolina. " hen they reported
they looked as if they had been ilsh!ns,
their niue beach ponies making their long
Enfield rifles look Ike hshing-pOles. The
division of Fitz Lee was composed Of
seven Virginia regiments frs l-rate
troops With Haiapt0ns Division Was
ROsser's Brigade. three Virginia regi-
monts: Whites Battalion. mostly Mary
landers. and the cavalry of the Mary
land Line.
Hampton's Division was thus mainly
composed of Gulf States and South Caro-
lima troops. and Lees of Nireinians eX-
clusively. Hampton had the interior line.
and by a two-days march he placed HIM
self across Sheridan's way at Trevilians
station. on the Virginia Central railroad,
in Louisa GOrdOnsVille was only few
miles away. Fltz Lee got 70 Louisa Court
house the same night Hampton reached
Trevilian's.
This is an interesting affair because it
was purely a cavalry battle, with no IN
fantry i'm fl. nor within supporting dis
lance, and was the greatest cavalry duel
of the war
Sheridan was moving up. and Hampton
purpOsed 90 attack him before he got 10
the railroad--he would strike him below
fork I'm the road. would draw him on
beyond the fork. and he gave Lee direc-
lions how TO move down, and strike Sher-
idan on flank and rear while holly en-
paged with Hampton in his front. Hamp-
ton carried out his programme; sheridan
pressed him back 20 the railroad. But
lor's fishermen dismOunted ana butt
barricade Of fence-rails across the art
road. The Federal cavalry charged them
reven times. but were repulsed, with ter
rible loss Lee not coming up, leIt
gap between Hampton and himself ana
custer. daredevil as he was, drove the
wedge OF his brigade through the inter
val and went slashing through the lea
horses OF Hampton's dismounted men,
I'm The fash OF a pistol all was confusion.
U9mpton's dsmountcd line, finding tho
enemy in their rear, commenced 70 ran
back: but on the instant R0sser' VINO was
on the left guarding the GordonsNille art
read catching MS own brigade, Nhite
battalion and the Maryland Line cavalry
I'm his grasp. hurled them Oh custer s
nank-as he galloped through Ih1l eha-
ed Custer. he lost his battery heavily
I'm horses and men. and his headquarters
ambulance. ana with the remnant rode
back through the space where Lee ought
TO have been. and so got out
amt Rossers charge ended the battle
sheridan retired whence he came, and
Grants first attempt 20 cut Lees COM
rounicauon was foiled by Hampton.
THE CHASE AFTER WILSON.
put Grant was ndefatigable. prr-
,oee once crystallized and formulated
T., bts mind became part of him. and he
could no more give IL up than he conla
80 breathing. From Petersburg runs
abroad TO Lynchburg, and from Rich
,,,o.nd one TO Danville; they cross at
t,urkevi,le. and The possession or burke
M controlled communication WHb East
,rl.,oessee and the Gulf states. and also