The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-12
SLAIN IN SINGLE COMBAT
His Military Career in the War Of
the Revolution.
THE SON or A SCOTTISH NCBLEMAN
Monument Erected TO His Memory in 1893 by
Guifcrd Battle. Ground Company Of Green's
boro. Sketch Of His Life by Mar
shall De Lancey Haywood.

S"o" VIC Ioh|Vy iioJ WOOu'
On the old Revolutionary battlefield
Of Guilford court house. near Greensboro
in this State. are many noble memorials
of American heroes and heroism-
the statue of Joseph Winston mark
ing the place where he and his brave
volunteers 50 long fought the Hossians
and Tarleton's cavalry; the massive
granite boulder with it's bronze tablets.
sent by Maryland TO commemorate the
deeds of her soldery; the statue OF
William Hooper, sgner CT the Declara-
tion of Independence; monuments to
Summer. Dixon. Dawes, and other Ncrth
Caro-. inianS.
Ncr, while concentrating the prowess
Of our own troops, has the Guilford bat
tie ground company neglected to preserve
the me1ncr.' of brave officer who lost
his life en- the same field while fighting
under Lord CORVALLIS. AS Cle stands
by the Maryland monument ana gaZes
in a northeasterly dircctica across az
open space where the battle once ragged,
he will see In lille ravine, about three
hundred yards distant a small shaft of
white marble, erected in 1892 "ln honor
Of a brave fCeman," Lieutenant Colonel
James Stuart, of the Queens Guards.
AS this gentleman, beth by reason o.
BIRTH and persona! achievements, was
well krcwn in his day and gone at.oIl
a few notes concerning mis- career may
be OF some interest now. In Burke's
Peerage GS95 edition, p. 14D he is per-
.sonal!T menticled. together with the
battle where he was slain. He was the
son of Robert Stuart, seventh Baron of
Blantyre. in Scotland. The latter's father
was active TN DroniNtirg the English
Revolution of 1858, and another ancestor
was Lord High Treasurer of Scotland,
Colonel Stuart was also lineally descend
ed from Sir John Stuart. of Minto slain
at the battle of Flolden. where
mo Scottish foot went backward
When the Royal Lion fell"
After TIE American colonies had de-
clared their Independence and when
Great Britain was attempting to regain
them by force, Lieutenant-Ccionel Stuart,
of whom this sketch treats was one OF
the officers sent over by King George
to aid in restoring royal authority. BY
his bravery and merit he soon gained a
high reputation among HIS comrades
At CuIford after the woundng OF
General Charles O'Hara, he placed him
self at the head of the Second Battalion
Of Guards, and with these troops COM
pletely routed the Second Maryland reg
iment. But his triumph was of short
duration, for Colonel William Washing
ton of the cavalry, was soon engaged in
a furious charge on his rear In his ad-
mirable work on our States Revolution
,fol Nrytth
Carolnian should read), Judge Schenck
says: Washington had hardly passed,
like destroying angel, through this de-
voted regiment of gallant Engllshmen,
in this valley Of DEATH before the First
Maryland arrived on the scene. 1t
wheeled to the South and rushed like a
whirlwird on Stuart's left flank bearing
down all before it, slaughtering it's vic
Tins and piling up its sacrifices as it
rolled on. But still Stuart refused to
fly. He stood like a lion at bay and re-
PEELED the fury Of his adversaries." Z"
The death of Stuart was the result of
haud-to-hand combat. in this battle
with CAPTAIN John Smith, Of Maryland.
In former fight these officers had en-
countered each ether but were separated
in the confusion Of the conflict. Both
had expressed the wish that they might
meet again, and this wish was gratihed
at Guilford court house. OF Colonel
Stuart's death, we find in Johnsons Life
Of General Greene, a minute account,
(partly quoted by Judge Schneck), which
says: Two ccmbatants particularly at
tIacted the attention of these around
them. These were Colonel Stuart, Of the
Guards, and Captain John Smith, of the
Marylanders-both men CONSPICUOUS for
nerve and sinew. They had also met
before on some occasion, and had vowed
that their next meeting would end in
blcc1. Regardless OF the bayonets that
were clashing around them, they rushed
at each ether with a fury that admitted
Of but one result. The quick pass Of
Stuart's small sword was skilfully put
by with the left hand. whilst. the heavy
sabre OF his antagonist cleft the Britain
to the spine. In one moment the Amerl-
can was prcstrate on the lfeles3 body
Of his enemy; and in the next, was press
ed beneath the weight OF the soldier
who had brought him 10 the ground.
These are not imaginary incidents-they
arc related on the best authority
ball discharged at Smiths head as his
sword descended on that Of Stuart, had
grazed it and brought him q the
ground at the instant that the bayonet
OF favorlte soldier, who always sought
the side of his captain in the hour OF
danger, pierced the heart of one who
appears to have been equally watchful
over the safety Of the British colonel
There wcEesrlwo captain John Smiths
in the Maryland line. The one who-ssew. .,v.