Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-05-15
HOW GALLANT STUART
MET HIS DEATH.
With Complete Resignation He
Passed Away. DR. Nc
Cormick Describes
the Scene

nc ioilo"inB interesting cescrlp-
ton of the wounding and death of
Gen. j. +. b. Stuart was read bv DR..
Cyrus Mccormick, al eve witness of
TIE scene, before the j. f. B. Stuart
Camp, c. v, at the meeting April
9th. The Camp, by rising vote,
requested the Doctor to publish the
paper in our columns, and we gladly
give it space;
After the battle of Spottsylvania
Court House, Fitzbugh Lees divis-
ion of cavalry, numbering about
1900 Een, was ordered to follow
Sherldsn's command, numbering
about 5000. The night before the
battle of Yellow Tavern, the 9th
Virginia Cavalry camped at Taylors-
vile, about eight miles from Yellow
Tavern. After a hasty breakfast
and hurried march. we reached the
latter place about 9 u. IN. While
sitting on our horses, on the road
leading from Tsylorsville, All order
was sent to our company fo7 two
men TO do picket duty, ut the inter
section of the road leading from the
ChickshOminy to Richmond. aud
what is known as the mountain
road, old Mr. and / were Sc.
lected for this purpose. According
TO instructions We went to this point.
which was afterwards made histori-
cal by one of the hottest cavalry
fights of the war. Ana right at the
junction of the above mentioned
roads IL situated the celebrated
yellow Tavern. Just in front uf
this building WAS row of aspen
trees. and between these trees and
the building WAS a flag pavement.
We had Teen there for about an
hour, and had begun to think we
had soft place, when all at once.
while ] WAS admiring beautiful
horse had captured In "a skirmish
in the Wilderness, ] heard some.
thing go "sping." At the same time
old Mr.. - said, "look out there
they are.", aud in few minutes the
carbines on the mountain road began
TO "crack! crack. crack, and "sping.
spingv came the bullets. As the
old man and had nothing but
Colts revolvers, which would not
carry half the distance to the woods
they occupied, it was mauifestly
necessary that we should seek cover.
The nearest approach to this was the
aspen trees. Ny horse being rather
n small one, had no difficulty in
getting him between the aspen
trees and the old Tavern; and while
times were serious, |, being in II
place of comparative safety, could
not restrain my risibles at witnessing
the frantic efforts of poor MIR
to wedge his mare IN between
the tree aud the Tavern. And just
here let me remark that the old man
was one of the two conscripts that
ever came to the Clarke Cavalry.
We had been in this uncomforta-
ole position for about half an hour,
when there appeared on the Chicks-
hominy road great cloud of dust
enveloping quite troop of horsemen.
As soon as the poor old man saw
them, he said, "you can 40 AS you
choose. | am s-going to surrender"
| said, 80, don't talk such nonsense.
Those must be our men, for can't
understand how the Yankees can
have gotten on our right so sudden
w." Just then the cloud of dust
raised, and the awful spparitic n
turned out to be General Stuart and
his staff. AS soon ss | recognized
them took my position Immediately
behind them.
General Stuart, when he reached
the spot. took out his field glasses
and began to inspect the surround
ings. |, in the meantime, turned