Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-08-15


the issst clash of arms in that cam
paign, the troopers in blue and gray,
under Fitzpatrick and Stuart, re-opened
the old fight for the mastery of the
Rappaha mock line. Lee retired his
whole army beyond the Rappahannock
and also south of the Rapidan, tribu-
tary of the great river. Meade pushed
forward with the Army Of the Poto-
mac to. the Rappahannock and sent his
cavalry across to clear the road for
an advance to Culpeper Court House.
Jeb Stuart was guarding the fords Of
the Rappahannock with his troopers.
After the Gettysburg campaign his
corps was organized intO two divisions
under Wade Hampton and Fitz Lee.
Cavalry was gaining ImportaRce ON
both sides of the line. Starting with
companies and squadrons, as they were
at Bull Run i'm 1861, the evolution led
10 baftalions, then regiments and IN
1862 and the early part OF 1858 to
brigades. AS the numbers Of mounted
troops increased and they were looked
TO to play Important roaes in battle it
was necessary TO- combine sbrigades TN
der a single leader into divisions. Kill
patrick led q division across the Rap
pahanRock early ON the 18th, hoping
to surprise the enemy and rush upon
the Court House unoppoSed. @
Stuart was not to be caught TIN
awares, although he was an ease low
ing soldier in of days of fighting. It
happened that surgeon of his staff,
whose wife had died inside the Fed
eral lines shortly before, had received
a permit to remain at his home north
OF the Rappahanneck to look after his
personal affairs. Seeing from the
preparations in the Federal camps that
a forward movement was ON foot, he
crossed an obscure ford OF the river
the night of the 18th and warned
Stuart of trouble ahead. Stuart sent
his wagons and disabled horses back
behind the Rapidan and deployed his
corps for the defense of Culpeper.
Kilpatrick's leading brigade, under
Colonel II. g. Davies, Jr., crossed the
river at Kelly's ford at 6 a. NJ, driving
the enemy's pickets back toward Bran
dy Station, on the railroad, where two
regiments of Stuart's troopers were in
line supported by three gums. Davies
men were checked by the fire, and he
brought up two guns, with which the
enemy's pieces were soon sfienced.
Brandy Station was an old battle
ground, well known to Fitzpatrick as
well as to Stuart. Fitzpatrick ordered
Davies to make detour through the
woods and attack in the direction OF
Culpeper. The Confederates encoun-
tered on the new route were driven
back to the Court. House, where Davies
found his advance disputed by another
large force of cavalry supported by
three guns. Bringing up battery to
shell Stuart's line, Davies sent in two
battaIions of the Second New York cav
airy on a charge.
In front of the charging troopers were
ravine and a creek with a steep hill
and a rocky road on the other side.
The road was swept by shells, but the
] line dashed forward ga1Iantiy to the
n1uzzles of the guns. Using their sabers
only the New Workers drove out the
cannoneers and captured two pieces,
together with twenty men and am Off
Ger. The capture of the guns, which
belonged to Thompson's Virginia bat
terry, gave Davies control of Culpeper,
but as he pushed ON after the retreat
ing enemy his line encountered another
battery posted in thick woods near the
railroad. Stuart in person was direct
ing the fight. Davies sent the Fifth
New York on charge against the guns,
but the ground in front was broken and
when the line struck the crest of the
hill it was attacked by superior num-
bers and forced back.
Fitzpatrick quickly gafIoped to the
head of the discounted troopers and,
rallying them, led on through heavy
fire toward the battery. Davies led
up his own regiment, the Second New
York, to support the Fifth, and both
regiments dashed into the woods to-
gether. General Custer was already
fighting with his brigade to clear the
woods, but the enemy was too strong
in front and overlapped the flank of the
Second New York. Custer was hit in
the head and his horse killed by shell.
Fearing second repulse, Davies called
up the First West Virginia cavalry,
which had just been supplied with the
the Spencer repeating rife, weapon
which became a favorite with the cav
airy. The Virginians had not fired
shot that day and sprang from their
saddles with a will. Rushing into the
woods, the fresh troops turned the
tide with their rapid fire and the whole
line moved forward again.
Either Stuart was not in a serious
fighting mood that day at Culpeper
or he had orders from his superior not
to risk a heavy battle. He withdrew
his guns and retreated to the Rapidan
and fitzpatrick would have s-rried his
pace but for the fact that Buford's di-
vision had the right of way and took
the lead. On the morning of the 14th
the troopers in blue and gray scow1ed
at one another across the Rapidan. The
Federal cavalry had taken Culpeper
and cleared the country between the
two rivers of the enemy. v
Toward the close of the day on the
18th Major Flournoy of the Sixth VirA