Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1903-10-15
tconvr,gbt 1902 bv G. L. Kilmer.l

DaLIleUelu. hllpdlllSh . No'"iiJ A"
Jeb Stuart's troopers on the banks
of Broad run. Little XIII being amDl-
tious to do something brilliant with the
division that had come into his hands
since last he crossed sabers with Stuart
in that region. Early in the morning
he put his skirmishers across the creek
at auckland, where Stuart was in per-
SON with Wade Hampton's division.
After standing off Fitzpatrick for
couple of hours the Confederate leaders
Matched up little plot to give the i'm
petuous Yankee trouble. Fitz Lees
division was q few miles distant from
Hampton, on the flank of the direct
route between auckland and Warren
ton. Thus the situation was against
Fitzpatrick. Hampton's division, on his
front, was a match for him alone, and
Stuart had Fitz Lees division free to
come in strong just when and where 1t
could do the most good. Stuart retired
slowly with Hampton's squadrons
from in front of the stream and in Or
der to deceive the Yankees left his own
dinner unfinished on farmers table.
Kilpatrick had with him two bril-
gades, led by Custer and Davies.
Stuart's ruse worked well, for the eager
Federal commander rushed ahead with
Davies men after Stuart had allowed
Hampton to be driven" from the
crossing with a good deal of thunder
by Custer. Custer was stationed along
the stream to hold the crossings in case
Kilpatrick should want to march back
that way with Davies at the end of the
chase.
Stuart's scheme for getting Kilpat-
rick into trap all depended upon F1tz
Lees dash into the space between
Davies marching column and the cross
ings of Broad run. The COnfederates
expected that Fitzpatrick would ride
out with his whole force, including
Custer, and that Fitz Lee would strike
him in the rear and drive him upon
Hampton's sabers. But Fitz Lee found
Custer on guard with his Wolverines.
the Michigan brigade which he made
famous.
Custer imagined, Of course, that he
pushed Hampton from the banks OF
Broad run. When he reached there
with the Michigan line he found Hamp-
ton in position Oh the south bank, ap-
parently there to stay. Hampton's ar
tillery was posted to cover the entire
stretch Of the stream. After testing
the fire of the guns for an hour Custer
crossed over part of his squadrons be-
low Hampton's position and, having
turned the enemy's flank, as he sup
posed, forced him to retreat.
With Hampton out Of the way, Gus
ter got all his men across and after
chasing the fleeing Johnnies a mile
gave his men rest for dinner. But
this dinner was disturbed just as Stu
arts own had been. While Custer halt
ed, Fitzpatrick dashed madly on after
Hampton with Davies brigade; then,
according to programme, Fitz Lee
bounced into the field at the head Of
1000 sabers. He struck the tail end Of
Davies brigade and ran plump into the
flank of Custer. Custer had been fac
ing west with his whole line, and Fitz
Lee came down on him from the south.
Wheeling the Sixth Michigan to the
left, he deployed it in front Of Penning-
tons battery, with the First Vermont
cavalry gathered around the guns.
Fitz Lee brought up Breatheads bat
terry and opened upon Pennington. At
the same time he dismounted regi-
ment of troopers and sent them on a
run to capture the Federal guns. Pen
nington poured his fire into the scat
tered line of gray until they came with
in twenty PAGES Of the battery, then
limbered up and crossed to the east
bank of the creek again. Custer had
sent the Fifth and Seventh Michigan
we'll to the front, and as soon as Pen
nington retired his guns these squad
rons turned back and kept up the fight
against Fitz Lees troopers for an hour.
Meanwhile the sound of the guns at
the crossing was the signal for Stuart
to turn Hampton back upon Fitzpatrick
dllu biN rs IldulptOll udu lhS pll-
gades of Gordon, Rosser and Young.
Gordon kept in the road in Davies
front and gradually pressed him back,
while Rosser and Young charged head
long through the fields upon each flank.
Davies fought CALAMITY, but his line
was overlapped by that Of the enemy
on all sides. and the sound Of the guns
at Buckland showed that there was an
enemy to fight in the rear. This phase
of the skirmish ended in the rout of
Davies, and his whole command took
% flight
When Davies men got back to Gus
terS battlefield they found Fitz Lee
between them and their friends. Ros-
ser and Young had followed them
closely, for these were two Of Stuarts
most dashing brigadiers. Stuart had
intended to wipe out Fitzpatrick, and it
looked to Davies and his men for the
moment as though they were lost.
Fighting did no good Safety Law in