The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-26
THE FIRST TO FALL.
The Account Of the Battle Of.
Fairfax Courthouse.

The following account of. the battleMofI
Fairfax g. u and DEATH Of Cap ain ] 4
Willia liam 81 fl9'n as e asta Snoi ~ I'll S
an eye witness who was iii command Col
E,well was not present Until he, affair
erected on tic SPOT Wiefe Mar fSell.
Governor Smith writes. 4, m s, 6
Al company was a ia lsel vi q bput II lei
to2 nH 81 Marp Wieh had Been
moved a 4 1csurfax ourthouse, and was
auartered in the Met he!lists Church W
That PLACE. Teslllg tileently well 4
Mafi XVI 9 afsd
and rsiehed the Sc irlpa q lae
T. M the q atsr tfe
u Mr.. Gunnell ) to spend tie night. =
was aroused the next orning al little.
tG9ie diag8 by g seal lnEse ire sllH.ll
arms had
ed into my room inforilaip me that the
enemy was upon usErthat he was off for
s6e Wooas but at soga 90
|, II they were a j tramps, dressed q nd
fixed my Nlnynard with all despA teh, and
hurried to Mars command 1n, the
lssttS ~. I'd unttea, STATES Drag oons
about ninety strong. had charged through
/ the village, firing at random, to the right
rand left, and scattering. q small body
OF our cavalry encainped on the turnpike.
On reaching Marr's command, l. found
/. only about forty-ves renainlllgi he bal
ance having nos doubt been taken Off by
! our scattering cavalry. asked for their
| citFtain-- they replled that they knew
| nothing about him. He was lying about
thirty yards off, In the clover lot around
\ his quarters where no had taken his
\ stand to receive and form his men as
they reported. and where he was killed
without g struggle by,a conrussion4 over
| tlln he;lft Wy ,ge$ OF the enemy s. rantlonl
!. balls. which did not. for Tasaw 1t, dis
i turb the continuity of the flesh, q I am
1 fully satisfied. i then asked for his
tslt5is rightt1 should say here. thatI sub
Y sequentlS4 ascertaned that he spent the
4 might at the house Of Mr.. Moss, no one
\ 4my's approach. knowing that the men
did not caro- for theii. other officers, I
ssia ~ thst1; BOYS gs,i,i f5kilo " ms 5ioIiow
1 me They sPrang with alaerity 9,NertheI
when J.. without the slightest knowledge
of TACTICS. and guided by instinct alone,
commiienced rapidly 10, form them Itto
duty, Col. Ewell, without hat or uniform
;.Hu bleedina. htYint, been ,trl,ck IN tho
tleshy part OF the shoulder by.a pistol
march, came NJ. VIC soon completed the
little command and moved it at quick
stop t9 the turnpike;, then wheeled u
the enemy returning from the run IN a
Very disorderly condition. This was most
fortunate for us-~fenced in both on the
AiSiit tii'i ioLt W iitS podl " lttIlc' ilti,i
afaed ohiy with carBines. we could peith-
er escape. nor resist Ia. dragon charge,
except with the contents OF our guns.
These We promptly gave them, which so
staggered them that they came promptly
10 the about face and returned to the
run to reform. Then Col. Dwell said to
ara, Governor, You seem TO have a tas:e
for such meters. take tho mon and
move tnem forward, While l dispatch ~
courier to bring up some cavalry which
lis at Fairfax Station. moved the men
promptly, and on reaching q waSoner's
shop halted them, seeing n strong post
pike over which the cneinys was expected
m mar posting each half ON the Inside Or !
the fences. opposite each other, my OBJ
charge OF cavalry and to concentrate up
on the head of the column such u heavy a
fire as TO, arrest its forward movement.
throw 1t into confusion and prevent an
attempt to charge BY us In The darkness
and excitement. Our arrangements were 4
scarcely completed before the head OF
the enemy's column doomed up in! the
dark. I had given orders that every man
should fire at the head OF the column
when tho command to- fire was given. AT
about seventy yards the word was given.
The enemy reeled under the blow, and
after three rounds broke and fled. Thus |
| may claim to- have planned the battle,
fought and routed tho enemy IN the first Il
fight of the war, for Col, EWell did not 4
join US until the affair was over,'