Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1904-12-15

Centreville we obtained q command
ing position and about dark fired into
the retreating wagon trains as they
Came in range Of our guns. Our
Whitworth gun was used 10 great
advantage here. We had TO be very
sparing with theammunition as il had
to be brought from England, conse
quently we only used the gun on
special occasions. On the 1st OF Sep
tember Gen. Jackson fought the bat
tie Of Ok Hill. On the Bird Fitz Lee
and our battery occupied Fairfax
@. III. On the same day the Bird vir-
ginia cavalry, Col. Owens, rejoinsd
JUS, having marched up from Bran
dy Station. Hampton with his brig
ade came to US also, having guarded
the removal of the army from Rich
mond TO this point.
Having driven Pope's army be.
hind the defences OF Washington,
Gen. Lee turned northward to the
Potomac river, and began the move
ments that eliminated in the First
Maryland Campaign. l will con-
clude this article by giving in full
Capt. John Pelham's report of the
operations of his command, also ex-
tracts from one of Gen. jackson s
reports OF the same action relating
to the movements OF this celebrated
battery of Stuart's horse artillery.
This report of Capt. Pelham covers
August q. %, %, 1862, and is head
ed in this way: Report of Major
John Pelham (he was major when he
wrote the report on the operations
of the horse artillery at Groveton, or
Second Manassas.
FREDERICKsBURG, Va,
March z. 1868.
MAJOR On Thursday, Aug. %.
1862, ] moved my battery. by order
of Gen. Stuart, from Centreville to-
wards Groveton. In the afternoon
| overlook the army, then halted for
the night on the right of the turn
pike and nearly opposite where the
Manassas and Sudley road crosses
the pike. ! passed Gen. A. p. HILL
division and parked my battery in
a field which had been selected by
Gen. 7. j. Jackson's 8 chief OF artille-
ry. Just before nightfall Gen. Jack
son ordered 20 pieces sent rapidly to
the front. | moved out and report
ed to him in the field. He ordered
Major Shumaker of his staff to show
me the position. BY this time it
was dark, and Major Shumaker not
being aware of the exact position OF
the enemy, we crossed the old rail-
road about a mile TO the right of
Groveton and moved but short dis
tance beyond when the enemy ap-
prised US of his presence by firing
a volley into the head OF the column,
distant about 40 PAGES. I immedi
ately engaged. After remaining in
this position about half an hour Ma.
jor Shumaker ordered me to fall
back. Owing to the pole in my gun
being broken | could not obey the
order, and continued firing until the
enemy were driven back. I neg
lected to say that only two of my
guns we're engaged-3-inch rifles
the other guns having lost the way
in consequence OF the darkness OF
the night, the winding road, &c.
1t. NJ. W. Henry, G. S. A. "a vol
unteer in this fighD displayed the
greatest courage and daring in this
engagement. Every non-commis-
stoned officer and private acted so
gallantly | cannot particularize. Ear
~ the next day, the 10Th, the enemy
showed himself on our left, and
seemed to be moving towards Sud-
ley Mills. Gen. Stuart placed my
battery in position and opened fire
upon them. After remaining there
for nearly an hour he ordered two
other batteries to this position and
sent me to the right OF our line.
When | arrived near the point des-
ignated | found Gen. Jackson, who
told me that Gen Stuart had gone to
another part OF the field and | asked
him to dispose of my battery. He
then gave me discretionary powers
to act as the occasion might require.
Shortly afterwards courier report
ed that the enemy was falling back
and that Gen. A. p. Hill wanted the
artillery to press forward. Imoved
towards Groveton and saw two bat
tsries coming into position TO play
on the enemy's artillery near the
town. passed these two batteries
about 200 yards and took position on
the point of ridge and opened upon
their artillery. The position was
held for nearly two hours, when the
ammunition of all my guns, except
one, was expended. The batteries
that were supporting me retired
about the same time, and was left