The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-07
FROM BRANDY STATION TO
THE HEIGHTS OF GETTYSBURG
March of the Second North Carolina Regiment Into
the Enemy's Country. Red Glimpses
of the Great Battle.
BY w. A. Graham, Capt. Co. K.

AuChI august 1COG lI INlISlOu, ~ ~ anu
did not rejoin until May Goth 1863. 1t
did picket duty on the Roanoke in N. c.,
the James in Va. and participated in Gen.
Longstreet's Suffolk campaign in March
and April '65. 1t rejoined the regiment
near Culpepper Court House. Gen.
Stuart had collected five brigades of cav
airy in the vicinity, viz: the two Lees,
Hampton, Jones and Robertson's prior to
Gettysburg campaign.
About the Bird of June the End N. c.
Cavalry advanced across the Hedgemon
river some eight or ten miles, and all
thought the campaign had begun; but ON
the 5th we were recalled to the old posi-
ton, camping on the lands of Hon John
Minor Bolts On the Sth the cavalry di-
vision was reviewed by Gen. Robt. e.
Lee On the 9th was the battle OF
Brandy Station or Fleetwood. The first
great cavalry fight of the war and the
first time that Jeb Stuart handled di-
vision of cavalry in action. The battle
was a surprise to him and he had no
idea the enemy intended to cross the Rap
pahanock until he was across. An ac-
count of this battle would elongate this
article to inconvenient length. When Gen.
Stuart saw what was on hand he gov
erned himself accordingly; he repealed
their advance at every point and they
recrossed the river before sunset Our
brigade commander Gen. w. H. F. Lee
was wounded and our Colonel (Sol viii.
liams) killed in the battle Col. Chamb-
less of 18th Va, as senior Colonel as
sumed command of the brigade. 1t. Col.
w. H. Paine 9Th Va. Cavalry was as
signed to the command of the End n. c.
as there was no field officer present.
On the 10th we started for the enemy's
country: that night we spent at Warren
ton. There was but little grain for horse
feed in this section but there were mag
nificent fields of clover and orchard grass.
The men were dismounted twice a day
and each would hold his horse by the
bride until he fed himself While we
were camped near Culpepper frequently
a detail would herd the horses of a
company and let them Craze. On the 18th
we went by Salem and on to Middleburg
which We reached about noon the next
day The 18th was the ends day in
front; the brigade commander learning
there was q small force of the enemy en-
camped on our route, halted the command
and passed another regiment to the front,
which gathered the spoils which should
have fallen to the End. On nearing Mid
deburg and ascertaining that the enemy
were in force in the vicinity, the End was
passed to the front We found Robert
sons brigade at Middleburg, it had been
engaged with the enemy the afternoon be
fore. Several bodies of those who had
been killed were on a porch and covered
with sheets; this had been done by the
ladies of the village, who superintendent
the burial. No Southern soldier who
served in Virginia will ever forget the
ladies of that State; their kindness on
all occasions: their attention to the sick
and wounded and burial of the dead
About O'Clock p. IN. the enemy ad-
vanced, skirmishing began which was con
tinued until dark and renewed as soon as
light enough to see next morning, and
kept up all that day although interrupted
several times by showers OF rain and once
by a charge of the enemy which was re-
PEELED. The forces remained in about the
same position in which the contest began
until Friday a. m. The movement of the
cavalry was intended to cover Gen
EwelPs advance upon Winchester. We
learned that day that he had captured
that place with large amount of supplies
ammunition, etc, and Gen. MilrOy, with
many other prisoners. Winchester was a
favorite point for the officers of the u. s.
Army to deposit supplies destined for the
use OF the Confederacy. Gen. Stonewal1
Jackson on two occasions had been furn
ished with abundant supplies of provis
ions, clothing, arms, accoutrements and
ammunition with good wagons and teams
4ron he Tho lar ~
contribution of the kind was by Gen. N
z. Banks in 1862. Concerning this event
one of the New York papers remarked
that most commanders found it difficult
to supply one army with quartermaster
and commissary stores, but Gen. Banks
seemed able to supply two.
After the capture of Winchester Stuart
began to change position. We moved
over Goose Creek and Saturday night
we spent at Union. This was one OF the
most unpleasant experiences of my army
life / commanded the advance skirmlsh
line which we maintained ali night; the
line was dismounted and placed along a
stake and ridered' rail fence. 1t rained
nearly all night and a stream of water
several inches deep ran down the fence
row. The only way to avoid the water
WAS TO run a rail across the lock and
roost upon it.
The enemy did not follow US from Mid
dleburg but moved so as to divide
Stuart's forces Near Upperville neXt
dav Sunday June 20 we found him.
not in rear but in front. There was a
division of infantry (Barrys) with his
cavalry. We attacked him but the in
fantrv behind the stone walls were toe
much for us; we were compelled TO give
way. The other regiments of the brigade
with exception of a portion of the 10th
va. under Mai. w. B. ClcmenD and
Jones brigade in our rear tailed TO give
us any support. A section of Brthed bat
terry of horse artillery did good service
and remained in action so long that il
would have been captured had not Lit
afterwards GcncraD W. p Roberts as We
were leaving thc field rallied squad Of
men and checked the cncmy's advance
until the guns could Timber up" and re
tire. If there were any part of Lees
army gamer than the others it was tho
horse artillery of the cavalry corps They
were trained by Pelham. In advance
they went forward and if there was a
halt or confusion they would entertain
the enemy until it could be rcmedied