Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1904-12-08

~c0ccx0eut Oh second Man89-
lgust 80.
them. although we tried hard enough
We retired in the direction Of Charles
City @. H. reconnoitring towards
Malvern Hill. collecting prisoners
who had hid In the dense woods.
Having ascertained that the enemy
Vas not ia that dirsction. capk. Pol.
ham,. with the 1st section. u ID.
Howitzers Ut. Breashed's) and Irv-
ing's squadron Of the 1st Virginia
cavalry, marched to Westover with
instructions to shell the enemy
should he attepmt to move down the
] river during the night. Pelham, with
that masterly keen perception OF the
enemy's movements, discovered the
position of the enemy at Westoyer.
and informed Gen. Stuart of the ad.
vantage which might possibly be
gained by occupying Eretington
Heights, commanding q pla teau
where the enemy were encamped.
Stuart, acting upon the suggestion
OF Pelham, moved his command, oc-
cupying the heights. At9 A. N. of
the Bird according to Mcclellan s
statemenD Stuart. believing that
Jackson and Longstreet were move
ing to his support, he ordered Pei
ham TO open fire on the camp with
his guns. CONSERVATION was visi-
BILE in McClellan's camp, wagon
trains rushing pell-mell to get out
OF the way Of Pelham s shells. Bu-
giles were sounding, drums were
beating the long roll, calling the
Yankees to arms. We still kept
pouring shells into their camp, not
only from our battery, but also from
a Rocket section that sent trail Of
fire in their wake like q planet. In
an instant the entire Federal feet
opened on us, making the sky hid
eous with their hellish shrieks. Ar.
tillery and infantry advanced TO our
position, but We maintained our
ground, disputing every inch with
she'll and canister. Finding re.
sistance useless we very reluctantly
withdrew. Col. Taylor. of General
r. L. Lees staff, in his work entitled
4 years with Gen. r. Z. Lee, says:
Gen. Mcclellan s had retreated 20
Harrison landing. His army sup
plies and baggage trains were scat
te.ed in much confusion inand about
Westover Plains. Our army was
moving down upon him, its pro-
gress much retarded by natural and
artificial obstructions. Gen. Stuart
was in advance In command of the
cavalry. In rear OF and around
Westover, there is q range OF hills
or elevated ground completely com.
manding the plains below. Stuart,
glorious Stuart, always at the front.
full OF fight, gained these hills; be-
low him as q Panorama appeared
the camps of the enemy and his
trains in easy reach of his artillery.
The temptation was too strong to
beresisted; he commanded the bat.
terry to open FIRE. The consterna-
tion caused by the 6re was imme.
diate and positive. It frightened
the enemy. but 1t enlightened him.
Those heights in our possession the
enemy's position was altogether un-
tenable, and he was at our mercy.
Unless they could be recaptured.
his capitulation was inevitable.
Half dozen shells from Pelham q
battery quickly demonstrated this.
The enemy. not slow in comprehend
ing his danger, soon advanced his In.
fantry in force to dislodge our caval-
ry and repossess the heights. This
was accomplished, the hills were for.
titled and became the Federal line OF
defense, protected by q bold creek
which entered into the James River,
ard by heavy batteries Of the feet
anchoredopposite." Had the infantry
been up Gen. Lee would have made
sure of this naturally strong line OF
defense. This was the end Of the
battle around and in the vicinity ol
Richmond. We marched by easy
stages 20 Hanover G. a., where we
rested and recruited both men and
horses. doing picket duty with the
cavalry, remaining in camp until we
began our Second Manassas and
Antietam campaign. The Confeder-
ate Congress passed joint resolu.
tion thanking Gen. Stuart and his
brave men for their distinguished
conduct in that campaign. II can
be found Ia the Records.
Part w. Second Manassas.
On the 18th Of July, 1862. Brig.