Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-06-15

niLed the fact that his death would not
only have been a serious loss To the horse
artillery, but to the whole command.
General X. f.. Lee in a letter to him makes
use of the following very beautiful ex.
pressions of sorrow, and coming from the
Christian soldier is enough To- crown
Breathed with fadeless laurels for time
to come:
HDQRs. Army NORTHERN Va. \
Richmond, Va, July Z, 1864.
MAJOR JAMES BREATHED.-Ihayeh heard
with great regret that you were wounded
and incapaeitated for active duty. Iheg
to tender you my sympathy and to ex-
press the hope that the army will not be
deprived OF your valuable services. The
reports that | have received of your gal
lantry and good conduct ON several oc-
casIons have given me great satisfaction.
anu, while they increase my concern for
your personal sufierings, render me de-
sirous that your health viii soon permit
you 90 resume command that you have
exercised with 80 much credit 70 yourseif
aad advantage to the service.
Very respectfully your obt. servant,
X. 4. LEE, General.
We remained In camp near Ream's station
until FiiI Gen. Le. was ordered 90 the Valley.
great deal of dissatisfaction In the battery NJ
THAT time. Owing to the unpopularity OF p. p
Johnston. Who succeeded Breathed as Captain.
many members Of the battery did not 40
with u To the Valley, but were transferred 70
he Maryland Line. I have ALWAYS regretted
srsnd associstion dearly. w We % shoGId a1S saxs xs
sad in the battery and held up its une qualIed
rep Itatio1 for Breathed's sake at least hut
IL ia Il Al light We were Young and NOT be.d.
ed. &C Isicsrvd that we had been treated badly
aud determined to rid ourselves of Cant, p. r
JObn-ton AZ any cost. III Johnsts,n had been
posse eel OF particle OF ma" hoo l. knowing
that the greater part of the men did tot want
him 80 - mInand, why, he would have resigned
or asacl To be transferred tn s.igle other bat
terry where the men did ."oi kups him as wei
as we did. He staid-and the result is known
he lost the very best men he had IL was q
sad day when / turned my hack on the dear
o d battery. Major Breathed. In conversation
with me at the old Fountain Inn In Balttmore
alter the war. told me that the day the BOYS
through in the war; that the history of the or
gan 4 ton virtually ended on that day. The
battery became unreliable and imperative.
being very poorly hand cd and little known.
Ask any OF ,sse cavalry corps about Johnstons
battery and they will not know 10 whom you
aIInde. but mention the name of Breathed,
dim. Up and down the Valley did he combat
with the foe. tSse letters that will be published
with this narratiyel. Imsy forget everything.
ries spent among that noble body OF men led
by the gallant Pelham aud the peerless Breath-
ed. May We all be united and cross over the
river aud rest under the sh ade of the trees to-
gether, n one missing from abe old roll book
shall Always be my prayer. Comrades. Tight
the good hight, put your armor ON aud battle
Tor principle and your God, rs you did for the
dear Southland, aud the result can be easily
told. This virtually ends the history of the
battery, but | will append the following sub
Sequent events as related to me In n letter by
my friend and Lieutenant. j. w. Cosgroye
His hand Is now silent In DEATH He sleeps
amid the sh adows of the spurs OF Sugar Loaf
Mountain. near Mt. kphraim. where he was lald
to rest by his loved ones On Dec. @, 1919;
Transferred to the Valley August 1854 Left
Petersburg with Fitz Lees division. Struck
sheridan at Front Royal Aug 10Th (Breathed
rejoined the battery IheTeI driving him behind
the Uppequon. Battle of Winchester sept.
10. Fell back up the Valley. AT Milford
Mills, Luray Valley, sept. - Engagement al
WaynesOoro, driving the enemy back. Staun-
ton down To Strasburg. A night attack at lat
ter place Oct. ~ haid to New Creek, captur.
Petersburg To take part In the last struggl le
for existence. BATTLES around Petersburg,
TN the retreat, lights at Amelia Court House
Sailors Greek, and Farmville. At this point
we wound up our final fervices TO our devoted
chief, General X. K. Lee. with US the army
succumbed To superior numbers. When hope
had He'd aud our gallant comrades, oniy nice
thousand strong. surrendered when iIp life
was but thread. We gave up our lost cause
arms ana retired from the field, not yanauish-
ed. but AS heroes worthy of the name. All
hope had fled, aud we gu city returned 70 our
homes. and are awaiting Il e verdict of uppre.
JUDGED historians to record whether we were
right tAMENl