Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-02-16

ordered the rest Of the n>arpshoot-
ers Of the brigade untlfIr Ben Nor
gan, 1st Va. cavalry, 70 BE- static ,ed
st daylight at the poiut here the
road at Kelly 's'ford leave The r. r.
that they might be in readiness to
reinforce either the bride or Kel-
ly's ford. Capt. Jcmes Breckin-
ridge, Of the End Va. cav9zr, CON-
manded the picket at KelIy's ford.
The picket consisted cf 20 men. oliy
ID being available, for every fourth
man had 10 be 0 horse holder. The
brunt OF this engagement, - Averil
advanced, fell upon this 80 rtsg1 IL
vle band u the ford. Breckinridge
held his own Cor nearly two hours.
The 1st Rhode Island cavalry cross
ed below the ford. capturing the
picket post Of % men, owing to
the horses being too far away in the
rear. The firing was very brisk,
the Yankees hesitating long time
before they attempted to cross.
They at last screwed up their cour-
age 70 cross the river. The 1st
Rhode Island had crossed nearly
two hours before Averill began the
crossing OF his command. The ford
being very deep the artillery had to
have their ammunition carried over
by hand and in the nose bags OF the
cavalry. Having at last crossed his
command Averil says, ''he was pre-
pared to advance at IL M" In the
meantime Gen. Fitz Lee was waiting
in his camp near Culpeper G. f., for
news from the front. The horse ar
tillery up to this time had not left
camp, but were hitched up awaiting
orders ready to move AZ /. moments .
notice. As soon as Gen. Fitz Lee
received the information that Ave-
rill had crossed he Immediately or
dered Breathed 10 report on the
field with his battery. l do not
think we ever travelled at a more
rapid gait than on that occasion.
The distance from our camp to where
we met the brigade at the Wheatley
House is about 81 miles. We made
the distance in about 30 minutes,
not more. The horses were in q run,
and as the road was very slippery,
owing TO the recent snew having
melted, it made travelling ct our pace
very dangerous. Still we went on
until we came to the line of. our bri-
gade near the Brannin House, where
we were ordered into position.
Breathed, on locating the battery,
martin s 9th n. Y horse battery
of tie enemy, procesd.d d 70 tue New
by Shop, about mile from the river,
being on the right flank OF the cue
my 5 column. we mad oa.lIe roya,,
holding our own, at last forcing them
from the field, dTivicg the caLnoneers
from their guns, and if q regiment
of Cavalry had been available would
have captured the battery. The ene-
my were at last forced back TO the
river, leaving their dead and wound
ed in our hands.
The result was that Mr. Averill
failed in everything be had been or
dered to do, returning TO the north
bank Of the Rappahannock q wiser
man, but very poor general. With
2, 100 men and 6 pieces of ;rtillery
he advanced only 2 miles from 5 a.
n. to $50 p. m. on the road 70 Gull
peper G. H., his avowed destination.
He was turned back by Gen. Fitz
Lee with less than 800 men, aided
by Breathed's battery of A guns.
His obstacles were numerous, for in
his report of this affair he says:
THAT the rebels were reinforced
by infantry; that he heard their
drums beating near Rappahannock
bridge; that the rebels had earth
works, and were well fortified. be-
ing held by infantry and impossible
to turn by cavalry. and must be ap-
preached by a direct attack. He
could see large bodies Of infantry to
his right, moving TO his rear, and
heard cars running on the road bring
ing reinforcements."
Gen. Averill's conduct is inexcu-
sable. He should have gone TO Cul-
peper c. H., considering she large
force he had. We retraced our steps,
going into our old campon Mountain
run. In closing my account Of the
battle of Keily's Ford I have pur-
posely refrained from mentioning
the death Of the gallant Pelham dur
ing the ordinary account Of the
fight, as two or three lines would
not describe the terrible blow that
fell upon the battery and the coun-
try alike. He fell like soldier, at
the head of the 3rd Va. cavalry, with
the war-cry on his lips that / have
heard so often. / will nos attempt
to give in detail the account of that
awful calamity to our arms. but will
the beautiful description