Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-03-02

uenS0 wo0os advancing the guns Dy
hand, with great difficulty over
stnmps and roots Of trees at times
heina cioss suUugn TO the enemy 70
almost see the color OF their eyes.
We used noihiug but canister as
shells would be of no service at such
short range. This constant fire of
the battery, and the never ceasing
fire Of Fitz Lee 8 dismounted brigade
held them back until midday, giving
Gen. r. e. Lee time to dispose of his
infantry TO advantage. Gen. Stuart
having learned that the 9Th Corps,
q. s. A, under Meade, had reached
Charlottesville, via Ely's Ford;
withdrew from the Wilderness tav-
ern, directing his march towards
G. Fl. We made our
to go into camp, but
in doing so ran into the 9Th u. S.
Regular cavalry that had been scout
ing the country in our direction.
Great confusion ensued. Atone mo-
ment, one portion of the 9th u. S.
would be with US, and the
next, the 9th Va. cavalry would be
mixed up with US. Il was SO dark
that we coald hardly distinguish
friend from foe. In the confusion
the 9th q. S. cavalry managed to get
away leaving prisoners and their
dead on the field. Gen. r. L. Lee,
in the meantime, was concentrating
fis army near Chancello-sville, and
on May 1st had his entire command
with the exception of Early and
Barksdale who were at Fredericks-
burg) in the front of G Charlottesville.
At about l A. NJ, on the 1st, Ander-
son and McLaws advanced and were
immediately hotly engaged with the
result that the Federals fell back to
their strong defenses near Chancel-
lorsville. The horse artillery u to
5 p. H., had not been called upon, out
bad moved from point to pc N; 40 w.
casion might require. Wright's
brigade of Anderson's division be-
ing engaged at Welford's old fur
ace, and not having available artil-
lery, he requested Gen. Stuart to let
him have some artillery. Two c:
Breathed sguns, and z Of McGregor's
were dispatched at once to him, un-
der that peerless artiilerist Major
r f. Beckhsm, Gen. Stuart's Chief
Of Artillery, in command of the horse
artillery, a noble successor to the
matchless Pelham. The 4 guns of
the two batteries were soon hotly en-
gagged in fierce and bloody contest
with the enemy's batteries. This
contest was very destruc-
tive TO Us, but we still held out but
ere long one Of McGregor's guns
had every man in the detachment
either killed or wounded. That de-
tachment seemed fated, as not one of
men was harmed Night
on, theconfiict ceased. Maj
or Fl. B. McClelland. in his work on
Stuart's campaigns, states during
the End of May Fitz Lees brigade
was employed in screening Jackson 3
Corps, who were making that great
flank movement from our right to
the enemy's right and rear" The
old reliable 1st Va. cavalry under
Col. Drake being in the lead while
the End Va. cavalry under that hard
fighter Col. T. T. Munford and the
Bird Va. under Owens, interposed
between the enemy and Jackson's
flank, maintaining that position un-
til the next morning. when we reach
ed the turnpike leading to Freder-
icksburg. While halting in this
position Gen. Fitx Lee discovered
the position Of the euemy, and his
positions. Hurrying TO
Gen. Jackson, he impaired this In
10 him. Gen. Jackson rode
with Fitz Lee to point of observa-
ton, where he took in the weak
points in the enemy's line, and saw
that by a certain move ment he could
take Hooker in reverse. He imme-
diately gave the orders to cross the
field and the plank road and take
position on the turnpike, striking ii
1t right angles. At 6 p. n. every
thing being in readiness, Breathed
with the 1st section of the battery,
lJohnston) moved out on the turn
pike an the centre Of Jackson s corps,
ut section front, Lieut.. Dan. Shanks
5eing Immediately in the rear with
the End section. In this position we
b waited the command Of the immor-
tai Stonewall Jackson to forward.
The battery knew that Immediately
In our front. not far distant, was a
FEDERAL battery planted in the road