Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-02-23

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G. H. awaiting very patiently the
Of lighting Joe Hooker's
Army OF the Potomac. Breathed
was with Fitz Lee; McGregor with
w. Fl. f. Lee and Moorman with
with Hampton on the upper fords Of
the Rapidan river. It must be re-
that at this time the YAM
kse cavalry were in magnificent con-
dition, while ours were beginning
TO feel the effects of constant duty
Of the hardest kind. The men as
well as the poor horses were nearly
The Federal Cavalry
had been reorganized in such a man.
ner that any Federal commander
might well have been proud Of their
formidable numbers, II not their val.
Or. Brig. Gen. Stoneman was plac-
ed in command of the corps with
the rank of Major General. Ac-
TO the 'Offcial Records they
had for active service 1s, 600 cavalry
and 10 batteries of horse artillery,
mostly of that magnificent
piece Of ordnance-3-inch rifles.
Gen. J. K. B. Stuart . command con-
sisted of 3 brigades of cavalry un-
der Brigadier Generals Fritz Lee,
w. Il. F. Lee and Wade Hampton
respectively, soldiers who had prov
ed their metal on many hotly con-
tested field Of battle. The Horse
Artillery consisted Of Breathed' s,
McGregor's and Moorman' bate
ries, under the command OF that
peerless soldier and gentleman, Ma
jor r. #. Beckham, who succeeded to
the command Of this celebrated ba-
tallion on the death of the immortal
Pelham, our dearly loved command
er, the wonder Of the Army OF North
ern Virginia.
Stoneman q immense command had
mapped out for it work that could
il have accomplished would have
made it's commander name as re-
nowned as any cavalry general in
modern warfare. There was one
great obstacle in the way OF his ad.
vance, the ever vigilant Stuart-al-
ways awake and alert to checkmate
his adversary. We will now see
what Stoneman was expected to do.
and how be failed. Stoneman was
expected to cross the Rappahannock
River at different fords of course,
surprising the rebel pickets and
capturing them, which he did moi
dol getting in the rear of Gen. Lee &
army and Richmond, destroying
railroads and all Confederate States
property, tprivate property as well],
operating as far as the White House
on the Pamonkey river; Charlosts.
willie on the Va. Central r. r.. and
all other supply stations on the Or.
ange q Alexandria, r. r. Stonemar
received his orders from Washing
ton on the 18th Of April. 1863, and
on the 18th, he concentrated his com.
mand near Morrisville. FauquieI
county, preparatory to his leading
the advance Of fighting Joe Hook
er's Grand Army of the Potomac OF
its triumphant march TO Richmond
on the James. General Averill, 20
Kelly's Ford fiasco) took possession
of Kelly's Ford on the Rappahan
nook river, soas to make their cross
ing in the morning Q4th) secure
To resist this immense body Of Fed
eral cavalry Stuart only had the OIL
and 18th Va. cavalry and 116 men,
the End N. G. cavalry with Breath
ed and McGregor, always looking
for trouble. usually finding Is. (Se'
McClellands book on Stuart.) "Fit
Lee had been ordered North an.
could not return in time to take /,
hand in this melee" Gen, Stuart
always alert and ready for any I'D
vance Of the Federal cavalry, place.
his handfulof men in sucha q master
ly manner that Notwithstanding th
discrepancy Of numbers, they coul'
not effect crossing that day Hath
although they made repeated nj
tempts to do SO. Buford made o.
attempt to cross at Kelly's Ford
with his regulars, but failed. Th
fireof our sharpshooters at the For
under the command Of the gallan
Capt. S. Boiling, Of the 9th Va. cav
airy, proved too much for then
The Horse Artillery, under tha gam
Jim Breathed. kept them back. Tn
furious firing Of shell and shrapns
from Breashed'ss 3inch bulldog:
caused them TO retire in disgust b,
yond the hills on the opposite sid
of the river. Brig. General Gregs
OF the Eederals, moved his divisio
up to the railroad bridge, about