Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-04-20
Written for The Beacon.)
Pelham -Bfeathed Battery.
By Fl. Fl. MATHEWS.

A 81
By II. III. MATTHEW'S.
PART XII.
The RAID iato Maryland, Hanover ana
Carlisle. Pa, up to aad incl.diag
Gettysburg.
General Pleasenton retired from
Upperville on the 22nd day OF
June, and on the same day Gen
eral Stuart re-established his head
quarters at Rector's x Roads,
with pickets well advanced towards
Middleburg. Gen. Stuart having re-
ceived written instruction from Gen.
r q Lee on the night Of the 23rd,
accordingly prepared "a execute
thenon The NOR flIi1k0f 1lIUG Mr. PIE
brigades Of Hampton. Chambliss and
titz Lee were ordered 20 90 into
camp nc Salem, FarQuier county.
Robertson s. and Jones' brigades.
Jones, w. E., in command, were left
to watch the enemy on the usual
front, with instructions to guard
carefully his front. The 3 brigades
selected by Gen. Stuart to accom-
pany him into Maryland and Pa.
encamped at Salem during the night
OF the 24th. Breathed and McGreg-
or's batteries also reported. Atone
A. N. Of the 18th the command NOV
ed in the direction of Haymarket,
passing through Glasscock's Gap
early the next morning. Haymar-
ket is distant from Salem about Is
miles on the Manassas Gap r. r. and
close to Glasscock 8 Gap. AS Stuart
approached Haymarket he discover
ed that Hancock s corps. was march
ing north, occupying the same road
that we were travelling on. Breath
ed was ordered into position, rak-
ing Hancock's column until they
sent a heavy body Of infantry against
the battery, and pot until they came
uncomfortably close did we timber
up and leave. Stuart, not. wishing
to disclose his force, withdrew after
capturing some prisoners. Finding
out who was in bis front. Stuart
Immediately communicated with Gen.
r. e. Lee, but unfortunately this in
Il W.
Stuart of course had to change his
plans as he could not follow Han
cock, but must make detour, in or
der TO keep on the flank of the army
and obtain crossingon the Potomac
river. Stuart's orders were TO place
himself on the right of Early's ad-
vance into Pa, so Stuart withdrew
from Hancock s rear on the 18th
of June. going back to Buckland.
He had about go miles Of mountain
road between him and Shepherds
town, where he expected to cross
the Potomac river. Knowing that
he could not make the proper con-
nection with Early aud keep on his
right flank, he did the next best
thing by Withdrawing from Buck
land leaving, there on the 26th, and
marching to Wolf Run Shoals on
Bull Run, via Fairfax G. H., on the
9th, to Drainsville, reaching there
about dark on the same day. Wolf
Run Shoals is about 8 miles S. Z. OF
Fairfax G. III. Drainsville is 8 miles
N. w. of the @. FL. General Hamp-
ton who was on the right, had an
encounter between Fairfax station
and the G. Ell. with Scott s nine hun
dred cavalry from Washington, D.
c., commanded by Major Remington,
who were scouting In that vicinity
Remington and 18 OF his men escap-
ed, the balance fell an easy prey into
Hampton's hands. In this melee
Major ]. III. Whitaker, of the 1st N.
c., cavalry was killed while leading
the charge against the enemy. Stu
art so far had been unable TO make
much headway, having to stop and
Craze his horses frequently, as we
had no wagons with us, having to
depend on the country for forage for
both men and horses. The country
that we passed through was desolate
in the extreme, having been the
camping ground for both Confeder-
ates and Federals for nearly three
years. Hampton was the first to
reach Drainsville, miles from the
Potomac, crossing over the early
part of the evening. The river was
very deep and wide at the ford
(Rowsers). It was reported TO Stu
art that il would be impossible TO
cross with the artillery and ambul-
ances. Another ford lower down
the river was examined, but as IL
did not prove any better than Row.
ser's, Stuart therefore determined
to cross at Rowser's il within the
limits of possibility. The artillery
in the meantime had reached the
ford. The Bird Va. cavalry was the
| first tocross in perfect darkness; YOU
could hardly see your horses ears.
Each man as he rode past the bat
terry was given q shell or cartridge
to carry over. They did not relish
the idea of handling the ammunition
and growled very much at this duty
imposed upon them. This had to be
done, as the water reached the backs
OF an ordinary size horse, and of
course was over the timber chests
and caissons. Gen. Stuart knew
that il bis ammunition got wet his ar
tillery would be useless and would
hamper his movements very much.
His artillery was his right arm and
saved him from defeat on many
a battle field. At last the limbers
and caissons were emptied of their
ammunition aud we began to cross
the turbulent old Potomac. AS we
expected. the limbers and cassions
we're completely submerged during
the whole crossing. Under many diff
ficulties they were dragged through
the river and up the steep bank on
the Maryland shore that we had
longed to tread somuch. BY ga. N.