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

limbers and caissous with amr,uni-
tion. not knowing waat tomorrow
might reveal to US. The men anc
horses were exhausted, as Major
Beckham said, had not tasted food
tor 4S hours" We, therefore, with
drew from our position to obtain
the rest that tired and exhausted
nature demanded. Moormau 5 bat
terry. one section. was left on the
neld. having come up, but accord
ing 70 Major Beckham's 5 report, did
not have IN opportunity to fire their
guns. Breathed. the fearless, dur
ing the advance. was our guiding
star, always near she guns, for tka
roar OF the guns was music 70 him.
We expected every moment to see
him fall amid the terrible fire that
was hurled against us, but the God
OF Battles protected him, that thru
the medium of the old Hornets"
the world might give him praise
and sing Of his valor In verse and
prose. On many a field of battle
bad he shown his ability. AS an
artillerist he stood second TO none.
de was an engine OF wa. that hurled
destruction into the ranks of the
enemy when he met them. As q
friend and commander OF the old
battery his place could never have
been filled by another. He was our
idol. Lieutenants Johnson, Shanks
and Wigfall were also complimeu ed
for their bravery and activity in
bringing up their pieces at the prop
e. time.
1t was shortly after we had retir.
ed that the great Stonewall, the
right arm OF Lee, fell mortally
wounded. and by his own men. The
story, an old one, but very sad one.
has been told by more eloquent pens
than mine. When jackson fell, the
deathknell Of the Southern Confed.
eracy was sounded. 1t lost tie key.
stone that held the arch together.
The whole South mourned for him
as it had done for no one else. 1t
vept for Jackson and would not be
comforted, because he was not. The
nations of the world bowed in their
respect for the great soldier. His
tory pronounces him him the great
es: soldier of the age. LET us
cross over tbs river, and re-. under
the shade o. the trees" were his
last words.
But TO resume, while we were al
Chancellorsv;lle, Filz Lees division
bad moved 70 Ely's Ford, to hclu the
crossing at that point. After Jack
SON was wounded Gen. Stuart tco,
Command OF the devoted corrs that
had followed jackson on SO MANY
victorious fields. When Strart went
to Jackson TO get his instructions ss
TO his unfinished movements, the
dying warrior said to Stuart, "act
upon your OWE judgment. 1 have
implicit confidence in you." Such
was the wreath of laurel placed or
the brow Of the great cavalier by
the dying chieftain. 1t was a heav-
enly benediction to the daring Stu
art. On May 3, being Sunday, there
was nothing doing along our line.
The battery was not engaged, but
FASTENED TO join Fitz Lee who was
guarding the road to u. S. Ford.
This ended one OF the greatest bat
ties OF the war, in which Breathed's 8
battery OF Stuart's Horse Artillery,
was the central figure. Unaided by
any other battery, il silenced the
batteries OF the enemy and rode tri-
umphantly over every battery and
obstacle in its front, through shot
and she'll. Had Jackson been spar
ed to write his report OF the battle.
what a page of glory would have
been awarded Breathed's S battery.
But as il is Major Beckham's report
is honor enough for the survivors OF
that celebrated battery. We stand
pat on that report.
The cavalry, after the battle with
that great wind bag, the SO called
fighting Joe Hooker, followed the
Federal army TO the north bank OF
the Rappahannock, where Hooker
had gathered together bis much
scattered command and was putting
10 his time trying TO explain to the
powers in Washington how il all
happened aud who struck him. The
command of Gen Stuart resumed its
old occupation guarding the different
fords OF the Rappahannock. The
Horse Artillery Battalion encampei
on John Minor Bolts farm, mid way
between Brandy Station and Culpep-
per G. 81. Bolts was despised by
all Confederate soldiers being a
Union man and a traitor 10 the land
of his birth. We would have sncfe
him hip and thigh, but could not
in consequence OF a guard being
placed over his property.
Chew's Charleston battery came
10 US about this time, as also Hart's
s. &. battery, that had been operat-
ing with Hampton. The battalion
now consisted of Rresthed, McGreg.
or, Moormap, Chew "a Hart-2O
guns in all.
Major Beckham lived a short dis
IA ICE from Brandy Station. He was
appointed TO West Point from Vir-
ginia- He we transferred to the