Saint Mary's beacon., 1905-06-01

ueath, feb. Ii, 1870, thai 5<zE &Nexi
what distinguished soldier - sI,ses-
sed az a brother. Letters from z1 orer
the South came to her from emf Asat on
GERS who had been witnesses q * dar-
ing deeds of valor on eighty -seven ~ OF
battle. Breathed was painfully = <3andei
and we lost his services fos. awfIiIr he
was handled very carefully aas1 cent 20
Richmond with one or two a or <Iisa-
bled men. We retired across tie hicka-
h0miny unmolested. After thels5t was
forced back In such conIus - - the
Telegraph road, our muxb loved - gslart
fell mortally wounded-Stuart, the great
est cavalry leader the war produced-the
reckless. daredevil Stuart,-whose very
name at one timecauseda ashudder among
the Federal cavalry-yet 30 gentle and
loving. Iwill give vivid and descript-
i've account of the wounding Of General
Stuart by one who was an eyewitness
OF that terrible calamity to the South,
and was the first to reach him, and
who was really the last one that General
Stuart's eyes rested upon i'm perfect
state of consciousness, and who in an
his campaigns had learned to have the
utmost and most implicit confideoce i'm
his judgment and as a leader of bold
troopers. | refer to the gallant Col. g.
w. Dorsey, Of the First Maryland Cayai
~, who at the time we are writing OF
was Captain of one of the most celebrat-
ed and best known companies of cavalry
in the Confederate army--old X, First
Virginia Cavalry, of which at one time
Stuart was Colonel. Col. Dorsey. who
now lives near Brookeville, Montgome-
~ county, Maryland, a retired gentleman,
crowned with many laurels by his CON-
rades of the "Old Brigade" and Horse
Artillery, but unfortunately the State
that gave him birth and he has honored
SO much, gives him very little praise. So
much for their shame. In recent wears
he has written the following letter to a
relative in Baltimore bearing upon the
wOunding of Gen. Stuart:
Il was stationed on the right Of our
line near the Telegraph road with nv
company, X, dismounted, numbering
about 20 men, and by the firing knew
about our troops being driven back on
the left when Gen. Stuart came down to
my position with a view of ordering me
back, and just as he rode up to my com
pany the Yankees charged. He halted
IA moment and encouraged the men with
the words, Bully for old X. Give 1t to
them, boys Just as X had repulsed the
fanks he was shot through thestomach,
reeled on his horse and said, Il am shot
and then Dorsey, save your men, |
caught him and took him from his horse.
He insisted l should leave him and. save
my men. told him we would tals him
with US, and calling Corporal Robert
Bruce and Private Charles Wheatley sent
him to the rear ON Fred Pitts horse.
both returning to the company when
they had placed the General in an ambu-
lance. No other troops were near Gen.
Stuart when he was shot that saw y
The account that am about to give
is recorded in Niaior McClelland's book
OF Stuart's campaigns. This was taken
from a letter written to Mrs. j. e. B.
Stuart by Major McClelland, immediate
ly after the Generals death. This letter
was afterwards, by authority of Mrs.
Stuart, published in Vol. IL Of the South
ern Historical Society papers:
The enemy charged on the left captur-
ing our battery LIST section of the Balti-
more Light Artillery, Capt Griffith and
drove back almost the entire left Imme-
diately on the Telegraph Road, about
so had collected and among these Gen.
Stuart threw himself and by his personal
efforts and example held them steady
while the enemy charged entirely pass
their position. With these men, he fired
into their tanks and rear as they passed
him in advancing and retreating. They
were met by amounted charge of the 1st |
Va. Cavalry and driven back some dis
tance. As they retired, one man A1ho
had been dismounted in the charge and
who was running out on foot, turned as
he passed the General, and, diseharging
his pistol infiicting the wound that caus-
ed his death. Capt. g. w. Dorsey, dis
covering that Gen. Stuart was wounded
came at once to his assistance, and en-
deayored to take him to the rear; but
the Generals horse had become SO restiye
and unmanageable that he insisted upon
against n tree. When this was done,
Capt. Dorsey sent for another horse
While waiting, the General ordered Capt
Dorsey to leave him and to return to his
men and drive the enemy back. He said
that he feared he was going to die, and
could be of no service. Capt. Dorsey,
soldier that he was, told him that he
could not obey that order. that he would |
rather sacrifice his life than leave him,
until he placed him outof danger" The
General then said, taking some papers
from his pockets, keep these out Of the |
Yankees hands at all hazards" The
situation was an exposed one; our amen
were sadly scattered and there wassbut |
a handful between that little group ind |
the advancing enemy. But the hors,a par
rived in time; the General was lifted ON |
and was taken by Capt. Dorsey TO a e 1rr |
place. There, by the Generals or riss, |
he was placed in thecareo OF Private ChAs. |
H. a - 4