The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-04
THE BATTLE OF
GREATEST LUSTRE
Tan Incident in Charlottesville
Campaign and What Grew
Out OF It.
OPERATIONS OF CAVALRY
The Story Of General Averett's
Interview With a Confederate
Prisoner Retold.
OPERATIONS OF CAVALRY

No battle, probably, in which the Fed
nral and Confederate armies were engaged
reflected more lustre on Southern general
ship and the yalor OF the Southern sol
diers than the bloody struggle OF Cham
celorsville. The events which took place
on that historic field and at Salem
Church. May 1-S. 1868, were OF nature SO
important and brilliant as to eclipse and
obscure the cooperating movements and
detached services performed at the time
in connection with the two contendlng
armies. Tho operations of the cavalry
naving covered a wide extent of territory
and issued IN numerous skirmshes with
out any regular battle, have claimed but
slight attention in comparison with tho
desperate lighting and signal successes
on the chief scenes of action.
And yet, according 10 the we'll laid
plan of the Federal commander, the cav
Hlry of the Army OF the Potomac were
knd confidently expected to add in no
small measure 10 the success of that
army. This force. comprising all the cav
Slry under General Hooker save one bril-
gade, were in two bodies. one under Gen.
eral George SLOVENIAN and the other I'M
der General w. W. Avereli. and Were
designed to operate on two distinct lines.
The destination and objects OF the move-
ments We're set forth in orders from
General Hooker as early as April 18th.
These orders are noteworthy, as showing
not only the work assigned TO the cav
flry. but the spirit and manner in which
II was to be done. You will march. Z"
30 the orders read, ION the 18th instant
with all your available force except one
brigade, for the purpose of turning the
enemy's position on his left, and of throw
ing your command between him and Rich
mona and lsoIating him from his supplies.
checking his retreat. and infiicting on him
every possible injury which will tend to
fis discontinue and defeat" "lf
The enemy should endeavor 10 retire by
Eulpeper and Gordonsville, YOU will en-
neavor to hold your force In his front
fnd harass him day and tight, .unceas-
ingly. II you cannot cut off from his col
Tou will not fail TO take small ones Let
-four watchword be fight, and let ali your
orders be fight, fight. fight. bearing in
mind that time is as valuable to the
General as rebel careasses. 1t Is not in
lhe power of the rebels to oppose YOU with
more than 900 sabers and those badly
mounted, and after they leave culpeper
without forage or ratiorg. Keep them
from Richmond and sooner or later they
must fall in our hands. II deyolves
upon you, general. to take the Initiative
In the forward movement Of this grand
army, and on. YOU and your noble COM
snand must dAPeHd q a great measure
the extent :.tlnsr brilliancy of our sue
7hatic caution: Bear in mind that CO.
lerity, audacity and resolution are every
t,i. .s - war, and especially II is. the
embark
Such were the orders under which, two
weeks or more later than was first pro-
I 5ressss Generals en- stqneman, and Averell
huier into culpeper county, and biyouac-
ed near the above river. The passage was
made on April 10Th and that evening, as
General Stoneman states. the division and
hilgade commanders assembled together
lhd we spread our maps and had thor
'Sush understanding of what we were TO
20 ana where we were to GO"
Early on the following morning Stone
man With MS command SGT out for the
i5tapidan at Raccoon Ford and a ford be-
low, and pushed on without serious oppo-
sltion TO destroy the Central Railroad, the
James River Canal and the Richmond
and Fredericksburg road
.,AVerell moved towards Brandy Station
jCulpeper and Rapidan station for m
PURPOSE OF masking Stonemans movement
and cutting Lees communications towards
t.Gford9,n,syille. His Instructions said: I'm
TO come against Fftzhugh Lees brigade Of
.cavary, consisting OF about 2,o0S man,
iwhich il. is expected that you will he
Ia y 10 aiSpssrsa and destroy without delay
enemy nave n small provost guard Of In
lantrs, which 1t Is expected you Will
sns yo;,r Y It can be done without delay
General Ayerells command consisted Of
The two brigades of his division, Davisis
pflgade OF Pieasantons division and rid.
pail sbattery, numbering In an about 4 o0o
men. while opposed to him on the line
from Brandy 10 Rappahannock Station
minis (Ninth and Thirteenth yirg Mn ON
Llry) ana one gun.
Gen, L7e with his snail force, fell
hack before Ayerells S advance one squad.
ron only being kept near tho enemy ia
fttard his prosresH until the Rapilan
was crossed when he disposed his men
and one gun above the ford near inc
slation, TO give battle k the nttemnt
Was made to cross. The approach o,
the enemy was announced by tho dis.
charge OF his cannon, as also by feeble
attempt TO cross ford a mile or two
above the station
The day following General Lee accord.
me % ms own report. was engaged al
cay Win one or two hrlgades OF cavalry
one charge made by Colonel Beale witt
one squadron to draw them out, took
u, prisoners, plt could mol bring then
on; was pressed Very hard
Tne charge mus senteutiously started
py Gen. Lee was rnade for the purpose
OF developing TIE eneuly's strength. ant
was made by a rapid trot to the rive,
and dash through H. under the t,re a,
tina enemy's sharp shooters, who wer,
forced back on their main line u half mn
o. more distant. Nothing but tho 10 "a,
porary confusion and surprise caused 4,
the audiences Of this dash permlttes
the squadron to wheel and retreat sue,
cessSully.
Two men OF the 9th regiment n, NJ O,