The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-08-16
4 MEMORYOF THE WAR
An Old Soldiers Story of the Bat.
tie of Yellow Tavern.
JEB STUART'S LAST FIGHT.

The Wounded Generals Heroic Brav-
cry In the Face of Death-Custer's
Brilliant Charge as Seen by Con-
federate Cavalryman.
THE most brilliant charge l ever
Witnessed was made by Custer at the
battle of yellow Tavern" said an Old
Confederate caValryman. 1t was
near the beginning of what historians
now call the Wilderness campaign.
81 was with Jeb Stuart, General
Fitz Lees division. Wickham's bri-
gade and Phil Sheridan's troops We're
hanging on us like a pack of hungry
wolves, nipping us at every turn.
1--WE left Hanover Junction about 1
o'clock one night and reached Yellow
Tavern before 10 O'Clock the next
morning We hadn't more than halted
at the Tavern when up comes Sheridan
and tries to drive us out. 1t was
pretty tough struggle hand to hand
fight, and we fell back from the Tav-
ern but held our position on the tele-
graph road leading to Richmond.
was with the battery on the extreme
left wing. and it was about = o'clock
in the afternoon when orders came for
the whole division, except the First
ginians. to diSmount.
1T did seem good, l can tell you,
after so many hours in the saddle, to
stretch out on the ground and take
a Smoke-that is, all who had anything
to smoke There was just one pipeful
among that whole battery, and the
boy who owned it passed 1t down the
line, and each man took his turn puff
Ing at it, When it was gone we all
began to speculate on what deviltry
Sheridan would be up to next and
how Jeb Stuart would head him off.
1t wasn't long before some fellow
wished for Il drink of water.
you know how it is. When one man
wishes for water the whole company
begins to swear they are dying Of
thirst Jack Saunders and l took a
bunch of cantecnS and started over the
hin to Il spring that he had seen that
morning | was on my hands and knees
over the spring when l heard Saun-
tlerS' grunt of surprise.
There, only a few hundred yards
away, was q considerable body of cav
airy Sure that it was our right wing,
l wondered to see them mounted and
In ranks. Just then the voice of an Of
ficer rang out:
"Cavalry. Attention! Draw saber?
"The entire line moved forward at
quick walk. and as the officer wheeled
his horse l saw his face. My God, it
was Custer! The situation came to
Saunders and me like flash. We
threw down the canteenS and started
back to the battery on dead run.
"'Trotr Clusters voice rang out
again. Then he shouted, Charge"
with wild cheers, his cavalry dash
ed forward in sweeping gallop, at
lacking our entire left wing at the
same time We saw our battery taken,
our line broken and our men running
like sheep. Saunders and had but one
| thought-to Join our fleeing company.
As we reached the telegraph road
above the din of the battle I heard Jeb
Stuarts voice. There he was, making
| stand with handful of men around
| him.
1T seemed but moment before Gus
| ter's troops were coming back as fast
as they had gone forward. They had
met the First Vlrginians. We greeted
| them with the rebel yell and the last
| charge in our weapons. Jeb Stuart
| cheered us on-ah how he cheered us!
l gave them my last shot and was fol
| lowing with my weapon dubbed when
l saw Il man who had been dismounted
| and was running out turn rs he pass
ed our rally and fire his pistol.
| "Jeb Stuart swayed in his saddle. 1t
was only for moment; then his voice
| rang out. cheering his struggling
| troops. The enemy rallied Just across
the road and fired n volley into the
little band gathered around Jeb Stuart.
FIis horse sprang forward. with a
| scream of agony and sank down on its
| knees AS we lifted the general off
| the young officer who was helping me
| exclaimed:
"'My God, general, you are wounded!
| Your clothes are soaked with blood!
You must leave the field, slr!'
will not leave until victory is assured.
| Get me another horse
"When l returned with the horse
he was seated With his back against Il
tree. and when he tried TO get up,
weakened by loss Of blood, he sank
back again.
| "'Gov he commanded us. L am done
for Fitz Lee needs every man. l
order you to go
1--WE cannot obey that order, gen
eral,' the young officer told him, and
I'll never forget the look that came
| over his fnce when he faced the gen
eral. We must carry you to Il place
Of safety however the battle goes
at must not go against u.s. Stuart
replied, and the thought seemed to put
fresh vigor in his body. You must
put me on my horse and keep me there
Ny men must not know that / am
wounded
I'VE lifted him on his horse, and
mounting our own, we held him in his
saddle. When the tide of the battle
turned. supported between us, he made
a last effort TO rally his fleeing troops
"Go back. men,. he cried. Go back
men! Go back and do your duty"
1--WE felt him sway In his saddle. The
| young officer turned our horses heads
to the rear, and we carried our faintine
general from the field still holding hin
upright in the saddle That was Jel
| Stuart's last battle and CuStCT'S mos
brilliant charge. Post.