The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-26

such fight. 1t was an episode from
the wars of the Titans--the conflict
of the giants and the thunder bolts.
Tire Last Charge, or Fall of Pelham.
The sun was now sinking. and the
great orb, balnced like a ball of fire
upon the woodland, seemed to be bath
ed in blood. Throughout the whole
day the little force had virtually held
its ground; and now, seeing that Av
GRILL seemed to advance, Fitz Lee de-
termined to attack him. Stuart was
leading on the men when Pelham gal
Hoped up and made some report in re-
lation to his artillery. 1 understood
in an instant what had brought him.
he could not stay in the rear with his
guns, he burned to be in the charge
AS he turned away a regiment swept
by, right down upon the enemy, and
Pelham's saber flashed from its scab-
bard. At that moment his appearance
was superb, his cheeks were burning.
his blue eyes darted lightning; from
his lips, wreathed with a smile of joy,
rang Forward" as he cheered on the
men.
For an instant he was standing erect
in his stirrups. his saber flashing In
his grasp; for a moment his proud
voice rang like a clarion which sound
from his saddle, under the trampling
hoofs of the horses With single
bound of my horse I reached him. He
lay with his smiling face turned up
ward, his eyes closed. A shell had
burst above him; a fragment struck
him upon the head--he was gone. Gone
at the moment when, before the head
long charge of Lee, the men of Averill
gave way; gone at that supreme in
slant when the long, hard day was
won, and the baffled enemy were has
tily retiring across the Rappahannock
That spectacle was denied the heroic
bow. but he died the death he wished
land is yonder. where the brave anu
true and faithful are rewarded.
At midnight Pelham's lips had ut
tered their last sigh His noble spirit
was beyond the stars. Such was the
battle of Kelly's Ford, and such was
the death of Pelham, The body OF the
young artillerist was carried pack 70
Culpepper Court House, and laid in It's
shroud. amid the sobs of women ana
the tears of bearded men. That cold,
pale face was all that was LETT or one
who had lived and died for virginia
and the South. 1 was looking at the
pallid face, upon which a smile ing
cred as If death had come to him a
welcome guest, when a suppressed
sound behind me attracted my atten-
ton. and turning around / saw stuart
standing near, gazing with eyes ruli
of tears, upon the dead boys race.
with a measured step, his black
pIumed hat in his hand, he approached
the body, looked long ana slIeniy ~
on the smiling face, then stopping down
he dressed his beared lip to the mar
HE brow. As he did so, the breast OF
the great cavalier was shaKeh' SOD
issued from his lips, tear feii on the
male cheek of Pelham. SeVerlng from
his forehead a lock of the hght halr'
&c the how had severed one from the
head of moor JEAN he turned away, and
as he did so heard, in low, deep
tones. which seemed to force their way
through tears, the single word, Fare
we'll. 1t was Stuart's last greeting
on this earth to the spirit OF Peinam
--soon to meet his own again Where
the roar of battle never comes On
the day succeeding the battle stuart
sent this dispatch to Richmond The
noble. the chivalric, the gallant Pei
ham is no more. He was kllled In ac-
ton yesterday. How much he was pc
loved, appreciated and admired, let the
tears of agony we nave sheG. ana .ne
gloom of mourning throughout my
Command bear witness. His loss is ir-
reparable."
'He feI mortally wounded" wrote
stuart afterward, with the battle cry
on his lips, and the light, of victory
beaming from his eyes. His eye gianc-
ed over every battlefield of this army
from the First Manassas to the mo
ment of his death, and he was with
a single exception, a brilliant actor
in ali The memory of the gallant
Pelham--his many virtues, his noble
nature, and purity Of character--is en-
shrined as sacred legacy in the hearts
of all who knew him. His record has
been bright and spotless--nls career
brilliant and successful. He fell the
noblest of sacrifices, on the altar of
his country" Such was the wreath
of fadeless laurel laid by Stuart on
the grave of Pelham--the young, the
noble. the immortal. His life had
passed like a dream of glory--and STU
art wept beside his tomb.
Josie Beale Travis.