The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-23
JEB STUARTS LAST BATTLE.
A Brilliant Charge by Custer a. Seen on the
Confederate Side.

Confederate Side.
The most brilliant charge / ever wit
Messed was made by Custer at the battle
OF Yellow Tavern said an old Confederate
cavalryman at the recent reunion In Rich
mond' 1T was near the beginning OF
what historians now call the Wildern ess
campaign.
Il was with Jeb Stuart, Gen. Fitz Lees
division. Wickham's brigade, and Phil
S~heridan's troops were hanging on US
like a pack Of hungry wolves, nipping
us at every turn. We had been marching
and fighting pretty steadily for more thar
two weeks with mighty little rest.
we left Hanover junction about 1 O'Clock
one night and reached Yellow Tavern be-
fore 10 o'clock the next morning. You
know Sheridan was not one to let grass
grow under his feet when there was any
fighting to be done and when he was
matched against Jeb Stuart it was nip
and tuck.
We hadn't more than halted at the
Tavern when up comes Sheridan and tries
to drive us out. 1t was a pretty tough
struggle, a hand TO hand fight. and we
fell back from the tavern, but held our
position on the telegraph road leading
to Richmond. l 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 excepting
the First Virginia to dismount but hold
their positions.
1t did seem good, l can tell you, after
80 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 n pipeful among hat whole
battery and the boy who owned it passed
it down the line and each man took his
turn putting at it.
When il was gone we all began to specu-
late on what deviltry Sheridan would be
up TO next and how Jeb Stuart would head
of. 1t wasn't long before some fellow
wished for a drink Of water.
You know how ii is. when one man wishes
for water the whole company begin to swear
they are dying of thirst. Jack Saunders
and / took a bunch Of canteens and started
over the hill to a spring that he had seen
that morning during our scrimmage with
the Yanks.
Il was on my hands and knees over the
spring when ! heard Saunders's grunt OF
surprise. He was staring through the
trees.
There only a few hundred yards away
was a considerable body OF cavalry. Max
sure that il was our right wing Won
dered 10 see them mounted and in ranks.
ust then the voice Of an officer rang out:
Cavalry! Attention! Draw sabrer
The entire line moved forward at a
quick walk. and as the officer wheeled his
horse / saw his face. II was Custer!
"The situation came to Saunders and me
a flash. We threw down the canteens
and started back TO the battery on a dead
run.
"'Trot!' Clusters voice rang out again.
The next instant he shouted 'Chargei'
With wild cheers his cavalry dashed
in a sweeping ,gallop, attacking
our entire left wing at the same time. We
our battery taken, our line broken and
our men running like sheep.
Saunders and l had but one thought,
to join our fleeing company. As we
the telegraph road above the din
Of the battle l heard Jeb Stuart's voise
There he was making a stand with a
OF men around him. Thank God.
had sense enough left to join them.
1T seemed but a moment before Clusters
were coming back as fast as they had
zone forward. They had met the First
Virginia. We greeted them with the
rebel yell and our last round.
@Jeb Stuar cheered us on. ah, how he
us! ave them my last shot and
lOllOWlnR Win my weapon CluDDeu
I saw a man, who had been dis
mounted and was running out. turn as he
passed, our rally and fire his pistol.
'Jeb Stuart swayed in his saddle. 1t
only for a moment, then his voice
-ang out cheering his struggling troops.
THE enemy rallied just across the road
and fired a volley into the little band gath
sred around Jeb Stuart. His horse sprang
with a scream of agony and sank
iown on its knees. As we lifted the Gen
sral OF the young officer who was helping
exclaimed:
My God. Genera, YOU are wounded!
Your clothes are soaked with blood! You
must leave the field, sir
NO Gen. Stuart answered: L will
not leave until victory is assured. Get
another horse
"When I returned with the horse he was
'eated with his back against a tree, and
he tried to get up, weakened by loss
II blood, he sank back again.
Go he commanded us. I am done
or. Fitz Lee needs every man. | order
'ou TO go
1--WE cannot obey that order, General
he young officer told him, and I'll never
the look that came over his face
he faced the General. We must carry
lou to a place of safety however the battle
at must not go against u.s. Stuart re-
,lied, and the thought seemed TO put fresh
igor in his body. You must put me on
ny horse, and keep me there, Ny men
must not know that ] am wounded
"We lifted him on his horse, and monnt
ne our own we held him in his saddle. When
he tide OF the battle turned, supported
'etween us, he made a last effort to rally
is fleeing troops.
$50 back, menl' he cried. Go back,
1enl Go back and do Your dutvi'
"We felt him SWAY in his saddle. The
Dung officer turned our horses heads to
he rear and we carried our fa;nting General
rom the field, still holding him upright in
he saddle. That was Stuart's last battle
Clusters most brilliant charge.