Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-08-19
AMEMORYOF THE WAR
An Old Soldiers Story of the Bat
tie of Yellow Tavern.
!EB STUA2T'S LAST FIGHT.
The Wounded Generals Heroic Brav-
cry ~ the Face of Death-Custer's
Brilliant Charge as Seen by Con-
federate CaValryman.

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.
II was with. Jeb Stuart, General
| Fitz Lees division. Wickham's ori-
gade and Phil Sheridan's troops were
/ hanging on US like a pack of hungry
| wolves, nipping US at every turn.
1--WE left Hanover Junction about ]
| 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 a
| pretty tough struggle, a hand to hand
fight, and we fell back from the Tav-
ern, but held our position on the tele-
graph road leading to Richmond. l
was with the battery on the extreme
left wing and it was about 2 o'clock
in the afternoon when orders came for
ginians. TO dismount.
1T did seem good, I 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 it 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 a 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 canteens and started over the
hill to spring that he had seen that
morning. l was on my hands and knees
over the spring when l heard Saun-
ders' grunt of surprise.
'There, only a few hundred yards
away, was a considerable body of cav
airy. Sure that it was our right wing,
1 wondered to see them mounted and
in ranks. Just then the voice of an of
ficer rang out:
"'CaYalry! Attention! Draw saberr
"The entire line moved forward at q
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 a fash. We
i r-47, Id
back to the battery on a dead run.
"'Trotr Clusters voice rang out
again. Then he shouted, Charger
with wild cheers. his cavalry dash
ed forward in a 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 1 heard Jeb
Stuart's voice. There he was, making
a stand with handful of men around
him.
= ut seemed but q moment before Gus
ters troops were coming back as fast
as they had gone forward. They had
met the First Nirginians. 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
I saw a man who had been dismounted
= and was running out turn as he pass
= ed our rally and fire his pistol.
"Jeb Stuart swayed in his saddle II
was only for a moment; then his voice
rang out, cheering his struggling
: troops. The enemy rallied just across
the road and fired a volIey into the
; little band gathered around Jeb Stuart
: His horse sprang forward, with 8
scream Of agony, and sank down on its
/. knees. AS we lifted the general of
IL the young officer who was helping mt
u exclaimed:
p Ny God, general, you are wounded
a Your clothes are soaked with blood
a You must leave the field, sir.'
4 Ono General Stuart answered; :
a. will not leave until victory is assured
a Get me another horse
$ ''When 1 returned with the hors'
2. he was seated with his back against {
e. tree, and when he tried to get up
q weakened by loss of blood, he sanl
q back again.
q "'Go" he commanded US. Z am don
c; for. Fitz Lee needs every man.
order you to go.
re 1--WE cannot obey that order, gen
re eral,' the young officer told him, an
no I'll never forget the look that cam
G. over his face when he faced the ger
Is tral. We must carry you to a pIac
Of safety, however the battle goes
lv ct must not go against us StuaI
ii. replied. and the thought seemed to pU
Y, fresh vigor in his body. You mus
sb put me on my horse and keep me Their,
St. Ny men must not know that I al
. wounded
I'VE lifted him on his horse. ant
, p,o,7n+iuo orr own va held him in HI