The Dickinson press., 1907-12-28
AMEM0Rr0F' the WAR
An Old Soldiers Story Of the Bat
tie Of Yellow Tavern.
JEB sTuARTs LAST FIGHT.

sSoS'sVe ~evasvymsus IS
1.-THE most brilliant charge I ever
witnessed was made BY Custer at the
battle Of Yellow Tavern" said IN old
Confederate cavalryrnan. 1T was
near the beginning Of what historians
now call the wilderness campaign.
II wa with 1eb Stuart, General
Fits Lees division. Wickham's bril-
gade and Phil sheridan's troops were
hanging on us like a pack of hungry
wolves, nipping tus at every turn.
I'VE left Hanover Junction about !
O'clock m 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. It was q
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
the whole division, except the First
ginians, to dismount.
1T did seem good, I can tell you,
after 30 many hours in the saddle, to
stretch out Of the ground and take
a ~smoke-that is, NIL 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 1t. When 1t was gone we all
began to speculate on what deviltry
Sheridan would be up to next and
how Jeb Stuart would head him OF.
1t wasn't long before some fellow
wished for a drink of water.
"You know how 1t Is. When one man
wishes for water the whole company
begins to swear they are dying Of
thirst. Jack Saunders and I took a
bunch Of canteens and started over the
hill to a spring that he had seen that
morning. I 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 wal our right wing,
I wondered to see them mounted and
in ranks. Just then the voice Of an Of
fcer rang out:
Cavalry! Attention! Draw sabery
1.-THE entire line moved forward at a
quick walk, and as the officer wheeled
his horse I saw his face. Ny God, 1t
was Custer! The situation came to
| Saunders and me like q flash. We
threw down the canteens and started
back to the battery on a dead run.
"'Trotv 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,
-four line broken and men running
like sheep. Saunders and I had but M
hought-to Join u fleeing company.
As we reached the telegraph road
above the din Of the battle I heard Jeb
6tuart's voice. There he was, making
q stand with a handful of men around
him. @
ut seemed but a moment before Gus
ter's troops were coming back az fast
as they had gone forward. They had
met the First virginians. We greeted
them with the rebel yell and the last
charge in nj weapons. Jeb Stuart
cheered us on-ah, how he cheered us!
I 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. It
was only for a moment; then his voice
rang out, cheering his struggling
troops. The enemy rallied just across
the road and fired a volley into the
little band gathered around Jeb Stuart.
His horse sprang forward, with a
scream Of agony, and sank down on its
knees. As we lifted the general OF
the young officer who vas helping me
exclaimed:
my God, general, you are wounded!
Your clothes are soaked with blood!
You must leave the field, sir!
NO. General Stuart answered.; 4
will not: leave until victory is assured.
Get me another horse
when I returned with the horse
he was seated with his back against a
tree, and when he tried to get up,
weakened by loss Of. blood, he sank
back again.
|aRA Ell Cor he commanded us. I am done
Tor. Fitz Lee needs every a ]
order you to CO. .ss,
Eve cannot obey that order, gen
sral,, the young officer told him, and
Illl never forget the look that came
over bis face when he faced the gen.
seral. I'VE must carry you to . place
of safety, however the battle goes
t.sIt 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 keepsme; there
nv mel must not KNOW that I an
wounded,
1--we lifted him on his horse. and
mounting our owns,NyiSitsheid HIN 81 hi
saddle. when the tidessof H1e batt1l
turned, supported betweenuIhlls Sfrnadtl
aSlast EFFORT; to rally III neefngAnpops
& back, meng' - cried back