The National tribune., 1908-05-28

sth N. Y. Cav. who had distinguished
himself by cutting out of Harper's Fer
ry, led Buford's column across Beverly
| Ford under the cover of the fog. and
succeeded in surprising and dispensing
the outposts of Jones's Brigade Davis
came -ery near capturing the whole
of Stuarts artillery. In preparing TO
| cross the river Stuart had thrown out
Ibis batteries about onc-half mile in ad-
vance of the encampments of his troops.
which were behind wood some 1,200
yards from Beverly Ford. Davis's men
found the Confederate horses picketed
with the men at work grooming them
| and engaged in other fatigue duty The
pickets, who had been driven from the
| river bank, rallied in the woods behind
TIE artillery and opened a sharp fire.
which momcntarily checked Davis's ad-
vance. This gave an opportunity for
Jones to mount some of his men and
come up on the gallop TO the assistance
OF the slSirmishers. After fierce melee.
fought with saber and pistol. the 8th
n. Y.'s advanced squadrons were thrown
back toward the river, and in ralfying
them to return to the charge Col Davis
fell mortally wounded. and thus the
cavalry arm lost one of it's most prom
ising leaders. The Confederate success
was only temporary, however. for that
| splendid regiment, the Sth Ill. Cav.
came on with a charge which they
could not resist. The enemy was thrown
into disorder, driven out of the woods
| on q run. and only rallied upon reach
| ing the main body of Jones's Brigade.
two miles from the river The Sth Ill.
captured number of prisoners. wagons
| and a portion of the baggage of Stuart's
headquarters.
StuaTt's artillery had improved the
opportunity to. gallOp back to Jones's
line, where il began an effective fire
upon the Union soldiers. Jones showed
firm front to hold Buford back until
Stuart came up with the remainder of
the command. The Confederates We're
not little astonished at this surprising
conduct on the part of the Union cav
| alrymen. who for the first time We're
pushing their attacks home with the
greatest spirit Amcss Brigade of in
fantry had followed the cavalry across
the river and gone into line in the wood
to "stiffen up" the cavalry. as Hooker
expressed it.
1t should be clearly understood be-
fore going any further that a successful
cavalry charge spends itself in the very
moment of success, leaving the men in
a disorganized condition and an easy
i,prey for n countercharge. For this rea-
fscn there must always be strong re-
serve behind every charging cavalry
| line. and in this case n brigade of in
tfantry was wisely provided for diyf-
sion of cavalry. While Buford's First
Prigade was charging straight to the
front of Jones, his Second Brigade.
nbliquing to the right, aimed for Jones's
flank Jones. seeing the most danger
from this flank movement. concentrated
| all his artillery upon it, and succeeded
in checking it. altho the 5th and 9Th
u. S. Cav. and the 9Th Pa. Cav. made
daring charges. and drove the enemy
| fpell-nieil, until the horsemen found
| themselves stopped by a deep. rocky
gorge.
Stuart Comes to the Rescne.
In the meantime Stuart had been
| Informed of the startling occurrences
| in the neighborhood of Beverly Ford.
! and gathering up as many of W. +.
| Lees. Hampton's and FitZhush Lees
Brigades as were at hand. sending or
! ders for the rest to follow with all
speed he galloped up to Jones's assist
anee and. throwing two regiments on
Rufords flank, began forcing him back
| BY 10 O'Clock Buford was back in the
| line of woods. with his infantry reserve
doing valiant work in holding Stuart
| at bay.
Presently Stuart had something else
to think about. for his signal station on
Fleetwood Hill informed him that
Gregg was advancing on Brandy Sta
ticn, which was defended only by Rob-
crtson's brigade. Stuart at once saw
the situation to be exceedingly danger
ous, but he adopted the plan which Lee
had used so successfully at Chancellors-
vile. and leaving W. II. +. Lee and
FitZhugh Lees Brigades to hold Buford
in check, rushed off with Hampton's
and JOnes's Brigades to the assistance
of Robertson.
Gregg had urged his men forward
upon hearing the noise of the fighting
on Buford's front, and caught Robert
son almost as unprepared for battle as
his colleague in front of Buford. The
first fight was for the possession of a
railroad train, which came into the sta
tion just as Gregg's scouts reached it.
Robertson came up with his brigade to
recapture the train. and became en-
tangled in hand-tO-hand encounter
with Col Percy Wyndham's Brigade
Robertson was driven back. and Kill
patrick bringing up his brigade on the
flank, charged directly upon Fleetwood
HILL Three of the enemy's guns were
captured and a cluster of buildings on
the crest of the hill which had served
Stuart for headquarters. Wyndham
and Kilpatrick's Brigades did not hold
their prize very long. for Stuart was
now hurting against them his three bri
gadcs as fast as they could be brought
to the front. The Federals were forced
back, but gallantly recharged. and the
fiercest cavalry battle which the coun-
try had ever seen famed around Fleet
wood Hill for many tumultuOus min
utes. For the first time the Union cav
alrymcn found use for the sabers with
which they had been drilled so assidu-
Ously The combat was SO close and
sharp that there was no time to reload
pistols or carbines, and the beautiful
white weapon was at premium.
Prodigies of valor were performed on
both sides, and both showed an equal
stubbornness in clinging to the ground
they had gained. Cannon were taken
and retaken almost momentarily. and
thunderous charges were met and hurl-
ed back on both sides by countercharges
of equal weight and intensity. Confed-
crate and Federal higher officers fell
with startling rapidity. Stuart lost Wade
Hampton, NJ. c. Butler and Young Sc
verely wounded. and on our side the
casualties among the higher officers
were equally great In spite of the su
periority of the enemy's numbers Gregg
maintained himself for a long time
north of the railroad. hoping for as
sistance from the cooperating forces
and particularly Duffie.
There was much criticism afterward
upon Duflie for not making himself felt
more upon the battlefield. He had driv-
en- one of the enemy'S regiments out of
Stevensburg, capturing a number of
prisoners, but altho he was within three
or four miles of Brandy Station ii did
not occur to him to go to the assista Sce
of Gregg.