The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-09-17

ed attack on the General and his


aides.
when Stewards DIVISION" says
Captain Bromfeld, went into battle
Saturday morning, one of the
bridages General Brown's) in form
ing a line encountered a number of
yellow Jackets nests. General Stew
arts roam began to kick as the little
chaps lighted, until the General and
the saddle deserted The attack Of
the yellow jackets, and the numerous
death-dealing missiles around us
came near breaking up the lines and
stampeding the division, staff and
| escort.
BLUE JACKETS WERE ROUTED.
| Despite the stings of the pests,
however, it was the biuejackets who
were routed. 1t is by the way of re-
markable testimonials to the heat
of the engagement at Chickamauga
that nearly one-half of General Stew
arts division was killed or wounded
during the two days fight.
In the battle OF Missionary Ridge.
Stewart and his brave division were
again conspicuous He occupied the
left of the Confederate army and he
was weakened by the withdrawal of
General John c. Breckenridge's brig
ade, which was the bravest in Stew
arts command. The remaining two
brigades and half were left to oc-
cupy a space from Bragg's head
quarters to Rossville Gap, quite
three miles of territory. He had been
ordered to hold that part OF the line,
and in order to do so was compelled
to string his men out to mere
skitmish line.
He was attacked in the rear by the
division of Federal troops command
ed by Osterhaus, of Hooker's army; on
his left flank by the division OF Craft,
and on the front OF his left center by
the division commanded by General
Geary, and in the center or right
front by Johnson's division OF Hook
! er's corps and Sheridan's division Of
the Army OF the Cumberland.
OF course, in the face of such over
whelming odds he was obliged to
withdraw, and that he did so with
his credit.
General Stewart was still in COM
| mand of his division when Joe John
ston took command of the Army of
Tennessee at Dalton, Ga, in Deem.
Der, 1868, and served with it through
out the campaign of Atlanta in 1854.
FOUGHT WHOLE FEDERAL
ARMY.
General Stewards division, con-
sisting at that time of four small
bridages was attacked on the 25th
of May in front of New Hope church,
without defense, by the entire Federal
army. under command of General
Joe Hooker After hours of heroic
fighting, Hooker was repulsed with a
heavy loss. The four brigades en-
gagged were those Of Clayton and Ba-
ker, from Alabama, that of Stovall,
ofGeorgia, and Gibson's of Louisiana,
the latter being held in reserve.
When General Leonidas Polk was
killed on Pine Mountain, Georgia, in
June, 1864, General Stewart was
promoted to the rank of lieutenant
general. and took command of the
Army of Mississippi.
In the battle of Peachtree creek his
command occupied the left of the
Confederate Army along Peachtree
| creek. The Battle was fought by the
forces under command of Generals
Stewart and Hardee
At another famous attic, that OF
Mount Ezra church, July 2Sth, he
was badly wounded and obliged to
retire from the command for short
time. He was with General W. Hood
in the TENNESSEE campaign. and
participated in the battles of Frank
lin and Nashville.
After the final surrender OF the Con-
| federacy, General Stewart returned
quietly to his home and for couple
OF years was again mem Der Of the
faculty of the Cum berland university,
| at Lebanon, Tenn. Resigning this
position, he went to st. Louis to en-
ter commercial life. For five years
he was engaged in business, when
| once again his profession called him.
He was unanimously elected chancel-
Tor of the University of Mississippi.
He remained at the head of the
| university for twelve years.
Like Robert E. Lee, he filed with
dignity a position full OF honor. In
1890, upon the establishment of the
national military park at Chick