The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-29
maj. JOHN PELHAM,
C0NFEDERAT[HE HERO
General Lee Called Him the
Gallant Pclham"---Records
Prove His Bravery.
,itor Of rhs Times- plspateh:

PfOVe Ills bTdVtIy.
Editor Of The Times-Disratch:
sir.-There appea-ed in The Times |
Dispatch Of February 18th over my sig |
nature a few words of tribute 10
Major James Breathed, OF the stuart
Horss Artillery, Army Of Northern Viz
sinia. The Times Dispatch very kind
Nv gave me space in their widely cir
cilated paper and published the above
mentioned tribute. come before you
again asking that ! be granted tiiei
same courtesy, that ] may place upon
tho grave OF the gallant Major John
Pelham (ths organizer and FIRST captain
OF the reiterated stuart Horse Arti.
lery) a few forget me-nots and spriss
OF laurel, that those who did not have
the great privilege OF knowing the
gallant boy major may read in meas
lirs OF what manner Of man he was
and how he was esteemed by all CT
tlose whom he came in contact with
from tho immortal 4. z. Lee TO the
most humble private in the ranks. Pei
ham and Breathed were in the Same
battery: kindred spirita indeed; loyal
to the GAUGE of the South. terrible
hard fighters. with a stnbbornneSs
that would not yield; an aggressive
ness that was Irresistible. The gallant
K
r, T. Leg was born IN Calhoun noun-
t., Ala. near Alexandra, September
Z. 1893. His father, DR.. Atkinson PEI
ham, came to the county from Ken
tueky in 1881, and was for many Year,
prominent physician. His mother
was a Miss McGehee. whose family
came from Person aounty, n. c. TO-
Calhoun county about 1882.
John Pelham was appointed to lie.
United States Military Academy from
Alabama July l. 1885. aged seventeen
influence OF the Representative of his
district. the Hon. s. w. Harris. at ths
request of Hon. A. j. Walker His
standing in the class was low. but his
commission was passed on. and he
would have received 1t had he :e-
manned q week longer. But his love
for the South, and especially for his
State, called hin, home: consequently
he crossed the linz in April, disguised
as one of General SCOTS couriers. Re-
pairing at once to- Montgomery. Ain,
h. reported for duty, and was conf
missioned first lieutenant of artillery,
regular army and ordered to take
charge of the ordnance at Lynchburg,
Va He was only there few days
when he was ordered to Albertus's
afterwards 1r,boden's) Battery, at
Winchester Wa. He handled a section
OF this battery in suc., mastery man
ner ct First Manassas July 81. 1861, as
TO attract the attention of Brigadier-
General L. j. Jackson (Stonswalp and
J. 2. 3. Stuart. When General j. =.
B Stuart conceived the idea of or
ganiZing battery OF horse artillery to
operate in conjunction with his cavalry.
his eyes naturally turned towards the
young artillery officer that had dis
played so much gallantry and knowl-
edge in the handling OF his pieces at
Manassas. In November. 1851, the bat
terry of Stuart's Horse Artillery, con-
sisting of eight guns. was organized.
and the young officer, a mere boy In
APPEARANCE. Lieutenant John Pelham,
was commissioned its first captain. This
battery under his leadership and COM
mand became famous, and was second
to none in the Confederate States
Army. The battery became Is cele-
brated as the name of Its commander.
I do not know a spot among the hills
and dales of the Confederacy that has
not heard of the Pelham Breathed Bat
terry. Stuart's Horse Artillery. lis deeds
of yalor has been written of by poet
and historian, even the men who OPP
posed 1t on the Federal side sing it,
praises In no unmeasured tributes. The
official records of the war are replet;
with the daring of this gallant officer
and his men. He handled, In addition
to his own battery the artillery OF
General T. ]. Jackson at FredericNs-
burg. Va; was with him at Second
Manassas. where he was given discre-
t1onarS power to place his. battery
where his Judgment dictated. No suci
privilege had ever been given any
other OF General T. ]. Jackson's subor-
dinates. EIe was with him at Mechan-
1csville. Va, receivoing praise ant
thanks from the gicat commander fol
the skilful handling OF his gun;
against the superior forces of The
enemy's artillery, holding in check Will
one Napoleon gun two OF the enemy.
full six-sun batteries, We find hil
again with him at Sharpsburg, Md.
where shell and mimic ball rained Xix,
hall around us, hut he never quailed
but kept his battery in position. re
turning shot for shot with the enemy
artillery until his battery became $,
crippled that General j, E. b. stuart
quartermaster had to supply horses 1,
remove the battery from the field. H
and his celebrated battery fla shed lik
n meteor from battlefield to battlefield
always in the advance, lighting on tn
skirmish line until 1t seemed at time
that nothing but Providence would saw
& that devoted band of, heroes from car
fuTe VI CSltdl tAedlll,1 Out JUST DIS IN
overly confident Federals We're certail
of the prize Pelhams ringing uoic
would be heard. Timber! rear! Gallop!
and away we would go. laughing a
the disappointment of the enemy.
could ennumerate many Instances Q
4 this character, but lack of space for
bids. General r. Il. Lee recommends
him for promotion as lteutenant-col
pnel of artillery only few days prlo
TO his death. General Fendleton, Gen
eral r. Fl, Lees chief of artillery, hu
rainlyi tried to persuade General j, I
3. Stuartfto allow him to be transferra
to the infantry artillery corps bl,
without any success. The successf,
resistance which General Stuart wn
Enabled to oppose the Federal cavalr
was ina great measure due to the skill
lul2 handling of4-ilis artillery, Tw
spirits more congenial than Stuart An
Pelham never met on the field of bal
tie. Stuart's fondness for artillery wa
craze With him, Pelham's skill |
It's management amounted to geniu
Stuart, Pelham and the peerlss
s pr--thed Impaired to the horse artl
III n ..tse