The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-12

COMMANDER .It
Confederate
charlottesville only regret that I
cannot recall the names OF some OF the
good people that Helped in many ways
to make our time pass pleasantly. but
N lapse of forty-five years and the abb
sence entirely from the scene does
not help ones memory very much 1
was particularly fortunate In the pos
session OF some dear friends whom. l
had known in Georgetown. D. c.. at the
commencement of the war, who went
to various places in the South, finally
landing at tho Parish House and In
the town OF Charlottesville. L spent
many pleasant hour with them dur
ing our encampment near Charlottes-
ville sitting at their table every Sun
day. enjoying rye coffee and other
well-cooked food that to a soldier
seemed like angel food indeed But
as all good things must come to an
" and too suddenly for mc-but abrupt
1T was. General g. II. Custer Of the
United States Army. on February IS.
1854, with 1900 cavalry, splendidly
mounted and newly equipped. with a
battery Of horse artillery. left Madison
Courthouse with the avowed purpose
of sacking charlottesville and tearing
|up the Virginia Central and Orange
and Alexandria Railroads. that led
through Charlottesville. thus in a
measure Gripping General Lees sup
ply channels. and doing all the other
deviltry that their vicious minds
might suggest. There was nothing In
the world to stop them except the BAT
talon OF horse artillery Oour bat
teries) In camp near the Rivanna
River: no pfckets: no cavalry Stuart's
cavalry was near Gordonsville. being
at least twenty-five miles from our
camp We were in fancied security.
enjoying life and our pipe. having a
after-dinner smoke. On
the afternoon of the 2eth of February
two of our men started for the grist
mill (Rio). short distance from our
ca mp, on the Rivanna River. to .eS-
change some corn for. meal fthe SOL
diers' daily diet). When they reached
the bank of the river they discovered
a. large body OF Federal cavalry on.
the opposite bank. whose advance was
Just beginning to cross the Rivanna
River. Thanks to some friendly
bushes. they were not discovered; but.
forgetting all about the object of their
visit to.3tlle mill, the unwelcome sight
Of their "old friend. the enemy" caused
them to accelerate their movements
to a most undignified flight. On reach
ing our camp they rushed into Captain
Breathed's tent and told him OF what
they had seen. At first he thought
they had been indulging to a great
extent In Albemarle applejack. which
a too free Indulgence will cause a
man to see visions and dream dreams.
They were so persistent that Captain
Breathed jumped on his horse Gold.
RilD that was saddled in front OF his
tent. He rode out to the road leading
to the ford, where he at once discov
cred that the boys. Mt least on that
occasion. were not full of applejack,
He could hear the tread of the
horses. and knew from This last ex-
Iperience that a large body OF horse
men were approaching. He rushed In
TO camp and had the cannoneers of the
first section. commander by First Lieu
Tenant P. P. Johnston. to push their
two guns out In the road. { This was done
quickly, but not too soon: for as soon
as the guns were placed in position.
the enemy came around slight Send
in the road from the direction of Rio
Mills. Rreathed opened on them with
both guns. double shotted with can
Mr. Custer to stop and think and Won
der why he had been so unceremon-
tiously stopped in pursuit of his pet
iproject;s but stop he did. When the
next thing we heard was. "Fours. left
about. and $theysretiredsn near the river.
where; they reformed and threw out
8skirmishers, thinking that to advance
In The nemy's country in column or
tours, was a little dangerous.5as 3previ-.
GUS events had proven. IL It was shortly
after dinner when this attack was
made. Most Of the. horses had been
turned out for exercise In he meadow,
to lie east Of our camp. Fortunately,
not a man was out os ca mp. While
5Breathed was making it interesting
for Custer. lie other batteries got
their horses @together4nnd moved their
pieces to n, hill about annie from our
camp on thesdirect road to Charlottes-
VILE, Lieutenant Van Shanks, VINO
commanded the other section Of 81 the
battery as soon as he could get his
horses III the guns moved rapidly =,
Breathed's aid, as also did Captain
Preston B. Chew OF the Charlottesville
Battery AS soon as stanks relieved
Breathed. Breathed moved his pieces
by hand to the rear and hitched
his horses to h them, taking peo--s
ssition Ito he rear OF Shanks
who retired to the hill that
sN1oorman had moved his otherg two bat
fterles to. BreatSe and Chew alone
were the batteries that kept the enemy
at bay. and caused them to change
their course and retrace their steps to!
Madison Courthouse. shell from
$Breathed's No. 1 gunstexpl Cd ed at the
head OF Custers column, killing and
woundlns, several men and horses,
This caused Custer III halt and throw