The sun., 1908-12-27
sfsiAl.1vs !. LAST 4 4 .BIaT7tE.' (
what . COnfedersts. CAYalFyman saw or
the Fisht at yellow Tavern.

"Btuart'B Last Battle" and credited TO TIE
Sun. 10 20 wrong e. 10 the facts leading
up 10 the engagement Of Yellow Tavern
and 90 imaginative e 10 the circumstance
Of the &oundlns and death Of General
Stuart that /. who happened 10 be there
In the humble capacity OF . corporal In the
ranks Of the First Virsinia Cavalry, feel
impelled to state the truth about the wound
ing and death Of our General. My own opin-
Ion has always been that his reckless brav-
cry led 70 his untimely death.
suppose there are reports In the proper
archives. both Federal and Confederate. OF
this action Of Yellow Tavera and Of the
movement Of troops preliminary TO IL. but
1 know nothing Of them. state what
came under my observation and hearing %
soldier In the ranks.
II was not at the beginning OF the Wilder
ness campaign that the movement OF the
cavalry eliminating ct Yellow Tavern took
place. but In the campaign moro than
year later May, 1884. In which the terri
BILE battle near Spottsylvania Court House
was fought. II was the current talk Of OUR
army that that conflict was by far the most
desperate Of the war. I have heard our
men say that 30 near did the Yankees come
that they could look into their eyes and
even club them with the butts OF thelx guns.
~ was III tulb DbttlO tuht tTOCD "0tO WIN
and cut through and fell from the steady
hall of Mimic bullets. So desperately did
Grants men press their assaults that. 90
the gossip In eur army was, portion Of our
line fRltered and was giving way when Cen
eral Lee himaef rode up. but his mon made
him 60 TO the rear with cries OF Lee TO the
rearl" and they soon drove the enemy OF.
The morning following this desperate
baltic and repulse OF Grant, our cavalry,
which hEd been only partially engaged.
was put In motion and headed south toward
Richmond. We IN the ranks did not
know what for. but as we became ex-
tended on the way south word came along
the line that the Yankee cavalry had bean
despatched on raid to Richmond. that
city being. as 1t was supposed. but weakly
defended. We were TO follow up the Yankees
and put them out Of business before they
got TO Richmond. I viii say here. to dispel
any idea that we were worn down by sheri-
dams troops, hanging on us like q troop
OF wolves" that Stuart's cavalry was az
that time in the best of condition. We
were well clothed. we'll fed and wen mounted.
For many OF our horses we were indebted
to our friends the enemy, TO whom We
looked when in need. 4 myself was then
on my third mount derived from that
source.
| remember this march after Sheridan
as very pleasant one. our only fear being
that he would get away, as usual. That
we would not whip him II We caught up
with him did not enter our minds. I re-
member that we pressed the rear so closely
that In Louisa county we came on de-
tachment OF the enemy. I being In the
leading column Joined In the pursuit with
visions Of fresh mount: but alas! there
were others who wanted those horses more
than 1 did. and they were soon appro-
priated. while their riders were sent 70 the
rear, As remember. the enemy's cavalry
men were an Insignificant looking set Of
men. but their horses and eauipments were
excellent. 1 would like 70 emphasize q
fact not sufficiently dwelt on by the South
ern historian; that Is, the contempt In which
Stuart's men held the Federal cavalrymen
and the great respect the Southerners had
for the horses and equipment OF the enemy.
Our command nesred Richmond. and soon
We knew from the booming Of cannon that
an engagement had begun between the two
cavalry forces. Now, as 70 this engage
ment 1 can say little, because I cav little
OF It. When soldier from the ranks UNDER
takes to tell about battle extending over
a mile or two In wooded country you can
set him down as q man talking through
his hat" I did SEQ battery or two Of ours
located on hilltop firing away. and did see
squadrons Of our cavalry moving forward
near these batteries. but I saw mono OF our
forces retreating. Whom our regiment
reached the field tho squadron to which
/ was attached was ordered 10 'ssmount
and TO deploy as sharpshooters. which We
did, one hundred or more Of M scattering
along the edge OF q wood. heard rine
firing to the right and left and In front;
this firing did not approach our position.
but rather receded. What the dispositions
Of the forces severally were never knew.
What did sec. after being in the posi-
ton say twenty or thirty minutes. was
solitary horseman approaching US through
the thicket. He was riding slowly with
head and body bent forward. We soon
knew from his black plume that it was our
General and the exclamation came from
four or five Of US: That IL General Stuart
and he is wounded As he rode slowly
toward us We Of course rushed up to him.
Il was but too true: he was wounded. and
mortally, AZ We know when we saw where
the bullet had entered his side and torn his
gray Jacket. He spoke not Q word nor
uttered q groan as we assisted him from his
horse to the ground. He was borne away
on q stretcher or blanket, forget which.
some OF the more stalwart Of my company
doing that duty Charles Wheatly Of
GeorRetown and Bob Bruce OF tho Relay
House, near Baltimore 1both now dead).
we're two OF the men. Ours was q Mary
land troop. The writer Of this article was
from Howard county. The troop was COM
manded by Captain. afterward Colonel.
Gus Dorsey Of Montgome county. Mary
land.
remained in the line Of administers q
short time and We were ordered 10 mount
and return TO our regiments. i remember
that we Joined the main command on the
Telegraph road not far from yellow Tavern.
The battle was over; in fact 90 far a. could
see or hear. IL was not much OF q battle
anyhow. OF course. ss soon as the Federal
command realized that we had caught up
with him his raid was at an end.
We went quietly into camp near Atiee
station, q few miles from the field
of battle that night. grieving for our
dead General He had died q few
hours after being carried from the field.
How General Stuart got his death wound
was never learned. / believe. That he
must have been alone was evident. for
not c single stan ciicer or orderly was With
him when he came through our line. In
this respect his death wound was similar
to that of General jackson at Chanoellors-
vile. w. w. BURGESS.
ORANGE, Va. December 20.