Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-08-27
IheLast Battle

The following account of one of the
last, if not the very last battles fought
in Virginia just before the surrender at
AppomattoX, was prepared and re-
Gently read before Stonewall Jackson
camp by Rev. w. @. Hullihen of this
city, member at one time of Gen. j.
E. b. Stuart's staff, and published here
by virture of resolution of that
camp.)
have been asked by some members
OF the camp, to tell about battle which
oar Cavalry had at the close of the
Civil War, with force of Federal in.
fantry, and some cavalry, which occur
red at High Bridge, April 9Th, three
days before the surrender at Appomat-
toX, G. I'll.
trust that ! may be permitted to dc
so, in the free and unstudied way in
which one soldier tells another of some
incident of the war, and not be too sew.
erely court-martialed if we revive fol
the passing moment little of the old
spirit of badinage. If this Camp
"Stonewall Brigade Camp were moi
regarded by many as a sort of an ex.
elusive, hlgh-class, simon pure, par ex-
cellence Infantry Organization, one
might wonder why it is that the pure
and undefiled stream of eloquent recital
was so constantly confined to what "we
infantry did during the war, and that
too, in spite of their well known mod
esty.
A Cavalryman may well be excused
for feeling embarrassment in venturing
TO mention in such presence, the fact,
that there was branch of the service
known as cavalry, and that they too,
took part in the war. If there were
enough cayalrymen left alive after the
war in this community to have an ex-
elusive cavalry organization, we might
then be encouraged to speak out in
meeting, with some freedom, and call
attention to the rem arkable fact that
when the Confederate government
wanted ''first-class fighting man, as
Kipling expresses it, such as Robert
E. Lee, Albert Sidney Johnston, Jos.
E. Johnston, Kirby Smith, John B.
Hood, ETC., that they always knew
where to lay their hands on them, and
that was in the cavalry. And may we
be permitted to say it, if they had con-
tinued this habit, you will agree with
me, [ think, that in one CONSPICUOUS
instance at least, which will be men,
toned presently, the cause of the South
would have been greatly helped.
If there had to be war during my
life time, between the North and the
South, | am thankful that it was my
portion to be in it, and that saw what
| did see of it.
am glad too, that l was in the cav
airy, and that our general had the op-
portunity, greatly coveted by his men
to show the army and the world his
unsurpassed skill as general, when it
became necessary to direct the move
ments of large army corps, composed
of infantry and artillery, as well as
cavalry, for when the immortal
Stonewall Jackson was stricken down
and the whole army and all the
South were in tears and gloom
and apprehension, Gen. J. f. B..
Stuart was found to measure up to the
momentous trust committed to him
upon that memorable occasion, and
was found fully able to direct in the
most skilIful and mastery way the
main battle which was yet to be fought
and grandly led with contagious and
irresistible enthusiasm Jackson's
corps to most brilliant and world.
renowned victory, some of the details
of which are given by Col. Henderson
of England, in his 'Life and Cam
paigns of Stonewall Jackson and by
Gen. e. p. Alexander military Me-
moirs of a Confederate Soldier, and
also in Gen. Fitz Lees "Life and Cam
paigns of Gen. r. E. Lee," and in
many other volumes. Col. Henderson
describes in thrilling and glowing pc
RODS the battle of Charlottesville,
and, while deeply lamenting the fatal
wounding of the hero of his book, does
not hesitate to say that after Jackson
was wounded, the subsequent manage
ment Of the battle fell into the hands
OF Stuart, who proved to be no unwor-
thy successor of Jackson.
Perhaps it would be agreeable to you
all, if we refreshed our memories with
what those above mentioned authori-
ties have said about that bal tie. Hen
derson brings the scene before us when
he goes on to say: "Stuart golloping
along the ranks, recalled Jackson with
ringing words, as the bugle sounded
the onset, remember Jackson and
the soldiers rushed fiercely upon the
Federal breastworks. The advance
line within the forest, was taken at the
first rush, the second at the foot of
Fairview Heights, protected by a
swampy stream, a broad belt of abat-
tis, with 30 guns on the hill behind.
proved far more formidable, and Hills
division was forced back. But Rodes
and Colston were in close support. The
fight was speedily renewed; and then
came charge and counter-charge, the
storm of the parapets; the rally of the
defenders; the rush with the bayonet
the moving down men like grass, the
fearful sweep of case and canister
Twice were the Confederates repulsed
Twice they reformed, brigade mingled
with brigade, regiment with regiment