Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-07-04
Telltale Dispatches Captured.

Telltale Dispatches Captured.
AS the smoke cleared away on the
crest Harris guns opened at long range
upon the Federals who still chung to
the field around Brandy station. Blu
ford was completely out Of the fight.
having retreated toward the river when
first attacked by Stuart. He was then
too far away to aid Gregg In his fight
ing IN the other side of the hill. Stu
art had won the day by bold tactics.
When the enemy came up In his rear
he turned around and was upon their
rear. Gregg retreated. and at sunset
all the Federals were again north of
the Rappahannock.
P~leasonton did not ride through to
Culpeper that day, but while in posses
sion of Fleetwood hill his troopers
picked up a headquarters desk con-
tanning dispatches which revealed the
fact that Lee was on the eve of cross
ing the Rappahannock to march into
Pennsylvania with his whole com
mand. This timely warning enabled
General Joseph Hooker to save his
army from q second blunder, and be
turned about to race northward with
the Confederates for possession of
Gettysburg.
Hooker had expected that Pleasonton
would learn of the presence Of q large
Confederate force at Culpeper. He
knew that General A. P. Hills corps
was at Fredericksburg. 1t was his in
tention to cross the Rappahannock be-
tween the two points and split Lees
army into two bodies lying thirty miles
apart, with the bulk of his own forces
occupying the interval.
War Renewed In the Shenandoah.
The day following the cavalry com
bat, which is known to history as
Brandy Station and Fleetwood, General
r. s. Ewell's corps of Confederates
passed through the Blue Ridge noun
tains on the way to the heart of the
Shenandoah valley. Two days later
Federal scouts sent out from Winches-
ter reported that a strong force of Con
federates was approaching the town.
The Federal commander Of the dis
trict, General r. n. Milroy, soon learn
ed that the enemy sighted by his
scouts was the vanguard of a corps Of
Lees army. Still later 1t was devel-
oped that this corps was the vanguard
of Lees whole army, leading the north
ward march which was only to end at
Gettysburg.
At Brandy station and Fleetwood
the Federal cavalry had shown that 1t
was a force which must be reckoned
with. 1t was newly organized, but
ably led, from the chief down. There
after General Lee moved with greater
caution and counted less and less upon
the ability Of his own horsemen to
open up and guard any roadway he
might choose to march upon with his
infantry. :
The Shenandoah valley was a mou
tain guarded avenue between the Rap
pahannock and the Potomac. Acting
upon his discretionary orders, the
leader Of Lees vanguard, General R.
s.. Ewell, attacked Milroy's troops at
Winchester and the neighboring post
OF Berryville on June 10.
Berryville was promptly evacuated.
and the garrison repaired to Win
chester. This point Milroy defended
~gallantly against the divisions of Cen
eral Jubal Early and General Edward
Johnston until midnight of the 14th.
Early on the 18th all Of Milroy's force
which had not been cut of was In re-
treat toward the Potomac, and Ewell
was master of the valley. So conf
dent was he and his chieftain that he
Immediately pushed one division OF In
fantry toward the Potomac and crossed
as soon as Milroy, but at another ford
higher upstream.
Other Events Of the Week.
On June IA the Federal besiegers Of
Port Hudson, La, made a second In
~effectual attempt to carry the place
by storm. The evening before the
Federal commander, General N. p,
Banks, had summoned the place to
surrender. This demand was refused
BY the commander Of the defenses,
General Frank Gardner. In point of
fact the summons was inspired by
temerity rather than confidence.
Banks had been promised help In
prosecuting the siege. After the vain
and costly assault of May n he learn
ed that no help would be sent him.
He also learned that a vigorous foe
was attempting to cut of his commu-
nications with his army base at New
Orleans. The siege lines were seven
miles long. the heat intense and illness
from drought and pestilence threaten
ing to destroy the besieging army.
At daybreak on the 14th four divi-
stons marched forward against works
which the Federal artillery had bonn
barded for an hour. The repulse was
disastrous. One division leader, Gem
eral 81. b. Paine. fell severely wound
ed. Over 1900 men were cut down.
| snd the lighting Of the SIX weeks