Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-10-24

Bristoe Station was fought by men who
had crossed bayonets at Gettysburg
three months before. The Confederate
Twenty-sixth North Carolina suffered
the heaviest regimental loss at Gettys-
burg and was the heaviest loser at
Bristoe Station. The first rifle shots at
Bristoe Station came from a remnant
Of the First Minnesota, a regiment al
most annihilated at Gettysburg in a
feat of arms which General Hancock
pronounced the most brilliant in his
tory. 1t met its Gettysburg foemen in
front of the railroad at Bristoe Station.
Extraordinary Cavalry Melee.
Five days after the clash of infantry
columns at Bristoe Station the oppos-
ing armies were again in that vicinity.
Lee had turned his course southwark
once more. Stuart's cavalry stood
guard in his rear ON the south bank of
Broad run. On Oct. 10th General judi
son Kilpatrick's cavalry division drew
rein along the north bank. Early in
the morning Fitzpatrick put his Skin
mishers across the creek at auckland,
where Stuart was in person with Gen
eral Wade Hampton's division. After
standing off Fitzpatrick for a couple of
hours the Confederate leaders laid a
plot to destroy him.
General Fitzhugh Lees division was
a few miles distant from Hampton, on
the flank of the direct route between
auckland and Warrenton. Thus the
situation was against Fitzpatrick.
Hampton's division on his front was a
match for him alone, and Stuart had
Fitz Lees division free to come in
where it could do the most good. Stu
art retired slowly with Hampton's
squadrons from in front of the stream
and In order to deceive the Federals
left his dinner unfinished on a farm
er's table.
Fitzpatrick had with him two brf-
gades. led by General G. A. Custer
and General II. e. Davies. Stuart's
ruse worked. The eager Federal COM
mander rushed ahead with Davies
men after Stuart had allowed Hamp-
ton to be driven" from the crossing
with a good deal of thunder by Custer.
With Hampton out of the way, Custer
got all his men across and after chas-
ing the %retreating troopers a mile gave
his men a rest for dinner.
Fitzpatrick dashed after Hampton
with Davies brigade, then according
to program Fitz Lee at the head of
1000 sabers struck the rear %squadrons
Of Davies brigade and ran into the
flank of Custer. Custer had been fac
ing west with his whole line. and Fitz
Lee came down on him from the
south. Wheeling the Sixth Michigan
to the left, he deployed it in front of
Captain Pennington's battery. with the
First Vermont cavalry gathered around
the guns.
Fitzhugh Lee Attacks Custer.
Fitz Lee brought up Captain Breat-
heads battery and opened on Pen
nington. Pennington poured his fire
into the lines of gray until they came
within twenty PAGES of the battery,
then limbered up and crossed to the
tdSI dlh vi II 11CCA dSoii.l N0SiCA
had sent the Fifth and Seventh Michi-
gan well to the front and as soon as
Pennington retired his guns these
squadrons turned back and kept up
the fight against Fitz Lees troopers
for an hour.
The sound of guns at the crossing
was the signal for Stuart to turn
Hampton back upon Fitzpatrick and
Davies. Hampton had the brigades of
Gordon, Rosser and Young. Gordon
kept in the road in Davies front and
gradually pressed him back, while
Rosser and Young charged ~headlong
through the fields upon each flank.
Davies fought CALAMITY, but his line
was overlapped by the enemy, and his
command tool to fight.
When Davies men got back to Gus
ter's battlefield they found Fitz Lee
between them and their friends. Ros-
ser and Young had followed them
closely. Safety lay in running. and
they ran a good five miles without
halting.
Custer Barely Saves His Men.
Custer was a hard fighter and ever
when he saw his flank broken by Fitz
Lees swoop on his left proposed to
fight 1t out. Davies, men in their fight
skirted the edge of the field along the
creek, her bore Off to the northeast,
followed by some Of Hampton's fleet
est troopers.
After Davies troopers had passed by
on the edge of the field Pennington's
guns had recrossed, and Custer was re-
luctantly drawing back his whole COM
mand. Fighting step by step as he
fell back. he at last reached the stream.
where it was so deep the horses had
to swim. The troopers reversed their
seats in the saddles and. like the Cos
sacks of the czar, sped their Spencer