The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-23
RIDING WITH STUART
AROUND RICHMOND


through all the subsequent days Of
war. and the sight CT him proved to
me ono of It's saddest and most touch
ing incidents.
Witnesses Gruesome Sight.
Stuart was now proceeding three
miles to the left eff McClellan's lines t.
observe and obstruct any movement OF
his troops towards the White House.
and his route led him past shop. or
church on the road side used as
Federal hospital 1T was growing dark
and the evening air was warm and
sultry AS we drew near to the hos
pital the smell CT human blood grew
denge ami sickening, and we quickened
our way past to escape from it. One
of my comrades, whose nasal faculties
were less acute than mine ami who
shrank less from grucsomc sights.
was going on. He came back to tell
us that he saw wcSons filled with
hands. feet. arms and legs. and sur
Beons still busy with their amputatirE
instruments.
No movement or the enemy such as
we were moved back TO the edge OF
the battlefield and slept there. Next
morning a t carly dawn. az opened my
eyes. noticed enc of my company
spring up from the ground. Jerking his
blanket after him. and beat a hasty
retreat. soon discovered that a can
non ball lay on the ground near where
he slept. having been thrown there the
previous day. The fear that il might
be a shell and might yet burst had put
him TO undignined flight. no little to
my amusement at the time.
Leaving the Cold Harbor field that
morning, our regiment marched In ad-
vance OF General Ewelrs troops to-
wards Dispatch Station. and on the
way found two field pieces OF TIdballs
Battery which had been abandoned on
their retreat. Soon we separated from
the infantry. they inclining towards
James River and We directing our
course to the White House. on the
Pamunkey. Some skirmishing occurred
as we approached the latter place,
and Captain Pelham did some cannonad-
Ing. Very soon the smoke of burning
buildings and army supplies gave
signs that the Federal troops there
were abandoning the place. We ap-
preached cautiously for 4 time Ia gun
boat still remaining to guard the
place.. and then took eager possession.
We found our colonel's w. II. r Lee 81
house was a bed OF redhot embers
number OF adjacent houses were still
hot and smoking from the torches that
had been applied.
The mass Of commissary, quarter
master. medical and suffers supplies
not yet burned was enormous Army
wagons had been backed over the river
bank until they formed an island. the
wagon tongues in great numbers pro-
trudins out CT the water. Muskets
and carbines had been cast into the
river until one could stand on them
dryshod above the current so large
Mas the pile
hospital Of new white tents occu-
pied large cart Of one OF the fields
OF the plantation. arranged in orderly
rows. and furnished with cots. and
every necessary facility and uteneil
FOR the care and comfort Of the wound
cd OF 4 great battle. AS | moved
among them the thought could not be
suppressed Of how sadly the thousands
Of McClellan's bleeding men In the
Chicka hominy needed the hospital. and
now utterly useless IL had proved TO
them
Having observed some locomotives
AID cars standing or the tracks. |
examined them TO see II The cars were
there which had run the gauntlet OF
our hre at Tunstall's Station two weeks
previously: during the raid made by
stuart. They were soon found, and the
bullet marks on them bore witness 10
the severity OF the IRE through which
they mad passed
Halt In Wooded HiIl..
our physical wants were abundant
~ supplied here, and the next day We
moved back towards the Chickahom!ny.
ana halted on the wooded hills above
( ForEe Bridge. body of Federal In
faniry and a section Of artillery held
positions near this bridge The hill
beyond was elevated and unobstructeci
nN timber Some delay and recon
noitarinE resulted from seeing the en-
envy here. Suddenly. as We were watch.
ms from our sheltered position, Pei
ham dashed forward. with TWO guns.
down the incline ana across The plain.
and taking position near the river,
opened on the guns OH the hilltop, lie
had already received their ire The
duel became rapid and exciting. II vas
Quickly apparent that pelhams guns
were aimed with fatal effects AT each
dlscharRo OF them a man. or horse.
were seen 10 fall or fee. IN few min
utes after the firing began the Federal
guns were in full retreat. AS they
Dashed along the road in the distance
we saw the branches or the cedars
railing about them. cut down by Pei
hams parting shots
AS illustrative of the exacgeratior
and nnreliability which often marked
reports OF engagements sent in from
the field. that of Lieutenant Val H.
stone. commanding the Federal guns
on this occasion at Forge Bridge. is a
striking example. He reported: June
80 IL 4. NJ. the rebels appeared on the
opposite side. AT p. NJ they opened
IRE with eight guns I was under
nre the greater portion of the time un-
I'll p. NJ. For two hours OF the time
had their guns completely s!!enced
My riding horse was killed with :.
shell. No men killed In my command
One Of the cavalry killed. Consider
able loss on the eneinys side"
IT Is quite likely that other partici.
pants In this affair on the Union side
save different version OF it, since the
officer. Major Robert 81. West. to whom,
the above quoted report was ad-
dressed. Endorsed on it: This young
ofticer. with new horses and men that
had never been tried, performed ex-
ceedingly well, considering" To those
OF us on the opposite side it seem ed
that onl? performance which he act.
| ed Exceedingly we'll" was the rapidity
| of his Night
| No attempt was made by us tina,
evening to cross the abandoned bridg e.
but about dark | was sent along with
our squadron tc ascertain the posi-
ton OF the enemy in the direction OF
New Kent Courthouse. 1t fell to my
, lot to ride with another man in ad-
vance. and II was an exciting ride not
| knowing at what moment a watchful
| enemy might salute us with q volley