Life of J. E. B. StuartWilliamson, Mary L. (Mary Lynn)
History
Life of J. E. B. Stuart
Williamson, Mary L. (Mary Lynn)
Stuart, Jeb, 1833-1864
In patriotism, in bravery, and in military skill, says Dr. Dabney, these
two men were kindred spirits, but Stuart’s cheerfulness and humor were
the opposites of Jackson’s serious and diffident temper.
Though bitter cold weather had now set in, General Burnside resolved to
make an effort to turn the right of General Lee’s army and drive him
from his winter quarters at Fredericksburg. This attempt, however, was
unsuccessful, and General Burnside’s failure at Fredericksburg caused
him to be replaced by General Joseph Hooker, called “Fighting Joe
Hooker.”
Hooker reorganized the army into corps; and made one corps of the
cavalry, with tried and skillful officers. He also provided the cavalry
with the best horses and equipments that money could procure. He
realized that the Federal cavalry had never been fit to contend
successfully with Stuart and the forces under his command, and so now
did all in his power to strengthen this branch of the Federal service.
By the early spring, Hooker had his army completely reorganized and
ready to begin a campaign against General Lee.
CHAPTER IX
CHANCELLORSVILLE
1863
In the meanwhile, General Lee’s soldiers across the Rappahannock river
suffered greatly for want of proper food and clothing during the long
cold winter. The appeals of their beloved commander to the Confederate
government were not heeded; but the soldiers endured their privations
with great fortitude and when spring arrived, they were ready for the
coming great battle with the army of “Fighting Joe Hooker.”
On March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, there was a cavalry engagement at
Kelly’s Ford, near Culpeper, where General Fitz Lee won a remarkable
victory over a large force of Federal cavalry under Brigadier-General
Averell. Lee, who was stationed at Culpeper, had only about 800 men to
meet more than 2,000 Federals, but he disposed his forces with such
skill and fought so stubbornly that Averell, in spite of the fact that
he had a large force in reserve, was unable to break Lee’s thin lines
and retreated across the river.
General Stuart happened to be at Culpeper, attending a court martial,
when this engagement occurred. He saw how skillfully Lee was handling
the situation and unselfishly refused to assume command, wishing his
able brigadier general to win all the glory of repulsing such a large
force.
In this battle, John Pelham, Stuart’s young chief of artillery of whom
we have so often spoken, was killed. He had accompanied Stuart to
Culpeper, merely on a visit of pleasure, but when he heard the call of
Confederate artillery, even though it was not his own guns, he
immediately went forward to take part in the engagement. Borrowing a
horse from Bob Sweeny, he hurried to the battle ground. He rushed into
the thickest of the fray, to rally a regiment that was beginning to
waver.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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