[Footnote 1: Fact.]
It was a splendid spectacle. They came on in solid column, and rapidly
formed line of battle on the slope of Fleetwood, with drawn sabres, and
flags floating. As they moved they seemed to shake the very ground. I
had never before seen so great a force of cavalry drawn up--and the
critical moment of the battle had plainly come.
At that instant the great field presented a remarkable appearance.
Cavalry were charging in every direction, and it was hard to tell
friend from foe. Stuart was fighting, so to say, from the centre
outwards. The enemy were in his front, in his rear, and on both his
flanks. If they closed in, apparently, he would be crushed as in a
vice. The iron hand would strangle him.
That moment tested the nerves. Stuart's "heart of oak" bore the strain.
He was aroused, stung, his cheeks burned, his eyes flamed--but the man
was sufficient for the work. I looked closely at him. "Do or die" was
plain on his face. From that instant I never had any doubts about
Stuart.
He rushed two pieces of artillery to a knoll in front of the line of
Federal horsemen. A moment afterward two reports were heard, and two
shell burst precisely in the middle of the line, making a wide gap in
it, and checking the charge which had begun.[1]
[Footnote 1: Fact.
Pages:
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53