]
That terror of the drivers, which the cannoneers cursed so bitterly,
ended all. The gun, whirling on at wild speed, suddenly struck against
the head of the column advancing to meet the enemy. A war-engine hurled
against it could not have more effectually broken it. Before it could
re-form the enemy had struck it, forced it back; and then the whole
Federal force of cavalry was hurled upon Stuart.
His right, where Fitz Lee commanded in person, was giving back. His
left was broken and driven. The day was evidently lost; and Stuart,
with a sort of desperation, rushed into the midst of the enemy, calling
upon his men to rally, and firing his pistol in the faces of the
Federal cavalrymen.
Suddenly, one of them darted past him toward the rear, and as he did
so, placed his pistol nearly on Stuart's body, and fired.
As the man disappeared in the smoke, Stuart's hand went quickly to his
side, he reeled in the saddle, and would have fallen had not Captain
Dorsay, of the First Virginia Cavalry, caught him in his arms.
The bullet had passed through his side into the stomach, and wounded
him mortally. In its passage, it just grazed a small Bible in his
pocket. The Bible was the gift of his mother--but the Almighty had
decreed that it should not turn the fatal bullet.
Pages:
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289