Life of J. E. B. Stuart

by Mary L. Williamson

STUART’S SWORD
From Original in Confederate Museum, Richmond, Va.

Colonel A. K. McClure of the Philadelphia Times, then a colonel in the Federal army and a resident of Chambersburg, gives the following account of Stuart as he was preparing to leave Chambersburg: “General Stuart sat on his horse in the center of the town, surrounded by his staff, and his command was coming in from the country in large squads, leading their old horses and riding the new ones which they had found in the stables hereabout. General Stuart is of medium stature, has a keen eye, and wore immense sandy whiskers and mustache. His demeanor to our people is that of a humane soldier. In several instances his soldiers began to take property from stores, but they were arrested by Stuart’s provost guard.”

This evidence as to the discipline of Stuart’s men comes from a Federal officer, and shows fully the control that the general exercised over his command.

The wounded in the Chambersburg hospital were paroled, the telegraph wires were cut, and the ordnance storehouse was blown up by brave Captain M. C. Butler of South Carolina, who now commanded the rear guard. He notified the people near the ordnance storehouse that he was about to set fire to it and then applied a slow fuse. There was a loud explosion and then the flames burst forth. Satisfied that his work was well done, Colonel Butler and his escort set out at a trot to rejoin the command.

STUART’S PISTOL
From Original in Confederate Museum, Richmond, Va.

STUART’s CARBINE
From Original in Confederate Museum, Richmond, Va.

On the outskirts of the town, there came galloping up from the rear a young soldier in gray, riding a big black horse. He wore no hat and one boot was gone. He was covered with mud and was soaking wet, for he had come into town with the rear guard about midnight in the darkness and pouring rain. The command had halted for a few hours in a quiet side street and had set out at break of day as the advance guard.

The young soldier’s foot had been hurt, so he dismounted and pulled off his boot, in order to ease the pain. He then concluded to lie down for awhile and perhaps take a nap, for he was very tired. Tying the bridle rein to his foot, he lay down in the pouring rain and went to sleep. When he awoke, it was broad daylight and he was all alone. In the darkness of the cloudy dawn, his comrades had left him sleeping. His big black horse was still tied to his foot, but his hat, his haversack, and one of his boots were gone. Rising quickly, he mounted his horse and was trying to decide which way to go when an old lady raised a window near by and called out, “Sonny, your folks have gone that way.” With a lighter heart he thanked her, and set off at a gallop along the Gettysburg road to which she had pointed. As he sped along, the people called out, “Go it, Johnny! Goodby, Johnny! Hurry, Johnny!” All seemed to be in a good humor over the speedy departure of the Confederates. It was not many minutes before he reached the rear of Butler’s detachment, and was safe.