The Southern Defender
| Sandy Bottom, Virginia | June 11, 1863 |
VICTORY AT BRANDY STATION!
J.E.B. STUART REPULSES YANKEE CAVALRY!
STUART THWARTS YANKEE CHARGE DAY LONG BATTLE YANKEE CAVALRY RETREATS
The early morning attack began when our pickets were driven in at several fords on the Rappahannock River. Mounted troopers rode into camp warning the men of the coming attack. A heavy skirmish fire was kept up through the morning until our fine artillery fired on the Yankee formations from Fleetwood Hill and thwarted the attempts of the enemy troops to break through our line. A gallantly led saber charge late in the day forced the enemy troopers away from hill and back to the river where the yankee commander General Pleasonton, ordered a retreat. General Stuart was pleased at the performance of his horsemen against the surprise Union encounter and reported that this was the largest engagement of cavalry yet seen in this war. |
MAJOR Von BORCKE HERO OF BATTLE LEADS CHARGE AT HEIGHT OF BATTLE
It was the stout major who rode into General Stuart's camp that morning to give the alarm of a crossing of the Rappahannock River. The major then directed many of our soldiers into the battle where he personally took command and led a grand charge. A number of our brave Virginians of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee's Brigade were the first to engage the Yanks, including the 3rd Virginia Cavalry commanded by Col. Thomas Owen. |
| PRESIDENT DAVIS CONFIDENT GIVES HIGH PRAISE TO OUR CAVALRY Richmond- President Davis spoke to war department officials about the current military situation in Virginia and gave high praise to General Stuart and his cavalry commanders for the skill in which they fought the battle near Brandy Station on Wednesday. Yet he has been widely criticized by several governors over what they assume to be a subjugation of the Articles of Secession with his recent call for conscription and re-direction of supplies to central government warehouses from those in state warehouses and meant for that state's regiments fighting in Virginia. "This policy is against the founding principles of the Confederacy," remarked one source in Governor Brown's office in Georgia. "Georgia troops are willing to share their spirit and materials with those soldiers from states that cannot provide for them, but at her own will and not that of the president in Richmond." |
BRANDY STATION
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IS A BATTLE COMING IN VA? GEORGIA SOLDIER WRITES FROM FREDERICKSBURG Near Fredericksburg, VA- Private George Washington Hall of the 14th Georgia Infantry recently wrote his kin at home from defensive positions near this war-torn city: "June 7 - Partially cloudy, cool winds. I sent a letter to Wm. L. Land today. We are in line of Battle at the same place we were yesterday; there is some skirmishing and cannonading on our left the enemy is this side of the river in large force near Fredericksburg. We look for a great Battle soon." |
LETTERS FROM THE ARMY Samuel W. Eaton of the 57th N.C. Infantry, was near Brandy Station during the battle and writes: "June 9 - There having been a heavy cavalry fight near Brandy Station 7 or 8 miles N.E. of Culpeper on the road leading to Manassas Junction, our Division marched 2 1/2 or 3 miles in that direction from Culpepper in the evening, camped there during the night and waited until we saw we was not needed. Our loss in killed & wounded among the officers was quite heavy. We drove them across the river or at least they retreated back that night."
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DISTRAUGHT VIRGINIA FROM OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENTS Rumors have been high that the Army of Northern Virginia may be moving again soon, though it may not be into the North again as many hoped it would be. There are many frightened citizens in Richmond, still fearful that Lee's withdrawal from North Virginia would only spell doom for our national capitol of Richmond. Yet this part of Virginia is in a shambles with destroyed farms and ravaged lands that no man can decently farm without armies tramping over crops and removing livestock. Many feel that it is time we exact some revenge on our Northern aggressors and invade the North as Gen. Lee's army did last year. The editors of this paper agree that the battles must leave northern Virginia so that the farmers may plant their crops and make proper use of the land. Though we speak of the great armies that fight this war we must not forget the brave landowner who is attempting to make a simple living despite the destruction wrought upon them by war. |
RUMORS FROM VICKSBURG YANKEE GUNBOATS SHELL CITY from a New York Times correspondent - The writer for this newspaper has reported the Yankee army under Grant to be "making some progress toward the capture of Vicksburg although operations are so complex that that it puzzles one to keep track of it all." Union ironclads on the Mississippi River "made a combined attack upon the river defenses of Vicksburg" with more loss to their river fleet than to Vicksburg's brave defenders. The ironclad USS Cincinnati sank with the loss of 31 men killed and wounded. While Admiral Porter's gunboats shelled the city, Grant's army still digs around General Pemberton's lines surrounding the city. Though Northern newspapers would hope that the battle would soon end, Gen. Pemberton has told officials in Richmond that he can hold out for many months and is confident that his army will foil the Union attempts to capture the city. This paper honestly hopes that the general is correct in his assumptions. |
QUESTION FOR THE WEEK: During the Battle of Brandy Station, several Confederate infantry regiments marched to the battlefield from Culpeper Court House- a distance of eight miles. It took a cavalryman about one hour and twenty minutes to ride that distance, three times faster than the infantry. If that was the case, what was the average rate of miles per hour that an infantryman could march?
WHERE OUR BOYS ARE IN THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Due to the request of many of our subscribers, we are providing this list of your relatives and where they are currently located with their regiments. We wish them all safety and good health in the coming months!
(Remember that your soldier biographies can be found in the PRE-BROADCAST ACTIVITIES)
Major General James E. B. "Jeb" Stuart, commanding Cavalry Division - June 3-7, in camp at Culpeper Court House, VA; June 8, the general's entire cavalry division rode in a grand review near Brandy Station that was attended by General Lee; June 9, engaged in the Battle of Brandy Station when Union cavalry makes surprise attack that results in the largest cavalry battle of the war; June 10, in camp near Culpeper Court House.
Major General John B. Hood, commanding division, Longstreet's Corps - June 3, camped near Raccoon Ford on Rapidan River, west of Fredericksburg, VA; June 4, marched to one mile south of Culpeper Court House; June 5, remained in camp near Culpeper; June 6, marched northeast to near Rappahannock Station, VA; June 7, marched back to Culpeper; June 8, observed grand cavalry review of Stuart's Cavalry Division near Brandy Station; June 9-10, remained at Culpeper Court House.
Brigadier General Joseph J. Pettigrew, commanding brigade, Heth's Division, Hill's Corps - June 3-4, camped at Hanover Court House, VA.; June 5, marched several miles north of Hanover Court House; June 6, camped; June 7, marched to Chesterfield Station, boarded train and rode to Guinea Station at midnight; June 8, marched to Hamilton's Crossing near the Rappahannock River; June 9-10, with his command as they manned defensive positions at Hamilton's Crossing.
Major Edward Croft, 14th South Carolina Infantry - June 3-10, in camp and defensive positions at Fredericksburg, VA.
Lieutenant William Cannon, 9th Alabama Infantry - June 3-10, in camp and behind defensive positions at Fredericksburg, VA.
Isaac Reed, 7th Georgia Infantry - June 3, camped near Raccoon Ford on Rapidan River west of Fredericksburg, VA; June 4, marched to one mile south of Culpeper Court House; June 5, remained in camp near Culpeper; June 6, marched northeast to near Rappahannock Station, VA; June 7, marched back to Culpeper; June 8, observed grand cavalry review of Stuart's Cavalry Division at Brandy Station; June 9-10, remained at Culpeper Court House.
Corporal James Meredith, 3rd Virginia Cavalry - June 3-7, in camp at Oak Shade Church near Culpeper Court House, VA and on picket duty; June 8, took part in grand review of the Cavalry Division near Brandy Station; June 9, engaged in Battle of Brandy Station; June 10, resting in camp near Oak Shade Church.
Lucas Meredith, 3rd Virginia Infantry - June 3, left Taylorsville, VA., and marched 21 miles east into Caroline County; June 4, marched 17 miles east into King and Queen County, VA; June 5, marched just past Newton, VA; June 6, started back toward Taylorsville; June 7, arrived at Taylorsville at night; June 8-10, marched north from Taylorsville to Culpeper Court House.
John Knott, 6th North Carolina Infantry - June 3, in defensive positions at Hamilton's Crossing, south of Fredericksburg and along the Rappahannock River; June 4, marched from Hamilton's Crossing through Spotsylvania Court House and camped on road to Shady Grove Church; June 5, marched to Catharpin Creek; June 6, marched to Old Vierdiersville; June 7, crossed Somerville Ford on the Rapidan River, and marched to a point four miles northwest of Culpeper on the Sperryville Pike; June 8-9, remained at Culpeper; June 10, marched northwest to Woodville, VA.
Sergeant Samuel Holland, 9th Virginia Infantry - June 3, left Taylorsville, VA and marched 21 miles east into Caroline County; June 4, marched 17 miles east into King and Queen County; June 5, marched just past Newton, VA; June 6, started back toward Taylorsville; June 7, arrived at Taylorsville at night; June 8-10, marching north from Taylorsville to Culpeper Court House.
Private John Howard Roberts, 5th Texas Infantry - June 3, camped near Raccoon Ford on Rapidan River west of Fredericksburg, VA; June 4, marched to one mile south of Culpeper Court House; June 5, remained in camp near Culpeper; June 6, marched northeast to near Rappahannock Station, VA; June 7, marched back to Culpeper; June 8, observed grand cavalry review of Stuart's Cavalry Division near Brandy Station; June 9-10, remained in camp at Culpeper Court House.
William Mays, Parker's Virginia Battery - June 3-5, near Fredericksburg; June 6, began march toward Culpeper Court House; June 7, arrived at Culpeper Court House; June 8-10, in camp at Culpeper Court House.
Captain Isaac Stamps, 21st Mississippi Infantry - June 3, marched to Spotsylvania Court House to The Wilderness, near the Chancellorsville battlefield; June 4, crossed Rapidan at Somerville Ford and marched to Culpeper Court House; June 5-10, remained in camp near Culpeper.
Sergeant William Hutchenson, Phillip's Legion Infantry - June 3, marched to Spotsylvania Court House to The Wilderness, near the Chancellorsville battlefield; June 4, crossed Rapidan at Somerville Ford and marched to Culpeper Court House; June 5-10, remained in camp near Culpeper.
Lieutenant William Harris, 45th North Carolina Infantry - June 3, in defensive positions at Hamilton's Crossing, south of Fredericksburg along the Rappahannock River; June 4, marched to Spotsylvania Court House, VA; June 5, marched to Old Verdiersville, VA; June 6, marched three miles north of Old Verdiersville; June 7, crossed Rapidan River at Raccoon Ford, marched through Culpeper Court House and camped four miles north of the Court House June 8, remained north of Culpeper; June 9, supported cavalry during Battle of Brandy Station; June 10, marched to Gourd Vine Church, VA on the Hazel River.
William Fletcher, 5th Texas Infantry - June 3, camped near Raccoon Ford on Rapidan River west of Fredericksburg, VA; June 4, marched to one mile south of Culpeper Court House; June 5, remained in camp near Culpeper; June 6, marched northeast to near Rappahannock Station, VA; June 7, marched back to Culpeper; June 8, observed grand cavalry review of Stuart's Cavalry Division near Brandy Station; June 9-10, remained in camp at Culpeper Court House.
Private James Melvin Pittard, 14th Alabama Infantry- June 3-10, in camp and on picket duty along the Rappahannock River south of Fredericksburg, VA.
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