558 NortH CAROLINA Troops, 1861-65.

Such a fight could not be described here. Besides the Sixty-
third North Carolina did not participate in
charges because of its distant position at Kelly’s Ford. But
it played an important part in checking the enemy's “‘in-
fantry, artillery and cavalry, marching directly upon the
right flank of our troops engaged in front of Rappahannock
Station.” General Robertson’s report, Vol. 45, p. 734.

At the great crisis of the battle a courier front General
Stuart directed General Robertson to advance rapidly with
one regiment and report to him, as the enemy had possession
of Stuart’s headquarters on Fleetwood Hill. General Rob-
ertson selected the Sixty-third Regiment and pushed rapidly
forward, but Hampton and Young with their commands, and
Baker, with the Ninth North Carolina, by “a seeldes of
charges, most successful and brilliant,” drove them off and
captured their artillery and cannoneers just in front of the
Sixty-third Regiment, without its striking a blow. Vol. 45
p. 736 and 682. On page 683 General Stuart says:
eral Robertson’s command, though not engaged, was exposed
to the enemy’s artillery fire, and behaved well.” The battle
lasted from early in the morning till late in the afternoon.

In the evening of 9 June, General Pleasanton, from the
same side of the Rappahannock, where he received his or-
ders of 7 July, sent “the following important dispatches” to
General Stahl: “The enemy has his whole cavalry force
here and I have had a severe fight. Please send some cars
down this side of Bealton for our wounded. Have crossed.
Enemy in some force of cavalry.” Vol. 45, p. 38. And to
General Stuart on the 10th he wrote: “I am anxious to ob-
tain information as to the condition of a number of officers of
my command who were left in your hands yesterday, to ob-
tain the bodies of the dead and the privilege of sending med-
ical supplies and comfort to those who are wounded.” Vol.
45, p. 46. And thus ended the orders “to disperse and de-
stroy the rebel force assembled in the vicinity of Culpepper.”
All was done by our cavalry alone. Of it General Robert
E. Lee wrote to General Stuart: “The result of the action
calls for our grateful thanks to Almighty God, and is honor-
able alike to the officers and men engaged. Vol, 44, p. 687.

the glories of these

 

 

Sixty-THirpD REGIMENT.

MIDDLEBURG AND UPPERVILLE.

All cavalrymen of the Army of Northern Virginia stop
to listen when you say ‘‘Middleburg and Upperville.” Those
names are full of great and also sad memories to them. Great
for their glorious charges and conflicts; sad for the comrades
who fell there. Our cavalry fought fiercely for a great pur-
pose those days at Middleburg and Upperville. The greatest
crisis of the war was approaching. Mighty movements were
going on. Ewell was pressing up the Valley on his march to
Pennsylvania, which purpose was positively known only to a
very few but frightfully feared by the North. Winchester and
Martinsburg had fallen and Milroy had been “wiped out.”
Mr. Lincoln had issued, 15 June, his proclamation calling
for 100,000 additional men to meet the fearful invasion.
Vol. 45, p. 136. Longstreet’s great corps was stealthily
moving near the base of the mountains “east of the Blue
Ridge,” making for Ashby Gap to follow Ewell, A. P. Hill
was to follow Longstreet closely for Chester Gap, and Stuart’s
Cavalry had crossed the Rappahannock, 16 June, (the Sixty-
third Regiment at Hinson’s Mills), and were in the Northern
part of Fauquier county the night of 16 June, all bivouacked
near Salem. Vol. 44, pp. 295, 687, 688, and Vol. 45, p.
896. Now to understand and appreciate what immediately
follows and the consequent magnitude of the part therein of
the Sixty-third, three things must be borne in mind:

1. General Lee was making his mightiest moves of the war
and he was anxious above all things to keep them secret.

2. Stuart knew the great ‘secret fully and was guarding
it with his cavalry alone.

3. The enemy were in absolute ignorance as to Lee’s posi-
tion and purpose. Their suspense was supreme and they
were determined to locate him at any cost. It must be re-
membered also that this great move began long before any of
it was seen. At its start, McLaws’ Division was withdrawn
from Fredericksburg 3 June, 1863. Vol. 44, p. 293.

“Longstreet and Ewell were put in motion and encamped
around Culpepper Court House 7 June.” Vol. 44, p. 313.
The very day of the battle of Brandy Station, while it was on
General Lee sent Stuart word that he wished “our force and