Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 25.djvu/153

 'I' In Beau Sabreur o Oeerie^ 1 1' 1

capture Stuart's headquarters and check the triumphant advance of Pleasanton. who had drivm hack all our cavalry until they met the "Cobb Legion." " I do not claim that this was the turning point ol the day." (P. M. B. Young's Report. Records of War of the Rebellion, Vol. xxii, p. 732.) As Major Heros Von Borke, the cele- brated Prussian officer on General Stuart's staff, said to General Stuart in my presence: "Young's regiment made the grandest charge I see on either continent," and Brandy Station is considered the greatest cavalry battle of the war.

Wounded again while attempting to lead two regiments of infantry in the charge, which had been sent to reinforce him, he being in com- mand of Hampton's brigade, August i, 1863, (but although one of the color-bearers rushed out waving his flag following Colonel Young, ) both regiments laid down, preferring "to fire lying down " than to follow the cavalry colonel, whose conspicuous uniform, commanding presence and emphatic pleadings for them to "forward," in tones that "could be heard a mile," was too fair a mark for the hundreds who were shooting at him, and he was shot through, and once more promoted for "gallantry on the field."

THE GREAT BLUFF AT CULPEPER.

Of his saving the commissary and quartermaster trains of the Army of Northern Virginia at Culpeper, October 9, 1863* by a lucky inspiration (bluff the boys called it), by covering the hills with dis- mounted men as infantry, and one piece of artillery to the hill, which "to keep a shooting," and keeping the brigade building fires all night and his band playing music, to make the Yankees believe there was a corps instead of the few hundred men he had for " duty," is too well told by John Esten Cook for me but to incident- ally mention. For the third time was he wounded, and as usual in displaying conspicuous gallantry, for which he was promoted major- general of cavalry.

Sherman's forces threatening the powder mills at Augusta, Beau- regard, Bragg, the Governors of Georgia and South Carolina appealed for reinforcements from the Army of Northern Virginia. "Major-General P. M. B. Young, with a division (?), consisting of goo dismounted cavalrymen, under the immediate command of Cap- tain F. E. Eve, was all that General Robert E. Lee could spare and General Young was selected, hoping his men could be mounted and he assist General Wheeler in opposing General Kilpatrick, whose brigade he had defeated at Brandy Station with the sabre,