John Esten Cooke

“ Man proposes, God disposes." Thus, modest, brave, loving, and beloved the famous soldier, the charming companion he passed away from the friends who cherished him, leaving a void which none other can till. Alabama lent him to Virginia for a time ; but, alas ! the pale face smiles no more as he returns to her. As many mourn his early death here, where his glory was won, as in the southern land from which he came. To these—the wide circle who loved him for his great qualities, and his kind, good heart—his loss is irreparable, as it is to the whole South. ”

“ All who knew him loved him for his gay, sweet temper, as they admired him for his unshrinking courage. I have seen no face over which a sort of shadow did not pass at the announce ment, " Pelham is dead! " " Pelham is dead ! " It is only another mode of saying " honour is dead ! courage is dead ! modesty, kindness, courtesy, the inborn spirit of the true and perfect gentleman, the nerve of the soldier, the gaiety of the good companion, the kindly heart, and the reso lute soul all dead, and never more to revisit us in his person ! ”

“ Young, but immortal a boy in years, but heir to undying fame he was called away from the scene of his triumphs and glory to a brighter world, where neither wars nor rumours of wars can come, and wounds and pain and suffering are unknown ”

“ No answering roar came back from those batteries he had fought with his Napo leon so long ; he had triumphed. That triumph was complete, and placed for ever upon record when the great Commander-in- Chief, whom he loved and admired so ardently, gave him the name in his report of " the gallant Pelham." Supreme tribute to his courage immortalizing him in history I To be the sole name mentioned beneath the rank of Major-General in all that host of heroes and mentioned as "the gallant Pelham !" Thenceforward there was little for him to desire. He had never cared for rank, only longed for glory ”

“ At Manassas, Williamsburg, Cold Harbour, Groveton, Oxhill, Sharpsburg, Shepherdstown, Kearneysville, Aldie, Union, Upperville, Markham, Barbee s, Hazel Kiver, and Fredericksburg at these and many other places he fought his horse artillery, and handled it with heroic coolness. One day when I led him to speak of his career, he counted up something like a hundred actions which he had been in and in every one he had borne a prominent part.^ Talk with the associates of the young leader in those hard-fought battles, and they will tell you a hundred instances of his dauntless courage. ”

“ PELHAM "THE GALLANT." 137 He was ever by the guns which were under the hottest fire ; and, when the enemy shifted their fire to other portions of the field, he proceeded thither, riding at full speed, and directed the fresh batteries in person. His men will remember how cheer ing and inspiring was his presence with them how his coolness steadied them in the most exciting moments and his brave, cheerful voice was the herald of success. "He was the bravest human being I ever saw in my life," said one of his officers whom I conversed with recently ”

“ He lingered until after midnight on the morning of the 18th, when General Stuart telegraphed to Mr. Curry, of Alabama : "The noble, the chivalric, the gallant Pelham is no more. He was killed in action yesterday. ”

“ But work called him. The fiat had gone forth from Washington that another "On to Richmond" should be attempted ; and where the vultures of war hovered, there was the post of duty for the Horse Artillery. The cavalry crossed the Blue Ridge, and met the advancing column at Aldie and Pelham was again in his element. Thenceforward, until the banks of the Rappahannock were reached by the cavalry, the batteries of the Horse Artillery dis puted every step of ground. The direction of the artillery was left, with unhesitating confidence, by Stuart to the young officer ”

“ I have often seen him engaged in that work, which gave him his great fame ; and this phase of the young officer s character obtrudes itself, rounding and completing the outline. 186 WEARING OF THE GRAY. With what obstinate and unyielding courage he fought! with a daring how splendid, how rich in suggestion of the antique days ! He entered upon a battle with the coolness and resolu tion of a great leader trained in a thousand combats, and fought his guns with the fury and elan of Murat at the head of his horsemen. No trait of the ground, no movement of the enemy, ever escaped his eagle eye. ”

“ It has cast a shadow on the very sunlight ; and the world seems, somehow, colder and more dreary since he went away. It was but yesterday almost that he was in his tent, and I looked into his frank, brave eyes, and heard his kind, honest voice.* There is the seat he occupied as we conversed the bed where he so often slept with me, pro longing his gay talk deep into the night. ”

“ His dead men and horses strew the road." No harder battle was fought during the entire war. The Southern forces won the day by hard and desperate fighting, in charge after charge : but lost in the struggle some of the most valiant hearts that ever beat. Puller, Harris,, and Pelham were among the number the "gallant Pelham" of the battle of Fredericksburg. He was in the performance of his duty as Chief of Artillery, and was riding towards his General, when a regi ment of cavalry swept by him in a charge. ”