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 ; and all who have seen him under fire will bear similar testimony. His coolness had some thing heroic in it. It never deserted him, or was affected by those chances of battle which excite the bravest. He saw guns shattered and dismounted, or men torn to pieces, without exhi biting any signs of emotion. His nature seemed strung and every muscle braced to a pitch which made him rock ; and the ghastliest spectacle of blood and death left his soul unmoved his stern will unbent. That unbending will had been tested often, and never had failed him yet. 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. At Manassas he took position in a place so dangerous that an officer, who had followed him up to that moment, rode away with the declaration that " if Pelham was fool enough to stay there, lie was not" But General Jackson thanked him, as he thanked him at Cold Harbour, when the brave young soldier came back covered with dust from fighting his Napoleon the light of victory in his eyes. At Markham, while he was fighting the enemy in front, they made a circuit and charged him in the rear ; but he turned his guns about, and fought them as befo re, with his " Napoleon
