Hello Bryce,
I will tell you a true story of a little known cavalry fight, and the gallantry and honor of my great great grandfather's cousins Pvt. Jesse R. Edelen and Lt. "Tip" Edelen which honors them and the Union officer that chased them down. The story was related to me by my grandmother (my father's people were all from Pr. Georges and Charles Counties, Md.) whose aunt had been engaged to Lt. Tip Edelen at the time of his death. A touching story indeed. Here is the story as my grandmother related it: In 1864 Pvt. Jesse R. Edelen, Co. "E" (The Winder Cavalry), 1st Maryland Cavalry, C.S.A. and his cousin Lt. William "Tip" Edelen (unit unsure) were off on a mission to procure fresh horses. While out scouting the countryside (either Va or possibly Md during Gen. Jubal Early's raid thru Md to Wash., D.C.) they ran into a Union cavalry unit. I am unsure of the size of the unit. Anyway, they gave chase and a running battle or fight ensued. Finally the two Edelen cousin were cornered in some rocks or some such place and fought it out. The union officer, who knew them and their families and was from their neck of the woods in Maryland, asked them to surrender, telling them they were cornered, out of ammo, hopelessly surrounded with no hope or possible chance of escape. Capture or death was their choice. Lt. "Tipton" Edelen yelled, "I will never surrender to a damned Yankee!" and drawing his sabre charged the yankees I assume trying to rush through and cut his way out. He was shot down in his charge and killed. Pvt. Jesse R. Edelen was captured and sent to Point Lookout, Md..

The Union officer, who knew their families or at least knew of them, was so touched by the zeal and gallantry of the two that he personally escorted Lt. Tip Edelen's body home and personally gave his belongings and effects to his family. Over time, all his belongings have dissappeared. No doubt to the hands of some family thief or to some pawn shop or collector, with no idea or caring as to who the original owner was or to his gallantry and devotion to his country and cause. But that is about all I know of that escapade of those Edelen cousins. I have been to the National archives and seen Jesse R. Edelen's record and indeed it did say something about being sent out to procure fresh horses and being captured in 1864 and being sent to Point Lookout, Md..
Interesting huh?
Later,
David Edelen
Alabama