Three Years in the Federal Cavalry
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Title: Three Years in the Federal Cavalry
Author: Willard W. Glazier
Release date: August 10, 2009 [eBook #29660]
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THREE YEARS IN THE FEDERAL CAVALRY ***
Produced by Chris Curnow, Barbara Kosker, Joseph Cooper
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
http://www.pgdp.net
THREE YEARS IN THE FEDERAL CAVALRY.
[Illustration: Willard Glazier]
THREE YEARS
in the
FEDERAL CAVALRY.
BY
WILLARD GLAZIER,
AUTHOR OF "THE CAPTURE, THE PRISON-PEN AND THE ESCAPE," "VIRGINIA'S
BATTLE-FIELDS," ETC., ETC., ETC.
Illustrated.
NEW YORK:
R. H. FERGUSON & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS,
138 BLEECKER STREET
1870.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by
_WILLARD GLAZIER_,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
The Trow & Smith Book Manuf. Co.
205-213 E. 12TH STREET,
New York.
TO
THE GALLANT AND UNASSUMING SOLDIER,
MAJOR-GENERAL HENRY E. DAVIES, JR.
WHOSE STAR ALWAYS SHONE BRIGHTEST ON
THE FRONT LINE OF BATTLE,
THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY
dedicated
BY
THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
I have for a long time intended the publication of this book, for I
thought that such a work would not only be found interesting to the
public, but would do justice to the brave men with whom it was my
fortune to be associated during the dark hours of the rebellion. To
serve them is and ever will be my greatest pleasure.
The remarkable features and events of our late Cavalry movements in
Virginia and elsewhere, visible to me during the campaigns of the Army
of the Potomac, were noted daily in my journal. From that diary this
story of our raids, expeditions, and fights is compiled.
My descriptions of battles and skirmishes, in some cases, may seem too
brief and unsatisfactory; to which I can only say that scores of
engagements, which to the participants appear to be of vast importance,
have very little general interest. On the other hand, however, it is to
be regretted that where our gallant horsemen have done the most
brilliant things, it has been impossible for me, in many instances, to
secure reliable and detailed accounts with which to do them full
justice.
WILLARD GLAZIER.
NEW YORK, _October 8th, 1870_.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
THE WAR FOR THE UNION.--CONTEST BEGUN.
1861.--Enthusiasm of the North.--Washington Threatened.--Bull Run,
and Its Lessons.--General Scott and the Cavalry.--Enlistment
under Captain Buel.--The Harris Light Cavalry.--Leaving Troy,
New York.--Captain A. N. Duffié.--Drilling and Fencing at
Scarsdale, New York.--Bound for the Seat of War.--Philadelphia.
--Baltimore.--Washington.--Camp Oregon. 19
CHAPTER II.
CAMP-LIFE AND ITS INFLUENCES.
1861.--Our unmilitary Appearance.--First Equipage.--My Black
Mare.--Good and Evil Influences.--News-Boys.--Mail-Bag.--
Letter-Writing.--The Bugle Corps.--Camp-Guard.--Guerillas
under Turner Ashby.--Mounted Drill.--Laughable Experiences
with Horses.--Southern Egotism.--Northern Fancies. 27
CHAPTER III.
PREPARATIONS FOR ACTIVE SERVICE.
1861.--First Advance.--"Contrabands," their Hopes and Treatment.
--Union Ranks Filling Up.--Promotion.--Foraging and its
Obstacles.--Scouting and its Aim.--Senator Harris visits the
Command.--Ball's Bluff.--Recruiting Service.--Interesting
Incidents.--Camp Palmer.--"Contrabands" at Work.--Drilling
near Arlington Heights.--Colonel George D. Bayard.--Fight at
Drainesville. 39
CHAPTER IV.
THE ADVANCE TO THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
1862.--"All quiet along the Potomac."--Preparations.--Army of the
Potomac Moves!--Capture of the "Quaker Guns" at Centreville.
--Return to Defences.--Guerillas.--Their Attacks and Stratagems.
--The Bovine Foe.--Picketing: how it is done.--Sufferings.--
McClellan to the Peninsula.--Virginia Weather and the People.
--General Augur's Advance to the Rappahannock.--Lieutenant
Decker's Bravery and Death.--Night Charge on Falmouth Heights.
--Fredericksburg Surrenders.--How Citizens regard us.--Guarding
a Train to Thoroughfare Gap.--Fight and Captures at Flipper's
Orchard.--Shenandoah Valley.--The Fifth New York Cavalry,
First Ira Harris' Guard.--Death of Turner Ashby.--Strange
Cavalry Tactics.--Personal Bravery of Captain Hammond.--End
of the Peninsular Campaign. 49
CHAPTER V.
POPE'S CAMPAIGN IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
1862.--Kilpatrick at Beaver Dam.--Captain John S. Mosby.--Return
of the Raiders.--Complimentary Orders.--The Harris Light at
Anderson's Turnout.--Rebel Account of the Scare.--General
John P. Hatch, his Misfortunes and Justification.--
Reconnoissances.--Battle of Cedar Mountain.--Hospital at
Culpepper.--General Stuart in Close Quarters.--His Adjutant-
General Captured.--Death of Captain Charles Walters.--Pope
driven back and waiting for Reinforcements.--Kilpatrick's
Fight at Brandy Station.--Waterloo Bridge.--Bristoe Station.
--Manassas Junction.--Battle of Groveton.--Second Bull Run.
--Chantilly and Death of Kearny.--General Pope resigns. 72
CHAPTER VI.
REBEL INVASION OF MARYLAND.
1862.--Result of Pope's Campaign.--Rest and Recruit at Hall's
Hill.--"My Maryland;" Its Invasion.--Offensive Policy of
the Rebellion.--Pennsylvania and the Whole Country Aroused.
--Battle of South Mountain.--Harper's Ferry.--Colonel Miles.
--His Treachery and Death.--Bloody Battle of Antietam.--
Drilling Recruits.--The Harris Light again at the Front.--At
Chantilly.-- Sudley Church.--Leesburg.--McClellan again
Relieved from Command. 95
CHAPTER VII.
McCLELLAN SUCCEEDED BY BURNSIDE.
1862.--Burnside's First Campaign.--Army of the Potomac in Three
Divisions.--Advance from Warrenton to Falmouth.--General
Stahel's Raid to the Shenandoah.--Laying Pontoons across
the Rappahannock under Fire.--Battle of Fredericksburg.--
Daring Feats and General Heroism.--Death of General Bayard.
--The Hospitals.--Sanitary and Christian Commissions.--Camp
"Bayard."--Camp-Fires.--Winter Quarters.--Friendly Relations
of Pickets.--Trading.--Pay-Day.--"Stuck in the Mud." 105
CHAPTER VIII.
ORGANIZATION OF A CAVALRY CORPS.
1863.--General Hooker assumes Command of the Army of the
Potomac.--Demoralization.--Reorganization.--A Cavalry Corps.
--General George D. Stoneman in Command.--Death of Sergeant
May.--Forests of the Old Dominion.--The Cavalryman and his
Faithful Horse.--Scenes in Winter Quarters.--Kilpatrick.--
His Character.--Qualifications of the True Soldier.--A New
Horse.--A Mulish Mule.--Kilpatrick's Colored Servants in
Trouble.--Terrific Hail-Storm.--Major E. F. Cooke Honored.
--Colonel Clarence Buel. 124
CHAPTER IX.
REBEL CHIEFS AND THEIR RAIDS.
1863.--Rebel Raids by Stuart, Imboden, and Fitz-Hugh Lee.--John
S. Mosby, Guerilla Chief.--His Character.--His Command.--
Daring and Plunder.--Aided by Citizens.--Condition of the
Country Favorable for their Depredations.--Our Picket Lines
too Light.--Attacks on Pickets at Herndon Station, Cub Run,
and Frying-Pan Church.--Miss Laura Ratcliffe, Mosby's
Informant.--Mosby at Fairfax Court House.--Capture of General
Stoughton.--Fight at Chantilly.--Mosby lauded by His Chiefs.
--Mosby beaten at Warrenton Junction.--Severely whipped at
Greenwich, where he loses a Howitzer captured from Colonel
Baker at Ball's Bluff. 143
CHAPTER X.
CHANCELLORSVILLE AND STONEMAN'S RAID.
1863.--Review of the Army by the President.--Deserters Punished.
--Sports and Pastimes.--Stoneman's First Move.--Storm.--
Reconnoissance to Warrenton.--Another Move.--Other Storms.
--Catching "Rabbits."--Stoneman's Great Raid on Lee's
Communications.--On the Virginia Central Railroad.--
Kilpatrick at Louisa Court House.--He Marches upon
Richmond.--Bold Advance near the City.--Important Captures.
--Retreat over Meadow Bridge.--Destructions.--Bushwhackers.
--Happy Rencounter.--Safe Arrival at Gloucester Point.--
Public Prints.--Battle of Chancellorsville.--Heroism and
Defeat.--Stonewall Jackson Falls.--Hooker Injured.--Retreat.
--Orders. 161
CHAPTER XI.
FROM YORKTOWN TO FALMOUTH.
1863.--Curiosity Satisfied.--Pastimes on the York River.
--Religious Services; their Influence.--Raid to Mathias
Court House.--Sickness and Recovery.--From Gloucester
Point to Falmouth.--Exciting Details.--Correspondence of
Mr. Young.--The Press.--With the Army of the Potomac
again.--Cavalry Fight at Brandy Station.--Bold Charge of
the First Maine Cavalry.--The Chivalry fairly Beaten.--
Death of Colonel B. F. Davis, Eighth New York Cavalry.--
Interesting Letter of a Rebel Chaplain.--Casualties.--
What was Gained by the Reconnoissance.--Pleasonton and
Kilpatrick Promoted.--Rebels Raiding in Maryland. 203
CHAPTER XII.
SECOND INVASION OF MARYLAND.--GETTYSBURG.
1863.--Invasion of the Northern States.--Kilpatrick at Aldie.
--The Bloody Battle.--Daring Deeds.--Colonel Cesnola,
Fourth New York Cavalry.--Incidents.--Victory.--Advance
to Ashby's Gap.--Pleasonton's Official Report.--Rebel
Movements on Free Soil.--Difficulties in the North.--The
Cavalry Corps Crosses the Potomac at Edward's Ferry.--
General Meade succeeds Hooker.--Orders.--Changes in the
Cavalry.--Movements.--Kilpatrick's Fight with Stuart at
Hanover Junction.--Solemn and Laughable Scenes.--Buford's
Division Opens the Fight at Gettysburg.--Death of General
Reynolds.--First Day's Repulse.--Second Day.--Rebel
Advantages.--Third Day.--Last Grand Effort.--Death of
General Farnsworth.--The Republic just Saved. 225
CHAPTER XIII.
RETREAT OF THE REBELS FROM GETTYSBURG.
1863.--National Rejoicing.--The Enemy Retreating.--Feebly
Pursued.--Reconnoissances.--Kilpatrick Gives the Enemy a
Fourth of July Entertainment at Monterey Pass.--Storm and
Terror.--Immense Train Destroyed, and Hosts of Prisoners
Taken.--Pitiable Condition of Stuart's Cavalry.--Battle of
Hagerstown.--Captains Penfield and Dahlgren Wounded.--
Wonderful Exploits of a Union Scout.--Kilpatrick and Buford
at Williamsport.--Cavalry Fight at Boonsboro'.--Stuart
Defeated.--Hagerstown Retaken.--Orders to Advance, One Day
Too Late.--Kilpatrick Chases the Flying Foe.--Fight at
Falling Waters, Last Act in the Drama.--Great Bravery of
Union Troops.--Last Vestige of the Invaders Wiped Out.--
Bivouac and Rest. 267
CHAPTER XIV.
KILPATRICK'S GUNBOAT EXPEDITION.
1863.--Escape of Lee into Virginia.--Reasons.--Cavalry Advance into the
Valley _via_ Harper's Ferry.--Riot in New York and other Northern
Cities.--Again Across the Potomac on "Sacred Soil."--Blackberries and
Discipline.--Mails.--Battle of Manassas Gap.--Mosby Again, and His
Bands.--Kilpatrick's Gunboat Expedition on the Rappahannock.--Cavalry
Captures Navy.--Complimented by Superiors.--General Advance of the
Army.--Third Cavalry Battle at Brandy Station.--Stuart's Cavalry Worsted
at Culpepper Court House.--Sharp Artillery Practice at Raccoon Ford, on
the Rapidan.--Special Duties and Special Dangers.--Good Living Along
the Hazel and Robertson Rivers.--Important Reconnoissance and Raid.
--Hard Fighting and Narrow Escape.--Needed Rest Received.--The
Paymaster.--Rebel Plan of Attack Foiled by a Citizen Informer.
--Suspicious Activity on Our Front. 298
CHAPTER XV.
CAPTURE OF THE AUTHOR.
1863.--Fight at James City.--Music of Retreat.--Fourth Cavalry
Fight at Brandy Station.--Critical Situation.--Kilpatrick
Undaunted.--Davies and Custer.--The Grand Charge.--The
Escape.--The Scene.--Subsequent Charges and Counter-charges.
--The Cavalry Routed.--The Rappahannock Recrossed in Safety.
--Infantry Reconnoissance to Brandy Station.--Comical Affair
at Bealeton Station.--Thrilling Adventure of Stuart.--His
Escape.--Battle of Bristoe.--Casualties.--Retreat Continued.
--Destruction of Railroad by the Rebels.--Kilpatrick at
Buckland Mills.--Unpleasant Surroundings.--Sagacity and
Daring.--The Author's Capture.--Fall, Insensibility, Change
of Scene.--The End.--Introduced to Prison Life. 327
List of Illustrations.
PAGE.
1. Portrait of the Author, Frontispiece.
2. Our Cavalry Leaders, 17
3. Cavalry Column on the March, 37
4. Night Attack on Falmouth Heights, 61
5. Burial of Captain Walters at Midnight, during Pope's
Retreat, 87
6. Federal and Rebel Pickets Meeting on the Rappahannock, 119
7. Cavalry Scouting Party Halting for the Night, 173
8. Cavalry Fight at Brandy Station, 215
9. The Cavalry Bivouac, 277
10. Cavalry Battle at Buckland Mills, Va., and Capture of
the Author, 323
[Illustration: OUR CAVALRY LEADERS.
Bayard-Davies-Gregg
Stoneman-Sheridan-Pleasonton
Buford-Kilpatrick-Custer
J.A. O'Neill,
N.Y.]
THREE YEARS IN THE FEDERAL CAVALRY.
CHAPTER I.
THE WAR FOR THE UNION.--CONTEST BEGUN.
1861.--Enthusiasm of the North.--Washington Threatened.--Bull Run, and
Its Lessons.--General Scott and the Cavalry.--Enlistment under
Captain Buel.--Harris Light Cavalry.--Leaving Troy, New York.--
Captain A. N. Duffié.--Drilling and Fencing at Scarsdale, New York.
--Bound for the Seat of War.--Philadelphia.--Baltimore.--
Washington.--Camp Oregon.
The eleventh of April, 1861, revealed the real intention of the Southern
people in their dastardly assault upon Fort Sumter. The thunder of Rebel
cannon shook the air not only around Charleston, but sent its thrilling
vibrations to the remotest sections of the country, and was the
precursor of a storm whose wrath no one anticipated. This shock of arms
was like a fire-alarm in our great cities, and the North arose in its
might with a grand unanimity which the South did not expect. The spirit
and principle of Rebellion were so uncaused and unprovoked, that
scarcely could any one be found at home or abroad to justify them.
President Lincoln thereupon issued a call for seventy-five thousand men
to uphold and vindicate the authority of the Government, and to prove,
if possible, that secession was not only a heresy in doctrine, but an
impracticability in the American Republic. The response to this call was
much more general than the most sanguine had any reason to look for. The
enthusiasm of the people was quite unbounded. Individuals encouraged
individuals; families aroused families; communities vied with
communities, and States strove with States. Who could be the first and
do the most, was the noble contention which everywhere prevailed. All
political party lines seemed to be obliterated. Under this renovating
and inspiring spirit the work of raising the nucleus of the grandest
army that ever swept a continent went bravely on. Regiments were rapidly
organized and as rapidly as possible sent forward to the seat of
Government; and so vast was the number that presented themselves for
their country's defence, that the original call was soon more than
filled, and the authorities found themselves unable to accept many
organizations which were eager to press into the fray.
Meanwhile the great leaders of the Rebellion were marshalling the hordes
of treason, and assembling them on the plains of Manassas, with the
undoubted intention of moving upon the national capital. This point
determined the principal theatre of the opening contest, and around it
on every side, and particularly southward, was to be the aceldama of
America,--the dreadful "field of blood."
The first great impulse of the authorities was in the direction of
self-defence (and what could be more natural and proper?), and
Washington was fortified and garrisoned. This done, it was believed that
the accumulating forces of the Union, which had become thoroughly
equipped and somewhat disciplined, ought to advance into the revolted
territory, scatter the defiant hosts of the enemy, and put a speedy end
to the slaveholders' Rebellion. But the hesitation and indecision which
prevailed in our military circles were becoming oppressive and
unendurable, and hence the cry of "On to Richmond!" was heard from the
Border States to the St. Lawrence, precipitating the first general
engagement of the war. Our defeat at Bull Run was a totally unexpected
disaster, which, for a time, it was feared, would chill the enthusiasm
and greatly weaken the energy of the North. But though the South was
much strengthened and emboldened by their victory, our defeat had its
own curative elements: it taught us that the enemy was determined and
powerful, and that to overcome him the ranks of the Union army must be
filled with something besides three months' men, or men on any very
limited term of enlistment. Other lessons were also gained: our men had
formed some acquaintance with the citizens and the country; they had
learned the importance of a more thorough discipline and organization;
and those who had gone forth as to a picnic or a holiday, sat down "to
count the cost" of "enduring hardness as good soldiers." The nation
discovered that this struggle for life was desperate and even dubious,
and it was thoroughly aroused.
Under the military régime of General Winfield Scott, the cavalry-arm of
the service had been almost entirely overlooked. His previous campaigns
in Mexico, which consisted mainly of the investments of walled cities,
and of assaults on fortresses, had not been favorable to extensive
cavalry operations, and he was not disposed at so advanced an age in
life materially to change his tactics of war. What few regiments of
cavalry we had in the regular army were mostly broken up into small
detachments for the purpose of ranging our Western frontiers, while a
few squads were patrolling between the outposts of our new army,
carrying messages from camp to camp, and pompously escorting the
commanding generals in their grand reviews and parades.
But the Black Horse Cavalry of Virginia, at Bull Run, unmatched by any
similar force on our side, had demonstrated the efficiency and
importance of this branch of the service, and our authorities began to
change their views. The sentiment of the people at large seemed to turn
in the same channel, and a peculiar enthusiasm in this direction was
perceptible everywhere. It was as though the spirit of the old
knight-errantry had suddenly fallen upon us.
I was in Troy, New York, when the sad intelligence of the reverse to our
arms at Bull Run, was received. This was followed quickly by another
call for volunteers, and I decided without hesitation to enter the army.
In accordance with my resolve I enlisted as a private soldier at Troy,
on the sixth day of August, 1861, in a company raised by Captain
Clarence Buel, for the cavalry service. To encounter the chivalrous
Black Horse Cavalry, of Bull Run fame, it was proposed to raise a force
in the North, and as Senator Ira Harris, of New York, was giving this
organization his patronage and influence, a brigade was formed, whose
banners should bear his name.
Originally the regiment to which my company was assigned was intended
for the regular army, and was for some time known as the Seventh United
States Cavalry; but the Government having decided to have but six
regiments of regular cavalry, and as New York had contributed the
majority of the men to the organization, we were denominated the Second
Regiment of New York Cavalry, "Harris Light." This regiment was
organized by J. Mansfield Davies, of New York, as colonel, assisted by
Judson Kilpatrick, of New Jersey, as lieutenant-colonel. The men were
mostly from the States of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont,
Pennsylvania, and Indiana.
_August 13._--To-day Captain Buel's company of Trojans was summoned
together for the purpose of leaving for the South. Under a severe,
drenching rain we were drawn up in line fronting the residence of
General John E. Wool, when the old veteran delivered a most heroic
address, which led us quite to forget the pelting rain, and prepared us
for our departure. The boys then found a very pleasant shelter on board
the Vanderbilt, bound for New York City. The day following all the New
York State men rendezvoused at 648 Broadway, and were mustered into the
service of the United States by Lieutenant-colonel D. B. Sackett, of the
regular army. At four o'clock P. M. we were ordered aboard a
train of cars, and told that our destination was Camp Howe, near
Scarsdale, twenty-four miles north of the city, between the Harlem and
East rivers. We reached the place just in time to pitch our tents for
the night--an operation which was not only new and strange, but
performed in any thing but a workman-like manner. We had every thing to
learn, and this was our first lesson in soldiering.
Captain A. N. Duffié, of Co. A, a Frenchman and graduate of the military
school of St. Cyr, France, is in command of the camp, and is to be the
superintendent of our discipline and drill. He is undoubtedly well
qualified for this position.
_August 16._--This morning we commenced the inevitable drill on foot, as
we are still without horses. We find this exercise very severe, and yet,
in view of its great importance, we accept it with a good degree of
relish. Our drill-master is thorough and rigidly strict, after the
fashion of the French schools. We cannot avoid learning under his
tuition. In the afternoon we were set to policing camp. This comprises
the cleaning of one of the roughest farms in the country of stone. And
as a remuneration to the owners for the use of this most unsightly of
God's forsaken ground, we are compelled to build stone fences--a very
unpleasant introduction to military life, and an occupation which by no
means accords with our ideas of a soldier's duties. But our hands toil
with a protest in our hearts, and with a certain resolve that this kind
of fencing must not long continue.
After a week spent in drill and the stone-wall enterprise, we were all
surprised one morning with an order to fall into line to receive a
Napoleonic harangue from Captain Duffié. So many and even loud had been
our protests, and so glaringly manifest our rebellious spirit on the
subject of fortifying a farm in the State of New York, that the captain
undoubtedly feared that he might not be very zealously supported by us
in his future movements, and so, like Napoleon, on assuming command of
the army of Italy, he sought to test the devotion of his men. After
amusing us awhile in his broken English, and arousing us by his touching
appeals to our patriotism and honor, at length he shouted, "Now as many
of you as are ready to follow me to the cannon's month, take one step to
the front." This _dernier resort_ to pride was perfectly successful, and
the whole line took the desired step. We were then ordered to be ready
to leave camp at eleven o'clock that morning, which was on the twentieth
of August, assured that Washington, D. C., was our destination.
Our ranks were quickly broken, and all due preparation made for our
departure. After marching to Scarsdale we took cars and were soon landed
in the metropolis, through the principal streets of which our command
passed to the Jersey City ferry. Without much delay we reached
Philadelphia in the evening, where we were bountifully supplied with
rations by her proverbially generous and patriotic people. True to the
instinct of "Brotherly Love," the citizens are making arrangements such
as would indicate that millions of Union soldiers might be fed at their
tables. Here we spent the night. The next morning at 6.30 we were on our
way southward. A brief halt was made in Baltimore, whose streets still
seem to be speaking of the blood of the brave Massachusetts men. And as
we march along, we can but recall the poet's prophesy:
"And the Eagle, never dying, still is trying, still is trying,
With its wings upon the map to hide a city with its gore;
But the name is there forever, and it shall be hidden never,
While the awful brand of murder points the Avenger to its shore;
While the blood of peaceful brothers God's dread vengeance doth
implore,
Thou art doomed, O Baltimore!"
At 4 o'clock P. M. we beheld the dome of the nation's capitol,
and, after landing, we were marched to the eastern part of the city, and
pitched tents near Camp Oregon--named thus in honor of Colonel Edward D.
Baker, who represented that Territory in the Senate of the United
States, previous to his acceptance of a military commission, and who is
now in command of the famous California regiment which occupies this
camp.
CHAPTER II.
CAMP-LIFE AND ITS INFLUENCES.
1861.--Our unmilitary Appearance.--First Equipage.--My Black Mare.--Good
and Evil Influences.--News-Boys.--Mail-Bag.--Letter-Writing.--The
Bugle Corps.--Camp Guard.--Guerillas under Turner Ashby.--Mounted
Drill.--Laughable Experiences with Horses.--Southern Egotism.--
Northern Fancies.
Drill! drill! and camp-police are the order of the day. Indeed we have
nothing else to do, and to do nothing at all is the hardest kind of
work. We expect soon to have some accoutrements to enable us to drill
something besides our feet. Our preparations for war have commenced at
the extremities; for thus far nothing but our heads and feet have been
instructed. However, as we become better acquainted with this part of
our duty we enjoy it better than at first, and we think we are making no
very mean progress.
For some time after our arrival here, the Government was unable to
supply us with uniforms, or weapons of war, and our appearance was far
from being _à la militaire_, as Captain Duffié would have it. Coming as
we did from colleges and schools, from offices and counting-rooms, from
shops and farms, and some from no occupation at all, each with the
peculiar dress he wore when he enlisted, and already pretty well worn
out by our labors at Camp Howe and extensive travelling, we were a most
unsightly, heterogeneous mass of humanity, and were a subject of no
little sport to our better-clad fellow-soldiers. Especially was this the
case when on a certain day General B. F. Butler reviewed the troops of
this department, and we were made to appear before him and the multitude
with our hats and caps, our coats and jackets, in nearly all colors, and
many of them in rags and shags. We certainly had nothing to recommend us
to the consideration of military men, except the courageous spirit that
throbbed in our generally robust frames. But we were hopeful of better
days, when we might have the appearance and equipage as well as the
internal qualities of soldiers.
But the Government was so wholly unprepared for war, that our supplies
were received very slowly. First came our uniforms, which every man
donned gladly, and yet with a feeling that the last link to civil life,
for the present, was severed, and that henceforth in a very peculiar
sense we belonged to our common country.
A few days after our arrival at Camp Oregon, we were joined by the men
who belonged to our regiment from other States. This added fresh
enthusiasm, as well as new strength, to our ranks. However, there is as
yet nothing in our _tout ensemble_ to distinguish us from infantry or
artillery, except the yellow trimming of our blue uniforms, whereas the
infantry has the light-blue trimming, and the artillery bright red.
_August 23._--To-day I am happy to make the following entry in my diary,
namely: the regiment was furnished with sabres, Colt's revolvers and
all the necessary appendages, consisting of belts and ammunition-boxes.
Every man has now a new care and pride--to keep his sabre bright, and
his entire outfit clean, that he may wear them with pleasure to himself
and honor to his comrades. The morning and evening of the 24th were
spent in sabre exercise, with which we were all delighted. This is the
first development in us of the cavalry element as such, and we begin to
feel our individuality. We desire to have this growth continue
uninterruptedly, and in aid of it, in the early part of September, came
quite a large installment of horses and equipments. This occurred while
the regiment occupied a camp about three miles from Washington, on the
Bladensburg road, which we named Sussex, in honor of Sussex county, New
York, our colonel's native county. As the number of horses furnished us
at this time was not sufficient to mount the whole command, the number
received by each company was proportioned to the maximum roll of its
men. After the non-commissioned officers of each company, including all
the sergeants and corporals, had drawn their horses according to rank,
the privates were made to draw lots for the remainder--a performance
which produced no little amount of excitement.
Several of our comrades were of course unfortunately compelled for
several days to march on foot, though much against their wishes; for
nothing could be more humiliating to a dragoon than to be trudging
through the mud and dust, while his companions were gliding past him
with their neighing steeds, on their way to the drill-grounds, or to
any other post of duty. It was my good fortune to be the recipient of a
beautiful black mare, only five years old, full of life and fiery metal,
fourteen hands high, and weighing ten hundred pounds. She was a gem for
the cavalry service, or any thing else, and a friendship was to grow up
between us worthy of historic mention.
We are now fairly out upon the ocean of our new life, and are beginning
to feel its influence. It does not take the careful observer long to
notice the effects which outward changes and circumstances have upon the
characters of most men. Indeed, no man remains unaffected by them; he
either advances or retrogrades, and it is very apparent already among us
that while soldiering does make some men, it _un_ makes many. The very
lowest stratum of life among us, such as represents the loungers in the
streets and lanes of our cities,--those who have neither occupation nor
culture, is amazingly influenced for the better by military discipline.
These men now find themselves with something to do, and with somebody to
make them do it. The progress is very slow, it is true, and in some
cases exceptional, but this is evidently the general tendency.
But on the other hand, our regiment is made up partly of young men from
respectable families, reared under the influences of a pure morality;
but they find that the highest standard of morality presented here is
much lower than they were wont to have at home, and they soon begin to
waver. Thus having lost their first moorings of character, they start
downward, and in many instances are precipitated to horrible depths.
"When once a shaking monarchy declines,
Each thing grows bold and to its fall combines."
Only a very few have sufficient force in themselves to effectually
resist these evils. It must be remembered that the wholesome and normal
restraints of virtuous female society are wholly removed from us. And
from what we daily see around us we are convinced that a colony of men
only, however virtuous or moral, would in a short time run into utter
barbarism. No candid observer can doubt the teaching of the old
scripture, that "it is not good for man to be alone."
Moreover, the friends and associates of our childhood's innocence, whose
presence always calls forth the purest memories, are not with us; nor do
we feel the almost omnipotent influences of the old school-house
gatherings, of the church-going bell, and of the home-fireside. When you
sever all these ties and helps to a moral life, and throw a man in the
immediate association of the vicious, he must be only a little less than
an angel not to fall. Here we are all dressed alike, live alike, and are
all subject to like laws and discipline. The very man who shares our
blanket and tent-cover, who draws rations from the same kettle, who
drinks from the same canteen, and with whom we are compelled to come in
contact daily, may be the veriest poltroon, whose diploma shows
graduation at the Five Points, and whose presence alone is morally
miasmatic. Consequently our camp is infested more or less with gambling,
drunkenness, and profanity, and all their train of attending evils, and
at times we long for campaigning in the field, where it seems to us we
may rid ourselves of this demoralization. Hannibal's toilsome marches
across the Alps and through Upper Italy only gave hardihood and courage
to his legions, who came thundering at the very gates of Rome, and
threatening its immediate overthrow; but a winter's camp-life at Capua
left them shorn of their strength.
But then we have remedial influences even in camp, and we hail them with
no little delight. Daily the news-boys make their appearance, calling
out: "Washington Chronicle and New York papers!" They enjoy an extensive
patronage. With these sheets many moments are pleasantly spent, as their
columns are eagerly perused. Then, following hard on the track of the
news-boys, comes our adjutant's orderly or courier with a mail-bag full
of letters, precious mementos from the loved ones at home. These
messages are the best reminders we have of our home-life, especially
when they are brim-full, as is usually the case, with patriotic
sparkling, and with affection's purest libations. These letters have a
double influence; while they keep the memories of home more or less
bright within us, and at times so bright that as we read we can almost
see our mothers, wives, and sisters in their tender Christian solicitude
for us, they also stimulate us to greater improvements in the epistolary
art. Men who never wrote a letter in their lives before, are at it now;
those who cannot write at all, are either learning, or engage their
comrades to write for them, and the command is doing more writing in
one day than, I should judge, we used to do in a month, and, perhaps, a
year.
No sooner are the contents of the mail-bag distributed, and devoured by
the eager newsmongers, than active preparations are made for responding.
Some men carry pocket-inkstands and write with pens, but the majority
use pencils. Here you see one seated on a stump or fence, addressing his
"sweet-heart" or somebody else; another writes standing up against a
tree, while a third is lying flat on the ground. Thus either in the
tents or in the open air, scribbling is going on, and the return mail
will carry many sweet words to those who cannot be wholly forgotten. I
suppose in this way we are not only making, but writing history.
Camp-life then is not entirely monotonous.
THE BUGLE-CORPS.
Sights and sounds of interest may be seen and heard at almost every hour
of the day. The morning is ushered in with the shrill reveille, which
means awake and arise. This is well executed by our bugle-corps, which
Captain Duffié has organized, and is drilling thoroughly. All our
movements are now ordered by the bugle. By its blast we are called to
our breakfast, dinner and supper. Roll-call is sounded twice a day, and
the companies fall into line, when the first sergeants easily ascertain
whether every man is at his post of duty. The bugle calls the sick, and
sometimes those who feign to be, to the surgeon's quarters, and their
wants and woes are attended to. By the bugle we are summoned to
inspections, to camp-guard, to the feeding and watering of our horses
and to drill. A peculiarly shrill call is that which brings all the
first or orderly sergeants to the adjutant's quarters to receive any
special order he may have to communicate.
Thus call after call is sounded at intervals throughout the day, ending
with "taps," which is the signal for blowing out the lights, and seeking
the rest which night demands.
CAMP GUARD.
Our principal duties now are camp guard and drill, which we perform by
turns. Every morning quite a large force is detailed, with a
commissioned officer in command, for guard duty. These form a line of
dismounted pickets, or vedettes, around the entire camp. They are
stationed within sight and hailing distance of each other, enabling them
to prevent any one from leaving or entering camp without a written pass
in the day-time, or the countersign at night. The rule is to have each
man stand post for two hours, when he is relieved. This is the maximum
time, and is sometimes made less at the discretion of the commandant.
We are told, as we perform this duty, that it is not very unlike the
picketing that will be required of us if we are ever permitted to take
the field which confronts the enemy. Indeed, this is picketing on a
small scale. And our enthusiasm in this branch of our work increases, as
we are almost daily in receipt of accounts of attacks on our pickets
along the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Cumberland
Canal. It appears that a certain Colonel Turner Ashby, with a force of
cavaliers (?) acting as guerillas, singly and in squads, is nightly
endeavoring to sever our telegraph wires, to burn our railroad-bridges,
and to destroy the canal, or fire at our men on the passing boats; and
not unfrequently we read of skirmishes in which several of our pickets
have been either captured, wounded, or killed. Of course, we expect
before long to face Mr. Ashby and his confederates, and we are preparing
ourselves for it.
MOUNTED DRILL.
But this we do specially in the drill. Recently the balance of our men
were gladdened with a full supply of horses. Mounted drill is now the
general order, and nearly all our time not otherwise occupied is devoted
to this exercise. At first we had some exciting times with our young and
untrained horses. One of our men received a kick from his horse which
proved fatal to his life. Several of our wildest and seemingly
incorrigible ones we have been compelled to run up the steepest hills in
the vicinity, under the wholesome discipline of sharp spurs, until the
evil has been sweated out of them. We find, however, that the trouble is
not only with the horses, but frequently with the men, many of whom have
never bridled a horse nor touched a saddle. And then, too, these curbed
bits in the mouths of animals that had been trained with the common
bridle, produced a most rebellious temper, causing many of them to rear
up in the air as though they had suddenly been transformed into
monstrous kangaroos, while the riders showed signs of having taken
lessons in somersets. Some of the scenes are more than ludicrous. Horses
and men are acting very awkwardly, also, with the guiding of the animal
by the rein against the neck, and not by the bit, as we were accustomed
to do at home.
We do not wonder much that the chivalrous Black Horse gentry have
expressed their contempt of Northern "mudsills and greasy mechanics,"
and have made their brags that we could never match them. But then it is
said that these Southrons were born in a saddle, and were always trained
in horsemanship. They generally perform their pleasure excursions, go on
their business journeys, and even to church, on horseback. They were
therefore prepared for the cavalry service, before we had so much as
_thought_ of it. But let them beware of what they think or say, for _we
can learn_, and it does frequently occur that somewhere in the
experience of contending parties, "the first is last, and the last
first."
We are improving rapidly. There is so much exhilaration in the shrill
bugle-notes which order the movements of the drill, and so much life in
its swift evolutions, that the men and horses seem to dance rather than
walk on their way to the drill grounds, and both are readily learning
the certain sounds of the trumpet, and becoming masters of motions and
dispositions required of them. Like all other apprentices, of course, we
occasionally indulge in the reveries of imagination, and we think we are
laying the foundation of a career which is destined to be important and
glorious. Be this as it may, we do not mean to be outstripped by any one
in our knowledge and practice of cavalry tactics, and of the general
manoeuvrings of war.
[Illustration: CAVALRY COLUMN ON THE MARCH.]
CHAPTER III.
PREPARATIONS FOR ACTIVE SERVICE.
1861.--First Advance.--"Contrabands," their Hopes and Treatment.--Union
Ranks Filling Up.--Promotion.--Foraging and its Obstacles.--Scouting
and its Aim.--Senator Harris visits the Command.--Ball's Bluff.
--Recruiting Service.--Interesting Incidents.--Camp Palmer.--
"Contrabands" at Work.--Drilling near Arlington Heights.--Colonel
George D. Bayard.--Fight at Drainesville.
October 15, 1861.--The Harris Light broke camp at eight o'clock, A. M.,
and marched proudly through Washington, crossed the famous Long
Bridge over the Potomac, and moved forward to Munson's Hill, in full
view of our infantry outposts, where we established a new camp, calling
it "Advance." For the first time our horses remained saddled through the
night, and the men slept on their arms. To us this was a new and
exciting phase of life.
Since our retreat from Bull Run, the Rebel army has made itself
formidable on this line, and though no active movements have been
attempted on Washington, we are, nevertheless, apprehensive of such a
measure on their part. Hence our picket lines are doubly strong and
vigilant, while every means is resorted to to ascertain the position,
strength, and intention of our wily foe.
Frequently "contrabands" feel their way through the enemy's pickets
under cover of the night, and through the tangled brushwood which
abounds, and reach our lines safely. From them we gain much valuable
information of the state of things in "Dixie." Some of them, we learn,
were employed by Rebel leaders in constructing forts and earthworks, and
in various ways were made to contribute muscle to the Southern
Confederacy. They have strange and exciting stories to tell us, and yet
it seems as though they might be of great service to us, if we saw fit
to employ them, as guides in our movements. Their heart is with us in
this conflict. They hail us as friends, and entertain wild notions about
a jubilee of liberty, for which they are ever praying and singing, and
look upon us as their deliverers. How they have formed such opinions is
somewhat difficult to conjecture, especially when we consider the
anomalous treatment they have received from our hands. The authorities
have seemed to be puzzled with regard to them; and there are cases where
they have even been returned to their former owners. And yet there seems
to be an instinctive prophecy in their natures, which leads them to look
to Northmen for freedom. Their presence in our camps becomes a sort of
inspiration to most of us, and we only wish that their prayers may be
answered, and that every chain of servitude may be broken. This
sentiment at times breaks out in such as the following poetic strain:
"In the beauty of the lily Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make them free."
And as slavery was the cause, and not, as some say, the pretext, of the
war, if the Union arms succeed, this "irrepressible conflict" and
villanous wrong must come to an end.
Our confidence in the ultimate success of our arms is daily increasing.
Since the first of August our ranks have been wonderfully swelled; and
now regiment after regiment, battery after battery, is pouring in from
the North, filling the camps of instruction, and manning the
fortifications around Washington. Meanwhile, earthworks are being
constructed on all the high hills and commanding positions; strong
abatis are made of the forest-trees, and every thing done that can give
the city an air of security, and the country round about the appearance
of a bristling porcupine. Should this influx of troops continue, we
shall be compelled to advance our lines for very room on which to
station them. We have some intimations that our advance to this point
to-day is preparatory to such a movement.
The day following our advance I was promoted to the rank of corporal, on
the recommendation of Captain Buel, my appointment to date from the
fifteenth. On the sixteenth our lines were advanced to Vienna, a station
on the Leesburg Railroad, and on the seventeenth as far as Fairfax Court
House, the Confederates falling back toward Centreville and Manassas
without offering the least resistance.
FORAGING AND SCOUTING.
We are spending our time mostly in foraging, scouting, and patrolling.
In consequence of imperfect transportation, the cavalry especially is
compelled to seek its own forage, with which, however, the country
abounds. Corn is found in "right smart heaps," as the natives say,
either in the fields or barns, and hayricks dot the country on every
side. But there is a certain degree of scrupulousness on the part of
some of our commanders with regard to appropriating the produce of the
"sacred soil" to our own use, which greatly embarrasses our foraging
expeditions, and exasperates not a little those of us who are needy of
the things we are at times ordered not to take. It is no uncommon thing
to find one of our men stationed as safeguard over the property of a
most bitter Rebel--property which, in our judgment, ought to be
confiscated to the use of the Union, or utterly destroyed. We do not
believe in handling Rebels with kid gloves, and especially when we know
that the very men whom we protect are constantly giving information to
the enemy of all our movements, and using their property whenever they
can to aid and comfort the cause of treason. We are too forcibly
reminded of the fable we used to read in our schoolboy days, of the
Farmer and the Viper. We are only warming into new life and strength
this virus of Rebellion, to have it recoil upon ourselves. We hope our
authorities will soon discover their error, and change their tactics.
Our scouting is on a limited scale, though it affords considerable
exercise and excitement. Thereby we are learning the topography of the
country, and making small maps of the same. We are traversing the
forests, through the wood-roads and by-paths which run in every
direction; strolling by the streams and ravines, and gaining all the
information which can be of use to us in future manoeuvrings. We
scout in small squads over the entire area occupied by our forces, and
often beyond; and, now and then, more frequently in the night, we patrol
between our picket posts, to ascertain that all is well at the points
most exposed to danger. The principal object of scouting is to learn the
strength and position of the enemy, while the object of patrolling is to
learn our own.
_October 20._--To-day the regiment was honored by a visit from its
patron, Senator Ira Harris. After witnessing a mounted drill and parade,
which pleased him much, he presented us a beautiful stand of colors,
accompanied by an appropriate and eloquent address. He made especial
reference to the object of the organization, the hopes of its friends,
and their earnest prayers for its future usefulness and success. He
dwelt enthusiastically upon the work before us. At the close of the
speech the command responded with a rousing round of cheers, expressive
of their thankfulness for the banner and of their determination to keep
it, to stand by it, and to defend it even with their lives. The occasion
was one to be remembered.
BALL'S BLUFF.
Another great pall of sadness has fallen upon our soldiers. The papers
bring intelligence of our terrible disaster at Ball's Bluff, and the
promising Colonel E. D. Baker has fallen, while gallantly leading his
noble Californians. Discussions as to the cause or causes of that fatal
advance and bloody retreat are going on throughout our camps. It does
seem to many as though gross incompetency or treachery must have
influenced the authorities having immediate oversight of the affair, and
that our fallen braves have been needlessly immolated upon their
country's altar.
"Big Bethel, Bull Run, and Ball's Bluff,
Oh, alliteration of blunders!
Of blunders more than enough,
In a time full of blunders and wonders."
But the boys are enthusiastic over the bravery of our nineteen hundred,
who fought against a force more than twice their number, with all the
advantage of position and knowledge of the country. All our battles have
proven that our men can fight, and, though Providence seems to have been
against us thus far, for reasons most inscrutable, we will not waver in
our determination to dare or die in the contest. Our chief difficulties
are not in the rank and file of the army, but in the general management
of the forces, and we trust that ere long right men will be found to
take the places of incompetent ones.
RECRUITING SERVICE.
_October 28._--To-day I was detailed by Colonel Davies to proceed to New
York with Lieutenant Morton, on recruiting service. We went on to
Newburgh, near the lieutenant's native home, where we spent a few days
together, but on the first of November I was ordered to Troy, to act
independently. I spent several weeks in this peculiar work, and with
good success.
Though recruiting offices could be found on all the principal streets
of our cities and villages, yet a good business was done by them all,
such was the enthusiasm which prevailed among the people. War-meetings
were frequently held, and addressed by our best orators. The press, with
few exceptions, poured forth its eloquent appeals to the strong-bodied
men of the country to range themselves on the side of right against
wrong. Violence would be done to truth did we not mention, also, that
the pulpits of the land were potent helpers in this work, by their
religious patriotism and persistent efforts to keep the great issue
distinctly before the people. Thus the mind and heart of the North were
kept alive to the great problem of the nation's existence, and men were
rallying to our standard. It was no uncommon thing to receive
applications to enter our lists from young men or boys too young and
slender to be admitted, who left our offices in tears of disappointment,
unless we could find for them a position as drummers and buglers.
A single instance of enlistment under my observation might be mentioned,
as it gives a specimen of the manner in which our work went on. Having
taken passage on the cars one day from one point of my labors to
another, I fell in with a young man who was on his way to college, where
he expected to be matriculated the following day. His valise was full of
books and other students' requisites, and his heart full of literary
ambition. Attracted to me by my uniform, he soon learned my business,
and, after a few moments of pensiveness, to my surprise, he told me to
inscribe his name among my recruits. Then turning to a friend on board
the car, he said, "Take this trunk to my home, and tell my mother I have
enlisted in a cavalry regiment."
_December 4._--To-day I returned from recruiting service, bringing with
me our enlisted men who had not been sent previously to the regiment. I
found the Harris Light occupying Camp Palmer, on Arlington Heights, the
confiscated property of the Rebel General Robert E. Lee. On arriving in
camp I found that the papers from Washington contained a letter of
Secretary Seward, directing General McClellan not to return to their
former owners contrabands in our lines. This order, when fully
understood by our colored friends, will undoubtedly increase their exit
"from Egypt," as many of them style their escape from bondage. The
government will probably adopt measures to give these fugitives
systematic assistance and labor, that they may be of use to us. Already
I find that a goodly number of our officers have adopted them for cooks
and hostlers, in which positions they certainly excel; and there is no
good reason why we may not employ them as teamsters on our trains and
helpers in our trenches. They are generally very powerful, and show
signs of great endurance. Nor do we find them unwilling to labor, as we
have been so often told they were. However, we do not wonder much that
they have acquired the "reputation" of being lazy, for what but a thing
or an animal could take pleasure in unrequited toil? Now they have a
personal interest, and take a peculiar delight in what they do for us.
Their great willingness and ability to work for Uncle Sam or any of his
boys, would indicate that they will become eminently useful in the
service of their country.
From Camp Palmer the regiment had gone out to drill for some time; and
here we continued through the month, generally occupying the large plain
which lies between the Arlington House and the Potomac, and in full view
of Washington. On this field Kilpatrick, Davies, Duffié, and others,
began to develop their soldierly qualities, infusing them into their
commands, and imparting that knowledge of cavalry tactics which would
prepare us for the stern duties of war. We have recently been greatly
encouraged by the movements of Colonel George Dashiel Bayard, of the
First Pennsylvania Cavalry, who, on the 27th of November, while on a
scout on the road to Leesburg, Loudon county, met a band of the Chivalry
near Drainesville, with whom he had a spirited skirmish. The whole
affair would indicate that Colonel Bayard is destined to be no mean
cavalry leader. Cavalry regiments from most of the loyal States have
been organized, and are now in camps of instruction. Occasionally they
go out scouting, picketing, etc., and are thus preparing for the coming
campaigns.
_December 20._--To-day a brigade of Pennsylvanians, including two
squadrons of Colonel Bayard's cavalry regiment, the whole force under
command of General E. O. C. Ord, while foraging in the vicinity of
Drainesville, were attacked by a Rebel force nearly equal in numbers,
with General J. E. B. Stuart commanding in person. A lively contest
followed, in which the Rebels were thoroughly beaten and driven from the
field, losing, according to their own accounts, about two hundred and
fifty in killed, wounded, and captured. They left twenty-five dead
horses on the field, with the débris of two caissons, disabled and
exploded by the well-directed fire of Easton's battery, which
accompanied the expedition. The Rebels, who had undoubtedly come out for
the purpose of forage as well as ourselves, having a long wagon train,
retreated toward Fairfax Court House, with their wagons laden with their
wounded. Our loss includes only nine killed and sixty wounded.
Unimportant as this victory might seem, it caused an immense rejoicing
in the Union ranks. It was a fitting answer to the calumny heaped upon
us from both North and South, that our soldiers could not fight, and
were no match for their boastful enemy.
CHAPTER IV.
THE ADVANCE TO THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
1862.--"All quiet along the Potomac."--Preparations.--Army of the Potomac
Moves!--Capture of the "Quaker Guns" at Centreville.--Return to
Defences.--Guerillas.--Their Attacks and Stratagems.--The Bovine
Foe.--Picketing; how it is done.--Sufferings.--McClellan to the
Peninsula.--Virginia Weather and the People.--General Augur's Advance
to the Rappahannock.--Lieutenant Decker's Bravery and Death.--Night
Charge on Falmouth Heights.--Fredericksburg Surrenders.--How Citizens
regard us.--Guarding a Train to Thoroughfare Gap.--Fight and Captures
at Flipper's Orchard.--Shenandoah Valley.--The Fifth New York
Cavalry, First Ira Harris' Guard.--Death of Turner Ashby.--Strange
Cavalry Tactics.--Personal Bravery of Captain Hammond.--End of the
Peninsular Campaign.
The winter was one of preparation, not of operation. Why we were kept
"all quiet along the Potomac," until the announcement, reiterated
through the press, elicited only disdainful merriment among our friends,
was never satisfactorily explained. The month of December had been
beautiful, the roads in excellent condition, the army well supplied and
disciplined, so that nothing but hesitancy in our leaders stood in the
way of army movements. The North and West, which had supplied myriads of
men and millions of money, were becoming very impatient with such a
state of things. This feeling was intensified by the fact that it was
known that the enemy was tireless in his efforts to increase his army
and to fortify his strongholds, while he was also gaining the sympathy
of foreign powers, and, by means of blockade-running, was adding not a
little to his munitions of war. The army shared largely this general
discontent. "Why do we not advance?" was every where the interrogation
of eager officers and men.
However, we were not wholly unemployed; for while we waited for
reinforcements and cannon, as demanded by the general in command, and
for the leaves to fall from the trees to facilitate movements in a
country so thickly wooded as is Virginia, we were kept busy with the
camp curriculum, namely, the drill, the guard, the inspection, and
parade. General Lee's plantation, on Arlington Heights, and the
surrounding country, was thoroughly trodden by loyal feet, as men and
horses were acquiring the form and power of military life.
THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
But our quiet was to be broken by our grand advance, which commenced on
the 3d of March. The Harris Light broke camp at three o'clock in the
morning, and, with several regiments of cavalry, under the command of
Colonel W. W. Averill, led the advance, the Harris Light having the
position of honor as vanguard. We were ordered to move slowly and
cautiously, which we did, on the main thoroughfare known as the Little
River Turnpike, and, at four o'clock, P. M., we arrived at Fairfax Court
House, having marched only about fourteen miles.
What was our surprise to find the place entirely deserted by the enemy,
who had left the day previous with the design of retiring beyond the
Rappahannock. This change of affairs seemed so sudden as to be full of
mystery, and was wholly unknown even to our secret corps. We could not
doubt but that this movement was performed in anticipation of some of
our contemplated manoeuvrings, of which the Rebel leaders are
generally informed by their spies in Washington and all through our
lines, even before they are known to our army.
Our march was resumed the following day at ten o'clock A. M., and early
in the afternoon we captured the "Quaker Guns" at Centreville. The enemy
had actually placed in the earthworks or forts which commanded the road,
large trunks of trees, resembling cannon of heavy calibre, which frowned
down upon us from the heights. Had it not been for the information we
had received from contrabands on the march, that the enemy had evacuated,
a report confirmed by the curling smoke which rose from various parts of
the field, this formidable array of threatening cannon would have
terrified us all, and greatly retarded our progress. Indeed, it was not
till after the suspicious works had been thoroughly scanned with
field-glasses that we were ordered to advance, when the strong position
was carried without the snapping of a cap, or a sabre stroke. Chagrin
was written upon every face. Not a sign of the enemy was visible, save
the deserted remains of their winter-quarters, which fell into our hands.
A very brief halt was here made, and, hurrying our steps, we soon
crossed the memorable Bull Run, and came up with the rearguard of the
retiring army at Manassas Junction. Here we pitched into them, and
kicked up a little dust on the road to Bristoe. This expedition, or
wild-goose chase, was continued to Warrenton Junction, where General
George D. Stoneman found the enemy in force, but returned without
attacking them. Having loitered about these historic fields a few days,
our whole force began to fall back towards its old position on the
Potomac, establishing our advanced picket-lines, however, as far forward
as Centreville, with Fairfax Court House as headquarters. Our line of
pickets intercepts the Leesburg turnpike at Drainesville and extends to
the Potomac, a distance of about twenty miles.
GUERILLAS AND BUSHWHACKERS.
As guerillas and their brethren, the bushwhackers, infest the country
more or less, picketing is dangerous as well as difficult. Between the
Rappahannock and the Potomac lies a vast territory which abounds in
creeks, marshes, deep, dark forests, with only here and there a village
or settlement. A little to the west of this plain extend the Bull Run
Mountains, with their ravines and caverns. This is a very fit
hiding-place for mischief-makers. The guerillas consist mostly of
farmers and mechanics, residents of this region, who, by some means, are
exempt from the Rebel conscription. Most of them follow their usual
avocations daring the day, and have their rendezvous at night, where
they congregate to lay their plans of attack on the pickets.
They resort to every stratagem which a vile and savage spirit could
inspire. Sometimes a picket is approached by the stealthiest creeping
through the dark thickets, when the unfortunate sentinel is seized and
quickly despatched by a bowie-knife, or other like weapon, which a
Southron can always use most dexterously. When mere stealth cannot
accomplish the task, other methods are used. For instance, on a dark
night, a vedette, stationed by a thick underbrush, heard a cow-bell
approaching him, and supposing that the accompanying rustle of leaves
and crackling of dry limbs was occasioned by a bovine friend,
unwittingly suffered himself to be captured by a bushwhacker. But the
boys soon learned to be suspicious of every noise they heard; so much
so, that one night a picket, hearing footsteps approaching him, cried
out, "Halt! Who comes there?" His carbine was instantly brought to a
ready, and as no halt occurred nor answer was made, a second challenge
was given; but failing to effect any thing, he fired in the direction of
the noise, when he distinctly heard a heavy fall, and then groans, as of
somebody dying. The sergeant of the post, running up to ascertain the
cause of the alarm, found that an unfortunate ox, that had been grazing
his way through the forest, lay dying, with his forehead perforated by
the faithful sentry's bullet. The incident caused considerable
merriment, and the pickets were supplied with poor Confederate beef
during the remainder of their term of duty.
But the attacks are frequently of a more disastrous character, resulting
in the killing of men and horses, in wounds and in captures. The utmost
care and strictest vigilance cannot secure us perfectly from
depredations. Our general plan is as follows: The major part of the
regiment or picket detail establishes what we denominate the "main
reserve" within a mile or two in rear of the centre of the line of
vedettes, or at a point where their assistance, in case of an attack,
can be secured at any place in the line, at the shortest possible
notice. About midway between the main reserve and the picket line are
stationed two, three, or four picket reliefs, so situated as to form,
with the line of vedettes for a base, a pyramid, with its apex at the
main reserve.
PICKET DUTY.
The boys will not soon forget the long, dreary, dangerous hours they
spent along this line. Here we find ourselves shivering around a
miserable fire among the sighing pines (though in times of special
danger we are not permitted to have even this slight comfort, for fear
of detection), often compelled to sit or lie down in snow or mud, or to
walk about smartly to prevent freezing to death. Sometimes, when much
exhausted, we have laid ourselves down on the damp and muddy ground,
which was frozen stiffly all around us when we awoke. Frozen fingers and
toes are no uncommon things.
In this wretched plight we hear the summons to get ready to stand post.
We go out upon our shivering horses, to sit in the saddle for two hours
or more, facing the biting wind, and peering through the storm of sleet,
snow, or rain, which unmercifully pelts us in its fury. But it were well
for us if this was our worst enemy, and we consider ourselves happy if
the guerilla does not creep through bushes impenetrable to the sight,
to inflict his mortal blows. The two hours expire, relief comes, and the
vedette returns to spend his four, six, or eight hours off post, as best
he may.
Once, at least, during the night, we are visited by the grand guard,
which consists of the officer of the day, accompanied by others, whose
duty it is to make a thorough, though usually swift, inspection of the
picket line. Most of our time is spent in this duty.
_March 29._--Considerable excitement prevailed among us to-day, as
Colonel Bayard was dispatched with a detachment of his regiment to
repulse a dastardly raid made by some of General J. E. B. Stuart's men,
on the house of a Mrs. Tenant, a Union lady, residing near Difficult
Run, about six miles from Chain Bridge. Colonel Bayard reached the place
a few moments too late, and the raiders succeeded in taking Mrs. Tenant
as a prisoner, and making off with their prey.
For several weeks the main portion of our grand army has been sent by
transports to the Peninsula, with the evident intention of moving upon
Richmond by shorter land routes than by way of Manassas. This change in
our plans of attack was probably known by the Rebels before they were
matured at Washington, and we now understand why they so quietly
evacuated their positions on our front.
General McDowell remains in command of the defences of Washington, with
a force sufficient, it is believed, to give safety to the Capital, and
to harass the Rebels who continue before us. With the departure of
General McClellan to the Peninsula, our picket lines were withdrawn to
Annandale and Falls Church, within a few miles of the fortifications of
Washington.
THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE PEOPLE.
_April 4._--The Harris Light and the First Pennsylvania Cavalry were
recalled from the picket lines and sent out on a reconnoissance in
force, with a division in command of General McDowell. Our march led us
through Fairfax Court House and Centreville, near which we bivouacked
for the night.
Already, at this early spring time, a luxurious vegetable growth of
green is beautifully carpeting the fields through which we pass and in
which we halt. Flowers of great beauty and variety of hues and sweetness
of perfume greet us on every hand. It would seem as though Nature were
struggling to hide the desolations which war has made, and were weaving
her chaplets of honor around the graves of our fallen brothers. And it
really seems as though Destruction himself had contributed to this
lavish growth. Thus,
"Life evermore is fed by death,
In earth, or sea, or sky;
And, that a rose may breathe its breath,
Something must die."
On the fifth we continued on our march to Bristoe Station, on the Orange
and Alexandria Railroad, where we encountered one of the most furious
snow storms ever known in this region of country. The wind which bore
the snow was cold and cutting. It was a season never to be forgotten by
those who were quartered in mere shelter tents, or had no tents at all.
So sudden are the changes of the atmosphere here that "no man knoweth
what a moment may bring forth." Yesterday we sought shelter from the
sun's heat under the budding trees, while grass and flowers and singing
birds indicated settled weather. To-day the storm howls music through
the bending pines, and snow several inches deep covers the earth.
We are thoroughly convinced that the character of the people here
greatly partakes of the nature of these surroundings. Is not this the
case everywhere? But we see it here more plainly than we ever did
before. The people are fitful, and their spasms are terrible; and yet we
find them at times to be as kind and hospitable as any we have ever
found elsewhere. After one has witnessed their beautiful days, cooled
with a gentle sea-breeze, which generally blows from about nine o'clock
in the morning till six at night, and then their cool, calm evenings, he
can see why there are so many lovely traits in the nature of the people.
But if he experience some of their sudden and terrific snow storms and
showers, when the thunder and the lightning are such that a Northerner
feels that all the storms he has ever witnessed are only infantile
attempts, he is inclined to extenuate, on mere climactic principles, the
outbursts of wrath, and "fire-eating" propensities of the people. He who
is gendered of fire and brimstone must have some vim in his composition.
We believe this study is not unworthy the Christian philosopher and
philanthropist.
The day following the storm, the sun came out warmly, and the snow
suddenly disappeared, but left us in a bed of mud. The soil, naturally
rich and tender, consisting of a reddish loam, trodden by many feet, and
cut by the wheels of heavy vehicles, became almost impassable. But it
has this advantage, that it soon dries. So the soil, as well as the
atmosphere and the people, is suddenly changeable.
_April 7._--To-day our expedition continued its march to Catlett's
Station, a few miles south of Bristoe. General Augur commands the
advance, which consists of a brigade of infantry and two regiments of
cavalry.
On the eighth of the month a detachment of the Harris Light was ordered
out on picket at six o'clock P. M., and we enjoyed a quiet, pleasant
trip on this usually unpleasant duty. Here we spent a few days picketing,
scouting and patrolling, and on the seventeenth we advanced from
Catlett's in the direction of Falmouth, on the Rappahannock.
DEATH OF LIEUTENANT DECKER.
Our march was rapid and lay through a country altogether new to us,
which, however, presented no very interesting features. The Harris Light
had the advance, and was followed by the Fourteenth Brooklyn. As our
infantry comrades became foot-sore and weary, we exchanged positions
with them, for mutual relief, until at last one half of the regiments
were bearing one another's burdens. This incident paved the way for a
strong friendship to grow up between us.
Seventeen miles were travelled quietly, when a sudden fire on our
advance-guard brought every cavalry man to his horse and infantry man to
his musket. Every thing assumed the signs of a fight. Kilpatrick, who
was in command of the regiment, ordered his band to the rear. This
precaution of the commander was no sooner taken than the vanguard, in
command of Lieutenant George Decker, was making a furious charge upon
Field's Cavalry, which was doing outpost duty ten miles from Falmouth.
On the very first assault Lieutenant Decker fell from his horse, pierced
through the heart with a fatal bullet. He was a daring young man, well
formed, light complexion, blue eyes, and about twenty-three years of
age. He was much lamented by his many friends. His fall, shocking as it
was to the command, being our first fatal casualty, only seemed to nerve
the men for bold revenge. And we had it. Like chaff before the whirlwind
the outpost was quickly scattered, and the whole regiment entered upon
its first charge with a will, a charge which continued for several miles
with wild excitement. Picket reliefs and reserves were swept away like
forest trees before the avalanche, and we fell upon their encampment
before time had been afforded them for escape. Here we captured several
men and horses, with large quantities of stores, and then rested our
tired steeds and fed them with confederate forage. The men enjoyed the
captured rations. It was near night, and as the sun disappeared the
infantry force came up to our newly-possessed territory.
The cavalry was ordered to "stand to horse," and a strong picket was
thrown out to prevent any surprise attack or flanking movement of the
enemy. In the early part of the evening one of our pickets was surprised
by the friendly approach of a citizen of Falmouth, who had come, as he
said, "to hail once more the 'old star-spangled banner,' and to greet
his loyal brethren of the North."
Such a patriotic and fearless individual among the white population of
that section of country was a great rarity, and his protestations of
friendship were at first received with some suspicion. He was, however,
brought to General Augur's headquarters, where he gave satisfactory
proof of his kind intentions, and then gave the General a full
description of the position and strength of the enemy.
NIGHT ATTACK ON FALMOUTH HEIGHTS.
A plan for a night attack was thereupon laid and committed to Bayard and
Kilpatrick. Our instructions were conveyed to us in a whisper. A
beautiful moonlight fell upon the scene, which was as still as death;
and with a proud determination the two young cavalry chieftains moved
forward to the night's fray. Bayard was to attack on the main road in
front, but not until Kilpatrick had commenced operations on their right
flank by a detour through a neglected and narrow wood-path. As the
Heights were considered well nigh impregnable, it was necessary to
resort to some stratagem, for which Kilpatrick showed a becoming
aptness.
Having approached to within hearing distance of the Rebel pickets, but
before we were challenged, Kilpatrick shouted with his clear voice
which sounded like a trumpet on the still night air.
[Illustration: NIGHT ATTACK ON FALMOUTH HEIGHTS.]
"Bring up your artillery in the centre, and infantry on the left."
"Well, but, Colonel," replied an honest, though rather obtuse captain,
"we haven't got any inf----"
"Silence in the ranks!" commanded the leader. "Artillery in the centre,
infantry on the left."
The pickets caught and spread the alarm, and thus greatly facilitated
our hazardous enterprise.
"Charge!" was the order which then thrilled the ranks and echoed through
the dark, dismal woods, and the column swept up the rugged Heights in
the midst of blazing cannon and rattling musketry. So steep was the
ascent that not a few saddles slipped off the horses, precipitating
their riders into a creek which flowed lazily at the base of the hill;
while others fell dead and dying, struck by the missiles of destruction
which at times filled the air. But the red field was won; and the enemy,
driven at the point of the sabre fled unceremoniously down the Heights,
through Falmouth, and over the bridge which spanned the Rappahannock,
burning the beautiful structure behind them to prevent pursuit. Quite a
number of prisoners and various materials of war fell into our hands.
Kilpatrick and Bayard were both highly complimented for their personal
bravery on the occasion.
_April 18._--This morning, at eight o'clock, General Augur took peaceful
possession of Falmouth; and here, with military honors, the remains of
Lieutenant Decker and about fifteen others, who fell in the late
struggle, were interred. Later in the day, and after considerable
hesitation, the mayor of Fredericksburg formally surrendered the city to
the Yankee General, whose guns on Falmouth Heights commanded obedience.
A bridge of canal boats, similar to a pontoon, was constructed across
the river, and we took possession of this beautiful, proud city. This
was the first appearance of Yankees in this Rebel locality, and we were
the subject of no little curiosity. Many of the people, who, by the
misrepresentations of their licentious press and flaming orators, had
been led to believe that Yankees were a species of one-eyed cyclops, or
long-clawed harpies, or horned and hoofed devils; who had been deceived
into the notion that President Lincoln was a deformed mulatto,
degenerated into a hideous monkey, and that all his followers were of
that sort, on seeing us, expressed great surprise and wished to know "if
we were specimens of the Lincoln army." They had forgotten that our
fathers fought side by side in our common country's early struggles, and
that now we, their children, as brothers, ought all to sit unitedly
under the tree of liberty which they had planted in tears and nourished
with blood.
But it is painful to observe how the spirit of secession has blotted out
the memories of past days and deeds, and filled their hearts with
bitterness toward us. A few Union families in these parts, whose
acquaintance we have made, assure us that their neighbors, who were
formerly most hospitable and humane, have become, through this Rebel
virus, incarnate fiends. To secede from the Union was evidently to
secede from the God of virtue and charity.
_April 25._--After spending a few days of tolerable quietness on the
banks of the Rappahannock, with our camp near the Phillips House,
Falmouth, a most lovely spot, we were to-day ordered out as escort or
guard to a train destined for the Shenandoah Valley. Such a job is
generally any thing but pleasant to a cavalry force, for the movement is
altogether too slow, especially when bad roads are encountered. And in
case a team becomes balky or gives out, or a wagon breaks down
(incidents which occur frequently), the whole column is in _statu quo_
until the difficulty or disability is removed. And so we are halting,
advancing, halting and advancing again, with this monotonous variety
repeated _ad libitum_, while the halts are often longer than the
advances. But our slow motion gives us some opportunity to scout the
country through which we pass, and to obtain any quantity of rations and
forage for man and beast. By this means we are not compelled to consume
much, if any, of the contents of our train.
On the twenty-eighth we reached Thoroughfare Gap, through which the
Manassas Gap railroad finds its way over the Bull Run mountains. Here we
met a force from General Nathaniel P. Banks' army, to whose care we
delivered the train. We remained a few days to scout through the
country.
On the first of May we started back toward Falmouth, but stopped several
days at Bristersburg, a small town, where we spent our time very
pleasantly, scouting through the country and living upon its rich
products. Here we are very much isolated from the rest of our army. We
seldom get a mail or receive any papers, except from rebel sources, and
these are so meagre of literary taste and especially of reliable army
news, that we dare not put much trust in their representations. However,
we are satisfied from what we read, that our grand Peninsular army is
making some telling demonstrations toward Richmond, and that the Rebel
General Thomas J. Jackson, surnamed "Stonewall," since his famous defeat
by General James Shields at Kernstown, near Winchester, is still in the
valley.
_May 25th._--We reached Falmouth to-day and took possession of our old
camping ground in front of the Phillips House. We have but little to do
except to graze our horses in the surrounding fields, and to recruit our
strength. We also have the usual camp work, namely, policing, drilling,
etc. This department is very quiet, though we hear of active movements
elsewhere.
On the thirtieth we had a severe rain storm, with thunder and lightning,
_à la Virginie_. The streams were greatly swollen, and mud was abundant,
so as to retard movements before Richmond.
_June 6._--The Harris Light crossed the Rappahannock and advanced six
miles beyond Fredericksburg, where we got only a glimpse of some of
Field's cavalry, who had not forgotten us. They kept themselves at a
very respectful distance from us, and made themselves "scarce" whenever
we made signs of an attack. For several days we bivouacked on that side
of the river, and on the twelfth we returned to our old camp at Falmouth
Heights. On the sixteenth we were again thrown across the river, and
made a reconnoissance several miles south, without finding any force of
the enemy.
Nothing of importance occurred until the Fourth of July, when the Troy
company of the Harris Light, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Loudon, was
sent out to celebrate this national holiday by a reconnoissance on the
Telegraph Road, south of Fredericksburg. We left camp at eight o'clock
in the morning, and soon came in sight of a detachment of Bath Cavalry,
doing patrol duty. After following them for some time, though not
rapidly, we halted a few moments, and they lost sight of us, concluding
doubtless that we had retired. This was just what we wanted.
ATTACK AT FLIPPER'S ORCHARD.
On the south bank of the Po river, about twenty miles from
Fredericksburg, was a beautiful orchard, owned by a Dr. Flipper. This
lovely spot had been chosen by our Bath friends for their outpost, their
main reserve being a few miles farther south. On arriving at the
orchard, with its luscious fruit and inviting shade, the squad we were
still pursuing unsuspectingly unsaddled their horses, began to arrange
preparations for their dinner, and to make themselves generally
comfortable. Of this state of things we were informed by a contraband we
chanced to meet. We then resolved either to share or spoil their coffee;
so, moving forward at a trot until in sight of them, we swooped down
upon the orchard like eagles. The surprised and frightened cavaliers
fired but a few shots, and we captured twelve men and nine horses, and
escaped with our lawful prey without having received a scratch. It was
my good fortune to take prisoner Lieutenant Powell, the officer in
command, and to receive as my own a fine silver-mounted revolver, which
he reluctantly placed in my hand. It will be a fine souvenir of the war
and of this Fourth of July.
SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
Sometime in May Colonel Bayard with his regiment and a large portion of
General McDowell's division were sent to the Shenandoah Valley to share
in the shifting military panorama which was there displayed. With the
removal of the Army of the Potomac to the Peninsula the Confederate
authorities despatched General Jackson to the Valley, to threaten the
upper Potomac and Maryland, thus making it necessary for a large Federal
force to remain in these parts. General Banks was in command of that
department.
After the battle of Kernstown, in which Jackson received the sobriquet
of "Stonewall" and a sound thrashing, General Banks, who had set out for
Warrenton, returned to the Valley, and pursued Jackson, but was unable
to bring him to bay. The enemy's cavalry under Colonel Turner Ashby was
frequently attacked by the Union Cavalry under General John P. Hatch. On
the sixth of May, the Fifth New York Cavalry, First Ira Harris Guard,
had a hand to hand encounter with Ashby's men near Harrisonburg, where
Yankee sabres and pluck had established a reputation. A portion of the
same regiment under Colonel John R. Kenly, at Front Royal, added new
lustre to their fame, on the twenty-third of the same month, during
"Stonewall's" flank movement on General Banks at Strasburg, and fought
bravely during that memorable retreat to Maryland.
At this juncture of affairs, a division of General McDowell's forces,
under General Shields, was dispatched to the valley to intercept
Jackson, while General John C. Fremont was ordered by telegraph to the
same scene from the Mountain Department. But unavoidably detained by
almost impassable mountain roads and streams enormously swollen by
recent rains, Fremont reached Strasburg just in time to see Jackson's
last stragglers retreating through the town. His pursuit was very rapid,
though no engagement was brought about until the fifth of June, at
Harrisonburg. Here Colonel Percy Wyndham, on our side, and Turner Ashby,
now a general, on the Rebel side, distinguished themselves in the
cavalry. Ashby was killed. His loss was greatly lamented by his
comrades. He always fought at the head of his men, with the most
reckless self-exposure, and for outpost duty and the skirmish line he
left scarcely an equal behind him in either army. His humaneness to our
men who had fallen into his hands caused many of them to shed tears at
the intelligence of his death. Men of valor and kindness are always
worthy of a better cause than that in which the Rebels are engaged; but
their merit is always appreciated.
Upon the heel of this fight followed the battles of Cross Keys, and Port
Republic, where Jackson eluded the combined Union forces which had been
directed against him.
During this memorable campaign, a curious military _modus operandi_ had
been resorted to in the Luray Valley, in which the cavalry had made
itself doubly useful. A small force of our infantry and cavalry were
surrounded by the enemy on the south bank of the Shenandoah River, which
was so high as to be unfordable. As a last resort the cavalrymen plunged
into the stream, swimming their horses, and towing across the
infantrymen, who clung to the animals' tails!
A striking case of personal daring in this Valley campaign, is worthy of
record here. During Banks' retreat from Winchester, on the twenty-fourth
of May, four companies of the Fifth New York Cavalry, under command of
Captain Wheeler, were moving on the left flank of our retreating
columns, to protect them from any attacks by the Rebel cavalry, which
infested the wooded hills that lay along our route. Emerging from a
thick wood, Captain John Hammond, who had the advance with eight or ten
men, suddenly came upon a squad of mounted Rebels, and immediately
called on them to surrender. However, they fled, firing as they went,
but were closely pursued. Captain Hammond was riding a powerful horse,
which he had taken from his home, and as his blood was up, he determined
to capture one of the party at least, at all hazard. He soon came up to
the hindmost, a strong man, with whom he exchanged several shots at
close quarters, but without effect on either side, owing to their
fearful gait through the timber and down a hill. Hammond's pistol became
fouled by a cap, and the cylinder would not revolve. The Rebel had two
charges left. Quick work was now necessary. Another spurring of his
horse brought him within arm's length of the flying Rebel, whereupon he
seized his coat collar with both his hands, and dragged him backward
from his saddle. Holding firmly his grasp, both horses went from under
them, and they fell pell-mell to the ground. Luckily Hammond was
uppermost, with one hand at the enemy's throat and the other holding the
band of the pistol with which the Rebel was trying to shoot him. As the
two men were powerful, a fearful struggle ensued for the mastery of the
pistol. Meantime up rode one of Hammond's boys, who, by his order, fired
at the upturned face of the obstinate foe, the ball grazing his scalp
and causing him to relinquish his hold of the revolver, when he was
forced to surrender. Thus ended one of the roughest yet amusing contests
of the war.
The prisoner proved to be one of Ashby's scouts, and the remainder of
the party were all captured. But notwithstanding the personal bravery of
our men, disaster and defeat had attended our operations in the Valley.
Nor was this the only field of disastrous changes. On the Peninsula
sieges had been laid and raised, terrible battles fought, won, and lost,
and thousands of our brave comrades had succumbed to the impure water
and miasmatic condition of the country. The rebel General J. E. B.
Stuart had astounded every body by a raid around our entire army,
cutting off communications, destroying stores, and capturing not a few
prisoners. On the second of July this jaded army found a resting place
at Harrison's Landing on the James River.
CHAPTER V.
POPE'S CAMPAIGN IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
1862.--Kilpatrick at Beaver Dam.--Captain John S. Mosby.--Return of the
Raiders.--Complimentary Orders.--The Harris Light at Anderson's
Turnout.--Rebel Account of the Scare.--General John P. Hatch, his
Misfortunes and Justification.--Reconnoissances.--Battle of Cedar
Mountain.--Hospital at Culpepper.--General Stuart in Close Quarters.
--His Adjutant-General Captured.--Death of Captain Charles Walters.
--Pope driven back and waiting for Reinforcements.--Kilpatrick's
Fight at Brandy Station.--Waterloo Bridge.--Bristoe Station.--
Manassas Junction.--Battle of Groveton.--Second Bull Run.--Chantilly
and Death of Kearny.--General Pope resigns.
Our prospects as a nation were any thing but promising about the fourth
of July, 1862. Our operations in the Shenandoah Valley had been very
expensive and fruitless. The Peninsular campaign, which promised so much
at its beginning, which had proceeded at so fearful a cost of treasure
and blood, was pronounced a failure at last, and the great armies,
depleted and worn, were well nigh discouraged. The celebration of the
anniversary of our national birthday was observed throughout the loyal
North in the midst of gloomy forebodings, and only the pure patriotism
of governors of States, and of the President of the United States, gave
the people any ground of hope for success. In the army changes of
leaders were occurring, which produced no little amount of jealousy
among the "stars," and upon which the opinion of the rank and file was
divided.
On the fourteenth of July, General John Pope, having been called from a
glorious career in the West, took command of the Army of Virginia, which
was a consolidation of the commands of Fremont, Banks, and McDowell.
Before General Pope left Washington, he ordered General Rufus King, who
was in command at Fredericksburg, to make a raid on the Virginia Central
Railroad, for the purpose of destroying it at as many points as
possible, and thus impede communications between Richmond and the
Valley. This work was committed to our regiment.
_July 19._--About six o'clock this evening the Harris Light was set in
rapid motion almost directly south. By means of a forced march of forty
miles through the night, at the gray dawn of the morning we descended
upon Beaver Dam dépôt, on the Virginia Central, like so many ravenous
wolves upon a broken fold. Here we had some lively work. The command was
divided in several squads, and each party was assigned its peculiar and
definite duty. So while some were destroying culverts and bridges,
others were playing mischief with the telegraph wires; others still were
burning the dépôt, which was nearly full of stores, and a fourth party
was on the lookout. During our affray we captured a young Confederate
officer, who gave his name as Captain John S. Mosby. By his sprightly
appearance and conversation he attracted considerable attention. He is
slight, yet well formed; has a keen blue eye, and florid complexion;
and displays no small amount of Southern bravado in his dress and
manners. His gray plush hat is surmounted by a waving plume, which he
tosses as he speaks in real Prussian style. He had a letter in his
possession from General Stuart, recommending him to the kind regards of
General Lee.
After making general havoc of railroad stock and Rebel stores, we
started in the direction of Gordonsville, but having ascertained that a
force of Rebels much larger than our own occupied the place, we turned
northward, and reached our old camp at midnight, having marched upward
of eighty miles in thirty hours.
Some of us will not soon forget the ludicrous scenes which were acted
out, especially in the latter portion of the raid. In consequence of the
jaded condition of our horses it was necessary to make frequent halts.
To relieve themselves and animals, when a halt was ordered, some men
would dismount, and, sinking to the ground through exhaustion, would
quickly fall asleep. With the utmost difficulty they were aroused by
their comrades when the column advanced. Calling them by their names,
though we did it with mouth to ear, and with all our might, made no
impression upon them. In many instances we were compelled to take hold
of them, roll them over, tumble them about, and pound them, before we
could make them realize that the proper time for rest and sleep had not
yet come.
Others slept in their saddles, either leaning forward on the pommel of
the saddle, or on the roll of coat and blanket, or sitting quite erect,
with an occasional bow forward or to the right or left, like the swaying
of a flag on a signal station, or like the careerings of a drunken man.
The horse of such a sleeping man will seldom leave his place in the
column, though this will sometimes occur, and the man awakes at last to
find himself alone with his horse which is grazing along some unknown
field or woods. Some men, having lost the column in this way, have
fallen into the enemy's hands. Sometimes a fast-walking horse in one of
the rear companies will bear his sleeping lord quickly along, forcing
his way through the ranks ahead of him, until the poor fellow is
awakened, and finds himself just passing by the colonel and his staff at
the head of the column! Of course, he falls back to his old place
somewhat confused and ashamed, and the occurrence lends him just
excitement enough to keep him awake for a few minutes.
It is seldom that men under these somnambulic circumstances fall from
their horses, yet sometimes it does happen, and headlong goes the
cavalier upon the hard ground, or into a splashing mud-puddle, while
general merriment is produced among the lookers-on. But as no one is
seriously injured, the "fallen brave" retakes his position in the ranks
and the column proceeds as though nothing had happened. We had all these
experiences in one form or another in our raid, and on reaching camp we
found that several men had lost their caps by the way.
The day following our arrival at camp the general in command issued his
complimentary message, namely:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF VIRGINIA,
Washington, July 21.
_To Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War_:
SIR: The cavalry expedition I directed General King to send
out on the nineteenth instant has returned.
They left Fredericksburg at seven P. M., on the nineteenth,
and after a forced march during the night made a descent at
daylight in the morning upon the Virginia Central Railroad at
Beaver Dam Creek, twenty-five miles north of Hanover Junction
and thirty-five miles from Richmond. They destroyed the
railroad and telegraph line for several miles, burned the
dépôt, which contained forty thousand rounds of other musket
ammunition, one hundred barrels of flour, and much valuable
property, and brought in the Captain in charge as a prisoner.
The whole country round was thrown into a great state of
alarm. One private was wounded on our side. The cavalry
marched eighty miles in thirty hours. The affair was most
successful, and reflects high credit upon the commanding
officer and his troops.
As soon as full particulars are received I will transmit to
you the name of the commanding officer of the troops
engaged.
I am, Sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN POPE,
_Major-General Commanding_.
The above order was received with great gladness by the boys of the
Harris Light, and Kilpatrick had just reasons to feel proud of his brave
boys and their noble deeds. As we had done so well in this branch of
business, it was natural for the commanding general to be looking out
for more similar jobs for us, and, indeed, they came.
_July 24._--Kilpatrick was again launched out with his men on another
raid upon the Virginia Central Railroad, which, this time, we struck at
Anderson Turnout. However, we did not reach the railroad before we had
surprised a camp of Rebel cavalry, with which we had a sharp skirmish on
the south bank of the North Anna River. But having the advantage of the
enemy, we defeated them, captured their camp, with several prisoners and
horses. A large quantity of camp and garrison equipage fell into our
hands, which we burned. Unfortunately for us we did not come just in
time to take the cars, but we created an alarm quite as extensive as
that which prevailed at Beaver Dam, on our former visit. The _Richmond
Examiner_, commenting upon the affair, gave the following truthful
rendering:
ANOTHER SCARE ON THE CENTRAL ROAD.
"When the train from the west on the Central Railroad reached
Frederick's Hall, a station fifty miles from this, it was met by a rumor
that the Yankee cavalry had made another raid from Fredericksburg, and
had possession of the track at Anderson Turnout, ten miles below Beaver
Dam, and thirty miles from Richmond. The telegraph wire not being in
working order, there was no means at hand of ascertaining the truth of
this report. Under the circumstances the conductor, not choosing to risk
the passengers and train, took an extra locomotive and ran down to
Anderson's on a reconnoissance. When he reached this place he found the
report of the Yankees at that point correct, but they had left several
hours previous to his arrival. He learned the following particulars:
"At a quarter past nine A. M., just a quarter of an hour after the
passage of train from Richmond, the Yankee cavalry, several hundred in
number, made their appearance at the Turnout. Having missed the train,
they seemed to have no particular object in view, but loitered about the
neighborhood for a couple of hours. They, however, before taking leave,
searched the house of Mr. John S. Anderson, which is near the railroad,
and took prisoner his son, who is in the Confederate service, but at home
on sick furlough. They also took possession of four of Mr. Anderson's
horses. They made no attempt to tear up the railroad, having no doubt
had enough of that business at Beaver Dam last Sunday. They did not
interfere with the telegraph wire through prudential motives, shrewdly
guessing that any meddling with that would give notice of their presence.
"Of the movements of our troops occasioned by this second impudent foray
it is unnecessary to say any thing. The Central train reached this city
at eight o'clock, three hours behind its usual time."
It is evident that we are greatly embarrassing the Rebel travelling
public by our raids, destroying public property, capturing prisoners and
horses, and gaining some valuable information. We have learned from
contrabands and other sources that Rebel forces in considerable numbers
are being transported westward over this route. Some grand movements are
undoubtedly on foot.
We have received word that on the fourteenth General John P. Hatch, with
all his cavalry, was ordered by General Banks to proceed at once upon
Gordonsville, capture the place and destroy all the railroads that
centre there, but especially to make havoc of the Central road, as far
east as possible, and west to Charlottesville. For some reason General
Hatch was too slow in his movements, and General Ewell, with a division
of Lee's army, reached the place on the sixteenth, one day ahead of
Hatch. Thereupon Hatch was ordered to take from fifteen hundred to two
thousand picked men, well mounted, and to hasten from Madison Court
House, over the Blue Ridge, and destroy the railroad westward to
Staunton. He commenced the movement; but after passing through the
narrow defiles of the mountains at Swift Run Gap, he felt that there was
no hope of accomplishing any thing, and returned. General Pope
immediately relieved him from command, and appointed General John
Buford, General Banks' chief of artillery, in his place.
After some months had elapsed, the following correspondence between
General Hatch and his former command will partly vindicate, if it does
not fully justify, his course:
SECOND CAVALRY BRIGADE, THIRD ARMY CORPS,
Near Fort Scott, Va., ---- 1862.
_To Brigadier-General John P. Hatch_:
GENERAL: The accompanying sabre is presented to you by the
officers of the First Vermont and Fifth New York Cavalry.
We have served under you while you commanded the cavalry in
Virginia--a period of active operations and military
enterprise--during which your courage and judgment inspired
us with confidence, while your zeal and integrity have left
us an example easier to be admired than imitated.
We, who have passed with you beyond the Rapidan and through
Swift Run Gap, are best able to recognize your qualities as
a commander.
Accept, therefore, General, this testimonial of esteem
offered long after we were removed from your command,--when
the external glitter of an ordinary man ceases to affect the
mind, but when real worth begins to be appreciated.
On behalf of the officers of the Fifth New York,
ROBERT JOHNSTONE,
_Lieutenant-Colonel, Fifth New York Cavalry_.
_To the Officers of the Fifth New York and First Vermont
Regiments of Cavalry_:
OSWEGO, N. Y., ---- 1862.
GENTLEMEN: A very beautiful sabre, your present to myself,
has been received. I shall wear it with pride, and will never
draw it but in an honorable cause.
The very kind letter accompanying the sabre has caused
emotions of the deepest nature. The assurance it gives of
the confidence you feel in myself, and your approval of my
course when in command of Banks' Cavalry, is particularly
gratifying. You, actors with myself in those stirring
scenes, are competent judges as to the propriety of my
course, when it unfortunately did not meet with the approval
of my superior; and your testimony, so handsomely expressed,
after time has allowed opportunity for reflection, more than
compensates for the mortification of that moment.
I have watched with pride the movements of your regiments
since my separation from you. When a telegram has announced
that "in a cavalry fight _the edge of the sabre_ was
successfully used, and the enemy routed," the further
announcement that the First Vermont and Fifth New York were
engaged, was unnecessary.
Accept my kindest wishes for your future success. Sharp
sabres and a trust in Providence will enable you to secure
it in the field.
Your obedient servant,
JOHN P. HATCH,
_Brigadier-General_.
_August 5._--The Harris Light was again sent out on a reconnoissance to
the Central Railroad, which we struck on the sixth, about ten o'clock
A. M., at Frederick's Hall. The dépôt, which contained large supplies of
commissary and quartermaster stores, was burned. The telegraph office
was also destroyed, with considerable length of wire, while the railroad
track was torn and otherwise injured, principally by the fires we built
upon it. In a factory near the station were found huge quantities of
tobacco. The men took as much as the jaded condition of their horses
would permit, and the remainder was wrapped in flames.
All this was accomplished without loss on our side. These daring and
successful raids made Kilpatrick very conspicuous before the army and
country. He was complimented by the general commanding both in orders
and by telegraph, and his name became a synonym of courage and success.
This gave wonderful enthusiasm to his men, and their devotion to him was
unbounded. Wherever he led us we gladly went, feeling that however
formidable the force or dangerous the position we assailed, either by
main force we could overcome, or by stratagem or celerity we could
escape. This gave our young hero a double power.
_August 8._--To-day Kilpatrick was ordered with his regiments to
reconnoitre in the direction of Orange Court House. He advanced by way
of Chancellorsville and old Wilderness Tavern; but on approaching the
Court House we found it occupied by a heavy force of the enemy. It is
evident that the Rebel army is advancing with a show of fight towards
the upper fords of the Rapidan, where, we understand, Generals Buford
and Bayard are picketing. After ascertaining all we could about present
and prospective movements, we returned to our old camp, having made a
swift and tedious march.
BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN.
On the ninth was fought the memorable battle of Cedar or Slaughter's
Mountain, in which both sides claimed the victory. The Confederates
certainly had the advantage of position, having taken possession of the
wooded crest before the arrival of our advance; and they also greatly
outnumbered the Union ranks. But their loss was nearly double our own,
and nearly the same ground was occupied by the combatants at night,
which each held in the beginning of the fight. The cavalry was not
conspicuously engaged in this bloody fray, except such portions of it as
were escort or body-guard to officers in command, and among these some
were killed. The main cavalry force watched the flanks, doing good
service there.
_August 10._--At an early hour of the day the Harris Light was ordered
to report at Culpepper Court House, and we were soon on the march. On
arriving at our destination we found the place well nigh filled with our
wounded from the battle of yesterday. It is estimated that not less than
fifteen hundred of our men were killed and wounded, about a thousand of
the latter having found a refuge here. The seventh part of the
casualties of a battle, on an average, will number the killed and
mortally wounded; the others claim the especial attention of their
comrades. It is heart-sickening to witness their bloody, mangled forms.
All the public buildings and many private residences of this village are
occupied as hospitals, and the surgeons with their corps of hospital
stewards and nurses are doing their work, assisted by as many others as
have been detailed for this purpose, or volunteer their services. The
Rebel wounded who have fallen into our hands receive the same attention
that is bestowed upon our own men, many of them acknowledging that they
are far better off in our care than they would be among their
confederates.
These hospitals are all much more quiet than one would naturally
suppose. How calmly the brave boys endure the wounds they have received
in defence of their beloved country! Only now and then can be heard a
subdued sob, or a dying groan; while those who are fully conscious,
though suffering excruciating pain, are either engaged in silent prayer
or meditation, or reading a Testament or a last letter from loved ones,
and patiently awaiting their turn with the surgeon or the nurse.
In the most available places tables have been spread for the purpose of
amputations. We cannot approach them, with their heaps of mangled hands
and feet, of shattered bones and yet quivering flesh, without a shudder.
A man must need the highest style of heroism willingly to drag himself
or be borne by others to one of these tables, to undergo the processes
of the amputating blade. But thanks be to modern skill in surgery, and
to the discoverer of chloroform; for by these the operations are
performed quickly and without the least sensation, until the poor brave
awakes with the painful consciousness of the loss of limbs, which no
artificer can fully replace. Thus the skill displayed and the care taken
greatly mitigate the horrors of battle. Men here are wounded in every
conceivable manner, from the crowns of their heads to the soles of their
feet, while some are most fearfully torn by shells. It had been thought
that men shot through the lungs or entrails were past cure, yet several
of the former have been saved, and a few of the latter. Indeed, it would
seem as though modern science was measuring nearly up to the age of
miracles.
We found that a large force of cavalry was concentrating at Culpepper,
awaiting new developments. Reconnoissances are of frequent occurrence,
and all of them reveal that the enemy is in motion, concentrating on our
front. Our picket lines are made doubly strong, and the utmost vigilance
is enjoined. Scouts and spies are on the rampage, and more or less
excitement prevails everywhere.
IMPORTANT CAVALRY MOVEMENTS.
_August 16._--To-day a small detachment of cavalry under Colonel
Broadhead, of the First Michigan Cavalry, was despatched on a scout in
the direction of Louisa Court House. Having penetrated to within the
enemy's lines, and not far from the Court House, they made a swift
descent upon a suspicious looking house, which proved to be General
Stuart's headquarters. The general barely escaped through a back door,
as it were "by the skin of his teeth," leaving a part of his wardrobe
behind him. His belt fell into our hands, and several very important
despatches from General Lee. Stuart's adjutant-general was found
concealed in the house and captured. General Pope, in his official
reports, speaks of this affair as follows:
"The cavalry expedition sent out on the sixteenth in the direction of
Louisa Court House, captured the adjutant-general of General Stuart, and
was very near capturing that officer himself. Among the papers taken was
an autograph letter of General Robert E. Lee to General Stuart, dated
Gordonsville, August fifteenth, which made manifest to me the
disposition and force of the enemy and their determination to overwhelm
the army under my command before it could be reënforced by any portion
of the Army of the Potomac."
Had it not been for the timely discovery of this Rebel order, General
Pope's army, only a handful to the multitudes which were gathering
against him from the defences of Richmond, would have been flanked and
probably annihilated. Assured, however, that reënforcements from
McClellan's army could certainly reach him before long, General Pope
held his advanced position to the last, our pickets guarding the fords
of the Rapidan. On the eighteenth, the entire force of cavalry relieved
the infantry pickets, and evident preparations were being made for a
retreat. On the day following a sharp skirmish took place with Rebel
cavalry which appeared across the narrow, rapid river. In this
engagement Captain Charles Walters, of the Harris Light, was killed,
and his remains were interred at midnight just as orders were received
to retreat on the road to Culpepper.
The cavalry under General Bayard is acting as rear guard to our
retreating columns. Stuart's cavalry, with whom we are engaged at almost
every step, is vanguard of the Rebel army, which is advancing as rapidly
as possible. The prospect before us is exceedingly dark. Nothing is more
discouraging to a soldier than to be compelled to retreat, especially
under a general whose first order on assuming command contained the
following utterances:
"Meantime, I desire you to dismiss from your minds certain phrases which
I am sorry to find much in vogue among you.
"I hear constantly of taking strong positions and holding them--of lines
of retreat and of bases of supplies. Let us discard such ideas.
"The strongest position a soldier should desire to occupy is one from
which he can most easily advance against the enemy.
"Let us study the probable lines of retreat of our opponents, and leave
our own to take care of themselves. Let us look before, and not behind.
Success and glory are in the advance. Disaster and shame lurk in the
rear."
We all felt that the moment we begin to turn our backs to the enemy,
that moment we acknowledge ourselves either outgeneraled or whipped, a
thing most disheartening, and to which pride never easily condescends.
Our only hope was based on early reënforcements. Should these fail us
we saw nothing but defeat and disaster in our path.
[Illustration: BURIAL OF CAPTAIN WALTERS AT MIDNIGHT, DURING POPE'S
RETREAT.]
_August 20._--While our cavalry forces were feeding their horses on the
large plains near Brandy Station, about six o'clock this morning, a
heavy column of Stuart's cavalry was discovered, approaching from the
direction of Culpepper. Kilpatrick was ordered to attack and check this
advance, which he did in a spirited manner. The Harris Light added fresh
laurels to its already famous record, and made Brandy Station memorable
in the annals of cavalry conflicts. Stuart's advance was not only
retarded, but diverted; and it was made our business to watch closely
his future movements.
On the twenty-first we reached Freeman's Ford, on the Rappahannock,
which we picketed, preventing the enemy from effecting a crossing. As
the fords of the river were generally heavily guarded up to this point,
the enemy kept moving up the stream toward our right, evidently
designing to make a flank movement upon us.
On the twenty-second a notable cavalry engagement, with light artillery,
took place at Waterloo Bridge. During this fight a Rebel shell took
effect in our ranks, killing instantly the three horses ridden by the
three officers of the same company, dismounting the braves very
unceremoniously, but injuring no one seriously. Through the darkness of
the night following, Stuart, with about fifteen hundred picked cavalry,
effected a crossing of the river, and after making quite a _détour_ via
Warrenton, came down unperceived through the intense darkness and the
falling rain upon General Pope's headquarters near Catlett's Station.
He captured the general's field quartermaster and many important
documents, made great havoc among the guards, horses, and wagons, and
finally escaped, without injury to himself, with about three hundred
prisoners, and considerable private baggage taken from the train. His
victory was indeed a cheap one, but we all felt its disgrace, which the
darkness to some extent explained, but did not fully excuse.
_August 23._--A severe contest occurred to-day at Sulphur Springs. The
enemy is pressing us hard at every crossing of the river, and continues
to move towards our right. Skirmishing occurs at nearly every hour of
the day and night, occasioning more or less loss of life. Yesterday in a
skirmish led by General Sigel, who had crossed the river, General Bohlen
was killed, and our forces driven back to the north side of the river.
While this manoeuvring was going on along the Rappahannock, General
Lee had despatched Stonewall Jackson, to pass around our right, which he
did by crossing about four miles above Waterloo, and, on the
twenty-fifth, he struck our forces at Bristoe Station, where a severe
contest took place, the losses in killed and wounded being heavy on both
sides. But the enemy was successful in taking possession of the
railroad; and in the evening a portion of Stuart's cavalry, strengthened
by two regiments of infantry, advanced to Manassas Junction, where they
surprised and charged our guards, capturing many prisoners, also ten
locomotives, seven trains loaded with immense quantities of stores,
horses, tents, and eight cannon. They destroyed what they could not
take away. The Rebel General Ewell, having followed closely in the track
of Jackson, also came upon the railroad in rear of General Pope's army.
Our commander, greatly astonished at this embarrassing juncture of
affairs, began to make the best disposition of his forces, to extricate
himself from the toils that had been carefully laid for him; still
hoping that new forces would come to his aid from McClellan's army via
Alexandria. But "hope deferred made his heart sick," and he was
compelled to encounter the immense Rebel hosts, not only massed on his
front, but also lapping on his flanks, and penetrating, as we have seen,
even to his rear. The situation was critical in the extreme; and had not
the available forces behaved themselves with undaunted courage and, at
times, with mad desperation, the disaster would have been unprecedented.
Several unimportant and yet hotly contested battles were fought at
Sulphur Springs, Thoroughfare Gap, Bristoe Station, etc., and early on
the morning of the twenty-ninth commenced the battle of Groveton, by
some called the second Bull Run. The Rebels were in overwhelming
numbers, though driven badly during the earlier hours of the day; and
had Fitz-John Porter brought his forces into the action, the victory
must have been ours. The cavalry, though quiet most of the day, made an
important charge in the evening. The carnage had been terrible, and the
fields were strewn with the dead and dying. It is estimated that the
casualties would include not less than seven thousand men on our side
alone; and it is fair to suppose that the enemy has lost not less than
that number.
_August 30._--Our lines having fallen back during the night, the battle
was renewed to-day on the field of the first Bull Run. But the fates
were again against us, and, though not panic-stricken, our men retired
from the field at night, until they rested themselves on the heights of
Centreville. The enemy did not follow us very closely, not attempting
even to cross Bull Run.
On the thirty-first General Pope expected to be attacked in his strong
position at Centreville, but the enemy was too cautious to expose
himself in a position so advantageous to ourselves, where the repulse of
Malvern Hill might have been repeated. Quiet reigned along our entire
line during the day.
KEARNY'S DEATH AT CHANTILLY.
_September 1._--Becoming aware that a flank movement was in operation,
General Pope started his entire army in the direction of Washington. But
his army had not proceeded far, before one of his columns, which had
been sent to intercept the Little River Turnpike, near Chantilly,
encountered Stonewall Jackson, who had led his weary, yet intrepid
legions entirely around our right wing, and now contested our farther
retreat. General Isaac J. Stevens, commanding General Reno's Second
division, who led our advance, at once ordered a charge and moved with
terrible impetuosity upon the foe; but he was shot dead, on the very
start, by a bullet through his head. His command was thereupon thrown
into utter disorder, uncovering General Reno's First division, which was
also demoralized and broken.
Just at this critical moment, General Philip Kearny, who was leading one
of General Heintzelman's divisions, advanced with intrepid heart and
unfaltering step upon the exultant foe. This was during a most fearful
thunder-storm, so furious that with difficulty could ammunition be kept
at all serviceable, and the roar of cannon could scarcely be heard a
half dozen miles away. The Rebel ranks recoiled and broke before this
terrible bolt of war. Just before dark, while riding too carelessly over
the field and very near the rebel lines, Kearny was shot dead by one of
the enemy's sharpshooters. His command devolved upon General Birney, who
ordered another charge, which was executed with great gallantry, driving
the enemy from the field, and defeating the great flanker in his
attempts farther to harass our retreating columns. But our success had
been dearly bought. Two generals had been sacrificed, and Kearny
especially was lamented all over the land. Of him the poet sings:
"Our country bleeds
With blows her own hands strike. He starts, he heeds
Her cries for succor. In a foreign land
He dwells; his bowers with luxury's pinions fanned,
His cup with roses crowned. He dashes down
The cup, he leaves the bowers; he flies to aid
His native land. Out leaps his patriot blade!
Quick to the van he darts. Again the frown
Of strife bends blackening; once again his ear
War's furious trump with stern delight drinks in;
Again tho Battle-Bolt in red career!
Again the flood, the frenzy, and the din!
At tottering Williamsburg his granite front
Bears without shook the battle's fiercest brunt.
So have we seen the crag beat back the blast,
So has the shore the surges backward cast.
Behind his rock the shattered ranks re-form;
Forward, still forward, until dark defeat
Burns to bright victory!
* * * * *
Fame commands
The song; we yield it gladly; but the glow
Fades as we sing. The dire, the fatal blow
Fell, fell at last. Full, full in deadliest front
Leading his legions, leading as his wont,
The bullet wafts him to his mortal goal!
And not alone War's thunders saw him die;
Amid the glare, the rushing, and the roll,
Glared, crashed, the grand dread battle of the sky!
There on two pinions,--War's and Storm's,--he soared
Flight how majestic! up! His dirge was roared
Not warbled, and his pall was smoke and cloud;
Flowers of red shot, red lightnings strewed his bier,
And night, black night, the mourner.
* * * * *
Now farewell,
O hero! In our Glory's Pantheon
Thy name will shine, a name immortal won
By deeds immortal! In our heart's deep heart
Thy statued fame, that never shall depart,
Shall tower, the loftier as Time fleets, and show
How Heaven can sometimes plant its Titans here below."
General Pope, during all the day, and most of the night, hastened his
retreat, and on the second of September, his broken and demoralized
columns found rest and rations within the fortifications which guard the
approaches to Washington. Thus ended General Pope's brief and trying
career as commander of the Army of Virginia. Here he resigned his
command, and was succeeded by General McClellan.
CHAPTER VI.
REBEL INVASION OF MARYLAND
1863.--Result of Pope's Campaign.--Best and Recruit at Hall's Hill.--"My
Maryland:" Its Invasion.--Offensive Policy of the Rebellion.--
Pennsylvania and the Whole Country Aroused.--Battle of South
Mountain.--Harper's Ferry.--Colonel Miles.--His Treachery and Death.
--Bloody Battle of Antietam.--Drilling Recruits.--The Harris Light
again at the Front.--At Chantilly.--Sudley Church.--Leesburg.--
McClellan again Relieved from Command.
By the almost continual fighting of General Pope's campaign, our ranks
had been greatly depleted. Of the cavalry in general one correspondent
makes the following remark: "They picket our outposts, scout the whole
country for information, open our fights, cover our retreats, or clear
up and finish our victories, as the case may be. In short, they are
never idle, and rarely find rest for either men or horses." We had felt
the influence of this wear and tear so sadly, that our once full and
noble regiment was now reduced to about three hundred and fifty men,
scarcely one third of our original number. Nearly every regiment of
cavalry which had participated in the misfortunes of the campaign, had
suffered a like decimation. To replenish our weakened ranks and to
infuse new vigor and discipline into the various commands, became a
question of no little moment. Consequently a large number of regiments,
under the direct supervision of General Bayard, were ordered to Hall's
Hill, about ten miles from Washington, where we established camps of
instruction and drill.
During the disasters of the Peninsular campaign, and the subsequent
defeats and retreats from the Rapidan to the Potomac, the country had
awakened to the importance of increasing the army by new organizations,
and of filling up the broken ranks by fresh levies of recruits. This
feeling was greatly intensified by the exposure of Washington to the
victorious and advancing enemy, and by the invasions of Northern soil,
which the triumphs of the Rebellion made imminent. Hence multitudes of
recruits were pouring into Washington principally, and into other
places, gladly donning the uniform, and eager to learn the duties, of
the soldier. Camps of instruction were, of course, necessary. And as the
attention of young men was turning very favorably to the cavalry
service, our camps at Hall's Hill were the scenes of daily arrivals of
fine specimens of patriots, whose hands were warmly grasped by us; and
gladly we initiated them into the mysteries of this new science. We were
not a little elated at the epithet of "Veteran," which these recruits
lavished upon us.
The experiences and labors of our old camps "Oregon" and "Sussex" were
repeated with somewhat of new combinations and interests, as we sought
to prepare ourselves and others more thoroughly than before to meet the
foe in coming campaigns.
We had scarcely reached our new camps and entered upon our new labors,
when we learned that General Lee was marching his confident hosts into
Maryland. This movement at first was regarded as a feint only, with the
intention of uncovering Washington; but as column after column was known
to have crossed the Potomac, and to be advancing through the State with
more or less rapidity, the tocsin of alarm was sounded everywhere, and a
general movement was made to repel the invaders. Pennsylvania was
thoroughly aroused, and her loyal and true governor issued a
proclamation calling upon all the able-bodied men of the Commonwealth to
organize for defence. The militia promptly responded to the call, and
military preparations were going on, not only in the old Keystone State,
but throughout the land.
Up to this time the attitude of the Rebels had been defensive, but their
recent great victories had led them to change their tactics, and
thinking that ultimate success was almost within their grasp, they now
assumed the offensive policy. Aside from this consideration they
doubtless hoped to awaken in the Border States a sympathy and an
enthusiasm on their behalf, which thus far they had failed to create;
and that their brilliant march northward would not only carry a strong
political influence, but that their ranks would be greatly swollen by
accessions of recruits from those States. This indication of Rebel
thought is evidently found in the address which General Lee issued to
the people of Maryland on the eighth day of September. In it are found
the following sentences:
"The people of the Confederate States have long watched with the
deepest sympathy the wrongs and outrages that have been inflicted upon
the citizens of a Commonwealth allied to the States of the South by the
strongest social, political, and commercial ties, and reduced to the
condition of a conquered province. * * *
"Believing that the people of Maryland possess a spirit too lofty to
submit to such a Government, the people of the South have long wished to
aid you in throwing off this foreign yoke, to enable you again to enjoy
the inalienable rights of freemen, and restore the independence and
sovereignty of your State.
"In obedience to this wish, our army has come among you, and is prepared
to assist you with the power of its arms in regaining the rights of
which you have been so unjustly despoiled."
But the fond hopes which prompted this address were destined to be
blasted. Lee's advancing columns met no resistance, and marched directly
upon Frederick City, where recruiting offices were opened under the
superintendence of General Bradley T. Johnson, who had left this city,
at the beginning of the war, to serve in the Rebel army. But the
Confederate chiefs were disappointed. The number who were marshalled
under their stars and bars did not exceed the number of those who, tired
of training in Rebel gray, deserted their banner.
The enemy's peaceful march through the State and its quiet possession
were not of long duration; and the invaders soon found other work to do,
than to make political orders and harangues, and to increase their ranks
by recruits. From Washington the Union army began to advance with
considerable strength and determination, compelling General Lee to
relinquish his design of penetrating into Pennsylvania. Initiatory steps
were now being taken for a great battle, the first encounter of which
took place, under General Pleasonton, who commanded our cavalry during
this campaign, at the Catoctin Creek, in Middletown, Maryland. The
enemy's rearguard, consisting of cavalry, was struck with some force,
the prelude of the battle of South Mountain, at Turner's Gap. The enemy
having taken possession of this mountain pass, was driven from it only
after the most obstinate resistance and severe loss, and forced to leave
only before superior numbers. This occurred on the fourteenth; and the
victory, though somewhat dearly bought, inspired our troops with new
courage, and gave them a foretaste of better days.
HARPER'S FERRY AND ANTIETAM.
But during the day we have received sad tidings from Harper's Ferry, a
point of no little importance to the invaders. Unfortunately for us the
place was under the command of Colonel Miles, who, for his drunkenness
and general incompetency, had made himself conspicuous during the first
battle of Bull Run. Why such a man was left in command of at least ten
thousand men, and at a place of so much interest, cannot well be
accounted for.
Aware as he must have been several days ago, that this position was a
coveted prize and would undoubtedly be assailed, he neither retreated,
nor fortified himself as he easily could have done to hold out for a
long time against a superior force. Nothing but imbecility or treachery
could have controlled his conduct. On the eleventh his command was
increased largely by a force under General Julius White, who had
evacuated Martinsburg on the approach of Stonewall Jackson.
But to-day he was attacked from various positions, and his forces
driven; and on the fifteenth, being attacked from at least seven
commanding positions, early in the day the white flag was raised, which
the enemy failing to see, continued to fire for several minutes, during
which time Colonel Miles was killed, some say by a Rebel shell, others
assert by some of his own men. By this shameful surrender there fell
into the hands of the enemy nearly twelve thousand men, half of them New
Yorkers, who had just entered the service; also seventy-three guns good
and bad; thirteen thousand small arms; two hundred wagons, and a large
supply of tents and camp equipage.
Stonewall Jackson, who had commanded the expedition from Frederick to
Harper's Ferry, now moved forward to join Lee's main army, which he did
on the sixteenth. From South Mountain General McClellan began to collect
his forces well in hand and to move towards Boonsborough. Here General
Pleasonton again struck the Rebel cavalry rearguard, capturing two
hundred and fifty prisoners and two field-pieces. Infantry supports were
following our cavalry very closely, and, after marching about twelve
miles, they discovered the Rebels in force posted on the south bank of
Antietam Creek, just in front of the little village of Sharpsburg. Our
troops entered into bivouacs for the night, expecting to attack the
enemy early next morning. But the morning and most of the day passed in
idleness, while the Rebels were fortifying their positions, and
gathering their forces which had been more or less scattered. Had
McClellan ordered an advance that morning early, the sixteenth of
September, 1862, would have witnessed a comparatively easy and complete
victory.
At four o'clock P. M., General Joseph Hooker was sent out on the right.
Moving at a sufficient distance to keep out of sight of the Rebel
batteries, he forded the Antietam, and, soon afterward turning sharply
to the left, came down upon the enemy near the road to Hagerstown. But
darkness soon coming on put a speedy end to the conflict.
_September 17._--This day has witnessed the grand and glorious battle of
Antietam, the particulars of which I need not record. It is enough to
say, that the daring of our men and their heroic deeds upon this field,
wiped out forever, in Rebel blood, the disgrace and foul stain cast upon
our arms in the momentous military blunders and defeats which have
followed us since the beginning of this great American conflict.
The losses were heavy on both sides, but the enemy was fairly beaten,
and driven from his chosen positions; and night closed the most
sanguinary day ever known to the American continent. McClellan ought to
have followed up his victory early next morning, but hesitating, the
enemy made good his escape across the Potomac, leaving only his dead
and desperately wounded, the latter numbering about two thousand, in
our hands.
_October 4._--We are still in our camps at Hall's Hill, teaching and
learning the tactics of war. To-day Kilpatrick detailed me to act as
drill-master, and gave me the command of a detachment of recruits. This
gives me a new phase of army experience, and though it has its
difficulties, as one will always find when he endeavors to control "men
of many minds," yet I find a good exercise of my little knowledge of
human nature, and realize that the influence of my new labor upon myself
is very salutary. I had thought that I was master of all the preliminary
steps of the science and art of a soldier's discipline, but in
endeavoring to teach the same to others, I have learned so much myself,
that it now seems to me that what I knew before was the merest rudiment.
This I learn is the experience of others who are engaged in similar
work. Helping others has a wonderful reflex influence upon ourselves. I
often wonder if this may no explain in part the philosophy of that
passage of Holy Writ, which says, "It is more blessed to give than to
receive." In this exercise of drilling, and in the comparative monotony
of camp life, we spent the month of October.
All was quiet along the entire lines of the great armies. Our ranks had
been greatly swollen by new accessions; yet General McClellan was
constantly calling for reënforcements, and all kinds of supplies,
alleging that the army was in no condition to move. At length about the
twenty-sixth of October a feeble advance was made across the Potomac.
Several days were spent in putting the Federal army on the sacred soil
and under marching orders. No opposition was encountered in the march.
Our forces moved along the east side of the Blue Ridge, the enemy still
occupying the Shenandoah Valley, and moving southward on a line parallel
with our own.
_November 2._--The Harris Light broke camp at Hall's Hill and advanced
to the Chantilly Mansion, bivouacking on its beautiful grounds. This
property is said to be owned by one of the Stuarts, who is reported to
be a quartermaster-general in the Rebel service. Pleasant as was the
place, with its fine walks, bordered with flowers and evergreen
shrubbery; its fruitful gardens and groves, the cold of the night made
our stay not the most agreeable. The next morning we pursued our line of
march to Sudley Church, near Bull Run, where we encountered a strong
force of Stuart's cavalry. After a sharp conflict, in which Yankee
ingenuity and grit were fairly tested, the chivalry retired
southwestwardly, acknowledging themselves badly defeated.
_November 4._--To-day the regiment was ordered to move to Leesburg, near
which we pitched our shelters. This is an old, aristocratic village, the
shire-town of Loudon County. It is situated in a lovely valley, at the
terminus of the Loudon and Hampshire Railroad, and is only about two
miles from the Potomac, and an equal distance from Goose Creek, which is
a considerable stream. Though this county sent many brave men into the
Union ranks, probably more than any other county of the same population
in Virginia, yet Leesburg is almost a _fac-simile_ of Charlestown, the
capital of Jefferson County, the scene of John Brown's execution, where
all the people, including women and children, are "secession to a man."
All this while the Grand Army of the Potomac was moving southward at a
snail's pace; and on the seventh of November, just after reaching
Warrenton, General McClellan was relieved from command, and directed to
report to the authorities by letter from Trenton, New Jersey. Thus ended
another indecisive campaign, which though it had witnessed a greater
victory than ever won before, yet had failed to reap the fruits
thereof.
CHAPTER VII.
McCLELLAN SUCCEEDED BY BURNSIDE.
1862--Burnside's First Campaign.--Army of the Potomac in Three Divisions.
--Advance from Warrenton to Falmouth.--General Stahel's Raid to the
Shenandoah.--Laying Pontoons across the Rappahannock under Fire.--
Battle of Fredericksburg--Daring Feats and General Heroism.--Death of
General Bayard.--The Hospitals.--Sanitary and Christian Commissions.
--Camp "Bayard."--Camp-Fires.--Winter Quarters.--Friendly Relations
of Pickets.--Trading.--Pay-Day.--"Stuck in the Mud."
Upon General Ambrose Burnside fell the choice of the Executive for
commander of the great Union army. He assumed it with great reluctance
and unfeigned self-distrust, and only as a matter of obedience to
orders. This change in the commanding officer, deleterious and dangerous
as it might be upon the morale of the army, was nevertheless considered
necessary and expedient.
Having secured, by somewhat formidable forces, the principal gaps or
passages of the Blue Ridge, which had been occupied by the enemy since
their advance into the Valley, General Burnside began to make
preparations to move his army to Fredericksburg, as being the most
feasible and direct line from Washington to Richmond. To mask as long as
possible his real design, he threatened an attack upon Gordonsville; but
General Lee, by the aid of his emissaries and raiders, soon ascertained
his plans, and moving his army across the Blue Ridge, through the
western passes, he took his position on the south bank of the
Rappahannock, to prevent Burnside's crossing.
_November 8._--The Harris Light broke camp at Leesburg early in the
morning, and advanced to White Plains, where we encountered and defeated
a detachment of Rebel cavalry, driving them towards the mountains.
Continuing our journey through this pleasant valley between the Blue
Ridge and the Bull Run mountains, we soon joined our main army, whose
headquarters were at Warrenton. This is the most beautiful village in
this region of country, situated on the crest of fruitful hills, and
elegantly laid out. It is the shire-town of Fauquier County. Here a few
days were consumed in effecting the alterations incident upon a change
of commander, and on the fourteenth the Army of the Potomac was
constituted into three grand divisions, to be commanded respectively by
Generals Sumner, Franklin, and Hooker. The following day Warrenton was
abandoned, and the army swept down towards the Rappahannock. The sight
was a grand one. On our march, orders were received from President
Lincoln enjoining a stricter observance of the Sabbath in the army and
navy, than had been done before. As a general thing the Sabbath had not
been regarded as any more than any other day. Indeed, very few men in
the rank and file kept any calendar of time, and seldom knew the date or
day. This was occasionally the case even with officers. The only
possible way of keeping pace with flying time in the army, is by
writing a diary. But even when it was known that the Sabbath had been
reached, no regard was taken of its sacred character. One of the causes
of our disaster at the first battle of Bull Run was supposed by many to
be, that we had desecrated the holy Sabbath by our attack. However true
or false such a view may have been, the order we received to-day from
Washington was universally felt to be opportune.
Two days' march brought our advance to Falmouth, and on the twenty-first
General Patrick, our provost-marshal general, was directed to repair to
Fredericksburg under a flag of truce, and request the surrender of the
city. The authorities replied, that while its buildings and streets
would no longer be used by Rebel sharp-shooters to annoy our forces
across the river, its occupation by Yankee troops would be resisted to
the last. Had the means of crossing the river been at hand, General
Burnside would have made hostile demonstrations at once; but through
some misunderstanding between himself and General Halleck, at
Washington, the pontoons were not in readiness.
_November 28._--A strong force of Rebel cavalry, under General Wade
Hampton, dashed across the river at some of the upper fords, raided up
around Dumfries and the Occoquan, captured several prisoners and wagons,
and returned to their side of the river without loss. As a sort of
offset to this, on the twenty-ninth, General Julius Stahel, who
commanded a brigade of cavalry at Fairfax Court House, commenced an
expedition of great daring and success, to the Shenandoah Valley.
Having advanced to Snicker's Gap in the Blue Ridge, a strong Rebel
picket-post was captured by our vanguard. Pressing forward on the main
thoroughfare, they soon reached the Shenandoah river, and were not a
little annoyed by Rebel carbineers, hidden behind old buildings across
the stream. Captain Abram H. Krom, commanding a detachment of the Fifth
New York Cavalry, and leading the advance, dashed across the river,
though deep and the current swift, closely followed by his men. On
reaching the opposite bank, a charge was ordered, and executed in so
gallant a manner that several Rebels were made prisoners, and the
remainder of the squad was driven away at a breakneck speed. Our men
pursued them in a scrambling race for nearly three miles, when they came
upon a Rebel camp, which was attacked in a furious manner. Our boys made
noise enough for a brigade, though only a squadron was at hand. The
enemy attempted a defence, but utterly failed. Reënforcements coming to
our aid, the Rebels were thoroughly beaten and driven away, leaving in
our hands one captain, two lieutenants, thirty-two privates, one stand
of colors, and several wagons and ambulances. Most of these were laden
with booty taken by White's guerillas in a recent raid into Poolesville,
Maryland. Sixty horses and fifty heads of cattle were also captured in
this gallant charge. With all their spoils the expedition returned, via
Leesburg, arriving at their camps in safety.
But all eyes were turned expectantly towards Fredericksburg, with its
two vast armies preparing for a grand encounter. Nearly all the
citizens of the city had left their homes and fled southward. While
General Burnside waited for his pontoons, General Lee was fortifying the
Heights in rear of the city, and concentrating his forces for the
anticipated onset. This state of things was greatly regretted.
_December 11._--The laying of the pontoons commenced in the night, but
the task was only partially performed when daylight made the sappers and
miners at work a fair mark for the sharpshooters, who were hidden among
the buildings which lined the opposite shore, and whose numbers had
largely increased within a few days. Battery after battery was opened on
Falmouth Heights, until not less than one hundred and fifty guns, at
good range, were belching fire and destruction upon the nearly
tenantless city, and still the sharpshooters prevented the completion of
the pontoons, and disputed our crossing. At this critical moment the
Seventh Michigan regiment of infantry immortalized their names. Failing,
after some entreaty, to secure the assistance of the engineer corps to
row them across, they undertook the perilous labor themselves, and amid
the rattling of bullets and the cheers and shouts of our own men, they
reached the opposite shore, with five of their number killed, and
sixteen wounded, including Lieutenant-Colonel Baxter. They immediately
dashed through the streets of the city, and being quickly reënforced by
other regiments, they soon cleared the rifle-pits and buildings adjacent
to the stream of all annoyance. Foremost among the noble men who
performed this heroic work was the Rev. Arthur B. Fuller, chaplain of
the Sixteenth Massachusetts infantry, who was killed by a rifle-shot.
Our pontoons were now laid in quietness to the city; and about three
miles below General Franklin laid his pontoons without opposition.
Several bridges were thus constructed, and before night the main body of
infantry and cavalry filed across the river, preparatory to a grand
engagement. On the twelfth General Bayard moved his cavalry down the
river six miles, and was posted on picket. Several shots were exchanged
with the Rebel pickets during the day, and the demon of fight seemed to
exist everywhere.
_December 13._--The night had been cold, and the morning was dimmed by a
heavy fog which covered friend and foe. But orders for an attack upon
the formidable works of the enemy had been given, and even before the
mist arose, General Gibbon opened fire with his heavy artillery, which
was responded to, but without much effect, owing to the fog, which,
however, disappeared about eleven o'clock. The engagement now became
general, and the fighting was of a character more desperate and
determined than ever known before.
The line of Rebel fortifications was so far back from the river, that
our artillery, posted on the Falmouth Heights, was out of range, and
made more havoc in our advancing ranks than in the ranks of the enemy,
until the fire was silenced by order of General Burnside. About one
o'clock, one of the most brilliant movements of the day was performed by
General George G. Meade's division, which by a terrific charge, gained
the crest of the hill, which was near the key of the position. But not
being sufficiently supported, they were compelled to retire, bringing
away several hundred prisoners with them.
Another masterpiece of gallantry was presented nearer the town, at
Marye's Heights, where General Meagher's Irish Brigade repeatedly
charged the Rebel works, until at least two-thirds of his stalwart men
strewed the ground, killed and wounded. Brigade after brigade was
ordered to take these heights, and though their ranks were mown down
like grass before the scythe, in the very mouth of Rebel guns the effort
was again and again made. Midway up the Heights was a heavy stone wall,
behind which lay the hosts of the enemy, who delivered their fire with
scarcely any exposure, sweeping down our columns as they approached.
This hillside was completely strewn with our dead and disabled, and at
length our assailing ranks retired, compelled to abandon their futile
and murderous attempts. But in the language of General Sumner, "they did
all that men could do." This could be applied to all the troops engaged.
Night at length threw her sable mantle over the bloody field, covering
in her sombre folds the stiffened corpses and mangled forms of not less
than fifteen thousand dead and wounded, including the casualties of both
armies.
Not one of all our dead fell more lamented than Major-General George D.
Bayard, who was struck by a shrieking shell, dying early in the evening.
He was only twenty-eight years of age, of prepossessing appearance and
manners, with as brave a heart as ever bled for a weeping country, and a
capacity of mind for military usefulness equal to any man in the
service. Gradually he had arisen from one position of honor and
responsibility to another, proving himself tried and true in each
promotion, while his cavalry comrades especially were watching the
developments of his growing power, with unabating enthusiasm. But "death
loves a shining mark," and our hero, with his own blood, baptized the
day which had been appointed for his nuptials. The recital of his early
death brought tears to many eyes, and caused many a loving heart to
bleed.
"Death lies on him like an untimely frost--
Upon the sweetest flower of all the field."
The night following this bloody conflict was horrible in the extreme.
Every available spot or building in the city was sought for a hospital,
to which the wounded were brought on stretchers by their companions. Now
and then there came a poor fellow who was able to walk, supporting with
one hand its bloody, mangled mate. At times two men might be seen
approaching through the darkness, supporting between them their less
fortunate comrade, whose bloody garments told that he had faced the foe.
But many of our hospitals proved to be very unsafe refuges, into which
Minié balls and broken shells would come rattling, and in some instances
destroying the precious lives that had escaped--though not without
suffering--the terrible and deadly shock of battle. Many of the wounded
were taken across the river, and made perfectly safe and as comfortable
as circumstances would permit. The Sanitary and Christian Commissions
rendered very effective service, enshrining themselves in the memory of
a grateful people. Their deeds of charity and mercy can never be
forgotten. By their timely supplies and personal labors many lives were
saved, and thousands of the wounded were comforted.
_December 14._--The light of this holy Sabbath was hailed with gladness
by many a poor soldier, who had suffered from the chill of the night
alone upon the bloody field. The weather, however, is unusually clement
for this season of the year. A little firing occurred this morning, but
no general engagement resulted. This was greatly feared, for had General
Lee advanced upon us, it is difficult to see how our men, though
somewhat covered by the fire of our batteries from Falmouth Heights,
could have recrossed the stream without fearful loss. But both armies
spent most of the holy day in the sacred task of caring for the wounded
and burying their dead. Monday was also spent mostly in the same
employment, and in the night, so skilfully as to be unknown even to the
Rebel pickets, our whole army was withdrawn to the north side of the
river in perfect order and without loss. Our pontoons were then taken
up.
General Burnside was not willing to remain totally idle, and, after some
time had elapsed, he planned another grand movement, which, with more or
less opposition from his subordinates, who did not confide in his
judgment, he endeavored to execute. But he had just taken the first step
in the programme when he was signaled to desist by a telegram from the
President, who had been informed that the temper of the army was not
favorable to a general move under its present commander.
With the battle of Fredericksburg terminated the campaign of 1862, and
the two great armies established their winter quarters facing each other
along the line of the Rappahannock. Our camps extend for several miles
along the northern shore above and below Falmouth, and the enemy occupy
the south bank above and below the Heights of Fredericksburg. Indeed,
nearly the whole territory between the Rappahannock and the Defences of
Washington, a dark, forsaken, wilderness region, with only here and
there a plantation or a village, was soon converted into a vast camping
ground, and became the most populous section of Virginia.
To avoid the distant transportation of forage, the greater portion of
the cavalry is encamped near Belle Plain, where government transports
land with supplies from Washington. The Harris Light has established its
camp on the Belle Plain and Falmouth Turnpike, about four miles from the
former place, and has named it "Bayard," in honor of our lamented
commander, whose fall at Fredericksburg is still a subject of universal
sorrow.
It is wonderful to witness how the forests are disappearing in and
around our camps. From morning till night the chopmen's axes resound
from camp to camp, echoing dolefully along the river-shore and far back
into the dense, dark woods. Soon after the battle of Fredericksburg, as
we had no quarters, and nothing but worn and torn shelter-tents, our
only way to prevent freezing at night was to cut and heap together a
large number of logs, which, though green, when fully ignited made a
rousing fire. These fires, numerously built in rows throughout the
streets of our camps, presented, especially at night, a most beautiful
and lively scene. The few trees which still remained as shelters were
generally lighted up by our fires into grand chandeliers, reflecting
upon our white tents a weird light of gold and green, which might have
furnished the pen of the romancer, and the pencil of the artist, their
most interesting plots and designs.
Around these fires gathered the comrades of many a march and battle, to
discuss the experiences of the past, to applaud or censure certain men
and measures, and to lay plans, and to entertain rumors with regard to
future operations. The gallantry and merits of companions fallen in
strife were presented by those most intimate with them; and otherwise
dreary hours were pleasantly whiled away with narratives of personal
encounters, of terrible sufferings of prisoners while in the hands of
the enemy, and of hair-breadth escapes. These accounts were generally
enlivened with extra coloring drawn from the enchanting and fairy-like
scenes which surrounded the speaker, and an entire group was thrilled
and electrified until frequently the night was made to ring with
uproarious applause. Occasionally the friends and home scenes we have
left behind us became the subjects of conversation, and it is
astonishing how that word "home," with its hallowed associations,
touches the tender feelings of our hearts. These colloquies often ended
with the good old hymn, "Home, sweet home," and with the sound of the
last bugle-call we hastened to our rest, to spend, it may be, a
miserable night of cold and storm.
No soldier can ever forget these camp and bivouac scenes, for they are
deeply photographed upon his memory. He will often recall their
ludicrous as well as romantic side, when the mud was knee-deep and over,
up to within a few feet of the fire, compelling him often to stand so
near the burning pile as to set his clothes on fire. In very cold
weather he would freeze one side while the other burned, unless he
frequently performed that military feat, changing "his base of
operations." If the wind blew, making his fantastic gyrations among the
tents, so that you never knew whence he would come nor whither he would
go, you were sure to get your face smoked horribly.
With thousands of camps thus circumstanced, it may be conjectured that
no little amount of fuel would suffice us. At first the trees were cut
down without much regard to the height of the stumps, but as the forest
receded from the camps, making transportation difficult, the stumps were
dug up by the roots, leaving the ground perfectly smooth, and made ready
for the ploughman, whenever our swords are beaten into ploughshares and
our battle spears into pruning hooks. And besides the consumption of
wood for fires, no little amount is used for the construction of our
houses or huts. Nearly every man has suddenly become a mason or a
carpenter, and the hammer, the axe, and the trowel are being plied with
the utmost vigor, if not with the highest skill. Many of us, however,
are astonished at the ingenuity that is displayed in this department.
Large logs, notched at the ends so as to dovetail together, and
sometimes hewn on the inside, compose the body of the hut. By the
careful application of mud--that Virginia mortar or plaster with which
every soldier is so familiar--to the crevices between the logs, a very
comfortable structure is made ready for its covering and occupancy.
Shelter-tents, buttoned or sewed together, form the roof, which, by the
aid of talmas or ponchoes, is generally made water-proof.
Three or four men usually unite in the construction of a hut, and share
one another's skill and stores. If they can afford it, they purchase of
the sutlers small sheet-iron stoves, which will keep them very
comfortably warm, and afford them an opportunity to do their own cooking
on extra occasions, such as come with the issues of supplies from the
Christian or Sanitary Commissions, or the reception of boxes from
friends at home. The ordinary cooking of a company is done by men
detailed for that purpose. Often good fire-places and chimneys are
erected in the tents. These are sometimes made of sticks of wood laid in
thick mud, or of stones or bricks taken from the foundations and remains
of buildings that have been destroyed in the neighborhood of our camps.
Every means is resorted to which Yankee ingenuity can devise to make our
soldier-homes as comfortable and convenient as possible. Punch says,
"that a Yankee baby will creep out of his cradle, take a survey of it,
invent an improved style and apply for a patent, before he is six months
old," and this he said some time ago; what he would say now, we cannot
tell. If a house has been abandoned by its inmates anywhere within our
lines, it is taken as _prima facie_ evidence that the owners must be
Rebels--and it matters but little whether they are or not so long as the
house stands alone; and in nearly as short a period of time as it takes
to tell the story, the building is torn in pieces, and the materials are
used in the construction of our huts and the stables of our horses.
The dying year left us engaged in these labors.
_January 1, 1863._--The Harris Light was ordered to the Rappahannock,
where we were posted on picket near Port Conway.
The Federal and Rebel pickets have mutually arranged that there shall be
no firing on either side, unless an advance is undertaken. This
agreement is of course among ourselves, neither approved nor disapproved
at headquarters. For several days the most perfect harmony has prevailed
between the blue and the gray. Yankees and Johnnies wash together in the
same stream, procure water to drink and for culinary purposes from the
same spring, and, curious to relate, often read the news from the same
papers. Squads of soldiers from both armies may be observed seated
together on either side of the Rappahannock, earnestly discussing the
great questions of the day, each obstinately maintaining his views of
the matters at issue.
On one occasion a soldier from our ranks took from his pocket a copy of
the _New York Herald_, and read the Union account of one of the great
battles to an attentive crowd of Rebel soldiers. When he had concluded,
up sprang one of the chivalry, who brought to view a dingy copy of
the _Richmond Examiner_, and proceeded to read his side of the story. No
one was offended, and all relished the comparison of views, and then
began to discuss the merits of the two accounts.
[Illustration: CAVALRY PICKETS MEETING IN THE RAPPAHANNOCK.]
During all these interviews trading was the order of the day, and a
heavy business was carried on in the tobacco, coffee, and hard-tack
line. There was also a special demand on the part of the Rebels for
pocket-knives and canteens, these articles evidently being very scarce
in Dixie.
_January 12._--The weather has been very uneven since the year began.
Wind, rain, sleet, and snow, singly and combined, have been our portion,
and as a natural consequence, oceans of mud have thus far given Camp
Bayard a most unwelcome appearance. Our only remedy is to corduroy our
streets, which we do by bridging them with the straightest timber we can
find. Usually this is pine, with which thousands of acres of Virginia
are covered. As it is mostly of a recent growth, averaging about six
inches in diameter, and shooting up to an immense height before you can
reach the branches, it is well suited to our purpose.
Rough as these corduroyed streets are, they are very passable, and
prevent us from sinking with our horses into a bottomless limbo. On the
fourteenth of the month our picket details returned to camp, after being
several days on duty. The weather is becoming delightful. The sun is
often so brilliant and warm that we are compelled to seek shelter in our
tents or in the fragrant shades of the woods. We are reminded of
pleasant April weather in Northern New York. Under this _régime_ of old
Sol, the roads are rapidly improving, and should no adverse change
occur, we may look for some important army movement.
_January 21._--To-day we received two months' pay, and, as is usually
the case on pay-day, the boys are in excellent spirits. Whatever trouble
or difficulty the soldier may have, pay-day is a wonderful panacea, at
least if his pay-roll and accounts are all satisfactory and right. But
the men do not all make the same use of their money. Many on receiving
the "greenbacks" hasten to Adams' Express or despatch an agent, and send
home all the money we can spare. Some repair at once to their tents and
enter upon gambling schemes with cards generally, or other games; and it
is no uncommon thing to hear that some one has lost all he had, and has
gone so far even as to borrow more, in less than twelve hours of the
time he was paid. A small portion of the men visit the sutlers, those
army vampires, whose quarters are converted into scenes of dissipation,
drunkenness, and folly. Men whose families at home are waiting for means
to live, thus waste all their wages, disgrace themselves, and cast their
dependents upon the charities of the cold world.
_January 22._--For about two days the army has been prepared for an
advance across the Rappahannock. To-day the grand movement was
commenced. Several regiments, supposing that they never again would need
their winter huts, have burned or otherwise demolished them. But the
weather, which was fine at the outset, has suddenly changed, and about
ten o'clock at night there poured upon us, untented and unprotected, a
furious storm of rain, sleet, and snow, making our condition almost
unendurable. We are now left in a bed of almost fathomless mire. None of
the men who flounder through these oozy roads, under the inclement sky,
will ever forget the "Muddy March." We had scarcely reached the
river-shore before we were compelled to return. In one instance a piece
of artillery with its horses had to be abandoned, submerged so deeply in
the mud that it was considered impracticable to extricate them. Men are
frequently compelled to assist one another, unable to proceed alone. The
ground is covered with snow, and yet the mud is so deep that it is
almost an impossibility to move artillery or supplies. All our forage
and rations are brought from Belle Plain on horses and pack-mules, all
wheeled vehicles being entirely shipwrecked.
The Rebels appear to understand what had been our designs, and know
fully the cause of our failure in the expedition. Consequently, to
tantalize us, they have erected an enormous sign-board on their side of
the river, but in full view of our pickets, bearing the inscription:
"Stuck in the mud!"
General Burnside, beset on every hand with misfortunes and disasters,
tendered his resignation, but was simply relieved, as at his own
request, from the command of the Army of the Potomac.
CHAPTER VIII.
ORGANIZATION OF A CAVALRY CORPS.
1863.--General Hooker assumes Command of the Army of the Potomac.
--Demoralization.--Reorganization.--A Cavalry Corps.--General
George D. Stoneman in Command.--Death of Sergeant May.--Forests of
the Old Dominion.--The Cavalryman and his Faithful Horse.--Scenes
in Winter Quarters.--Kilpatrick.--His Character.--Qualifications
of the True Soldier.--A New Horse.--A Mulish Mule.--Kilpatrick's
Colored Servants in Trouble.--Terrific Hail-Storm.--Major E. F.
Cooke Honored.--Colonel Clarence Buel.
On the twenty-sixth of January, General Joseph Hooker assumed command of
the Army of the Potomac, whose vicissitudes and defeats have well-nigh
broken its spirit and wiped out its efficiency. The patriotic fire is
burning dimly in shrines where it has blazed brightly before. The tide
of military life has possibly reached its lowest ebb, and the signs of
the times are ominous of ill. Desertions are reported to be fearfully
large. For this many of our friends at the North are responsible. Not
only do their letters speak discouraging words to the soldier, but many
of them sent by express citizens' clothes, with which many of the boys
quickly invest themselves, throwing away the blue, and thus disguised
find their way to their false friends at home. I esteem him false to me
who would thus rob me of my honor. I would rather say, "despoil me of my
life, but my integrity never." Discouraging as all this depression of
mind and dispersion of comrades may be, many still remain steadfast at
their trust and unflinchingly go ahead in the discharge of their duty.
General Hooker's first work seems to be in the direction of checking
this loosening of discipline, and in reorganizing and strengthening the
bands of military order. As the infantry needed but little further
solidification, the commander-in-chief turned his attention to the
cavalry. In the possible efficiency of this arm of the service the
general seems to have full faith. But it is currently reported that the
general has said "that he has yet failed to see or hear of a dead
cavalryman." Of course this cannot be strictly true, for we could cite
him multitudes, including our noble Bayard, whose bravery and sacrifice
of themselves upon their country's altar, are worthy of recognition at
the hand of their commander. But it is quite evident that the cavalry
has not yet come up to the beau-ideal of the general. And, indeed, it
has been a source of wonderment to us, that while the efficiency of the
infantry is known to depend largely upon its organization into brigades,
divisions, and corps, with their general commander, the same may not be
true of the cavalry.
General Bayard, the great cavalry chief of the Army of the Potomac
during General Burnside's administration, made several efforts at
consolidation, resulting, however, in no very permanent changes. It was
reserved for General Hooker to bring about the desired result; and, at
last, the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac is organized, with
General George D. Stoneman for its commanding officer. By this change
regiments which have been scattered here and there on detached service
are brought together, and made to feel the enthusiasm which numbers
generally inspire, especially when those numbers are united into a
system, with a living head, whose intelligence and authority control the
whole.
Under this new _régime_ some very beneficial changes have been wrought.
Schools or camps of instruction have been established, with a more rigid
discipline than before, and boards of examination, with all the
experience of the past before their eyes, have been organized. Old and
incompetent officers have been dismissed, or have slunk away before this
incisive catechism, giving way generally to intelligent, young, and
efficient men, who, placed at the heads of regiments and brigades, give
promise of success in the struggles that await us.
The Rebel cavalry under Stuart has long been organized into an efficient
body, which, at times, has sneered at our attempts to match them; and
yet they have been made to feel, on some occasions, that we are a
growing power, which time and experience may develop into something
formidable. But the general successes of the Rebel army have made them
all very insolent, in the hope that final victory is already in their
grasp.
_February 11._--My old friend and comrade, Sergeant Theodore May, of
Pittstown, New York, died this afternoon at two o'clock, after a brief
illness, of typhoid fever, which is a great scourge throughout the army.
The death of this valiant fellow-soldier casts a deep gloom over the
entire command, in which he has so faithfully served. When we entered
the army together at the organization of the regiment, he came a perfect
stranger, but his gentle manners and soldierly deportment soon made for
him hosts of warm friends. By his gallantry on the field of battle, as
well as by the gentleness of his manners and his unblemished conduct in
camp, he has won the respect, and even admiration, of all who knew him.
The patriotic motives which induced Sergeant May to quit his pleasant
home in the beautiful valley of the Tomhannock, for the privations,
hardships, and dangers of military life, have always proved him to be a
true and warm sympathizer in his country's cause. It was evidently not
the mere love of adventure, or the mere pageantry or glory of war, that
led him to make the great sacrifice. He has been with us in every
conflict, and shared with us the varied fortunes of the Harris Light.
His death, which he would rather have met on the field of strife,
battling manfully against traitors, was reserved for the calm and quiet
of the camp, where he spent his last moments urging his comrades to
"cheer up and fight on," offering as his dying reason, that "our cause
is just, and must triumph." Such a death is a rich legacy to a command.
"He being dead, yet speaketh." We would emulate his virtues.
_February 12._--On recommendation of Lieutenant Frederick C. Lord, I was
to-day appointed by Colonel Kilpatrick First Sergeant of Company E, vice
Henry Temple, promoted to Sergeant Major. My appointment is to date from
the first of January, making me a very desirable New Year's gift, which
I shall strive to honor.
_February 22._--Snow has been falling uninterruptedly the livelong day,
and yet the boys have been unusually merry, as they were wont to be on
this anniversary before the war. Our celebration has been on a scanty
scale, and yet we have felt the patriotic stimulus which comes from the
great men and days of the past. And truly, the birth of the great
Washington gives birth to many interesting thoughts, especially at this
period of our history. A national salute has been fired from our
fortifications on the Potomac, and the whole country round about us has
been made to reverberate with the sound that welcomes in the day.
But all these patriotic manifestations have not prevented the snow-storm
and the cold. When we left our home in the North for what was termed
"the sunny South," we little expected to find such storms as this here.
While the summers are much cooler than we expected to find them, the
days being generally fanned by a beautiful sea-breeze, the winters
exceed for cold our highest expectation. The cold is not continuous, but
very severe. We have seen the soft ground and water-puddles freeze
sufficiently in one night to bear a horse; and in several days and
nights the frost has penetrated the earth several inches deep. The
snow-storm of to-day is as severe as most storms experienced in the
North. The wind has howled from the north-west, burdened with its cold,
feathery flakes, which to-night lie at least twelve inches deep in
places undisturbed. It is such a storm as our suffering pickets, and
indeed our entire army, cannot soon forget.
It may be that the vast forests of Virginia have much to do with its
peculiar temperature. As we travel from place to place we are strongly
impressed with the vastness of the wilderness, which covers thousands of
acres of as fine arable soil as can be found on the continent. How
different is this from the notions we had formed of the _Old_ Dominion,
while reading of its early settlements, and of its great agricultural
advantages. But when we look into its system of land-owning, and find
that one individual monopolizes a territory sufficient for a dozen
farms, and consequently neglects eleven twelfths of his acres; and then
look into its even worse system of labor, we need search no farther for
the causes of this backwardness in agricultural pursuits. The implements
made use of here on the plantations are such as were rejected by New
England farmers over half a century ago; and the _methods_ of
cultivation are a century behind the times. Slavery and land-monopoly
are the incubus.
Who does not sincerely hope that the time is not far distant, when the
rich acres of this great State shall be properly shared by its
inhabitants, and when, freed from a burden and curse which have long
paralyzed their energies, instinct with new life and enterprise, the
people will realize the dignity of labor? Then will the almost
interminable forests disappear, and in their stead the industrious
yeoman will behold his rich fields of waving grain. Then, too, along the
now comparatively useless streams and swift water-courses, will spring
up the factory and the mill, whose rolling wheels and buzzing spindles
will bring wealth and prosperity to the nation. We are convinced, from
what we have seen, that Virginia has water-power enough to turn the
machinery of the world. With these changes the school-house will be
found by the side of every church, and intelligence and virtue will
bless the home of the Presidents.
We have also many times been led to think, while lying in these chilly
woods, that a greater warmth would be imparted to the atmosphere if the
forest-trees were felled and the land put under cultivation,--a change
sufficiently great to be appreciable throughout the State.
"UNCHRONICLED HEROES."
_Sunday, March 1._--The usual Sunday morning inspection was omitted on
account of rain. Rain, rain had fallen for many days almost incessantly.
The regiment has been earnestly at work throughout the day in building
stables for the horses, which have suffered greatly from being kept
standing too long in the mud. Under these circumstances our horses are
afflicted with the scratches, many of them so badly as to render them
unserviceable, and occasionally they lose their lives.
By this cause and through hard work my little black mare, which I drew
by lot at Camp Sussex in the autumn of 1861, has at last succumbed, and,
with a grief akin to that which is felt at the loss of a dear human
friend, I have performed the last rite of honor to the dead. The Indian
may love his faithful dog, but his attachments cannot surpass the
cavalryman's for his horse. They have learned to love one another in the
most trying vicissitudes of life, and the animal manifests affection and
confidence quite as evidently as a human being could.
The cavalier, it is true, is often compelled to drive at a most fearful
rate, as when bearing hurried despatches, or making a charge, frequently
causing almost immediate blindness to the animal. Or, may be, he
continues on a march for many days and nights in succession, as on a
raid, averaging at least sixty-five miles in twenty-four hours, with
little water and less forage; unable to remove the saddle, which has to
be tightly bound, until the animal is so badly galled that the hair
comes off with the blanket at its first removal.
Sufferings like these often cause the death of a large proportion of a
command; and to a careless looker-on these things would appear to be
mere neglects. But these cruel military necessities only develop more
perfectly the rider's sympathy for his suffering beast, and bind them in
closer and more endearing bonds.
Some men had rather injure themselves than have their horses harmed, and
the utmost pains are taken to heal them in case they are wounded. Each
regiment has its veterinary surgeon, whose skill is taxed to the utmost
in his branch of the healing art.
Among the most touching scenes we have witnessed, are those in which the
mortally wounded horse has to be abandoned on the field of carnage.
With tearful eyes the rider and perhaps owner turns to take a last look
of the "unchronicled hero," his fellow-sufferer, that now lies weltering
in his blood, and yet makes every possible effort to follow the
advancing column. The parting is deeply affecting.
Often the cavalryman finds no object to which he may hitch his horse for
the night save his own hand; and thus with the halter fast bound to his
grasp he lies down with a stone, or perhaps his saddle, for a pillow,
his faithful horse standing as a watchful guardian by his side. At times
the animal will walk around him, eating the grass as far as he can
reach, and frequently arousing him by trying to gain the grass on which
he lies; yet it is worthy of note, that an instance can scarcely be
found where the horse has been known to step upon or in anywise injure
his sleeping lord. Such a scene the poet undoubtedly had in his mind
when he sang:
"The murmuring wind, the moving leaves
Lull'd him at length to sleep,
With mingled lullabies of sight and sound."
Such experiences as these had taught me to love my faithful and true
friend. But I found I was not the only man in the command who was
bereaved of his _first_ love. Only a few horses of the original number
which we drew still remain, and several of them are either partially or
totally blind, though yet serviceable. The hardships of the camp and the
campaign are more destructive of animal than human flesh. Men are often
sheltered from the storm when the horses are exposed, and the men are
sometimes fed when the horses have to go hungry.
In battle the horse is a larger mark than the man, and hence is more
frequently hit, so that more than twice the number of horses fall in
every engagement than men. The cavalryman is more shielded from the
deadly missile than the infantryman. The horse's head and shoulders will
often receive the bullet which was intended for the rider's body. This
is true also of the elevated portions of the saddle, with the rolls of
blankets and coats and bag of forage. A difference has also been noticed
between the casualties in cavalry and infantry regiments under equal
exposure. This difference is wholly explained when we consider the
jolting and swift motion of the man as his horse leaps forward in the
fray, making him a very uncertain mark for the enemy.
BRIGHT DAYS.
_March 3._--This is the first bright day we have seen in more than three
weeks. The mud around our camps, especially in the neighborhood where we
water our horses, is terrible, and the roads are almost bottomless.
However, long trains of forage and commissary-wagons may be seen passing
to and fro, with horses and mules in mud from "stem to stern."
Cavalcades of mudded horses and riders traverse the camps and adjoining
fields in various directions.
Large flocks of crows--the most soldier-like bird in the world--with
their high-perched vedettes when alighted, and their military line of
march when on the wing, afford some lessons of diversion and
instruction. It would seem as if all the ravens of the United States had
congregated here, having been attracted by the carrion of battle-fields
and the refuse of camps. Turkey buzzards, birds which are always on the
wing, and that none of us ever yet saw alighted, wheel through the air
like eagles, gazing down upon us with seeming defiance. The sights are
of daily occurrence.
KILPATRICK.
To-day several details were made from the regiment for brigade
headquarters, where Kilpatrick, the senior colonel in the brigade, now
commands. In the afternoon we raised the "stars and stripes" in front of
his tent, after which three cheers were given for the flag and three for
the Union. Kilpatrick was then called upon for a speech, and responded
in his usually felicitous style. He is certainly an orator as well as a
warrior. He speaks, too, as he fights, with dash and daring. What he has
to say he says with such perspicuity that no one doubts his meaning.
Frequently there are flashes of eloquence worthy of a Demosthenes. His
voice and diction seem to be well-nigh faultless. His speech to-day
elicited frequent outbursts of applause, and the men cheered him
enthusiastically at the close, and left his quarters with a deeper
affection for him than before. Strict as he is to enforce discipline,
and thorough, yet he is not severe; and the men love him for his
personal attention to their wants, and for his appreciation of their
labors. If he gives us hard work to do in march or battle, he endures or
shares with us the hardship. If by the losses of men he has sustained he
is truly entitled to the nickname of "Kill Cavalry," which has been
quite generally accorded to him, his men know that these casualties
have fallen out in the line of duty, in bold enterprises that cost the
enemy dearly, the wisdom of which will ever exculpate our loved
commander from the imputation of rashness with which, by uninformed
parties, he is sometimes charged.
In preparation for, and during, a battle, none can excel him. His plans
are quickly made and executed, while all possible contingencies seem to
have been foreseen. His selection of positions and disposition of forces
always exhibits great sagacity and military genius. He generally holds
his men under perfect control. His clarion voice rings like magic
through the ranks, while his busy form, always in the thickest of the
fight, elicits the warmest enthusiasm. His equanimity of mind seems
never to be overcome by his celerity of motion, but are equally
balanced. Rarely is so great prudence found blended with so undaunted
courage. He has an indomitable will that cannot brook defeat. The word
_impossible_ he never knows, whatever difficulties intervene between him
and duty. He feels like Napoleon, "that _impossible_ is the adjective of
fools."
Added to all these mental qualifications, is that perfect _physique_,
which makes Kilpatrick the model soldier. As an equestrian we have never
seen his superior. He rides as though he had been made for a saddle.
Rocks, stumps, fallen trees, brooks, and fences are nothing before him.
His well-trained steeds understand him perfectly, and are never at a
loss to know what is meant by the sharp spurs on their sides, whatever
obstacles stand in their path. We have seen him leap over barriers
where only few could follow him. To accomplish such feats the horse must
have confidence in the rider as well as the rider in the horse. While in
a charge, Kilpatrick has more the appearance of an eagle pouncing upon
his prey, than that of a man pouncing upon a man. Then, too, he has a
wonderful power of endurance. Though somewhat slender in form and
delicate in mould, with complexion and eyes as light as a maiden's, yet
it would seem as though his bones were iron and his sinews steel, while
the whole is overlaid with gold. He is certainly compactly built. He has
undoubtedly his faults, but his men fail to see them, so that to them he
is as good as perfect.
What so young a champion of the right may yet achieve for his country,
is a matter of much hopeful conjecture among us. He is now only
twenty-five years of age, having had his birth in the beautiful valley
of the Clove, in Northern New Jersey, in 1838. He entered the Military
Academy at West Point on the twentieth of June, 1856, and graduated with
honors in 1860, just in time to be ready for the great conflict then
impending. He was present at Baltimore when the mob endeavored to stop
the trains for Washington, and the blood of Massachusetts men was spilt
upon the streets. He there exhibited that bold intrepidity which has
ever characterized his actions. He was wounded at the battle of Big
Bethel, one of the first engagements of the war, where as a lieutenant
he commanded Duryea's Zouaves, June eleventh, 1861. He had just
recovered from his wound when he entered upon the organization of the
Harris Light, and became its lieutenant-colonel.
_March 5._--We had regimental drill at the usual time this morning. I
rode my black pony recently drawn in place of my little black mare,
deceased. This was his first experience in cavalry discipline; and I
infer that the men in the front rank of the platoon, which I commanded,
hoped it might be his last entry; for it must have been most
emphatically evident to those who followed him that he was determined to
introduce a new system of tactics, in which heels were to go up in no
gentle manner at every change of movement. He is certainly the most
ungovernable horse on drill I ever mounted; and nothing but long marches
and raids can effectually subdue his kicking propensities. I am
encouraged, however, with the consideration that such fiery metal, when
properly controlled and moulded, is usually very valuable.
The rain fell so fast on the sixth, that we were prevented from drill,
and recall was sounded immediately after drill-call.
_Sunday, March 8._--Details from the regiment were ordered out on
picket. The night had been stormy, but the day has been lovely. At such
times, were it not for the mud, we would feel that we are very
comfortably circumstanced.
On the eleventh, in the morning, the ground was covered with snow which
had fallen in the night. A brilliant sun soon dissolved the pure mantle
and left us in much mire. But our attention was diverted from the going
by a novel scene which we were called to witness in camp. The regiment
was instructed in the best method of packing a mule, by one who has had
experience in the business. The most mulish mule in the whole braying
family was selected for the operation, and if we did not have some tall
fun I will admit that I am no judge. A hog on ice or a bristling
porcupine are bad enough, but an ugly mule outstrips them all. It seems
as if the irascible animal tried to do his prettiest, flouncing around
in a most laughable manner, pawing and kicking at times furiously. But
the desperate Yankee teacher was not to be outwitted, and conquered him
at last, when the pack was satisfactorily poised, and the ornamented
mule was promenaded about camp as in triumph.
We are informed that it is the intention of the authorities to have
pack-mules used in the cavalry corps henceforward in place of army
wagons. The reason of this change seems to be to facilitate rapid
movements or forced marches. It is the prevailing opinion, however, that
the experiment will prove a failure. Too many mules would be required
for this purpose, and our forage and rations would be very insecure,
especially from the storms. But we will see how the thing works. At
times it may be expedient.
_March 12._--I had the misfortune to have my quarters burned this
morning while getting out a detail for picket. All my extra clothing,
equipments, and some little mementoes or valuables were speedily
converted into ashes. But I immediately went to work, and with some kind
assistance, which every brother-soldier is so ready to bestow, I put up
a new establishment which in every respect is superior to the old. Our
homes, it is true, are easily destroyed, but they are as easily
replaced.
_March 13._--Details from the regiment, with pack-mules, were sent out
to the Rappahannock, to carry rations and forage to our pickets. The
mule-train looks oddly enough, and yet through these muddy roads it
seems to be a necessity.
_March 14._--To-day I am doing regimental guard duty. The guard has been
not a little amused by the arrest of Kilpatrick's colored servants. It
was their misfortune to be discovered by Captain Southard, the officer
of the day, while engaged in a fierce contest, in which their heads were
used as the chief weapons of attack and defence. The blows they dealt
upon each other were most terrible, reminding one of the battering-rams
of old, used for demolishing the walls of forts or cities. Such ancient
modes of warfare, of course, could not be tolerated here, especially as
no order for battle had been promulgated from headquarters, and the
captain arrested the offenders and brought them to the guard-house,
where they were placed in my charge. I immediately ordered them out
under guard to police camp as a punishment for their bad conduct.
While thus engaged, Kilpatrick happened to see them, and, not wishing to
have his faithful servants subjected to such humiliating labor, issued
an order for their immediate release from durance vile, asserting that
he would be responsible for their fighting in the future, if at least
they did not put their heads together more than half a dozen times a
day.
The day following this laughable farce, in the afternoon, we experienced
one of the most terrific storms ever known in this part of the country.
The day had been quite pleasant until about two o'clock, when dark
clouds began to obscure the sky, and the wind shifted from the south to
the north-west. At four o'clock the elements were ready for battle, and
a fierce engagement commenced. Gleaming and forked lightnings cleft the
canopy, while booming thunder shook the trembling earth. The artillery
of Heaven had not long been opened before the musketry commenced, and
down poured a shower of hail, which came near demolishing our tents, and
brought suffering and sorrow upon all unsheltered heads. Mules brayed
horribly, vying with the hoarse, muttering thunder, making the camp most
hideous and lonely. The wind and cold increased with every passing hour,
the hail fell faster and more heavily, and night came suddenly down to
hide, though not to prevent, the storm. The night was one of great
suffering, especially on the lines of picket--it was bad enough
anywhere.
_March 23._--A beautiful sabre was presented to Major E. F. Cooke this
afternoon, by the members of his old company, for his gallantry and
soldierly character, which have earned his promotion. Captain O. J.
Downing, of company B, made the presentation speech, in which he
beautifully alluded to the happy relation which always exists between a
faithful commander and his men. As a token that such relation existed
between the major and those whom he had often led through perilous
scenes and conflicts, their gift was presented. An appropriate response
was made by the major, in which he very humbly attributed his military
success thus far to the bravery of the noble men who had always stood by
him, and whose gift he accepted not only as a mark of their appreciation
of himself as a man, but of their devotion to the cause which he hoped,
by the edge of the sabre and trust in Providence, we may yet win.
_March 24._--Kilpatrick's brigade was reviewed this morning by General
Gregg, who commands the Second division of the cavalry corps. Kilpatrick
commands the First brigade, which is composed of the First Maine, the
Tenth New York, and Harris Light. On the twenty-fifth General Gregg
again reviewed us. We were ordered to turn out in "heavy marching
orders," that is, with all our clothing, rations, forage or grain, and
fully equipped. For some reason inspections and reviews are frequent of
late. The Harris Light maintains its established reputation, as being
second to none in the corps, for its efficiency in drill and discipline,
and in its general appearance. The men take pride in keeping up the
_morale_ of the regiment.
_March 28._--Colonel Clarence Buel is paying us a visit to-day. This
gallant and noble officer, who organized and formerly commanded the Troy
company of the Harris Light, has recently been promoted to the colonelcy
of the Hundred and Sixty-ninth New York Infantry. The colonel has taken
a temporary leave of absence from his new command for the purpose of
making us a friendly call; and he is again surrounded by his old tried
friends and comrades. Company E hails with pleasure its former loved
captain, and though sad at his loss, still rejoices in his well-earned
and merited promotion. All the men of the company showed their respect
and admiration for him by falling into line upon the announcement of his
arrival in camp, and thus greeted the Christian soldier. It was a very
delightful and enjoyable occasion.
As a soldier, Colonel Buel stands among the bravest and the best. Always
attentive to the wants of his command, his men are always the last to be
out of supplies of rations or clothing. He generally exercised that
fatherly care over us which called forth in return a filial love. He is
dignified, and yet perfectly affable. As a commander, he is intrepid and
cool, and manages his troops with admirable skill. He possesses a
naturally well-balanced mind, thoroughly cultivated, and a heart always
full of Christian hopefulness and benevolence. We wish him great success
in his new field of labor and responsibility.
CHAPTER IX.
REBEL CHIEFS AND THEIR RAIDS.
1863.--Rebel Raids by Stuart, Imboden, and Fitz-Hugh Lee.--John S. Mosby,
Guerilla Chief.--His Character.--His Command.--Daring and Plunder.--
Aided by Citizens.--Condition of the Country Favorable for their
Depredations.--Our Picket Lines too Light.--Attacks on Pickets at
Herndon Station, Cub Run, and Frying-Pan Church.--Miss Laura
Ratcliffe, Mosby's Informant.--Mosby at Fairfax Court House.--
Capture of General Stoughton.--Fight at Chantilly.--Mosby lauded by
His Chiefs.--Mosby beaten at Warrenton Junction.--Severely whipped
at Greenwich, where he loses a Howitzer captured from Colonel Baker
at Ball's Bluff.
The Rebel cavalry has been very active all winter, as may be seen by the
many raids which they have made, beginning as far back as December
twenty-fifth, when their chief, J. E. B. Stuart, anxious to obtain
something suitable with which to celebrate the holidays, crossed the
Rappahannock, advanced on Dumfries, where it would seem that our boys,
freezing dumb (Dumfries), suffered the raider to capture not less than
twenty-five wagons, and at least two hundred prisoners. Moving boldly
northward, he struck the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, burning the
bridge across the Accotink Run, and from Burke's Station he swung around
Fairfax Court House, and returned, by long, circuitous route, into their
lines with their hard-earned spoils.
A lull of operations followed this bold holiday enterprise, until the
sixteenth of February, when a party of General John D. Imboden's
rangers, in the Shenandoah Valley, made a rapid raid to Romney, farther
west, where they captured several men, horses, and wagons, having taken
our forces entirely by surprise. The success which characterized these
forays was not only disgraceful to ourselves, and very disheartening,
but it gave the Rebels an audacious effrontery and malignant boldness,
which led them into more frequent and reckless movements. But our men
were a little more on the alert, and thus averted, to a great extent,
the injury which was intended.
_February 25._--To-day Fitz-Hugh Lee, almost in the very face of our
pickets, crossed the Rappahannock near Falmouth, attacked by surprise a
camp, where he captured one hundred and fifty prisoners, but was not
able to return without some loss. The next day General W. E. Jones
marched with a brigade into the Valley, attacked and routed two
regiments of General Milroy's cavalry, and, with slight loss from his
command, escaped with about two hundred prisoners. The most daring,
however, of all these raids was made by Major White, with his band of
Loudon County rangers, which differs not much from guerillas, into
Maryland, where they captured a few prisoners, but spent most of their
time and strength in plunder. Poolesville was the scene of their
depredations.
It did seem as though nearly every Rebel cavalry officer had been
touched with a magic wand which filled him with the most weird and
romantic views of warfare, and led him into enterprises almost as wild
as any of Dick Turpin's. Fauquier County was the theatre of several of
these movements by Captain Randolph, of the Black Horse Cavalry. And in
these days appeared another partisan, whose name for the first time
flashes out in big capitals in the official as well as other bulletins,
amid most startling manoeuvrings: it is John S. Mosby. To the Harris
Light this gentleman was not wholly unknown, and we distinctly remember
the time when he was a prisoner in our hands. It appears that he was
then sent to Old Capitol Prison at Washington. Not long thereafter he
was released; and, being bent on revenge, and naturally fitted for
guerilla operations, he soon received permission from his chief, to
operate on an independent plan.
This Mosby, as we have been informed by an acquaintance of his, a Rebel
soldier who has known him from early life, has always been a sort of
guerilla--deserting from his father's house in mere boyhood--fighting
duels as a pastime--roving the country far and wide in search of
pleasure or profit--a thorough student of human nature and of the
country in which he operates--bold and daring to a fault and romantic in
his make--and finding now his chief delight in the adventures of
guerilla life.
His commission is a roving one, and his command seems to be limited
neither to kind or number. Many of his men are citizens, who spend a
portion of their time in their ordinary business, and who hold
themselves in readiness for any movements indicated by their
commander-in-chief. Occasionally he is accompanied and assisted in his
forays by daring men from various commands, who are at home on leaves
of absence or furloughs, while a few seem to be directly and continually
under his control. The principal stimulus of the entire party (except
the bad whiskey which they are said to use), is the plunder which they
share. It is their custom at times to parole their prisoners and send
them back to our lines, though often, when large numbers are taken, they
are sent to Richmond; but all horses and equipments, which now command
enormous prices in Dixie, are the property of the captors.
The region of the country they have chosen for their operations is
certainly well adapted to facilitate their designs. Deep ravines
traverse the country, skirted with dense, dark foliage, which affords
them shelter, and through which they pass like so many wild turkeys or
wild boars, knowing, as they do, all the roads and by-paths. Indeed,
some of their parties are dwellers in these regions, and are acquainted
with every nook and corner, where they can hide securely with their prey
and elude their pursuers. When the immediate neighborhoods of their
depredations do not offer a sufficient asylum, they fly to the
fastnesses and caverns of the Bull Run Mountains.
Then, too, there is a certain degree of carelessness on the part of our
own men, which merits censure and causes trouble. For instance, they
frequently call at the homes of bitter Rebels for the purposes of
pleasure, or to get articles of food, which they purchase or take, and
while at these places they are too free to talk about the condition of
our army, the position of our picket lines and posts, etc.--information
which is grasped with wonderful avidity and as readily transmitted to
Mosby and his men. Scarcely does any important event transpire among us,
that is not fully understood immediately by the Rebel families within
our lines, and is very easily borne to those outside the lines between
two days. Thus movements even in contemplation have been heralded before
the incipient steps had been taken, and consequently thwarted. Our only
safety from this source of trouble would be to drive out of our lines
all Rebel families, thus preventing the means of communicating the news
to the outer world.
Another simple statement will explain the chances of the enemy and the
causes of many of our casualties. Our picket-lines are too much
extended, covering too wide a territory to make them as strong as they
should be. Only a brigade is doing the work of a division, and
consequently the picket-posts are not sufficiently near each
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