USA > Indiana > History of the Third Indiana cavalry > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16
Lieutenant Shannon, of Company E, and W. B. Downey, of Company F, outpost videttes, had been cut off and, hiding their horses in a thicket, were engaged in constructing a raft to cross the Rappahannock, which was unfordable at the point where they had struck it, and while thus engaged the rebels found them and their horses and they became a part of the Richmond delegation. The other captures were made by the rebels seizing bridle reins and hauling in the riders of horses thus held up. Those of us who were able to outrun the rebels leaped over the bank of the river wherever we struck it, with the rebels all mixed up with us, and there the rebels began sheathing their sabers and drawing their pistols to shoot us in the water. But here good luck came to our rescue. A number of our command who had already crossed the river took in the situation, turned loose a volley from their carbines upon our pursuers as they were forming and getting ready to shoot us as we struggled in the river. They fled in confusion, leaving us unhurt. Isaac Higgins, of Company F, was captured by having his bridle rein seized by a rebel cavalryman near the river bank some distance below the ford. While being led away captive, his pistol, cocked, was held by him under his coat cape, and in an unguarded moment he shot his captor, whirled his horse and leaped into the river and escaped.
A few days later the entire cavalry force of the Army of the Potomac, except a brigade supposed to be the least efficient of the force, left in camp near Falmouth under General Pleasanton, again crossed the Rappahannock under command of General Stoneman, who had been placed at the head of what was desig- nated as the Cavalry Corps after General Hooker took command
70
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
and reorganized the Army of the Potomac in March, 1863. This cavalry movement of General Stoneman's is known in history as the Stoneman raid and was designed to move towards Richmond and destroy the Orange & Alexandria railroad, over which supplies were shipped to Lee's army lying south of the Rappahannock at Fredricksburg.
General Stoneman divided his force after crossing the Rappa- hannock, leading the main body of his force in person as far as the defenses of Richmond, where he destroyed considerable stores and crippled the operations of the railroad for a few days; while Colonel Davis' brigade, to which the Eastern battalion of the Third Indiana belonged, with one other brigade, was left at the bridge where the Orange & Alexandria road crossed the Rapidan river, under command of Gen. W. W. Averill. This force skir- mished one whole day with a body of rebel cavalry at that point, both sides using their artillery and making dashes at each other. Both tried to burn the railroad bridge, each always succeeded in driving the other off, so that all attempts in that direction were ineffective. After the day's skirmishing was over both forces went on picket, facing each other. Captain Gresham, of Company B, Third Indiana, was seriously wounded while posting his men on picket too near the enemy.
On the following day this force moved down the Rapidan, and as the day progressed the booming of distant guns became more fre- quent, and before we reached Elys Ford, near the mouth of the Rapidan, about nightfall, the almost continuous roar of artillery and volleys of musketry indicated to us that we were approaching the scene of a great battle.
It was twilight when we reached Elys Ford, and hundreds of the men riding horses, weary with their day's march, plunged into the stream to water them, when a volley of musketry from the opposite side of the Rapidan, which overshot our men, caused a great scampering out of the stream and over the hill to a place of
71
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
safety. This was our introduction to the battle of Chancellors- ville, which had been on since the 1st of May. Our command had been rambling around through fields and woods, shut off from com- munication with the world, many days, and knew nothing of what was going on, at least so far as the rank and file was concerned. An opening between the right flank of Hooker's army and Elys Ford of the Rapidan had been left unguarded, and a brigade of rebel infantry had moved down into it, and that was the force that fired into our men when they hurriedly entered the stream to water their horses. It was not regarded as good generalship that this should be permitted to happen, and General Averill was relieved of his command and placed under arrest.
Early in the day following this incident the battle of Chan- cellorsville was renewed in all its fury, the roar of artillery and the crash of volleys of musketry being almost constant, and our body of cavalry stood in line all forenoon, ready to move at an instant's notice. We did not receive such an order until about noon, when we crossed the Rapidan at the ford where we had been fired into the night before, went up the slope and joined the main army, through the lines of the First Army Corps, under General Reynolds, where the men had been fighting all day.
We formed in the rear of this force with artillery and remained there two days and until 2 o'clock of the second night, when an order was given to move, we knew not where. But we had not gone far until we knew our horses were treading on brush, laid upon a pontoon bridge to deaden sound, and that this bridge crossed the Rappahannock. At daylight we halted and were overlooking Fal- mouth and Fredricksburg. From that point we moved up the river and soon met army wagons, batteries of artillery, long lines of infantry, and without knowing what had happened, we felt very certain the army of the Potomac was on a different side of the river from where it had been fighting the enemy.
72
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
We moved on northward into the pine forests bordering the Rap- pahannock, apparently away from all communication with the main army, and had little knowledge of the particulars of what had happened for more than a week, when the command returned to Falmouth and found the entire Army of the Potomac on the north side of the river, where it had been all winter. From Wash- ington papers received that day we learned that the Union army had been defeated in a great battle, which in history was to be called Chancellorsville. The whole country knew all about it a week before, but thousands of men on the ground, by the process here described, were kept in almost total ignorance of what had happened.
The cavalry force under General Stoneman perhaps accom- plished all that was expected of it, but the remarkable thing in the history of that great battle is that General Pleasanton, who had been our commander in the Maryland campaign of the previous year, but for some cause was left in the rear in charge of the con- valescent camp at the opening of Hooker's campaign of 1863, appeared on the battlefield of Chancellorsville with all his effec- tive force, especially the Eighth and Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry regiments, and by his service in that great battle achieved renown that placed him among the foremost cavalry leaders of the war. The charge of Major Randall with a part of the Eighth Pennsylvania, which was a part of Pleasanton's command, is re- corded in history as one of the most splendid achievements of the great battle of Chancellorsville.
With the close of that conflict Stoneman disappeared from the Army of the Potomac and Pleasanton became commander of the Cavalry Corps by right of conquest. The army lay in camp rest- ing up until the early days of June, and then, with Pleasanton's cavalry in the lead, moved northward along the Rappahannock to the Orange & Alexandria railroad. On the 9th of June Colonel Davis' brigade of Buford's division crossed the Rappahannock at
GEORGE MIDDLETON, CO. E. - AT 16.
73
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
Kelleys Ford, where it encountered the enemy's cavalry, which it fought all day and drove back on to its infantry lines, and dis- closed the fact that Lee's army was also moving northward behind the mountains of Virginia, heading for Maryland and Pennsyl- vania. In this engagement Colonel Davis, of the Eighth New York Cavalry, who commanded the brigade, was killed early in the day, and the command of the brigade devolved upon Major McClure, commanding the Third Indiana Cavalry, who by the death of Colonel Davis became the senior officer of the brigade. Colonel Davis was an officer of the regular army, a strict disci- plinarian, and in the Maryland campaign, particularly at Harpers Ferry, where he declined to have the Eighth New York Cavalry included in General Miles' surrender of 13,000 men to Stonewall Jackson and cut his way out, was regarded as one of the best sub- ordinate cavalry commanders of the army.
For that day's work he was made a major in the regular army, and had he lived no doubt he would have attained the highest rank in the cavalry arm of the service. As his successor on the battle- field of Kelleys Ford, Major McClure proved himself well fitted for the place, and at nightfall drew off his brigade to the north side of the Rappahannock, having most successfully accomplished the business of the expedition, which was a reconnoissance in force for the purpose of developing the movements and purposes of the enemy.
A part of the work of the 9th of June at Kelleys Ford was the capture of 400 of the enemy's cavalry and the disclosure of the fact that Lee's army was moving in full force behind the mountains, heading its course for Pennsylvania with a determina- tion to carry the war into his enemy's country. His cavalry, under Generals Stewart and Fitzhugh Lee, were in advance and actively engaged in keeping their chief advised as to the movements of the Army of the Potomac.
74
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
Hooker, with the entire army, was now moving northward on a line parallel with the line upon which Lee was moving, and at every gap in the mountains until the Potomac river was reached the cavalry forces of the two armies were engaged in almost daily conflicts. In all the encounters the Eastern battalion of the Third Indiana Cavalry was having its full share.
Colonel Chapman had returned from a furlough and resumed command, and General Merritt succeeded Colonel Davis in com- mand of the brigade, which was known as the First Brigade of the First Division of the Cavalry Corps, commanded by Gen. John B. Buford, and comprised the Eighth Illinois, the Eighth New York, Third Indiana Cavalry and four companies of the Twelfth Illinois.
After the fight at Kelleys Ford on successive days, in the for- ward movement, the brigade engaged the enemy's cavalry at Mid- dletown, Upperville and Aldie. Near the latter place Lieut. William W. Long, of Company C, was captured while going to deliver a message and running into the enemy's cavalry upon his return, so shifting were the movements of this active march. The brigade camped on the bank of the Potomac on the night of the 26th of June, and on the following day crossed into Maryland as the vanguard of the army.
Of the engagement of the 9th of June, 1863, Maj. W. S. Mc- Clure, of the Third Indiana, commanding First Brigade, First Division, made the following report (Vol. XXVII, page 1047, Part 1) :
"Headquarters Third Indiana Cavalry,
"Camp Near Catletts Station, Va., June 12, 1863.
"Lieutenant-I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this command, and also of the First Brigade of the First Cavalry Division, of which I assumed command after the fall of Col. B. F. Davis :
75
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
"At 4:30 a. m. the brigade marched from the camp of the night, distance from the river one-half mile, under command of Col. B. F. Davis, of the Eighth New York Cavalry, in advance, supported by the Eighth Illinois Cavalry, and my command, composed of one battalion of the Third Indiana Cavalry, one squadron of the Third (West) Virginia Cavalry, and one battalion of the Ninth New York Cavalry. Before reaching the ford two squadrons of the Sixth New York Cavalry were detached and sent forward to sur- prise and capture any of the enemy's pickets at the ford ; these, dashing over, secured the ford after a sharp engagement. Closely following came the brigade. Advancing, we soon gained a large body of timber, where the Eighth New York Cavalry, squadrons of which were deployed as skirmishers, met a large force of the enemy, and, wavering, finally fell back before them.
"It was at this critical juncture, and while trying to rally his men, that the lamented Col. B. F. Davis fell mortally wounded. Captain Clark, commanding the Eighth Illinois Cavalry, imme- diately charged the enemy, while my command was formed on the right of the road to protect and support the charging column. Here Captain Clark was wounded, and the command devolved upon Captain Forsythe, who also was shortly after wounded. Under the most unfavorable circumstances, and while considerable confusion prevailed, I received orders to assume command of the brigade. By order of General Buford, I moved my command to the left, he occupying the right, and checked a large body of the enemy advancing in column of squadrons. With some difficulty I succeeded about 6:30 a. m. in forming my command in close col- umn of squadrons on the left of the road and in the timber. Im- mediately the Eighth Illinois Cavalry was detached by order of General Pleasanton, and I saw no more of them during the day. Colonel Devin coming up, ordered me to retain command. By 7 a. m. the enemy was reported advancing in two heavy lines of skirmishers, supported by about two regiments. I immediately
76
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
ordered Major Lemon, now in command of the Third Indiana Cavalry, to deploy to the left one squadron, and Captain Hanley, of the Ninth New York, to move his squadron to the extreme left to watch the movements of the enemy. The other squadron, under Major Patton, Third Indiana Cavalry, was dismounted and sent out as skirmishers.
"At 8:30, the enemy continuing to advance slowly, Colonel Devin ordered one section of Robertson's battery up. Finding no suitable position, they gave us little aid. The enemy continuing to advance and inclining to my left and rear, I ordered Major Pope, of the Eighth New York, to deploy one squadron of his regiment so as to connect Captain Hanley on the left with Majors Patton and Lemon. To this line I gave two more squadrons for support. For a time the advance of the enemy was checked, but by 9 :30 he began to advance rapidly, driving my skirmishers up to the guns, which, without orders, the officer in command sent to the rear. While the guns were retiring and the enemy advancing, Maj. W. B. Martin, Ninth New York, charged with the remaining squadron of his battalion, forcing the enemy to fall back and taking some prisoners. He himself was wounded and retired from the field, leaving Captain Ayres in command. Immediately I caused our lines to be advanced. The enemy fell back rapidly, and by noon we were in complete possession of the whole timber, and the lines were advancing in the open field beyond, supported by the whole command moving in column of fours. The rear of the enemy was charged by Lieut. L. C. Wilson, in command of Company F of the Third Indiana Cavalry, who captured a few prisoners.
"Finding that the enemy was massing a large force in advance and a little to the right, I halted the columns until a section of artillery joined us. Again advancing until the road by which Gen. Gregg joined us was reached, the guns were placed in posi- tion and the command formed in line and column of squadrons
77
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
to support the guns and skirmishers. In this position we remained until about 3 p. m. under the fire of three of the enemy's guns, when, General Gregg having come up, we were ordered to the rear to protect the recrossing of General Buford. Before General Buford had recrossed, I was ordered to his side. Lieutenant-Colonel Clen- dennin, of the Eighth Illinois Cavalry, being present, I immedi- ately turned over the command to him, to whom the regimental reports were made. In consequence I can furnish no list of cas- ualties in the command, nor can I mention instances of bravery and ability which came under my immediate notice, without, per- haps, injustice to others equally deserving. Yet I would not omit to mention Captain Foote and Lieutenant Cutler, of the Eighth New York, who fell mortally wounded just before we gained pos- session of the timber. At the same time my adjutant, Gam. S. Taylor, Third Indiana Cavalry, and Lieutenant Herrick, of the Ninth New York, were slightly wounded.
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
"W. S. MCCLURE,
"Major Commanding Third Indiana Cavalry and Detachment of Ninth New York and Third (West) Virginia Cavalry.
"Lieut. J. H. MAHNKIN, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General." One officer and twenty-two enlisted men of the Third Indiana Cavalry were wounded in this engagement.
These June days of 1863 were strenuous ones for the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac. It had been disclosed by the battle on the south side of the Rappahannock that Lee's army was moving towards Pennsylvania, behind that river and the mountains. The enemy seemed to be anxious to know what the Army of the Poto- mac was doing to counteract this movement. They came through the mountains in force at Snickersville Pass and took position at Middleburg and Upperville. General Buford, commanding the First Division of the Cavalry Corps, makes his report of the opera- tions at that time at page 920, Vol. XXVII, Part 1. He says :
78
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
"I was ordered to Middleburg on the night of the 21st and reached there shortly after daylight, and started to turn the enemy's flank. I took Colonel Gamble's and Colonel Devin's brigades and pushed for Upperville. My advance was disputed pretty warmly by the enemy, but he made no stand save with his skirmishers. These were severely punished.
"When a mile from Upperville, I saw a large force in front of General Gregg, who appeared to be outnumbered. I resolved to go to his aid. The column struck a brisk trot, but ran afoul of so many obstructions in the shape of ditches and stone fences that it did not make fast progress and got out of shape. While in this position, I discovered a train of wagons and a few troops to my right marching at a trot, apparently making for Ashbys Gap. I turned the head of my column towards them and very soon became engaged with a superior force. The enemy brought four twelve- pounder guns into position and made some excellent practice on the heads of my regiments as they came up. The gunners were driven from the guns, which would have fallen into our hands but for two impassable stone fences. The enemy then came up in magnificent style from the direction of Snickersville and for a time threatened me with overwhelming numbers. He was com- pelled, however, to retire before the terrific carbine fire which the brave Eighth Illinois and Third Indiana poured into him. As he withdrew my rear troops came up, formed and pressed him back to the mountains. He was driven over the mountains into the valley."
The casualties of the Third Indiana in this battle were four men wounded and one missing, and eighteen horses killed.
On the 22d of June, 1863, the day following this engagement, Col. William Gamble, of the Eighth Illinois Cavalry, commanding the brigade, made the following report (Vol. XXVII, Part 1, page 932) :
79
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
"Captain-I have the honor to report the part taken by this brigade in the cavalry fight of yesterday. The brigade, composed of the Eighth New York, Eighth Illinois, three squadrons Third Indiana and two squadrons Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, with one sec- tion of the First U. S. Artillery under Lieut. Michalowski, in all about 1,600 strong, left Aldie at 5 a. m., marched to Middleburg; from thence west across a ford at Goose creek, the rebel skirmishers occupying the opposite bank under cover of a stone wall at the ford. One squadron of the Third Indiana Cavalry was dis- mounted, and, with advance guard deployed, drove the rebels from the opposite bank, when the column crossed and advanced south on the Upperville road. Encountered the enemy one mile from the ford, on the right of the road; deployed in column in line of battle, and a few well directed shells into the enemy dispersed him rapidly in retreat through the woods southward. One mile farther I found the enemy behind stone walls, near a house; a few more shells drove them again towards Upperville. Two miles farther, the enemy's skirmishers, supported by artillery, were found strongly posted. I deployed the column in line, advanced and drove the enemy from two strong positions behind stone walls, his guns continually throwing shells at us. We continued the march and found the enemy strongly posted west of Upperville, at the base of the mountain. The Eighth Illinois, Third Indiana and Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, about 900 strong, leading the col- umn, came on rapidly at a gallop, formed in line, charged upon the enemy's five guns amid a shower of shells, shrapnel and case shot, drove the rebel gunners from their pieces, when the enemy's cavalry, seven regiments strong, emerged from the woods, and a hand to hand conflict ensued, the enemy out- numbering us three to one. We retired a short distance behind a stone wall and maintained our position, repuls- ing the repeated charges of the enemy by well directed car- bine and pistol firing. The enemy then, on account of his superior
80
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
numbers, attempted to turn both flanks, when a squadron of the Eighth Illinois and one of the Third Indiana Cavalry were de- ployed to cover the flanks, and, after a sharp conflict repulsed the enemy ; after which the section of artillery arrived, supported by the Eighth New York Cavalry, and shelled the enemy from his position. The enemy then retreated towards Ashby's Gap, pur- sued for two miles by the First and Second Cavalry Brigades, which at sunset returned and encamped on the battlefield, buried the dead and took care of the wounded. Eighteen dead bodies of the enemy were buried and over thirty of their wounded were found, in addition to what they carried away. Horses killed, Third Indiana eighteen, Eighth Illinois seventeen.
"WILLIAM GAMBLE,
"Colonel Commanding First Cavalry Brigade."
From this battlefield the First Cavalry Division moved to Ed- wards Ferry and crossed the Potomac on June 27. General Bu- ford, commanding the division, in his report (Vol. XXVII, Part 1, page 926) says :
"After passing the Potomac on the upper pontoon bridge the division marched over almost impassable roads, crossing the Monocacy near its mouth, by a wretched ford, and bivouacked on the east side of the mountain, three miles from Jefferson; being halted there by the whole train of General Stahl's division block- ading the road through the mountains. June 28, the division moved through Jefferson and went into camp for the purpose of shoeing and refitting.
"June 29, the Reserve Brigade (General Merritt's) was detached and moved to Mechanicstown. The First and Second Brigades moved through Boonesborough, Cavetown and Monterey Springs, and encamped near Fairfield, within a short distance of a consid- erable force of the enemy's infantry.
"The inhabitants knew of my arrival and the position of the enemy's camp, yet not one of them gave me a particle of informa-
81
HISTORY OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY.
tion, nor even mentioned the fact of the enemy's presence. The whole community seemed stampeded and afraid to speak or to act, often offering as excuses for not showing some little enterprise : 'The rebels will destroy our houses if we tell anything.' Had any- one given me timely information and acted as guide that night, I could have surprised and destroyed this force, which proved next day to be two Mississippi regiments of infantry and two guns.
"June 30 the two brigades moved out very early to go to Gettys- burg, via Fairfield. At the latter place my advance ran upon the force referred to. I determined to feel it and drive it, if possible, but, after a little skirmishing, found that artillery would have to be necessarily used. Resolved not to disturb them, for fear can- nonading from that quarter might disarrange the plans of the general commanding. Fairfield was four or five miles west of the route assigned me, and I did not wish to bring on an engagement so far from the road I was expected to be following. I imme- diately turned my column towards Emmetsburg without serious molestation, and was soon on my proper road and moving on to Gettysburg, where I had reason to suppose I should find some of General Stahl's (Kilpatrick's) cavalry. We entered Gettysburg in the afternoon, just in time to meet the enemy entering the town, and in good season to drive him back before his getting a foothold. He withdrew towards Cashtown, leaving his pickets about four and one-half miles from Gettysburg.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.