USA > Massachusetts > Massachusetts in the war, 1861-1865 Pt. 2 > Part 24
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From this time till late in the autumn its position was one of in- cessant watchfulness and the most exacting duty. When the Union army advanced the cavalry felt the way; if the army fell back, the horsemen covered the movement or scoured the country on the flanks or in advance. If the infantry rested in camp, the cavalry must remain on the alert to detect any movements of a hostile force. The First reached Warrenton on the 27th, and after some maneuvers in that vicinity crossed the Rappahannock on the 30th for a tour of picket duty at Amisville. There Colonel Sargent re- turned to the regiment, which on the 4th of Angust made a recon- naissance across Hazel river, marched on the 7th to Jefferson and the 15th to Warrenton; thence on the 28th to Orleans and on the 4th of September back again to Warrenton, all the time on pieket and outpost duty. On the 10th a dash was made to Middleburg and Upperville, from which the regiment returned the following day, and on the 12th advanced to Jefferson and next day to Culpeper, meeting the enemy just beyond the town and having a skirmish in which the First lost one wounded and two missing. Still pressing
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
forward, on the 14th the division reached the Rapidan river at Rapi- dan Station to develop the Confederate strength on the other side, and the First were for some hours exposed to a heavy artillery fire, losing two killed, eight wounded and two missing. The column then fell back to Culpeper on the 18th, whence the First marched to Stevensburg on the 22d, back to Culpeper next day, and on the 24th retired to the Rappahannock at Rappahannock Station, follow- ing the railroad back on the 25th to Catlett's Station, where they remained on picket for ten days.
On the 5th of October the command moved forward again, crossed the Rappahannock and advanced to Brandy Station, whence it fell back to Sulphur Springs at the crossing of the river by the road from Warrenton to Culpeper, where on the 12th it had a slight skirmish with one man wounded. On the same day Colonel Sargent left, under orders to report to General Banks at New Orleans for duty in the Department of the Gulf, the regiment being temporarily commanded by Captain L. M. Sargent, Jr. Next day the Union army began mov- ing northward, to prevent the Confederates from getting between it and the nation's capital, the First acting as rear guard. In this capacity they participated in considerable skirmishing on the 14th, losing six wounded, but continued to cover the rear till Fairfax was reached, and on the 16th went on duty at Wolf Run Shoals. After two days they returned to Fairfax Station, and on the 19th began a forward movement along the line of the railroad which on the 21st brought them again to Warrenton, picket duty between Bealton and Warrenton filling the time until the opening of the Mine Run Campaign.
The regiment moved with Gregg's Division, to which it was at- tached, on the 23d of November, crossed the Rappahannock next day and the Rapidan two days after at Ely's Ford, in advance of the Fifth Corps, on the Union left. The First Massachusetts Regi- ment led the cavalry division as it pressed forward on the 27th, and when near New Hope Church encountered the Confederate cavalry, fighting for some hours dismounted and pushing the enemy back upon their infantry lines at the intersection of the Robertson's Tay- ern road. During this action the regiment lost five killed and 13 wounded. The enemy falling back during the night to their in- trenchments behind Mine Run, the infantry moved forward in order of battle, the cavalry guarding the flank and rear. While thus
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THIE FIRST CAVALRY.
engaged Gregg's Division encountered Hampton's Confederate Cavalry Division under Stuart at Parker's Store on the 29th and frustrated his attempt to gain the Union rear, the First Massachu- setts taking part in the engagement and losing 11 wounded and 11 missing. When the campaign was abandoned the cavalry covered the withdrawal of the infantry, the regiment reaching Brandy Station on the 6th of December, moving five days later to Warrenton, where it resumed outpost duty, remaining in what might be termed winter quarters till the 21st of April, 1864, with the exception of an expedi- tion at the beginning of January through Chester Gap to Front Royal which occupied four days but gave no results of importance.
During the previous fall and winter a new battalion of four com- panies had been recruited in Massachusetts for the regiment, to take the place of the battalion which had been detached, the com- panies being mustered on the 5th and 29th of December and 6th and 14th of January respectively, and joining the regiment on the 24th of March. The new battalion was under command of Major L. M. Sargent, Jr., promoted from captain, while numerous other changes had taken place among the officers of the regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Curtis had resigned from the 4th of March on account of disability and was succeeded by Major Chamberlain, while the pro- motion of the latter created a vacancy which was nominally filled by the advancement of Captain T. L. Motley, though he was never mustered to the higher rank. Surgeon Holland had resigned during the previous summer, being succeeded by Albert Wood of Tewksbury, while at a still earlier date Chaplain Patterson had resigned. The latter position remained vacant during much of the regiment's term of service, but was filled late in the summer of 1864 by the ap- pointment of George W. Gorham of Holyoke. In the reorganiza- tion of the Cavalry Corps connected with the Army of the Potomac under the efficient command of General P. II. Sheridan for the 1864 campaign, the First Massachusetts Regiment still remained a part of the First Brigade, Second Division. The brigade was composed in addition of the First New Jersey, First Pennsylvania and Sixth Ohio Regiments, and was commanded by General Henry E. Davies, Jr., the division of two brigades being still under the command of Brigadier General David MeM. Gregg.
The division left its winter camp on the 21st of April, advanced to Three Mile Run and encamped till the preparations for the general
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR,
movement were completed. The Rappahannock was crossed at Kelly's Ford on the 29th and the regiment bivouacked at Mountain Creek, a few miles beyond, till night of the 3d of May, when lead- ing the advance for the Second Corps, forming the left column of the Army of the Potomac, the division marched to the Rapidan, crossed it next morning and continuing past Chancellorsville en- camped for the night at Pine Ridge. Next morning the advance was continued till the enemy were met at Todd's Tavern and an engagement ensued in which the First took a prominent part and met a loss of three killed, 25 wounded and six missing. Being re- lieved the regiment fell back some two miles and after resting through the night picketed the Fredericksburg road the following day while the most sanguinary part of the battle of the Wilderness was being fought. On the 7th the regiment again advanced to Todd's Tavern and skirmished with the Confederates till relieved by the advancing infantry, when a concentration of the Cavalry Corps took place, and on the 9th General Sheridan began his famous movement past the Confederate right flank and toward Rich- mond. Davies's Brigade formed the rear guard, and had crossed the Ta river when it was overtaken by a hostile force under General James B. Gordon of W. HI. F. Lee's Cavalry Division, but the enemy was held in check till the main column had advanced sufficiently, when the Union cavalry followed, the Confederate brigade still hovering near. The loss of the First Massachusetts in this engage- ment was four wounded and 20 captured.
That night the brigade bivouacked near Beaver Dam Station, and next day continued the march, but at night was detached from the main column for the sake of making a dash upon Ashland Station on the Fredericksburg and Richmond Railroad, which was executed very early on the morning of the 11th, a small force which was there being driven out after a sharp resistance, the public buildings, sup- plies and some miles of the railroad being destroyed. The loss of the regiment was six killed, including First Lieutenant E. P. HTop- kins of Williamstown, 10 wounded and 12 captured. The brigade, rejoining its division, made a forced march to Yellow Tavern, where the Confederate cavalry under J. E. B. Stuart, its famous commander, was gathering to oppose the Union column. A battle ensued on the 12th which lasted most of the day, resulting in the defeat of the sonthern army, the mortal wounding of General Stuart being an es-
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THE FIRST CAVALRY.
pecially heavy blow to the Confederates. Sheridan now pursued his course across the Chickahominy and to Carter's Landing on the James, which he reached on the 14th and after resting his command for three days started on the return trip the 17th, moving leisurely up to meet the Army of the Potomac, which was making its way southward after the long contest about Spottsylvania. For several days the column moved from point to point in the neighborhood of the Pamunkey, crossing the river two or three times, but having no encounter with the enemy till Erin's Church was reached on the 28th, where a sharp brush took place, the regiment losing First Lieutenant William W. Wardell of Somerville, killed while on duty as brigade provost marshal, and three men wounded.
After leading the Army of the Potomac into position at Cold Harbor, the First Massachusetts having little share in the cavalry fighting which preceded the main battle, General Sheridan allowed his tired troopers two or three days for rest. The movement south of the James having been decided upon by General Grant, Sheridan with Gregg's and Torbert's Divisions was sent northward to de- stroy railroads and if practicable to connect with General Hunter's command at Charlottesville and return with it to the Army of the Potomac. The last part of the plan had to be abandoned, but the former was thoroughly executed. The column started on the 6th of June, crossing the Pamunkey, encountered the Confederate cavalry under Hampton at Trevillian Station on the 11th, fighting a sharp battle in which the First took but slight part, reached Mine Run on the 14th, turning thence toward Fredericksburg, marching past Spottsylvania, Guiness Station, Bowling Green, and finally reaching White House on the 20th. The column still continued its rapid movements through the country, occasionally meeting a small force of the enemy, the severest conflict so far as the First were con- cerned being on the 24th at St. Mary's Church, where the regiment lost one killed, two wounded and as many missing. The James river was crossed at Whitehall Landing next day and the column moved by way of the Jerusalem Plank road to Prince George Court Ilonse, where on the 27th the regiment went into camp.
Here the command recuperated after its severe experiences, though frequently called on for picket duty, till the 14th of July, when the First left camp and moved to Lee's Mills on the Jerusalem road, some miles south of Petersburg. While encamped there the regi-
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THIE WAR.
ment was engaged in scouting and picketing the vicinity, but on the 26th left camp, crossed the Appomattox and James rivers and ad- vanced to Malvern Hill, where at noon of the 28th the enemy was encountered and a fight followed in which the regiment lost three killed, 13 wounded and two missing. The old camp at Lee's Mills was reached on the return two days later, and the enemy was found in the vicinity ; he was quickly driven out, however, with a loss of but one member of the First wounded, and the old position was re- occupied. Another movement across the James began on the 14th of August, and that day Malvern Hill was reached and the foe again found in waiting and engaged. During the four days following the regiment was on picket on the Newmarket and Charles City roads, being attacked by a superior force on the 18th and forced back to the infantry supports. It recrossed the James next day, having lost during the expedition one man killed, four wounded and five missing. It moved at once to Reams Station on the Weldon Rail- road, where an infantry force was engaged in the destruction of the track, meeting the enemy on the 21st and again on the 23d in sharp engagements, with a total loss to the regiment of six wounded. Next day the First went on picket on the Dinwiddie Court House road, and the following day being attacked by the enemy in force, were obliged to fall back to their supports.
The position which had been gained on the Weldon Railroad being held, the regiment remained in camp and on ontpost duty in that vicinity for some time. It returned to the Jerusalem Plank road on the 16th of September and made a reconnaissance toward Haw- kinsville and a dozen miles out met the Confederates, fighting them dismounted for some hours in a swampy forest with a loss of two killed, ten wounded and nine missing. Being relieved after dark the regiment fell back and next day returned to camp on the Jeru- salem Plank road. Sundry expeditions in various directions, some- times attended with slight skirmishes, occurred during the next few days, but it was not till the 1st of October that a serious conflict was had. At that time the regiment was on picket on the Vaughan road, some two. miles west of the Weldon Railroad, when it was attacked by a strong force of all arms. The entire Cavalry Brigade was brought into action, and partially sheltered by hastily erected intrenchments repulsed several attacks, the loss of the First Massa- chusetts being two men killed, three wounded and one missing.
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THE FIRST CAVALRY.
After remaining in the vicinity till the 7th, the regiment with- drew some seven miles to the Westbrook House, where it encamped till the 26th. The division then marched toward Dinwiddie Court House, the First forming the rear guard, receiving an attack, though not a very determined one, on the following afternoon, and return- ing to camp on the 28th, the loss during the expedition being two wounded and four missing. The following day the regiment went into camp near the Norfolk Railroad at McCann's Station, but on the 18th of November moved again to the Westbrook House and erected winter quarters, where without important event such of the command as remained attached to head-quarters passed some time in comparative inaction. The original term of enlistment of the regiment had expired during the previous month, and on the 25th of October such of the original members as had not re-enlisted left for Massachusetts to be mustered out. The veterans and recruits, including the new battalion, were reorganized into a battalion of seven full companies with the nucleus of an eighth, the whole being commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Chamberlain, Majors Higginson and Sargent. Colonel Sargent, who had not returned to service with the regiment, had a month previous been discharged for disability.
The battalion went as part of its division on the raid to Stony Creek Station December 1, though not actively engaged and suffer- ing no loss. On the 7th it set out on the movement southward on the Weldon Railroad, the purpose of which was the destruction of the road at Jarrett's Station and in the vicinity. The head of the column penetrated as far as Bellfield, where the Confederates were found in an intrenched position and an attack was ordered, the First charging mounted under command of Major L. M. Sargent, Jr. A heavy fire of artillery was opened by the Confederates, Major Sar- gent being instantly killed, and the position being shown to be so strong that the attack was discontinued. That night the battalion retired some ten miles, and next day, the 10th, continued the re- turn march, reaching the camp at Westbrook House late at night of the 11th. This was the last important movement made by the First Massachusetts in the field. It remained in winter quarters, sharing the duties of its brigade till the 17th of March, 1865, when it was detached and reported to Brigadier General Collis in com- mand at City Point for provost duty.
It served there till the final assault upon Petersburg, when it was
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
placed on picket duty in the rear of the Ninth Corps, and was soon after placed under command of the provost marshal of the Army of the Potomac. In that onerous if not dangerous position it re- mained till the 27th of May, when it was again returned to General Davies, then in command of the Cavalry Corps in the defenses of Washington, and served on escort duty till the 26th of June. It was then mustered out of the national service and started for Mas- sachusetts, reaching the camp at Readville on the 29th. The men were furlonghed to their homes till the final rolls could be com- pleted, the last being paid and discharged on the 24th of July. Previous to the return of the regiment several changes had occur- red among the field officers. Major Higginson resigned in August, 1864, and Captains John Tewksbury of Boston and Amos L. Hop- kins of Williamstown were made majors.
THE SECOND CAVALRY.
T HE Second Regiment of Cavalry was formed during the win- ter of . 1862-3, its organization not being completed till well into the spring, though recruiting began in November, 1862. The first company to be organized was one raised in California and offered to the city of Boston to apply on its quota. The offer being accepted, the command, which became Company A, was mustered at San Francisco December 10, and on the 3d of January reached Boston, going into camp with the gathering squadrons of the regi- ment at Camp Meigs, Readville. Companies Band D were mustered on the 13th and K on the 26th; I followed on the 10th of February, C the 17th of March and G April 9, though all required additional detachments to bring them up to the standard. The regiment was completed by the kindly offer from California of an entire battalion, which was raised there by Major Thompson, comprising Companies E, F, L and M. These were composed of men from nearly all the states of the Union and were mustered by detachments at various times during the four months from February to May, the battalion reporting at the rendezvous April 16. Company H was the last to be filled and was mustered June 20. When completely organized the roster of the regiment was as follows :-
Colonel, Charles Russell Lowell, Jr .; lieutenant colonel, Henry S. Russell, both of Boston; majors, Caspar Crowinshield of Boston, De- witt C. Thompson of California and William HI. Forbes of Milton; surgeon, Oscar De Wolf of Chester; assistant surgeons, Harlow Gam- well of Huntington and Elbridge M. Johnson of Agawam; chaplain, Charles A. Humphreys of Dorchester; quartermaster, Joseph M. Brown of Boston ; sergeant major, Charles G. Poland of Boston ; quartermaster sergeant, Robert I. Files of Cambridge; commissary sergeant, Talbot M. White of Boston; hospital steward, Ai Gilman of Boston; chief bugler, Peter E. White of San Francisco.
Company A-Captain, J. Sewell Read of San Francisco; first lieu- tenant, William M. Rumery of Boston ; second lieutenant, John W. Sim of San Francisco.
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THE WAR.
Company B-Captain, William II. Forbes of Milton (major May 12); first lieutenant, Lewis S. Dabney of Cambridge; second lieuten- ant, Warren J. Ball of Holden.
Company C-Captain, Charles E. Rice of Brighton; first lieuten- ant, John T. Richards of Cambridge; second lieutenant, Hollis C. Pinkham of Boston.
Company D-Captain, Francis Washburn of Lancaster ; first lieu- tenant, Charles Payson of Boston; second lieutenant, Edward T. Wellington of Worcester.
Company E-Captain, Charles S. Eigenbrodt; first lieutenant, John C. Norcross; second lieutenant, Henry H. Crocker, all of California. Company F-Captain, David A. DeMerritt; first lieutenant, Rufus W. Smith; second lieutenant, Horace B. Welch, all of California.
Company G-Captain, Archibald MeKendry of San Francisco; first lieutenant, William W. Parker of Boston; second lieutenant, William L. Wells of Northampton.
Company HI-Captain, George Blagden; first lieutenant, Charles B. Fox; second lieutenant, Augustus L. Papanti, all of Boston.
Company I-Captain, Louis Cabot of Brookline; first lieutenant, John Phillips; second lieutenant, Edward B. Mason, both of Boston.
Company K-Captain, George F. Holman of Cambridge; first lieu- tenant, Goodwin A. Stone of Newburyport (later adjutant) ; second lieutenant, Henry E. Alvord of Greenfield.
Company L-Captain, Zabdiel B. Adams; first lieutenant, William C. Manning; second lieutenant, Josiah A. Baldwin, all of California.
Company M-Captain, George A. Manning of California; first lieu- tenant, A. W. Stone of San Francisco ; second lieutenant, Hiram E. W. Clark of New Salem.
Major Crowninshield, with the first detachment of the regiment, consisting of Companies A, B, C, D and K, left the state on the 12th of February, going by way of Providence, Hartford, New Haven, New York, Elizabethport, Reading and Harrisburg to Baltimore; thence after a delay of two days sailing to Old Point Comfort and reporting to General Dix commanding at Fortress Monroe on the 18th. The companies were directed to proceed to Yorktown, and on reporting to General E. D. Keyes at that place were assigned to a camp at Gloucester Point, across the river from Yorktown, where the roundabout journey temporarily ended on the 20th. The post was commanded by Colonel Grimshaw of the Fourth Delaware Regiment, for whom the camp was named. As these five companies were thus fairly in the field, their time being occupied with drill, outpost duty and scouting, the story of their detached service may be properly given before returning to the main body of the regiment, which was still in process of completion.
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TIIE SECOND CAVALRY.
On the 19th of April Companies A and B under Captain Read were ordered to Williamsburg, where an attack from the Confeder- ates was anticipated, but did not occur. After taking part in several important raids and reconnaissances, the detachment re- turned to Gloucester Point on the 14th of May, and the day follow- ing the three companies which had been located there, Captain Washburn commanding, reported to General Gordon at West Point. They formed the only cavalry force under General Gor- don, and were constantly employed in the duties naturally fall- ing to that arm of the service till the 1st of June, when the post was abandoned and the command returned to Gloucester Point. The five companies took part in a raid on the 19th in which with some other troops they marched 140 miles during an absence from camp of but 60 hours, capturing several prisoners and considerable valuable property. This brilliant dash proved but the preparation for another and more important expedition, which set out early in the morning of the 24th, the command with other troops taking transports and landing the following day at White House on the Pamunkey. The Confederates there retreated without disputing the landing of the Union forces and were pursued, the Massachu- setts soldiers being the first ashore and leading in the pursuit. The Second, with the Eleventh Pennsylvania and part of the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, bivouacked that night within 13 miles of Richmond, and next day continuing northward reached the railroad bridge over the South Anna river, which was found to be guarded by an in- trenched detachment of the enemy. After some futile attempts to fire the bridge, portions of Companies A and C, commanded by Cap- tain Read, crossed the river by a log boom under fire, formed on the opposite bank and charged, capturing the bridge guard after a sharp engagement in which Company A lost one man killed and one severely wounded, the prisoners numbering 123. During the raid vast quantities of army supplies and stores were captured, and on the return General W. H. F. Lee of the Confederate army, who was at home wounded, was made prisoner. The expedition reached White House on the 28th, where it joined the force which was gathered there under General Dix, rested till the 1st of July and then set forth with the larger command over practically the same route to the South Anna. This expedition was absent a week, ac- complishing nothing of importance. White House was again aban-
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MASSACHUSETTS IN THIE WAR.
doned on the Sth, the cavalry marching to Yorktown and reaching the old camp at Gloucester Point on the 10th. There were various movements during the month which ensued, but none of moment, and on the 27th the detachment was ordered to proceed to Washing- ton and join the main body of the regiment. Transports were at once taken, Captain Read being temporarily in command, and on the 6th of August the detachment reported to Colonel Lowell at Centerville, Va.
Meantime the main portion of the regiment left the camp at Readville May 11, going by steamer from Stonington to Jersey City but making the rest of the journey by rail; yet five days were con- sumed in making the trip from Massachusetts to Washington, and it was not till the 16th that the regiment went into camp on East Capitol Hill. The ranks were by no means filled, even then; Com- panies II and I acted together as a single squadron, and Lieutenant Colonel Russell remained at Boston as recruiting officer. Within a month an addition of about a hundred joined the regiment, and other officers were sent back to assist in the gathering of recruits. Camp was changed to Brightwood, five miles north of the city, on the 30th of May, when the routine of outpost duty was taken up by the Second, and on the 11th of June it crossed the Potomac at White's Ford in search of the Confederate cavalry, which was feeling the way for the northward movement of the rebel army which was to end at Gettysburg. No engagement resulted, and the regiment re- turned to camp by way of Chain Bridge. Twelve days later its be- longings were removed to Poolesville, but it would be incorrect to say that head-quarters were established there, for till after the battle of Gettysburg the command was almost constantly in the saddle, watch- ing the fords of the Potomac, serving with the Army of the Potomac or pursuing the hostile cavalry under Stuart through Maryland.
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