USA > Maryland > The Maryland line in the Confederate Army, 1861-1865 > Part 14
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Major Brown had that morning sent Company B, Captain G. M. Emack, and Company C, Lieutenant T. J. Smith, to relieve the companies on picket. These companies fell in with the enemy's advance on the turnpike, killed one, captured seven men and six horses. A courier was immediately sent back to notify General Jones of the advance of the enemy in force.
General Jones at once placed himself at the head of the Eleventh Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel O. R. Funsten, and started to meet the enemy. Owing to the fact that many men of the Eleventh were absent on various duties, Lieutenant-Colonel Funston had but one hundred and twenty men under his command when he suddenly came upon the enemy five hundred strong at Maurertown. Nevertheless the brave old man charged into their midst, routed and pursued them with sabre and revolver with good effect until Cedar Creek was reached, a distance of twelve miles. By this time Funston had more prisoners than he had men, and Colonel R. H. Dulany, with the Seventh Virginia, coming up, Lieutenant-Colonel Funsten turned the pursuit over to him, and it was continued beyond Middletown, when Colonel Dulany was compelled to halt his regiment owing to the exhaustion of his horses, after a race of twenty-six miles.
In the meantime Major Ridgely Brown, hearing that Captain Bond was being pursued on the back road, went to his assistance with thirty men of the Maryland battalion, all he had in camp, and sent for Emack and Smith, who were on the turnpike, to join him. Major Brown followed the enemy rapidly on the back road, but upon reaching the turnpike, finding Funsten and Dulany ahead of him, he desisted from the pursuit, having captured in the meantime fourteen men, with their horses and equipments.
The indirect result of this daring raid upon the enemy's pickets by the two Maryland companies was the capture of over two hundred men and horses, and the killing and wounding of many more.
A little incident that is worth narrating transpired during the flight of the Federal cavalry. Charley Hutton, of Company A, First Maryland, was captured in the morning when Captain Bond was surprised, and, unarmed, was riding with his captors when Lieutenant-Colonel Funsten made his attack. In the rout which ensued Hutton determined to make his escape. Awaiting a favorable opportunity, he sprang from his horse and dashed into a thicket and ran for his life ; but at every step he could plainly hear the sound of horse's hoofs behind him. But not a sound escaped the pursuing enemy. Faster and faster ran Hutton, but the vlentless enemy still pursued. He was afraid to look behind him, and was in momentary expectation of hearing the crack of a pistol and feeling the shock of a bullet as it entered his body. But no command to " Halt !" was given, nor was there a sound of pistol shot. At last, exhausted and unable to go farther, he Mirned to surrender to his pursuer, when what was his surprise and joy to find Mat it was his own faithful horse that had followed him and given him such a scare.
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CHAPTER II.
For some time prior to April 21, 1863, the camp was full of rumors of a move in some direction, and on that day General William E. Jones marshaled his forces and started from Lacey's Springs upon his celebrated raid into West Virginia. Leaving Lieutenant-Colonel Funsten in command of the cavalry whose horses were not deemed sufficiently strong to undergo the trip, General Jones moved in the direction of Moorefield. Hardy County, with quite a large force of cavalry, the Second Maryland Infantry, the Baltimore Light Artillery and Chew's battery.
The morning upon which the start was made was all that could have been desired, but before many hours the rain began to fall in torrents, and but fifteen miles were made that day. The weather continued bad during the whole march to Moorefield, which was reached on the third day.
Here General Jones determined to send his infantry and artillery back to the Valley, as he found that they would embarrass his inovements.
Pressing on, then, with his cavalry the first obstacle he encountered was the south branch of the Potomac, the waters of which he found very high and rapid, which compelled him to make a detour by Petersburg to get over. Here the ford was found rough and dangerous from the swiftness of the stream, and in making the passage several men and horses of the Sixth Virginia Cavalry were drowned.
Contrary to his information, General Jones found the pass at Greenland occupied by the enemy. Finding a loss of time must be incurred by attempting to turn this post, and fearing his plans might in the meantime be discovered, General Jones determined to attempt a surprise, and, failing in this, to carry the place by storni. Colonel Dulany, with the Seventh Virginia Cavalry, charged it gallantly, but failed to prevent the garrison from occupying a church building which completely defended the pass. In this assault Colonel Dulany had his horse killed and was himself wounded through the arm. Upon the repulse of the Seventh, Major Brown, of the First Maryland, sent Lieutenant Adolphus Cook with Com- pany B out upon the New Creek road to guard against a surprise, and Companies E, Captain W. I. Rasin, and D, Lieutenant W. H. B. Dorsey commanding, were dismounted to open fire with their long-range guns upon the church. This they did, but with little effect, and being deceived by the flag of truce, sent by the commanding General, in the hands of one of the prisoners captured on the picket, they rushed upon the house, thinking the enemy had surrendered, but were unde- ceived when a well-directed volley was poured into them at very short range. By this unfortunate mistake Private Swamley was killed and Private Charles Lambden
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was wandel. both of Company D, and Company E lost Private John C. Spencer, killed.
Finding the place could not be carried without great sacrifice of life, General Jones determined to wait until dark. Then Company C. Captain R. C. Smith, and Company A, Captain F. A. Bond, were dismounted to storm the house, Major Brown taking command of the whole. The necessary arrangements having been made, at 9 o'clock the advance was ordered. Plunging into the mountain stream that flowed between them and their prey, the Maryland boys dashed upon the house in the midst of a heavy fire from the enemy ; but a delay became necessary after they had reached the house, owing to the fact that the pioneers were not up, who were to set it on fire. Upon their arrival, however, the windows and doors were broken in, and the place set on fire by bundles of ignited straw being thrown in, and the enemy to a man were either killed, wounded or captured.
In this unfortunate assault. Color-Corporal Carvill, of Company B, was killed, as also was Private Samuel Dorsey, of Company C. Major Brown was badly wounded, as was Adjutant G. W. Booth and Captain R. C. Smith, severely ; also Lieutenants J. A. V. Pue and Edward Beatty. Thus of seven officers of the battalion five were wounded. Private K. Grogan, of White's Battalion, had left his command and went into the fight by the side of his brother, Robert Riddle Grogan, who belonged to Company C, First Maryland. He was killed and his brother was wounded.
The following additional description of this severe fight will be found highly interesting. It is an extract from a paper read before the Beneficial Association of the Maryland Line by Captain George W. Booth, who was severely wounded at the time :
The advance regiment was the Seventh Virginia. under Colonel Dulany. Then ishowed the First Maryland, and White' Battalion and the other commands, constituting A column which stretched out for a mile or more. through the narrow defiles and narrower rwd- pi this mountainous region. After a march of some eighteen or twenty miles, the head O, tige column encountered a Federal Infantry picket, posted at a small bridge where the road csol a mountain stream. It was the work of a moment to charge and capture the post this email, when it was learned the road was blocked by the main body of the enemy - de two con pan sef infantry, and about one hundred strong, who had taken post in a log church located imme liately on the roadside. Colonel Dulany, without hesitation, put his ragu 4; into rapid motion and charged ahead. On approaching the church, he was met by Nto W. fre. neler which he lost a number of men and horses, receiving himself a serious Wound brienne . wo hundred of his column ran the gauntlet and passed the church, taking parc losgreek while the remainder of his column was driven back. This unlooked-for event central a lot, and an exami ation i the situation. In a short while it would be dark.
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and it was imperative to take immediate measures to overcome this obstacle, which threat- ened to retard the progress of the march. The location was found to be a crossing of the mountain known as Greenland Gap. The road was through a wild, rocky range. On the right the ground rose almost perpendicular, and was entirely inaccessible to a mounted force ; on the left was a small clearing of something like an acre in extent ; in this opening was erected a substantial log church of considerable dimensions. The road passed almost along- side of this building, in which the Federal force had taken post and refuge. The portion of Dulany's regiment which had passed the church in his charge effectually blocked the way and prevented the retirement of the enemy. Nothing was left for them but a stern defense, or an unconditional surrender. One of the captured men was shown our column, that he might know it was no mere guerrilla force that was seeking passage, and then allowed to go to the church and report to his commander, who was at the same time summoned to surrender. Time was of great value, and General Jones sought to avoid unnecessary loss of life, and as well of precious hours. Already the success of his movement had been seriously endangered by the day consumed in effecting the crossing of the Potomac, and the enemy had doubtless received information of his purpose and was gathering troops to meet him. The Federal commander was found to be defiant, and he not only refused to surrender his command, but intimated in terms most emphatic that he would fire on anyone approaching his post. Now, but for one shot from our battery which the flood had compelled us to leave behind at Moorefield ; but as sad as were the fates which deprived us of this strong help in a need like this, regrets would not serve to clear the pass.
It was a case where a large body was held in helplessness until the obstruction could be removed ; and what was to be done must be done quickly. Numbers were of little avail, as only a limited number of men could be brought into action. Various plans were suggested and considered, only to be dropped and then considered again. It was now night, and we were still confronted with the fact that if we would go forward the church must be stormed and its occupants taken out by main force. By reason of the repulse of the Seventh Virginia, the First Maryland held the advance. The men of the leading squadrons were dismounted and formed into a storming column, taking only such as were armed with pistols and carbines, for at this period in our organization the liberality of the enemy had not been so severely tested in the way of contributing the necessary equipment of a cavalry command. as was the case not much later on. A detachment from White's Battalion was added to the column, and now with pistol in hand and with men bearing axes and trusses of straw and other inflammable matter, together with chunks of fire, the order was given to "Forward ! Double-quick !" The moon shone out brightly and lit up the road so that it was almost as distinct and clear as under the noonday sun. With a wild rush and a loud yell, on went the devoted column, until it was soon under fire from the church, from the windows and door ways of which was poured the leaden hail. A winding stream crossed the road some several times in the distance of a hundred yards. Through this stream and under this deadly fire on rushed our brave boys. The weather was bitterly cold, and on emerging from the water
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Their Tednog ogh stiffuted ig ice. But personal discomfort wa- not to be thought of in a time Dle Un. One by one the men dropped, victims to the well-directed fire ; but onward proved the column, and soon ranged itself around the house, where for a moment was a respite . safety, as under its walls the fire from the windows could not be depressed so as to be effective. Then came the ringing blows of the axe as door and window were assailed and battered. Those carrying fire had soon kindled a blaze under the house, on which was thrown the straw and kindlings.
No shots were fired by the assaulting column, except by those immediately at the doors and windows, as no enemy was to be seen, and the stout logs which protected them could not lw penetrated. Soon the fire from the house was renewed, and the falling of our men at once Ji-closed that the chinking between the logs was being pushed out, and from the ground floor of the church its defenders were dealing death and destruction. The writer was standing to the right of the door, with back as close to the walls as he could get, when he was literally pushed out of the way and half turned around by the projecting muzzle of a musket from between the logs. The force of the blow, perhaps, saved him from the effect of the discharge, which immediately followed, but in a moment he received a severe wound from another quarter. The blows on the door were now telling, and it slowly gave way. At its first opening, in sprang that gallant soldier, Sergeant-Major Johnson, who, finding himself shut up with the enemy in their citadel, and alone, did not hesitate, but loudly demanded them to surrender. The work of the fire was now beginning to show, and one corner of the building was lighted up in a blaze. Again and again fell the heavy blows from the axe on the door, until it gave way, and our men crowded in, when the ery of surrender rose up from all quarters of the house. My personal recollections cease at this point, and when consciousness again asserted itself, I found kind and loving friends were hearing me back, but the last sight that I recall was in the very height of the scene, when the cries of "Surrender !" were ringing in my ears, and the light of the blazing fire, together with the brilliancy of the moon, made clear the ground surrounding the church, which was white with the forms of our brave boys who had fallen.
This detention at Greenland Gap was unfortunate, as it prevented General Jones from capturing a train in which were most of the officers of General Mulligan's command.
Arriving at the Northwest Grade General Jones divided his command, and Colonel A. W. Harmon, of the Twelfth Virginia, was sent with his regiment, the First Maryland and McNeill's Partisan Rangers, to burn the bridge at Oakland, and to march thence by way of Kingwood on Morgantown. The remainder of the force moved on Rowelsburg.
Colonel Harmon's force reached Oakland next day, and the First Maryland Cavalry took part in the charge on the place, in which forty prisoners were Eptured. That night Colonel Harmon encamped on Cheat River. and next day
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advanced in the direction of Morgantown, the First Maryland some miles in advance, where several hundred citizens had assembled with arms, determined to dispute the Confederate entrance into their town. Feeling that an attack would cause much loss of life and destruction of property, Major Brown permitted Captain F. A. Bond to go forward with a flag of truce demanding the uncondi- tional surrender of the town. After some little hesitation this demand was complied with, when Morgantown was entered and all arms found destroyed.
As soon as Colonel Harmon joined the advance two hours afterward, the entire force moved in the direction of Independence, and went into camp seven miles from that town. On the 28th, after meeting and uniting with the forces under General Jones, from which Harmon had separated soon after leaving Greenland Gap, the whole command retraced its steps to Morgantown. On this latter march, a portion of the Maryland battalion comprised the advance guard under Captain Bond. In passing through a mountainous section it was fired upon by bushwhackers, and Captain Rasin's horse was killed. After a lively chase three of the scoundrels were caught, and by order of Captain Bond were shot upon the spot.
On the 29th the command arrived at Fairmont, which was held by about three hundred infantry. Company E was dismounted and fought as infantry, whilst the remainder of the battalion charged the place under a heavy fire. Finding themselves cut off, the garrison surrendered. The battalion lost one man killed and two wounded in this affair.
The next day Major Brown charged into Bridgeport and captured one company of cavalry and one of infantry. Major Brown had one man killed.
From here General Jones proceeded by easy stages to Buckhannon, where the wound received by Major Brown at Greenland Gap became so much worse that he was peremptorily ordered home by Dr. Johnson. Throughout all these long and hard marches this brave man had refused to leave his command, although at times scarcely able to maintain his seat in the saddle.
At Weston the command rested for two days, and then moved on Oiltown, where it arrived on May 9. Here all the oil tanks and machinery were burned. From Oiltown, General Jones marched by way of Glenville and Sutton to Summerville, and thence homeward by easy stages to Harrisonburg, in the Valley of Virginia.
In thirty days Jones' command had marched seven hundred miles through a mountainous country, gathered subsistence for man and horse, killed thirty of the enemy and wounded three times as many, captured seven hundred prisoners and arms, with one piece of artillery, and two trains of cars, burned sixteen railroad bridges, one hundred and fifty thousand barrels of oil, many engines, and brought home one thousand cattle and twelve hundred horses, losing in the meantime ten killed and forty-two wounded.
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In General Jones' official report he says :
" If any one officer or man deserves special mention, it is Major Ridgely Brown, of the First Maryland Battalion of Cavalry. He was shot in the leg at Greenland, and yet he continued on duty until he arrived at Buckhannon, a distance of 168 miles, and then started home at the earnest solicitation of Doctor R. P. Johnson."
In this expedition the First Maryland Battalion of Cavalry lost five killed and fourteen wounded, more than any regiment in the command.
Upon the return of General Jones to the Valley of Virginia men and horses were much broken down from the hard and rapid marching they had undergone, and as the summer campaign was about to be inaugurated absolute rest was necessary for both man and beast.
The Second Maryland Infantry and Baltimore Light Artillery had been sent to relieve Major Sam Myers at Fisher's Hill, and the First Cavalry was ordered to unite with them. Thus once more was the Maryland Line collected together.
Whilst at Fisher's Hill the First Maryland, now under command of Captain F. A. Bond (Major Ridgely Brown being absent on account of wound received at Greenland Gap), picketed the back road, the turnpike not requiring that service, owing to the fact that an enemy approaching from that direction could be seen for a distance of three miles.
Shortly after the arrival of the First Maryland Cavalry General A. G. Jenkins reached Fisher's Hill with a fine brigade of Virginia cavalry, and he assumed command of the whole.
On the Ioth of June General Jenkins moved his whole force from Fisher's Hill to Cedar Creek. Everything indicated an early move in some direction, and that probably on Winchester. The turnpike was now heavily picketed some miles in advance of the main body and the men throughout the command were anxiously awaiting the order to march.
Whilst thus awaiting orders at Cedar Creek an unfortunate affair happened in the vicinity of Newtown, which caused the death of five brave Maryland boys and the wounding and capturing of some thirty others.
On Friday, June 12, General Milroy sent out a strong reconnoitering party on the Strasburg road. This party consisted of the Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania Infantry. Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and one section of Battery L, United States Artillery. At this time Captain W. I. Rasin, in command of Company E, First Maryland Cavalry, with Harry Gilmor and eight of his men and a few men of the Fourteenth Virginia Cavalry - sixty men, all told - were scouting near Middletown, when their presence became known to Colonel Schall, who was in command of the Federal forces. The infantry and artillery were immediately weredel, the former in a dense grove to the right of the road, and within one
---- -- -
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hundred yards of it, and the latter behind a ridge. Major Kirwin commanded the cavalry, and he sent forward a portion of his regiment to draw Rasin into the trap. In this he succeeded, and the gallant fellow, charging only cavalry, as he supposed, suddenly found himself in the presence of an overwhelming force of infantry, cavalry and artillery. The shock was terrific, and it was a miracle a man or horse escaped the dreadful fire of musketry and cannister that was poured into their ranks. Rasin, singling out Kirwin himself, never faltered until their sabres were crossed. But Kirwin was the stronger of the two, and a savage cut over the head brought Rasin to the ground, and his horse was killed at the same instant .*
* The author has met Major Kirwin since in New York, where he resides. He is a noble-bearted, brave, stalwart Irishman, and he spoke freely of the affair. He said: "That brave fellow, Rasin, came at me like a bullet, but I was the stronger and quicker and got in the first blow."
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CHAPTER III.
On the evening of the 12th of June, General A. G. Jenkins left Cedar Creek with all the cavalry except Company A, First Maryland, commanded by Captain Frank A. Bond, which company was ordered to remain with the Maryland infantry and Baltimore Light Artillery until Winchester was reached, where Captain Bond was to report with his company to General Ewell for special service.
As this company was for a long time separated from the rest of the battalion, to make the operations of the whole intelligible to the reader it will be necessary to treat of them separately.
At this time Company A was as fine a body of cavalry as there was in the service. There were one hundred men in its ranks for duty, well equipped, splen- didly mounted and thoroughly drilled and disciplined. The average age of the men was twenty-one years, and there was an unusual amount of intelligence pervading the whole. The officers had all seen two years' service, and one-half the men had seen the same, and most of the remainder one year. General Ewell had selected this company to be attached to his headquarters, not as couriers or as a headquarters guard, but for special service on important occasions, and to accompany the corps upon its advance across Maryland and into Pennsylvania. On the 13th of June, when Early made his attack upon Winchester, Company A was with the Second Maryland Infantry, and advanced with the skirmishers. taking position on their right.
From Winchester to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Company A was in the advance of Ewell's Corps, but whilst not under fire during this time, Jenkins having preceded them, they rendered valuable service in guarding the stores abandoned by the enemy, and turning them over to the commissaries of the various infantry brigades. On June 28 Ewell's Corps was encamped around Carlisle, and on the 30th it moved to Heidlersburg, twelve miles distant. . Company A was to remain at Carlisle until two hours after the last of the troops had left. and then to release one thousand prisoners under guard. Captain Bond's situation became a critical one when the one thousand prisoners and citizens realized that the city was in the possession of but one hundred cavalrymen, and a collision seemed inevitable. But the firmness of Captain Bond prevailed, for he assured them that he would drench their streets with blood and destroy their city should they atlack his command.
After reaching General Ewell's headquarters on the afternoon of the 30th, Captain Band was ordered to proceed to Gettysburg, as a report had come that a body of the enemy's cavalry had been seen in that vicinity. Reaching the
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immediate vicinity of Gettysburg without encountering the enemy, Captain Bond left Sergeant Hammond Dorsey with six men as a picket, and then returned to General Ewell, and reported no enemy near.
During the night Sergeant Dorsey captured three members of a Pennsylvania battery, who, having been refused leave to go to their homes, had taken horses and slipped away, thinking they could return before daylight without being missed. These men gave General Ewell the first information he had of the where- abouts of Meade's army. The next morning, July 1, Ewell moved in the direction of Gettysburg.
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