USA > Maryland > The Maryland line in the Confederate Army, 1861-1865 > Part 15
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 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
Company A was not engaged at Gettysburg, but was in possession of the town, Captain Bond acting as provost marshal for three days.
On July 4 Captain Bond was ordered by General Ewell to stretch his company across the front of his entire corps, remain until daylight, make careful observation of the enemy's position, and then follow the corps. It was a dark, rainy, dismal night that this little band kept their weary vigils, and daylight was never more welcomed. But when day broke all was quiet along the company's front, and Captain Bond drew in his men and reported to General Ewell about noon of the 5th, when he was ordered to pass to the front and assist in protecting the wagon trains, which were expected to reach the Potomac at Williamsport during the afternoon of the 6th.
In the interval that we have been following CompanyA, it is necessary to state that the remaining companies of the First Maryland Cavalry had been temporarily placed under command of Major Harry Gilmor at Winchester. That officer was ordered by General Ewell to move forward to Boonsboro, and if possible reach the Monocacy bridge, across that stream near Frederick, and destroy it. Major Gilmor reached Frederick City with the First Maryland Cavalry, numbering about two hundred men, captured some prisoners, but found the bridge too strongly defended for cavalry to venture a successful attack. Major Gilmor then returned through Frederick City to the top of South Mountain, near Boonsboro. From South Mountain the First Maryland moved to Hagerstown, where Major Gilmor was ordered to join General George H. Steuart, whose brigade had been detached from Major-General Edward Johnson's Division and ordered to make a detour to the left as far as McConnellsburg. Gilmor took the advance, and on approaching McConnellsburg his command was fired upon from the mountain side. Hearing the place was occupied. Major Gilmor charged through the town, but found no enemy, they having made a hasty retreat upon his approach.
Steuart's command remained in McConnellsburg two days, and during that time the First Maryland Cavalry was engaged in collecting horses and cattle from the surrounding country, and in this they were very successful. Gilmor's orders, however, were in effect to leave a pair of plow horses and milk cows on each farm,
178
and to respect all other property. These orders were strictly followed, much to the surprise of the inhabitants.
After leaving Chambersburg, which place is about twenty-five miles from MeConnellsburg, Gilmor made a wide circuit westward, and rejoined Steuart's Brigade at Shippensburg, on its way to Carlisle. When within a few miles of that place Gilmor was ordered down the York road, his command passing through Papertown and Petersburg to Cashtown, and thence to Gettysburg, where Gilmor had orders to report to General Ewell.
Upon reaching Gettysburg on July I the command found the battle in progress, and it was at once ordered to the support of Pogue's and Carter's batteries. Major Gilmor posted his men in a ravine in rear of the batteries, and consequently suffered no loss from the severe artillery fire that was delivered by the Federal batteries.
Major Ridgely Brown reached Gettysburg on the 2d, and he at once assumed command of the battalion. This gallant officer had been absent since the fight at Greenland Gap, when he was severely wounded.
During the remainder of the fighting around Gettysburg the companies of the battalion were much scattered, having been detailed for various duties, and conse- quently did not participate in the great cavalry battle on the Confederate left, as some writers have asserted.
When the army fell back on the 4th the battalion was assigned to the duty of protecting Ewell's wagon trains, but on a different road to that taken by Captain Bond with Company A, and, owing to the length of the train, the companies were much drawn out.
In the meantime the enemy was not idle. On the morning of the 4th Kilpatrick moved from Gettysburg, and was ordered to attack the trains which were passing along the Fairfield road leading toward Waynesboro. Leaving Emmittsburg in the afternoon, Kilpatrick joined Huey's Brigade near that place, and moved on to Monterey Gap. Two roads leading westward from Fairfield cross the mountains, one on the north and the other south of Jack Mountain. Upon the northern road General Ewell's trains were passing. General Robertson was in the vicinity of Fairfield with five regiments of cavalry, having a picket at the inter- section of the Emmittsburg road. When Kilpatrick attacked this picket it retired in the direction of Fairfield, leaving no force of Robertson's on the road to Monterey Gap.
By a fortuitous circumstance someone had placed Captain Emack with his company on this road, and farther back was Captain Warner G. Welsh with Company D. First Maryland. The enemy attacked Emack and his gallant little command with great fury, but were repulsed and held in check for some time by this handful of brave Marylanders.
The following extract from a letter written by Captain Emack descriptive
179
of his night's experience will be found of thrilling interest. It is taken from McClellan's " Campaigns of Stuart's Cavalry " :
On the evening of the 4th of July, 1863, as Lee's army was on the retreat from Gettys- burg, I was ordered to place a picket on the Emmittsburg road near Monterey. Selecting Sergeant Sam Spencer and six men for the post, the rest of my company, under Lieutenants Cook and Blackiston, were sent foraging. The advance picket had been on duty but a short time, when I was notified of the advance of a large body of Federal cavalry and artillery from the direction of Emmittsburg. I immediately returned to Ewell's wagon train, which was coming into the road in my rear, and going down the road half a mile, stopped the wagons from coming farther, and started those in advance at a trot, so that, should the enemy break through my picket, they would find no wagons in the road. In doing this I came across a Lieutenant of a North Carolina battery, who had but one gun and only two rounds of ammunition. With this he galloped up the road to my picket ; and, placing him in position, I directed him to put both charges in his gun and await orders. Sergeant
Spencer was placed in rear with five men, while I advanced, down the road, accompanied by Private Edward Thomas, until I met the head of the enemy's column. It was then dusk and raining ; and as we wore our gum coats the Federal cavalry failed to recognize us. Without making any demonstration, we turned and retreated before them at a walk, shielding the gun as much as possible as we neared it. As soon as we passed the gun the Lieutenant fired into the head of the column. Taking advantage of the halt and confusion which followed this fire, I charged with my little party, in all only eight mounted men, and succeeded in driving them back for more than a mile, until they reached their artillery.
From the shouting and firing among the retreating enemy we concluded that they had become panic-stricken and were fighting among themselves.
The firing brought up Lieutenant Blackiston with the rest of my company ; and dismounting the men, we formed line in some undergrowth on one side of the road.
After fully an hour we heard the enemy advancing, this time with more caution and with dismounted skirmishers thrown out on each side of the road. Lying on the ground. we reserved our fire until they were within ten or fifteen paces of us, when we gave them a volley which caused another precipitate retreat. I now withdrew my men to another position, and formed them dismounted on either side of the road. Sergeant Spencer had charge of one squad and Sergeant Wilson of the other. Lieutenant Blackiston had charge of the horses and prisoners in the rear. Kilpatrick now commanded a general advance with mounted and dismounted men and with artillery, firing at every step, which to us was rather amusing, as we were about a mile distant and lying snugly on the ground. About midnight he reached Monterey, and opened a tremendous fire on us with artillery and dismounted men, to which we made but little answer. In the meantime the wagons had commenced to run in on the road in my rear, and I again went back on the Gettysburg road and stopped them. They were soon started again, and on going back to ascertain the cause I was
180
storined that they were ongving Jny General W. E. Jones orders. I found General Jones and fold 190) ont I hol only a fradiul of men opposed to all of Kilpatrick's cavalry ; and I Mged Ho Dapormore of keyjong the road clear, so that when the enemy broke through he world woll notune on it. The General said that the train must move on, and if I could hold but a life longer the Sixth Virginia Cavalry would come to my assistance. I returned to of newund urged them not to yield an inch nor to waste any ammunition (we had but Gfk af lin connienrement). The enemy now increased their fire until it seemed as if polling could stand before it. Still these men lay there under it coolly, awaiting an oppor- wany to strike another blow. The enemy's skirmishers at last walked into my line, and I Was told that one of them actually trod on Private Key, who killed him on the spot. The tories Was ag mehrtren back. My ammunition was entirely exhausted and some of my men acto, ly fought with rocks : nor did they give back an inch.
The Fourth North Carolina Cavalry now made its appearance at the junction of the two route in my rear, and after General Jones and his staff had exhausted every means to get room to my assistance. I finally succeeded in getting a Lieutenant and about ten men to diffmount and advance to my line. The Sixth Virginia Cavalry, that I knew so well to be good fighters, never made its appearance during the night. At about 3 o'clock A. M., finding Lodi he had no force of consequence opposed to him, Kilpatrick advanced his cavalry to wali twenty yards of my position and gave the order to charge. A running fight now orsmed amid wagons and ambulances. As we passed out of the mountain we met Captain Welsh's company of the First Maryland Cavalry at the junction of another road. Here the enemy was held in check for a moment, but they soon swept us aside, and on they went until they had captured all the wagons found in the road. The two portions of the train that I had cut off were not reached by the enemy ; and I do not believe that we would have lost any of the train had it not been started on the road after I had stopped it.
In this fight about half the men I had engaged were captured, and I myself was wounded. According to the official report of General Kilpatrick, his loss was five killed, ten wounded and twenty-eight prisoners, in all forty-three men, or more than I had in the fight, meluding horse-holders.
General William E. Jones says in his official report :
With my staff. I hastened on to rally all the stragglers of the train to the support of whatever force might be guarding the road. Arriving, I found Captain George M. Emack's company of the Maryland cavalry, with one gun, opposed to a whole division of Federal pagabry with a 'ul battery. He had already been driven back within a few hundred yards ( the jun tion of the roads. Not half of the long train had passed. This brave little band de ber. . was encouraged with the hope of speedy reinforcements, reminded of the impor- One of tlen trust, and cxhorted to fight to the bitter end rather than yield. The last I rest of rape was expended and the piece sent to the rear. For more than two
181
hours less than fiity men kept many thousands in check. The enviny, driven to desperation, resorted to a charge of cavalry that swept everything before it. The lcd horses, wagons, straggling infantry and camp followers were hurled down the mountain in one confused mass. Ineffectual efforts were made for a rally and resistance, but without avail, until at the foot of the mountain a few joined Captain W. G. Welsh's company of the Mary- land cavalry, stationed at this point, and drove back the advance of the enemy. But this mere handful of men had to yield to the increasing numbers of the enemy.
Captain Emack and Welsh lost heavily for the number engaged in this affair, the greater part of their men being killed, wounded or made prisoners, and among the wounded and captured was Lieutenant Adolphus Cooke, of Emack's company, a most dashing young officer, who lay insensible for several days before regaining consciousness. Lieutenant Cooke remained in prison until the close of the war, much to the regret of the men of his company, with whom he was very popular.
We left Company A, First Maryland, under Captain F. A. Bond, with orders to move to the front and protect Ewell's wagon trains moving on another road from that upon which Emack and Welsh had fought the enemy so heroically.
The following interesting description of the experience of Company A is from Captain Bond to the author :
On the night of the 5th we encamped upon the top of the mountain, possibly ten miles from Hagerstown. By sunrise next morning we were on the march, and about noon reached the head of the column. There were miles of wagons, which had halted on the outskirts of Hagerstown. I had no authority to give orders, and as there appeared to be no enemy near, and a considerable body of our cavalry was in the town, I determined to get some food for men and horses, and for this purpose directed my men to break ranks for an hour, and then assemble at the same place unless sooner recalled by the bugle. I rode off, and was in a fair way to get a meal when I was informed that the enemy in force was approaching the town upon the opposite side to that by which we had entered. As the information seemed reliable I abandoned my dinner and hastened back to the rendezvous, and the bugle call soon rallied forty-six of my one hundred and nine men. With this handful I rode through the town in column of fours, and halted immediately in the rear of the Tenth Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Colonel J. Lucius Davis. This was a strong regiment, numbering, I thought, some five hundred men. I shall here state that I was accompanied from Gettysburg by George W. Booth, at that time Adjutant of the First Maryland, but who was not suffi- ciently recovered from a wound received two months before at Greenland Gap to do duty, but who was by my side during the entire affair. R. G. Harper Carroll, a brother of Ex-Governor John Lee Carroll, happened in the town as a civilian, and, although he had only a pocket pistol, he gallantly joined us, and later on, when it appeared we were running away, he appealed earnestly to me not to retreat.
182
Amaving my small party, I passed the Virginht regiment ind saw a lung column of [d ] cavalry approaching by the turnpike, and about half a mile away. I urged Colonel Davis lo meet their charge by a counter-charge, and under no circumstances to attempt to check rum by remaining in position. He did not give any orders at all, and as it was apparcit the enemy were going to charge I took a look at his regiment and saw that milescribable tremor run through it, which convinced me they would not, under the circum- Garces, withstand the charge.
I hastened back to my little command and resolved to wheel about by fours, turn down do first -ile street, the length of my column, then wheel to the front again, and when the Virginians were driven by me to dash out between them and the Federals and endeavor to check them and save the wagons. The wheel-abont by fours was made, but before we reached a side street Davis' command swarmed around us, fleeing in the wildest panic. Every soldier knows the contagion of such a ront, but to the honor of our glorious old State each and every one of these gallant forty-six men moved as a machine, and the column was as solid as a rock. The enemy was immediately on the heels of the fleeing Confederates. and as soon as our rear (soon to become the front) was uncovered the order was : " Fours Right-about ! Charge !" It was a tremendous struggle for the sections of fours to force their way around. crowded and pressed as they were by largely superior numbers, and the sections farthest from the enemy were much longer making the wheel than those who were first released from the pressure, and as each man dashed at full speed at the enemy the moment that he could face them the charge was made nearly in single file. Immediately that the enemy perceived that they had a force in their front that meant to stay, for awhile at least, they checked their pursuit and halted in a confused mass in the street, except one or two whose horses carried them into our midst, and they were promptly shot down. Sergeant Hammond Dorsey was the first man who dashed into the enemy's lines, and began to hew right and left. George Lechlider followed him closely, and almost immediately the enemy broke and ran, and was hotly pursued to their main body by the entire company. Five men tell under Sergeant Dorsey's sabre, the last one of them being a bugler. As the fellow in In! flight leaned over his horse's neck his brass bugle protected his head, and it required ropeated blows to disable him. The enemy made no counter-charge, and the wagon train syd- saved. General Ewell was an eye-witness to the whole affair, and he afterward declared Milo be the neatest thing of the kind he had ever seen, and had undoubtedly saved his wogen train .*
Finished with victory, we retired to our side of the town, where we were soon joined Mp - inforcements, and two pieces of artillery were added to my command. The enemy omounted his sharpshooters and skirmished on the left of the town, but, dismounting a Tow alen, we drove them back. In doing this Soper Childs and his brother Buck displayed wwwjuqueus courage.
* In this fight the Federal advance was commanded hy Colonel Ulric Dahlgren, who lost a leg by a Moot from the pistol of Captain Bond, and was killed the following year in a bold attempt to liberate the trio ners on Belle Isle, assassinate President Davis and his Cabinet, and burn Richmond.
183
Soon after this General J. E. B. Stuart made his appearance in the vicinity, and by his orders I took my company and joined him, when he led a charge with about three hundred men upon a Federal battery some distance off, but the battery limbered up and escaped.
It was now dark, and as one of our own batteries still continued to shell the ground just occupied by the Federal battery, and which we now held I rode back to stop the firing, when a shell exploded in front of me. One piece cut off the collar of my overcoat, which was rolled and strapped across the front of my saddle, and another piece passed between Lechlider and myself as we rode touching knees, slightly wounding him and severely wounding me. It being found necessary to leave me behind, owing to the severity of my wound, I became a prisoner, and remained so until May, 1864.
184
CHAPTER IV.
-
Except some slight skirmishing at Williamsport, the First Maryland was not engaged after passing Hagerstown, and upon reaching Virginia it was ordered to Winchester to recruit.
It was here Company F, under command of the gallant Schwartz, joined the battalion. This company was a great acquisition, and was finely officered.
The battalion remained at Winchester ten days, when it was ordered to join Fitzhugh Lee, whose cavalry brigade was then encamped near Leetown. On the promotion of General Lee to the command of a division, a short time after, the battalion was assigned to the brigade commanded by General Lomax.
From this time until the 11th of October, 1863. the battalion was engaged in picket duty, occasionally skirmishing with the enemy.
A few days prior to the 11th, General Robert E. Lee began his movement to gain the rear of Meade's army, then confronting along the line of the Rappahannock.
On the 9th General Fitzhugh Lee broke camp, and at 3 o'clock on the morning of the uth of October his division moved toward the Rappahannock, Lomax's Brigade marching toward Morton's Ford, whilst Wickham's Brigade marched to Raccoon Ford.
General J. E. B. Stuart personally superintended the movement of the whole cavalry column higher up the river, advancing by way of Culpeper Court House. These dispositions were designed to cover General Lee's movements, by interposing the cavalry between his line of march and the enemy.
Before Lomax's Brigade reached Morton's Ford reports from pickets repre- sented the enemy as advancing in force, and upon reaching the river a heavy column was found occupying both sides. The collision between the hostile forces was abrupt and sudden, for to both it was unexpected. In a very few minutes the First Maryland was formed and vigorously attacked the enemy. The check, However, was only momentary, but long enough to enable Lomax to make some A-position of his troops.
The battle soon became general, and continued for more than three hours. Lomas did not have a single piece of artillery, whilst the enemy was well supplied. At length, by a sweeping charge of the whole line, the enemy were compelled to relire toward the river, and the struggle was over at this point. About half way down to the river's bank their cavalry turned and covered the retreat of the main baby by making a gallant charge that struck the First Maryland Battalion, which bold the extreme left of the line, but it was handsomely repulsed, the brave officer 6 bo oof & falling mortally wounded in their midst.
185
The main body retreated across the river, rapidly pursued by Lomax, who came up with them within a few miles, when a running fight ensued to Brandy Station, often before the scene of heavy cavalry fighting.
Before reaching Brandy Station the brigades of Lomax and Wickham united, as had also the two columns of the enemy, for Wickham had been heavily engaged at Raccoon Ford. Here the enemy's cavalry met the infantry sent to support them, when they turned upon their pursuers, and the fight was renewed with redoubled fury, and charges and counter charges were made, until both sides paused from sheer exhaustion. The left of the Confederate line then crossed the road leading from Culpeper Court House to Brandy Station, and the battle was resumed.
Whilst it was raging fiercely, a short time before dark, a heavy dust in the direction of Culpeper warned the Confederates that reinforcements of the enemy's cavalry were rapidly approaching from that town.
Fearing an attack in the rear from this new enemy, General Fitz Lee imme- diately drew back his left, which was then in danger, and re-formed parallel to the road by which they approached. The Federal column came forward in splendid style, the sabres flashing in the rays of the declining sun, and to an inexperienced observer it would have seemed as though everything would have been swept from before it. Not so the gallant men who stood in its way awaiting the attack. But the enemy was evidently not seeking a fight, for suddenly he moved to the left upon discovering the Confederates in his path, and sought to pass without a collision. But this did not suit General Lee, who immediately ordered a charge, and Federals and Confederates were soon dashing along in most admirable confusion until the infantry was reached, when General Lee was compelled to retire out of range. A short time after General J. E. B. Stuart, with Hampton's Division, came down the Culpeper road, and then was ascertained the reason why the enemy had wished to pass so rapidly. That General had defeated them at Culpeper, and was then in hot pursuit.
General Thomas L. Rosser, then Colonel of the Fifth Virginia Cavalry, says of this incident in Mcclellan's " Stuart's Cavalry " :
My regiment, with the First Maryland and Fifteenth Virginia Cavalry, extended across the road upon which these troops were coming up in our rear. Not knowing who they were. I sent to Fitz Lee to learn something about them, but before hearing from him they came near enough for me to observe that they carried the Federal flag ; and to prevent being crushed between these two commands I withdrew my regiment, and advised the other Colonels to fall back so as to avoid the heavy blow in our rear. We did so, and re-formed perpendicular to Buford and parallel to the direction of march of the advancing column from the rear, and we were in good order when the head of Kilpatrick's column got opposite us. These troops were moving at a full gallop ; they were not charging upon us, for we
186
wood multor od in Que ste aud for a faragent I looked within amazement at the performance. Levon concluded that they were being pursued, and we charged them in flank, and never beforesbj J reap such a rich harvest in horses and prisoners.
This was the first cavalry fight in which the Spencer repeating carbine was used by the enemy ; but, notwithstanding this advantage over the old muzzle- loading gun, they were badly beaten, having been driven upon their infantry, and engaged from early dawn until night put an end to the conflict.
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.