USA > Maryland > The Maryland line in the Confederate Army, 1861-1865 > Part 21
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J. A. V. Pue, First Lieutenant, vice Griffith, promoted.
Otis Johnson, private, commissioned Second Lieutenant, vice Edward Beatty, died in prison.
COMPANY B .- Third Lieutenant Blackiston, killed August 12, 1864. No one commissioned to fill vacancy.
COMPANY C .- Thomas Green, promoted Second Lieutenant, vice W. S. Turnbull. Died in campaign of 1863.
James D. Watters, private, commissioned Third Lieutenant, vice Green, promoted. COMPANY D .- Milton Welsh, promoted Second Lieutenant, vice Stephen D. Lawrence, resigned. No one commissioned to fill vacancy.
COMPANY E .- No change.
COMPANY F .- C. Irving Ditty, promoted Captain, vice A. F. Schwartz, died from effects of wounds received in battle May 9, 1864.
Fielder C. Slingluff, promoted First Lieutenant, vice Ditty, promoted.
Samuel G. Bonn, Second Lieutenant, vice Slingluff, promoted.
COMPANY K .- N. C. Hobbs, promoted Captain, vice Gustavus W. Dorsey, promoted Lieu- tenant-Colonel.
Edward Pugh, First Lieutenant, vice Hobbs, promoted. No commission to fill vacancy.
LIEUT. COL. HARRY GILMOR. SECOND MARYLAND CAVALRY.
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SECOND MARYLAND CAVALRY.
I T is impossible to write a history of the Second Maryland Cavalry, for no records concerning it, of its organization, or of its exploits can be found after careful search of the Bureau of War Records in Washington. Harry Gilmor left in his " Four Years in the Saddle " a rattling, head-over-heels, sabre-to-sabre tale of adventure and of exploits which is, in the main, true Told from the stand- point of an actor in them, sometimes the perspective is a little out of proportion, and shows things in somewhat different relations to each other than other actors in the same scenes saw them ; but this is usual and natural in all descriptions of action. Men see things differently, from different points of view.
The Second Maryland Cavalry was Gilmor's Battalion, and Gilmor's Battalion was Harry Gilmor, and no account of one can be given without including the other. It was affectionately known among the men as " the band." It has not left a muster roll - that is, I have not been able to find any.
Kyd Douglas says of Gilmor's commission : "He was just as likely to use it to light a pipe as to have preserved it or taken any care of it."
Early in 1862 (April 21) the Confederate Congress passed " an act to organize bands of partisan rangers," whereby the President was authorized to commission such officers as he may deem proper with authority to form bands of partisan rangers, in companies, or regiments, either as infantry or cavalry.
These partisan rangers, after being regularly received into service, were " to receive the same pay, rations and allowance as regular soldiers. They were to be paid for stores or arms captured from the enemy and delivered to any quarter- master at such places as may be designated by a commanding general."
Under this law many " hands " of partisan rangers were raised, but so irregu- larly was the service conducted that no records exist of most of them.
The most illustrious were " Mosby's men," who, under their able and gallant leader, taught a new lesson in war, of how efficient irregular troops may be made, for Mosby and his men, never exceeding three hundred in ranks or on rolls, kept thousands of Federal troops guarding the railroads and lines of commu- nication of the army with its base, their bridges or culverts, and chasing the phantom guerrilla through the passes of the Blue Ridge and over the hills of Fauquier or Loudoun.
But " Gilmor's band " did efficient work over in the Valley. Not a wagon
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train would pass up the Valley pike weakly guarded but that "the band " would dash in, disperse the guard, relieve the wagons of whatever was portable or val- uable, and be off like shadows before the cavalry, galloping up from the next camp, could get within firing distance.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the object of their unremitting and ardent devotion. They had scouts in Martinsburg or Harper's Ferry. News frequently came from Baltimore or Washington of the starting of a quartermaster or paymaster with a great sum of money for army use. That train would be run off the track by tearing up rails, stopped in a defile or deep cut and unloaded. Frequently the passengers would be relieved of their watches and pocket-books. Paymasters always met with the rough chivalry of the border ; women were always respected.
Harry Gilmor enlisted as a private soldier in Colonel Turner Ashby's regi- ment in August, 1861, in Captain Frank Mason's company. In a few weeks Ashby made him sergeant-major. By March, 1862, he had organized a company and attached it to the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, Colonel Arthur Harman.
This company was the nucleus of Gilmor's Battalion, and by a series of dashing exploits and gallant adventures soon occupied a conspicuous position and attracted other enterprising spirits, not in the army.
Gilmor was at McDowell with Jackson in May, 1862, when he defeated Milroy, and was sent by Jackson to follow up the routed and fugitive Federals. He was then sent with his company over the Shenandoah mountain to watch Fremont.
He gave Jackson the first information that Fremont was closing in on his only line of retreat up the Valley, for Fremont was moving down the Wardensville pike to Strasburg, while Jackson was at Charlestown and Shields marching on Front Royal. Gilmor's information was undoubtedly valuable to Jackson, for if Fremont at Strasburg and Shields at Front Royal had got into communication with each other the Valley would have been hermetically sealed, and Jackson bottled up. But Harry Gilmor's report of Fremont's movements gave Jackson warning, and he held the " Pathfinder " back with one hand at Strasburg while he passed his trains or prisoners behind his line to the rear, drew him and Shields back to the head waters of the east fork of the Shenandoah, whipped Fremont June 8 at Cross Keys, routed Shields just across the river June 9 at Port Republic, and then went into camp and rested.
He had fought and whipped four armies, each of superior numbers, trying to surround and concentrate on him, taken four thousand prisoners, many miles of wagon trains, and during this historic campaign Gilmor did most efficient service and was warmly thanked by Stonewall, who never forgot him nor his fidelity.
After the death of Ashby (June 6, 1862, ) Gilmor in a measure took his place in the Army of the Valley.
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The commander of the department kept him constantly near the enemy, and to a large extent he was the eye and ear of the Army of the Valley.
By September, 1863, he organized a battalion of six companies of partisan rangers, and it is but fair to say that a braver, more daring and reckless band never followed the flag of a free companion in the Middle Ages. They were rough and ready ; they pervaded the enemy's rear, behind his lines, captured his wagons and couriers carrying dispatches from headquarters to a general in the field, and har- rassed the enemy without ceasing by day and by night. In 1864, when Early moved into the Valley, he offered to make Gilmor Colonel of one of the Virginia cavalry regiments. But Gilmor asked that instead of promotion, two of his men then in gnardhouse be released. They had fired on the provost guard, and would certainly have been severely punished, if not shot, for their offenses. Early released them.
In the campaign of 1863 Gilmor straggled off east of the Blue Ridge in search of some of his men, who had strayed into Fauquier and Loudoun. Whenever a fight came off he volunteered for the hottest place.
Brigadier-General Fitz Lee, in his report of March 23, 1863, says : " Captain Harry Gilmor, Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, volunteered for the occasion on the staff of the Major-General. I commend him for his marked bravery and cool courage."
Major-General J. E. B. Stuart, in his report (March 25, 1863,) of the battle of Kelly's ford, says : "I was especially indebted to Captain Harry Gilmor, Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, who accompanied me as volunteer staff officer."
At Kelly's ford Gilmor bore off the field the body of the " gallant Pelham."
In the year 1864 an attempt was made to assemble all the Marylanders in the armies of the Confederacy into the Maryland Line. Colonel Bradley T. Johnson was assigned to the command of all the Maryland troops and companies in the service, and directed to rendezvous them at Hanover Junction. Major-General Arnold Elzey was ordered to assemble all the unassigned men at Staunton and organize them into regiments.
Colonel Johnson collected the First Maryland Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Ridgely Brown ; the Second Maryland Infantry. Captain I. Parran Crane (Lieu- tenant-Colonel James R. Herbert and Major W. W. Goldsborough absent, having been wounded at Gettysburg and prisoners) ; First Maryland Artillery, Captain William F. Dement ; Second Maryland Artillery ( Baltimore Light), Captain William H. Griffin : Fourth Maryland Artillery (Chesapeake ), Captain Winfield Scott Chew. The Third Artillery, under Captain Latrobe and subsequently Captain William L. Ritter, was serving with great distinction in the Army of the Southwest, and was never assembled with the command, though it always ranked as belonging to the Maryland Line.
The following general order indicates that Gilmor was expected to report with
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his command to General Elzey at Staunton. He did not report, however, and the effort to organize the Marylanders at that point failed entirely :
Special Orders No. 105.
ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, May 5, 1864.
Major H. W. Gilmor's Battalion Partisan Rangers will be immediately mustered into the service of the Confederate States as cavalry. Major Gilmor will then proceed by highway with his battalion of cavalry to Camp Maryland, Staunton, Virginia, and report to Major-General A. Elzey, commanding Maryland Line, for assignment. Citizens of other States who are enlisted in any company of this battalion may, if they desire it, be transferred to companies from their own State.
BY COMMAND OF SECRETARY OF WAR.
JOHN WITHERS, Acting Adjutant-General.
In June, 1864, Early was sent to the Valley after driving Hunter from Lynch- burg into the mountains and defiles of West Virginia. He sent Gilmor and the band to hang on and harrass his rear.
In the movement on Winchester Gilmor, with Holmes Conrad, subsequently Assistant Attorney-General of the United States under President Cleveland's Administration, captured a company of infantry and marched them into camp, and the same evening the same pair of free riders took prisoners a troop of fifty-eight men of the First New Jersey Cavalry, with their horses, arms and equipments.
Such an exploit rang through the army, and Gilmor and Conrad received the plaudits of all and the thanks of " old Jubal."
In June Colonel Bradley T. Johnson was promoted Brigadier and assigned to the command of the cavalry brigade of General W. E. Jones, who had just been killed at the battle of New Hope.
Colonel Gilmor was ordered to report with his battalion to General Johnson, who consolidated the First and Second Maryland Battalions and put Gilmor in command.
Since the preceding January General Lee had been contemplating an expedi- tion under Colonel Johnson with the Maryland Line from Hanover Junction to release the Confederate prisoners at Point Lookout. When Early crossed the Potomac in the early part of July General Lee sent him an order by a staff officer to send Johnson with his command to attack Point Lookout on the morning of the 12th. Early on the night of the 8th ordered Johnson with his cavalry to make a
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detour around Baltimore, destroy all the railroad bridges leading north from Balti- more, and then move rapidly so as to attack Point Lookout on the morning of the 12th. Johnson told Early that horse flesh couldn't make the ride. The prescribed route was over four hundred miles, and a thousand horse could not make the march. Nevertheless, he left Frederick at daylight of the 9th, covered Early's left flank during the battle of the Monocacy with Wallace, and then struck across the country to Cockeysville, north of Baltimore. He there burned the bridges on the Northern Central Railroad, leading to Harrisburg ; and seeing it would be impos- sible to keep his rendezvous for Point Lookout for daylight of the 12th if he moved farther east to the Gunpowder, he detached Gilmor with his command to burn the bridges over the Gunpowder on the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, while he moved through Howard County to cut the railroad between Baltimore and Washington.
Gilmor accomplished his part of the programme with his wonted efficiency. Johnson's orders were to release the prisoners and enable them to join Early before Washington, and he ordered Gilmor to report to him there. At Beltsville, however, Early ordered Johnson to rejoin him at once. He had learned that Washington had been reinforced by two corps from Grant's army, and he at once withdrew into Virginia. Johnson joined him at Rockville as Gilmor reported at Poolesville.
Subsequently Early sent McCausland and Johnson into Pennsylvania to burn Chambersburg in retaliation for the burning by Hunter of Governor Letcher's house at Lexington, and of those of Alexander R. Boteler, Edward I. Lee and Andrew Harter near Shepherdstown.
On the advance Gilmor's command was the advance guard. Just across the river he met a Federal force at Clear Spring. Gilmor had two hundred men in his two Maryland battalions. He was confronted by two full regiments, but he charged and drove them five miles toward Hagerstown, and held them while the whole column passed up into Pennsylvania.
After the burning of Chambersburg the command was pursued into Virginia and attacked at daylight at Moorefield, where it was badly routed, the Marylanders suffering severely.
On the return to the army in the Valley Johnson's brigade was employed in picketing the front and covering it from Sheridan. In the daily combats between pickets and patrols the Maryland command was constantly engaged until in one of them, at Bunker Hill, Gilmor was badly wounded.
From this wound he did not report for duty until October, 1864. On February 4, 1865, he was captured in his quarters in Hardy County by Major Young, of Sheridan's staff, who had been sent out with a special detail to take him. He passed the remainder of the war in Fort Warren.
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Some fragments of muster rolls have been collected from the recollection of survivors and detached fragments of rosters. The roster of officers is supposed to be accurate and complete. The whole is appended as the record of the Second Maryland Cavalry - as brave, as reckless and as faithful a band as fought under the Bars and Stars !
Honor to their exploits and their memory !
ROSTER OF SECOND MARYLAND CAVALRY .*
FIELD AND STAFF.
Lieutenant-Colonel,
HARRY GILMOR.
Adjutant, .
HERMAN F. KEIDEL.
Sergeant-Major,
EDWARD WILLIAMS.
Quartermaster-Sergeant,
WILLIAM ALLEN.
Quartermaster-Sergeant,
N. GORSUCH.
Quartermaster,
N. W. OWINGS.
COMPANY A.
Captain, NICHOLAS BURKE. First Lieutenant, W. W. McKAIG.
Second Lieutenant, JOHN B. WELLS.
Second Lieutenant, MEREDITH GILMOR.
First Sergeant, JOSEPH STANSBURY.
First Sergeant, ALONZO TRAVERS.
Privates.
BROOKS, ROBERT S. BYAS, PHILIP.
DOBBS,
NORWOOD, WILLIAM.
NORWOOD, LEWIS.
PENDLETON, FRANK.
COMPANY B.
Captain, EUGENE DIGGS. First Lieutenant. HARRISON.
First Lieutenant, GEORGE M. PURNELL.
Sergeant,
LEVY.
No official muster rolls of this command have been found. A partial list of officers and nur in the respective companies has been made from memory.
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COMPANY C.
Captain, DAVID M. Ross. First Lieutenant, R. T. GILMOR.
Second Lieutenant, GEORGE FORNEY.
Second Lieutenant, WILLIAM H. KEMP. First Sergeant, FREDERICK BAKER,
Sergeant, M. Tonn
Sergeant,
Sergeant, JOHN BOSLEY,
First Corporal, WILLIAM H. TODD.
Corporal, JOHN EMMERICK.
Corporal, HENRY BUSHBAUM.
Privates.
ALCOCK, C.
FORD,
MARTIN, DR. HUGH.
BROTHERTON, DAVID.
FREEBURGER, WILLIAM.
MILLER, HENRY.
BROGDEN, J. SELLMAN.
GILMOR, WILLIAM, OF WM.
PULLEN, HENRY.
BRANDEBURG, JESSE.
GORSUCH, N.
PHILLIPS, JOHN.
CLARKE, DUNCAN.
GILMOR, HOFFMAN.
POWELL, GEORGE.
DISNEY, WILLIAM.
GLOCKER, THEODORE.
STOCKSDALE, GEORGE W.
DEBRILL, CHARLES. DORAN, WILLIAM.
HARDING,
STRASBURGER,
DANIELS, WILLIAM.
HEIMILLER, WILLIAM.
TALBOT, J. F. C.
DEVRIES, WILLIAM.
KAHLER, CHARLES P.
WILLIAMS, PAT.
DAVIS, Moscow.
MURPHY, FRANK.
WEAVER, H.
EMMART, GEORGE.
MURPHY, GEORGE.
COMPANY D.
Captain, JOHN BURKE. First Lieutenant. POLK, BURKE. Second Lieutenant. BILLINGS.
COMPANY E.
Captain, JOHN E. SUDLER.
First Lieutenant, GEORGE RATCLIFFE.
Second Lieutenant, BILLINGS. Sergeant, J. C. HOLMES.
Privates.
FEAST, LOUDON. HOBBS. WILLIAM H.
KELTON, C. B. SCHAFFER, GEORGE W TRAVERS, J. M.
TURPIN, THOMAS L. UPSHUR, L.
HANCOCK, H. H.
SNODGRASS,
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COMPANY F.
Captain, JAMES L. CLARK.
First Lieutenant, W. H. RICHARDSON.
Second Lieutenant, WILLIAM DORSEY.
Second Lieutenant, E. HURST. Second Lieutenant, JAMES MCALEESE. First Sergeant, J. A. STINE.
Sergeant, J. SPRIGG.
Sergeant, L. McMULLIN.
Sergeant, R. HAHN.
Sergeant, - KEMP.
Sergeant, T. KIDD.
Corporal, J. ANDRE.
Corporal. C. J. STEWART. Corporal, S. C. MAGRAW.
Privates.
ALLEN, JOHN. .
FIPPS, S.
MURRAY, GEORGE.
BRUBAKER, R.
FITZPATRICK, DANIEL.
MITCHELL, JAMES.
BURNS, IGNATIUS.
FOMAN, PERRY.
MARTIN, GEORGE.
BENNETT, WILLIAM.
FOMAN, CHARLES.
MOULTON, WILLIAM.
BERRITT, J. T.
GILLEN, STEPHEN.
MOOG, JAMES R.
BOSLEY, J. R.
GAULT, C.
MOOG, JACOB J.
BUCHANAN, THOMAS.
GILMOR, C. G.
NEWKIRK, J. V.
BOYLE, PHILIP.
GILMOR, ARTHUR.
PETTIS, A.
CHERRY, JAMES.
GILMOR, H.
PEREGOY, H.
CASTLEMAN. C. W.
GLENN, W. Y.
REILY, F.
CASTLEMAN, THOMAS.
HORN, H.
REED, WILLIAM.
CHAPMAN, WILLIAM.
HAMMOND. C.
SNIVELY, G.
CRUGHAN, MICHAEL.
HOBBS, J.
SCULLY, P.
CALLAM, JOHN.
HALPIN, S. P.
STINE. JOSEPH.
COOLEY, AMBROSE.
HOOK, R. B.
THOMPSON, GEORGE.
CAMBLE, THOMAS.
HAMILTON, WILLIAM.
TALBERT. F.
CARLISLE, GEORGE.
HARDING, JOHN.
TILGHMAN, JOHN.
DUNEGAN, PHILIP.
HAGAN, R.
TRAVERS. J. H.
DENMEAD, AQUILLA.
KENNEDY, WILLIAM.
WARFIELD, ADOLPH.
DORSEY, ALBERT.
LOVEDAY, CHARLES.
WINDER, S.
DEVRIES, JOHN
LAKINS, CHARLES.
WOOD. CHARLES S.
FAVOUR, C. R.
LOGSDEN, NIMROOD.
ZIMMERMAN, WILLIAM
TISEI.R. C D
LAMAR, ROBERT.
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COMPANY K, FIRST VIRGINIA CAVALRY.
A MONG the first, if not the very first, Maryland cavalry organizations effected in Virginia was Company M, First Virginia Cavalry. Although it was late in the war transferred to the First Maryland Cavalry, so distin- guished had been its services prior to its transfer that the author decms it but just that it should have a separate chapter in this book.
This company was organized at Leesburg, Virginia, on May 14, 1861, and comprised seventy-five fine young men, mostly from the Western Shore counties, and every man a horseman.
In the selection of officers George R. Gaither was elected Captain, George Howard First Lieutenant, and Samuel W. Dorsey Second Lieutenant.
At this early stage of the war there was but little organization in the cavalry arm of the service, and the different companies were often operated separately, and in many instances they moved when and where they pleased.
Captain Gaither's company was not altogether an exception, and it was not even mustered into the service of the Government until several months after its organization.
The first service the company did was to picket at Edward's Ferry, on the Potomac River, at which place and at Leesburg it remained until about the 15th of June, 1861, when the company was sent to Winchester and reported to Colonel Angus McDonald, with whom it marched to Romney, having been united with Captain Turner Ashby's company. McDonald scouted and picketed in the vicinity of Romney until July 15, when he returned to Winchester with his command, and reported to General Joseph E. Johnston, then commanding an army at that place of about ten thousand men.
On July 18, when General Johnston started from Winchester to the relief of Beauregard, who had been attacked at Manassas, Captain Gaither was ordered to Berryville with his company, there to remain until the last of the infantry had crossed the Shenandoah River, when he was to report to Colonel J. E. B. Stuart, in command of the First Virginia Cavalry, and Captain Gaither joined Colonel Stuart at Piedmont, and then the company became known as Company M, Colonel Stuart having so designated it.
The First Virginia reached Manassas at noon of July 21, and took a conspicuous part in the battle fought that day and in the subsequent pursuit of the Federal Army.
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Two days after the battle of Manassas the company was sent on picket duty to Falls Church, and made a reconnaissance on July 24 and occupied Mason's Hill, and upon Captain Gaither's report Colonel Stuart (who was at Fairfax Court House in command of the cavalry and infantry advance of the army ) immediately marched the First Maryland Infantry and First Virginia Cavalry from Fairfax Court House and took possession of Mason's and Munson's Hills, two important points, each of which overlooked Washington City.
After this, Company M was constantly on picket duty from Lewinsville to the Great Falls of the Potomac, and skirmishes with the enemy's cavalry were of almost daily occurrence. But the enemy finally occupied Lewinsville in force, and Colonel Stuart was compelled to bring a considerable body of troops to drive them out. A severe fight ensued before the place was reoccupied by the Confederates, in which the First Virginia Cavalry, as usual, took a conspicuous part.
About this time Lieutenants George Howard and Samuel W. Dorsey resigned from the company, and upon an election for Lieutenants Ridgely Brown was chosen First Lieutenant, Frank A. Bond Second Lieutenant, and Thomas Griffith Third Lieutenant. The company as thus reorganized was then regularly mustered into the First Virginia Cavalry, for the first time, at Fairfax Court House on August 1, 1861.
The regiment had now undergone a change of commanders, Captain William E. Jones having been promoted to the Colonelcy, vice Colonel J. E. B. Stuart, who had been made a Brigadier-General.
During the fall and winter of 1861-2 the regiment saw much hard service on picket duty in advance of the army of General Joseph E. Johnston, which was at Centreville and Manassas. Heavy skirmishing was of frequent occurrence, until General Johnston finally fell back to the Rappahannock, and during that retreat the First Virginia brought up the rear. In all these operations Company M was conspicuous for its gallantry, and was more than once complimented by the Colonel commanding.
We next find the First Virginia with the army on the Peninsula, under command of Colonel Fitz Hugh Lee, Colonel Jones having been promoted in the meantime. By order of Colonel Lee, the initial of the company was changed from M to K, and to show his appreciation of its services he gave it position on the right of the column.
The history of the First Virginia Cavalry embraces the whole period of the war, and if we should go into detail of its operations up to the time Company K was transferred it would fill a large volume. In all these operations Company K bore a prominent part. We will, therefore, briefly enumerate the actions in which the regiment participated up to the transfer of Company K to the First Maryland Cavalry .
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On May 5, 1862, the company was reorganized, its term of service having expired. In this reorganization there was considerable change in its officers. Lieutenants Brown, Bond and Griffith being desirous of going to Richmond, and if possible raise a battalion which was to be distinctively a Maryland command. Therefore, in their stead Gustavus W. Dorsey was elected First Lieutenant, N. C. Hobbs Second Lieutenant, and Rudolphus Cecil, Third Lieutenant. George R. Gaither was re-elected to the Captaincy.
The First Virginia was next stationed at Bigler's wharf, on the York River, until after the battle of Williamsburg, when it acted as rear guard until the battle of Elthau's Landing.
At Statesville the regiment was heavily engaged, and was the rear guard until the army crossed the Chickahominy. It was engaged at Seven Pines, and a portion of Company K, under Lieutenant Hobbs, was detailed to accompany General J. E. B. Stuart in his raid around Mcclellan's army. The regiment was engaged in the Seven Days' Battles before Richmond, and after the retreat of McClellan's army it was sent to Mount Carmel Church, near Fredericksburg, where it remained until General Robert E. Lee marched to Gordonsville. It was in several skirmishes, and particularly at Jerrold's Mill, where it charged and broke the Third Indiana Cavalry and drove them to the protection of their infantry. In the fight at Catlett's Station the First Virginia, with Company K always at its head, made a glorious charge.
An incident worth relating happened at Catlett's, and proved how much confidence General J. E. B. Stuart had in the First Virginia. The cavalry were drawn up on ground with which they were not familiar, and the night was very dark. Stuart had come upon the enemy's camp-fires somewhat unexpectedly, and he determined to charge toward those fires and ascertain what was there. The Ninth Virginia Cavalry was selected as the leading column in the charge, that to be followed by the First Virginia. After moving a short distance down a steep hill, the Ninth suddenly encountered a stiff fence, and there it stopped, nor could the entreaties of its officers induce the men to put their horses to that fence. Stuart was immediately apprised of the fact, and excitedly exclaimed : "I know a regiment that will ! Tell Colonel Drake to bring up the First and charge the enemy, even though there were a dozen fences before him !"
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