USA > Maine > First Maine bugle, 1890 (history of 1st Maine Cavalry) > Part 30
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MONROE DAGGETT, Company E.
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
CO K IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
[Some particulars relating to Co. "K" in the Shenandoah Valley, which should have been inserted between pages 68 and 69, of the History.]
On the 31st of May at noon, Co. "K," Capt. Prince, the advance guard of Gen. Ricketts, formerly Gen. Ords', Division, Gen. Hartsuff's Brigade, arrived at Front Roval. The rest of the division, after a tedious march in the rain, ar- rived during the evening and night. Brig. Gen. Kimball of Gen. Shield's Division, with four companies of the Rhode Island Cavalry, had dashed into town the day before at eleven A. M., driving out the rebel forces, capturing one hundred and fifty-six of the enemy, and liberating eighteen prisoners captured from Gen. Banks. The Rhode Island Cavalry had nine killed and five wounded.
Gen. McDowell sent forward Bayard's Cavalry and the Pennsylvania Buck- tails; also Capt. Hall's Second Maine Battery with four Griffin guns, June Ist, who joined Freemont's army at Strasburg in the pursuit of Gen. Jackson's retreating army ; Gen. Shields with the rest of his forces proceeding up the east- ern branch or " Luray road," hoping to intercept Jackson's retreat in that direction. On the afternoon of the second, Gen. Ricketts' Division moved from Front Royal across the eastern branch of the Shenandoah, and at eight o'clock in the evening Co. K was ordered to report to Gen. Hartsurff, stationed some few miles distant on the railroad track towards Strasburg. Co. K started in a drenching rain and found the brigade headquarters at Buckton Station, where they had been stopped by the destruction of the bridge over Passage creek. Capt. Prince was ordered to proceed up Powells-Fort Valley some ten miles, and if they could cross the ford there, to take charge of a section of artillery which he would find on the opposite side of the creek and proceed on to the bridge over the western branch of the Shenandoah near Strasburg and guard the same. Co K's lieutenants were absent and Orderly Sergeant Ford acted as first lieutenant.
It was very dark and raining in torrents. After trying several places they finally succeeded in finding the ford, and crossed over about two A. M. of the third with the loss of one horse ; the water running swiftly over the tops of their saddles. They arrived at Strasburg bridge about day light to find it had been swept away during the night. They found at the bridge a courier from Gen. Fremont with a dispatch stating he had captured five hundred prison- ers, and requesting aid in guarding them; this message Capt. Prince sent back to Gen. Hartsurff.
The Twelfth and Thirteenth Massachusetts, the New York and Pennsyl- vania regiments arrived late on the afternoon of the third and went into camp near Capt. Prince's company.
On the fourth, orders came for the brigade to fall back to Front Royal, the bridges there being in imminent danger. Co. K was directed to bring up the rear and drive forward all stragglers ; they left Water-lick station about five P. M., crossing a temporary bridge over Passage creek at Buckton station, and after a nights march along the railroad track arrived at the east branch about six o'clock on the morning of the fifth, to find the bridges gone. Gen. Ricketts' command had got safely over except Co. K, and some twenty infantry strag-
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NATHANIEL S. HAWKES' CAPTURE.
glers who were entirely cut off from the rest of the army and imprisoned be- tween the forks of the river, both branches having overflowed their banks and were more than a mile wide of raging waters. On the north or Winchester side of the west fork, Col. Christian's regiment, the Twenty-sixth New York, was also cut off from the main army by the flood and were obliged to wait for the waters to subside, but they were in reach of Gen. Banks and his quartermasters stores. Companies C and D of the First Maine Cavalry were imprisoned with the Twenty-sixth New York. They had been sent towards Harper's Ferry to communicate with Gen. Banks, which they had suceeded in doing as is reported in the History, (page 69) but on their return were stopped by the flood on the north side of the west fork in company with Col. Chris- tian's regiment. These troops on the west side of the main river were ferried across on the seventh and eighth, but Company K with their sixty-two men and horses were not able to cross until the afternoon of the ninth, having been since the second without rations for the men or forage for the horses except what scanty supply they could secure by foraging parties in a neigh- borhood that had been previously stripped quite thoroughly, Fortunately . Capt. Prince discovered an abandoned army wagon in the woods containing several boxes of hard bread, two barrels of beans, half a barrel of salt pork and some vinegar and salt. This he hauled up to his camping ground, and the last two days of his detention the men had tolerable rations. Mr. Bennet, one of the residents, made a bitter complaint to Capt. Prince that the cavalry men were stripping him of his family stores of bacon and other food, and, as he was a Union man he thought himself ill treated. The captain replied "If you are a true Union citizen you should be willing to contribute your mite to the Union cause ; we have left our offices, our work shops, and our homes at the call of the President, and yet you begrudge us a mouthful of food in our extremity." The captain gave him a receipt for the provisions taken, and he went his way apparently satisfied.
NATHANIEL S. HAWKES' ACCOUNT OF HIS CAPTURE.
Dear General : - I was a member of Company F. When our regiment ran into Hills Corps on the night of October 12th, 1863, and we moved to the rear or " fours right about," my horse fell as we passed the road down the hill, and was so injured that I had to move him to one side to prevent the other horses of the company walking over him. My horse was so tired that I was unable to ride him and his fall was, undoubtedly, the result of his ex- haustion. As I led him along on the flank slowly, the command moved by ine and I was soon in the rear. I remember very distinctly as I was near the rear that Col. Smith spoke to me and asked if that were Capt. Chad- bourne. I told him " No ; I had n't got as high as that."
In a short time, leading my horse alone and some ways in the rear of the column. I overtook Robert Preston of Company D), whose horse had become completely exhausted. He was obliged to abandon his horse, taking with
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
him only his blanket, surcingle and horse's bridle. After an hour or so we came across an abandoned horse which had recovered his breath by resting, and Preston put on the blanket and surcingle and bridled him and rode a couple of miles or so, when it became exhausted and had to be left.
Later in the night we met a man who told us he had been guide for the regiment and that Col. Smith had told him when he left the regiment that they would take the road towards Salem. We therefore took the road tow- ards Salem, while the regiment had actually taken the road towards Warren- ton, Col. Smith evidently not intending to give the guide correct information concerning the road taken by the regiment. Towards morning' we stopped to rest, away from the road and in the rear of a dwelling. At early daylight quite a large rebel detachment went by the house, coming from the direction of Warrenton. This force was probably reconnoitering or endeavoring to find the force that disturbed the slumbers of the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry. After they were out of the way we took a horse we found in a field near the house, which Preston mounted.
. After daylight we went into the woods and had breakfast, and then pushed on in the road towards Salem When near the town, coming round a turn of the road, we came suddenly on four men riding towards us. One of them attempted to draw his pistol. We repeated the same operation, whereupon three of them trusted to their horses for safety instead of their revolvers, and the fourth remained with us. We asked him what made the others in such a hurry, and he remarked that they were probably frightened. I told him there was no need for any fear as we were good rebs, and after some conversation as to what regiment we belonged to we answered, "The Fourth Virginia Cavalry." whereupon he calledl the other three to return. We told them we were scouting and in reply to the question, " Did you see any Yanks?" we told them we had seen quite a large party back of us coming that way. The four rebs turned off on a side road and we proceeded to Salem. Just as we got through the town we met two more mounted men, who questioned us quite sharply about what we were doing and to what regiment we belonged and who commanded our corps. We held to our former story, and told them all we knew about Gen. Hill. In a short time we perceived several men near the railroad and one mounted man in the road ahead of us, and looking back we saw a squad of six coming up rapidly from the rear. The six men overtook us before we met the man in front, and commenced to question us again. They took our arms from us then, saying they would be returned to us as soon as we could identify ourselves and show that we were all right. In a short time, seeing that the thing was up, I told them we were Yankees and the regiment to which I belonged. They asked where the regi- ment was. I told them the regiment was in a good place and would take care of itself. I learned that the party that had taken me was Lieut. Nelson of Mosby's men and the others were furloughed men of different regiments, or at least said they were. As we went back through the village we met the old man whose horse we had taken, swearing mad. He recovered his horse, but it was some time before he recovered his temper. Two of the men with us were Jeffries brothers. ong Brown, one Stevenson. They expected to find
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MEMORIAL DAY AT ST. ALBANS.
their command near Culpeper Court House and took us along with them, giving us a ride from time to time and carrying us on their horses across all the streams. The first night on our way to Culpepper we stopped at a large farmhouse where they had plenty of everything except sugar and coffee, and as my supply of these articles held out they were as glad to get the sugar and coffee as I was to get their chicken and corn bread. At Culpepper we were put into the old court house, and remained there for three or four days. Before we left Culpepper the detachment of men under Lieut. Harris, which had been captured, joined us, and also others of Companies D and F and some other companies. I do not recall now any names but those of Charles Eastman, of my own company, and Martin Coakley, Decker and Nodstram of Company E. I was then taken to Richmond, was at Belle Isle a while, ' thence to Andersonville, Ga., and remained there until I completed thirteen months, when I was paroled and sent to Annapolis.
My stay at Andersonville was too monotonous and uncomfortable to make a pleasing story. Eastman was with me most of my imprisonment. I re- member also that H. T. Henley and Samuel Tomley of Company F, also joined us at Culpepper Court House. [ See pages 549, 521, 541, 548, 532, 533, 536, 544, 549, 192-206, and picture page 199, History.
MEMORIAL DAY AT ST. ALBANS.
Called to this quiet, pleasant village the thirtieth day of May last, I saw on my way Dr. O. E. Stoddard, of Company 1, who is putting gold into his pockets by putting the same metal into the teeth of the good people of Bel- fast, who when I talked to him about the sons of the " First of Maine" or- ganizing, said, " My sons are two daughters."
I also, in Belfast, called at the store of Alonzo Dutch, of Company D, and found a young man in his market whom I recognized at once as a chip of the old block, or to speak more accurately, a whole log instead of a chip. I found the elder Dutch a few minutes later and we dined together. He is as big as ever and has a family as numerous as he is big. He is doing a good. business, and has a happy family, saddened only by the loss of his wife.
At Burnham I found John E. Hart, of Company HI, in his hotel, and had a very enjoyable conversation with him. He told me how he and Billy Mc- Farland once put up a job on certain stores in my tent and caused my inno- cent darkey, Isaac, to receive all the punishment.
At Pittsfield Lieut. Oren S. Haskell came to the depot to meet me. We had a pleasant talk till the train on the Hartland road took me towards that place. He pointed out to me from the depot the building where he had his printing office and near by his dwelling place and house.
At St. Albans I met William H. Moore, of Company H, who has a farm of some two hundred acres, and a large family of boys and girls. He lives some distance from the village. I only saw his youngest son, a promising and pleasant lad.
Elisha D. Emerson, of Company H, is also a resident of St. Albans. His
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
farm is a small one, only 135 acres. I ran across him accidentally as he was hitching his horse, and had commenced conversing with him before we rec- ognized each other, He is quite badly used up by rheumatism, so that he walks with difficulty and much pain.
I also met Belden Southard, Co. M, of St. Albans, but had time only to pass a word or two.
I sat at the same table and became quite well acquainted with H. A. Hurd. a prosperous merchant of St. Albans. He is a brother of James A. and Washington I. Hurd, of Company H of our regiment, both of whom lost their lives. He also had two cousins in our regiment, one of whom lost his life. Mr. Hurd was a schoolmate of Capt. Joel Wilson at Kent's Hill, Me., and told me how he and Joel went through and conquered Smyth's Larger Algebra in one term ; how in one of their midnight sessions on that inter- esting author their fluid lamp was upset and the inflammable material was endangering the room, which was saved by a skillful and appropriate use of a pail of water at the base of the flames.
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I also met Charles Whitten, Company C, of Hartland, who called to mem- ory the time I was forced to reprimand him for expending Uncle Sam's am- munition in shooting crows. Also an incident when I threatened to send him to Dry Tortugas for an offense that was considered a proof of good soldier- ship before Grant told the rebs they could retain their horses for planting and farm work. Whitten is a stout built, prepossessing man, but told me he was a great sufferer from asthma, also disabled by a wound.
I also met and had a very pleasant chat with Harrison B. Allen, of Com- pany G. also of Hartland.
I took a carriage for Pittsfield at 6.30 A. M .. and had a delightful drive of ten miles or so to catch the train for my return via Augusta and Brunswick Although the hour was early, at Pittsfield I found comrade Richard M. Daniels, of Company F, waiting my arrival, accompanied by a stout looking lad of some twenty odd years, who proved to be his son. He had a lot more of the same kind at home and told me how much he, his wife and boys enjoyed the Bugle and the History. I always know when a man says that, he is proud of his regiment and loves its service.
At Brunswick I had some two hours at the College, where I met my son. fresh from the boat races on the Charles, in one of which the Bowdoin crew had been successful. but in the contest with the 'Varsity Crew of Harvard had been defeated. He graduates this month, and will pass the summer with the Bowdoin College Scientific Expedition to the coast of Labrador.
The two days' trip through part of Maine thus closed, and I write this to tell you the comrades I met, and wish much I could tell you better how they looked and. prospered. J. P. CILLEY.
V
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THE ASSEMBLY.
THE ASSEMBLY. -
" Well may thy scabbard rattle, Trooper, I pant for battle ; Right eager for the fight, I clang with wild delight, Hurrah !"'
To the Comrades.
With this Call commences the second year of the BUGLE -- Call 5 of Campaign II -- therefore this is a good time to say a few words to you, comrades, personally. Gen. Cilley has made his special call as treasurer on the first pages, and to that you want to pay strict attention, as we shall not here touch upon the question of finan- ces. But after reading and di- gesting his facts and figures, and acting according to your best judg- ment, please treat us in the same way. What the BUGLE has been so far, is due in a great measure to you who have taken hold and assist- ed us by your stories and your let- ters. Whatthis Call of the BUGLE is, and we are so vain as to think you will pronounce it the best yet, is due more than ever to you. What the BUGLE is to be in the future will depend upon what you choose to make it. The appeal in the April Call to - you to send us reminiscences and letters has been nobly answered, as this Call testi- fies. This is encouraging, and if you all will do your duty-as a few have done -- as nobly as you did in
1861-5, and you can do so if you will, then the BUGLE will be wor- thy of the grand old regiment. It is in your hands.
You see by this Call that some improvements have been made in arrangement, as well as in the vari- ety of matter of interest to you all. The bungling editorial head has been discarded, and in its place you see the bugle call " The Assembly." As in the olden days when that call was sounded, all had to respond, so we trust, when you see the call now you will all conie to " attention," and be ready to do whatever is set forth for you to do. The longer letters and reminiscences are placed by them- selves, before the editor has his say, and the shorter letters are grouped together under the heading " Bu- gle Echoes." These " echoes " are of interest to every comrade of the regiment, and every com- rade having enjoyed the " echoes" from other comrades, should be fair about it and give the other comrades an opportunity to enjoy an "echo " or two from him. Sofall in, every one of you, and " set the echoes ringing."
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
The obituary notices will here- after appear under the appropriate heading " Taps," indicating that the light is out, and the comrades are at sweet rest, -- not " good- night," as some would have it.
Say not " good-night," but in some happier sphere. Bid me " good-morning."
The Reunion at Houlton.
From all directions come indica- tions of interest in the coming re- union at Houlton, and it promises to be one of the most successful and enjoyable reunions we have ever held. The change from the "Hub of the Universe " in ISgo to the "farthest corner of down east" in ISgt, can have but a novel effect, and as long as variety is the spice of life, the change is bound to be agreeable. It will be a splendid opportunity to visit a portion of the State with which but a few of the comrades are acquainted, and the more they know of their own State, the better citizens and the more loyal to the State they will be. Why, the good old Pine Tree State could well afford to pay the transportation of all her veter- ans to the reunions every year, so long as the reunions are held in the different portions of the State, so much better citizens would they be. This is one of the reasons why our Association has been in the habit of going all over the State and now and then into Massachusetts, though the main reason is so as to give the comrades in all parts of the
State a chance to meet their com- rades in reunion without too much expense. The benefit of this course is seen every year, and this year will be no exception. From the very nature of the case, com- rades will be present this year who have seldom met in reunion, and as usual many comrades will meet who haven't met before since the muster-out of the regiment.
We hope to have the full details of the arrangements for the Houl- ton reunion to send out with this Call-either on a later or supple- . mental page. But if we do not. keep your eyes out for Gen. Cilley's circular, and be ready to respond promptly.
The Sons of the First Maine.
An endeavor will be made at the coming reunion at Houlton to carry into effect the suggestion of Gen. Cilley at the reunion in Bos- ton last year, viz., the organiza- tion of the Sons of the Comrades of the First Maine Cavalry. It is a good idea, so all of you comrades who can, bring your sons with you, and let them, with your aid, place themselves upon a footing where they will have a personal interest in the reunions of the First Maine Cavalry, and their desire to perpetuate the reunions of the regiment will be strengthened and rendered more casy of fulfillment. A fair proportion of the pages of the Bugle will be devoted to their special use so that they can give
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THE ASSEMBLY.
accounts of each other and become acquainted and mutually interest- ed. They will be entitled to wear the same badge, the only variation being that to the printed words on the ribbon, " First of Maine," will be added the word "'Sons" on each side of the lower part.
Organize.
The Comrades of Boston and vicinity, Bangor and vicinity, Skowhegan and vicinity, and An- droscoggin county and vicinity, have set a good example to all the comrades where any number of them reside within a reasonable distance of each other, by organiz- ing local associations and clubs. This is a good idea -- an association in every city, or at least in every county in the State. would be a grand thing. It would serve to keep the old touch of the elbows, would keep the camp fires burn- ing bright, would keep the old memories alive. It would give the pleasures of reunion to those of the comrades who are unable to attend the general reunion, and it would assist the general reunion by- keeping the old spirit alive, and renewing interest in all the com- rades and all the gatherings. It would also assist much in keeping the memory of the regiment alive among citizens of the State, espe- cially the young. Organize, and make it one of the duties of the secretary to send an account of the organization, and account of every
reunion and every meeting of im- portance to the BUGLE; and the duty of every member to take the BUGLE and pay for it.
Mrs. Addie (Phipps) Tobie, President of the Ladies Auxillary, died at her residence in Paw- tucket, Rhode Island, April 25th last, after an illness of two weeks, in the forty-eighth year of her age. She was born in Bradford and had been married twenty-five years. She leaves a husband and two sons
to mourn the loss of a wife and mother whose whole life was devo- ted to the care and interest of her family. She was a member of Tower Relief Corps, Pawtucket.
By the kindness of Gen. Smith the comrades of the grand old reg- iment who are so fortunate as to attend the meeting of the National Encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, at Detroit, will hold reunions at rooms 68 and 69, Buhl Block, Griswold street, August 5th and 6th.
If the comrades, one and all will send to the editor any news- paper clippings which they may have concerning the regiment or any of the comrades, notices of gatherings of the comrades any- where, sketches of local associa- tions of comrades and their reun- ions, obituary notices of comrades, etc., they will confer a favor upon every comrade who reads the BUGLE.
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
A Pleasant Anniversary Gathering.
On the evening of April 9th, the twenty-sixth anniversary of the surrender of Gen. Lee, there was a pleasant gathering of comrades and their wives at the residence of Comrade Frank J. Savage, on Newhall street, Fairfield, to observe the anniversary and keep alive the memories of that glorious day. The invitations were very neatly gotten up, having on the outside, in colors, a soldier on guard over the stars and stripes, with a camp ground and dress parade in the distance, while on a United States shield was the leg- end, "April 9-Appomatox- 1865," with eagles and stars at the bottom, between which were the words "Fairfield, Maine, 1891." On the inside was a pleasantly worded invitation, and the first and last stanzas of the poem on Appoma- tox, published in the, History. There were infantry men as well as cavalry men present, of those who were present at the surrender, and each one was to relate what they saw, the infantry leading off and the cavalry following in good order. It was a very interesting meeting and vividly brought back the old times which mean so much to the old soldier. Of the cavalry there were present the host, of course, Capt. Vaughan, of Com- pany M, Sergt. George E. Good- win, of Company II, and Dennis Murphy, of Company Il. Capt. Vaughan gave an account of the
raid on Richmond, and Sergi. Savage an account of the last campaign as seen by him. Re- freshments were served, and all had a glorious good time.
The comrades will enjoy read- ing the exercises at the dedication of the division monument at Get- tysburg, although they took place so long ago. The formal exercises of dedication will be of interest, of course, but more than all, the comrades will enjoy read- ing the words of our old command- ers,. Gen. David McM. Gregg. and Gen. J. Irvin Gregg-names every comrade of our regiment reveres and loves. These are the only speeches of these two cavalry generals we have, and they will be carefully preserved.
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