USA > Maine > First Maine bugle, 1892 (history of 1st Maine Cavalry) > Part 24
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Tow. W. NFAL.
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MISS CAROLINA A. HETENIDO
MISS CORA I .. STOCKHAM.
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THE COUNTRY FOR WHICH YOU FOUGHT.
of one of the southern soldiers, a young recruit not long enough in the service to really enjoy the army fare, and he asked the Yank if he would not go and get him some of these good things If he gave him the money. The Yank promptly replied that he would, and the rebel as promptly took a ten dollar green- back from his pocket and gave it to the Yank. The latter dis- appeared over the breastworks, when northern and southern sol- diers alike began to chaff the recruit and tell him that he was foolish to give his money to the Yank, that he would never see Yank nor money again, and as for the goodies, they were a myth. They succeeded in making the young soldier very un- comfortable, though none of the southern soldiers had the least doubt that the Yank would come back as agreed. In a short time the Yank reappeared with the goodies, and the young sol- dier was made happy. After that he never could be made to doubt the word of a Yankee soldier. At another time, my friend,in company with a rebel officer and two or three soldiers. accepted an invitation from the Union breastworks to "come over and see us." They were cordially received, and were chat- ting and looking over the fort, when the firing opened sharply from the southern side. The rebel officers promptly stepped upon the embankment, under the full fire, and ordered the firing to cease. This order was obeyed and the visitors returned safely to their own works.
During the ride from Pueblo to Colorado Springs, the pis- sengers in the Essex were entertained by the reading of the "Daily Essex" a paper published on the train by Misses Cora L. Stockham and Frances L. Dusenberry, with various con- tributors, and there was much fun at the reading thereof.
COLORADO SPRINGS AND PUEBLO.
The greater part of Thursday. May twelfth, was spent at Colo- rado Springs and vicinity, the occasion being the formal dedica- tion of the Childs-Drexel Printers' Home, very many of the excursionists attending the dedicatory exercises. Ed and I spent the morning in getting breakfast, attending to some mat- ters of business; ( being very courteously treated at the office of
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the Gazette), and in writing letters, and then took the car- for Manitou. This ride was a very interesting one. This was an electric railroad, not merely rails laid in a street, and afford. . almost infinite variety of construction-over bridges and the . sles, through cuts and between huge masses of rock -- the food hills around Pike's Peak. The scenery, virtually our first what's of the mountains, was grand, and we vastly enjoyed the valoy. curious formations of rock all around us. Ed, who was fre-l : from his books than myself, enjoyed it doubly, for it gave lom an opportunity to put to a practical tost the theories of the books, and he was delighted to be able to prove them, and to explain to me the various formations and how they came to be Pike's Peak, which was in our front, had a modest spell that morning, and remained for the most part veiled behind the clouds around its head, so that my view of this, the aim of my young ambition, though good, was not of the best, a brief glimpse now and then of its snow-clad upper regions being A !! that was vouchsafed to us. It was a great ride in every sense of the word. There happened to be on the car a colored gentle- man who is employed at the top of the mountain, and he kindh answered all our questions, thus imparting much interesting in- formation and adding to the pleasure of our ride. As he len us, on arriving at Manitou, after serving a while as guide, he in- vited us to visit him at the top on our return, which we prom- ised to do if possible. In a spirit of fun I said to him, " I sap- pose you'll take all our money if we do," to which he replied. with a peculiar look, " That's what I'm there for." His honest; is to be commended at least.
We found much to interest us at Manitou, if we did not visit the Garden of the Gods. There were the springs to visit and sample, the bottling establishment to inspect, and the whole locality is well worth a visit. At the bottling establishment we spent some time and had a little experience of our own. We were watching the operations of filling the bottles with the soda water by machinery, and were querying among ourselves as to why the operator wore a fine but stout wire mask, when we were suddenly informed, without asking any questions, by the
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MANITOU, COLORADO.
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تابعه -٠ ٣ ١٨
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XVII SANI ANY SHOD WIE TO NUEVO HUI TO AVANILYA
THE COUNTRY FOR WHICH YOU FOULHA
explosion of a bottle, scattering the contents all over us. I shall have more to say about Manitou and Pike's Peak on the return journey.
The ride back to Colorado Springs was equally fine as with the ride out, as we gazed at the wonderful and ever-varying scenery from a different standpoint. In the afternoon the train took us back to Pueblo, where we enjoyed a ride around the beautiful city, admiring, as ever, her wide, straight, well kept streets, her large and substantial buildings, her handsome brick cottages, her magnificent school houses-everything about the city-and it seemed as if Pueblo would be a good city in which to live were it not for the difficulty of pronouncing her name. Nor must the visit to the beautiful Lake Minequaw be forgotten. In the evening the whole party visited the wonderful Mineral Palace, where was a concert by the famous Cow Boy Band and then a dance. The wonders of the Mineral Palace can never be told. One must visit it, must examine the collection of precious ores and minerals-all the products of Colorado -- to get even an idea of it, and must study it with the eye of an architect and the taste of a student of mineralogy, to attempt to give a description of it, and then the chances are one hun- dred to one that he would fail. The building is grand in ar- . chitecture and wonderful in decorations, and the display of specimens from the Colorado mineral world the largest and best to be seen in one collection. So I will simply say that the memory of the Mineral Palace is like the memory of a bearti- ful dream, which will ever hover about me, ever coming up be- fore me'as a shrine well worth a pilgrimage even across the continent.
[Tobe Continued.]
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FIRST MAINE BUGIA.
Beguiled by Chance.
A comrade of our regiment contributes the following in- teresting and semi-plaintive narrative :
In the fall of 1863 we were encamped near Morrisville, Va Not far from us was a section of one of the United States hora batteries. One fine afternoon a squad of us had been watching an artillery drill. When the drill was finished and we turned toward the shelter tents that were sometimes dignided by the name of home, our attention was arrested by something a lith unusual in a cavalry, camp located as it was several miikes fros: the main army. It was ouly a couple of infantry men, but it was not often that they came to such flank outposts as that was. Arriving at the camp ground they halted and took a server. We then discovered that only one was armed and that the un- armed man led the way to the colonel's tent. Just then the bugle sounded water-call and the order followed to fall in and water horses, and the circumstance was for the time forgotten.
After caring for my horse I went to my tent and threw my- self on a lounge that, with ingenuity born of necessity, I had made of hickory poles and army blankets. For half an hour fancy had been reveling in the mazes of the past. Old stones and old faces passed in rapid review, from the time when a boy I played on the wharves in a little seaport town in Maine til life's pleasant dream was broken by the thunder of Summer's guns, revealing to every loyal American the startling necessity of flinging their lives upon the altar of liberty, or of surrender- ing to traitors the boon which their fathers had wrested frem the old world tyrants, and become the by-word of nations. S. real had these fancies seemed that I said aloud : " If we can- not conquer these rebels, we may as well lay our bon. s here !" And in answer a pleasant voice replied : " You are right onea if you never were before." Springing to my feet, I saw in th.
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entrance of the tent the lithe, muscular form and pleasant face of a comrade who had been absent since we broke camp il April at Belle Plain. I gave him a warm welcome for he vas an unobtrusive, scholarly man, and to relieve the monotony of camp life we had studied the sciences together in our leisure moments and I was glad to have him back again. After the first greeting was over he said : "They tell me you are tent- ing alone and would possibly take me in." I replied : " My tent-mate was killed at Shepherdstown in July and since that time I have been alone. You may consider the matter settled and we will go on in the old way." That night after taps bad sounded he told his story, which I will give in his own words. "I was detailed to take charge of Gen. Gregg's pack mules and was captured by guerrillas at the commencement of Stone- man's raid, sent to Richmond, soon after paroled and sent to parole camp near Arlington, Va. A good natured major had charge of the camp and I tried to induce him to get me a fur lough. He responded in a bantering manner that a paroled prisoner who could not get home without a furlough did not deserve to go. After several attempts, always receiving the same answer, I concluded to take him at his word. Near by was a camp of rebel prisoners who had been re-clothed. 1 picked out one of the discarded butternut suits, renovated and repaired it, replaced the confederate with citizens' buttons, an! had for my pains a passable suit of citizens' clothes. I put them on and my own over them, went to the river, removed my army dress and threw it in, and was to all appearances a citizen. I crossed to Washington but, not daring to take the cars, walked to Baltimore. When near that city. I called at a farmhouse where I was kindly received and remained until morning. When leaving, the farmer, who had rebel proclivities. said : "If you attempt to cross that bridge into Baltimore with the same ice !! lar soldier-like step that brought you to my door last night that guard will put his hand on your shoulder, but I will give you a pass."
He then gave me a basket of strawberries and one of Holdes to sell. The guard took no notice of me. I sold my fruit an!
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flowers, took the cars and went to Maine without mishap. Ante. remaining at home as long as I dared to, I started to go back. to parole camp, but was looking around in Portland, makby the most of my stolen freedom, when a notice posted at the entrance of an office stating that high prices were paid for sub- stitutes, caused me to go in and look the place over. Op ci - tering the agent urged me to enlist. Up to this time I had fol entertained such an idea for a moment. The agent said the the teller of a bank had been drafted who would pay five han :- dred dollars. Thinking that I could give them the slip and get back to my regiment, I took the money but the amount of swearing that they put me through was appalling. From that moment no chance was permitted for escape. J was assigned to the Sixteenth Maine Infantry and sent to the front. A close watch was kept over the conscripts, as we were called, and co. cape was impossible ; men often came to the Sixteenth from iny own regiment and detection was only a question of tinic. Any - thing was better than detection and I wrote a letter to President Lincoln, telling him without reserve what I had done. Alter waiting till patience became hope deferred, I went to the col- onel and told him my story. His first words were :
"Is your name -? "
On receiving an affirmative answer, he said: The general commanding this brigade got a letter from Lincoln to-day on your case."
The colonel of the Sixteenth was fitted by nature for the place he had been called to fill, and he talked to me in a feth- erly unimpassioned way that made me feel the littleness of my escapade very keenly and told me to go to my quarters and consider myself under arrest.
The captain who commanded the company to which I hol been assigned had a different make-up, having less of kindness and forbearance in his nature and my position, to say the least was unpleasant and hard to bear. At my own request I have been sent to my own regiment and here Iam. What the call will be time only can determine.
The regiment went into winter camp near Warrenton on ! remained until spring, picketing, scouting. raiding and fighting;
BECCHILED PY CHINCH. CT
guerillas at times but always returning to the same camp. To- ward spring a court martial was held and his case came up but was not decided, for what reasons we never knew, only ve surmised that a certain gallant officer who bad commanded the company in the carly part of the war, had testified, as lo really believed, that injuries received in Banks' retreat had af fected his mind, and that counted somewhat in his favor. Hop- ever, he remained under arrest and when we entered on the campaign of 1864, the supply of horses was short and he went with the dismounted men. In some way in the transfer his arrest was lost sight of. A sick man threw away his arms and he picked them up and went on duty. In the course of the summer the enemy made a raid on Washington and the dis- mounted men, who belonged to a dozen or more regiment -. were mounted, formed into one command and sent to repel the invaders. In the fall he came back to the company, mounted and armed, having been on duty since early in May. Not a commissioned officer was left in the company. Two gallant lieutenants and a host of brave men had lain down their lives for their country; their bones were mouldering from Gettys- burg to Hatcher's Run, and the captain was a prisoner. His term of service expired and he was mustered out and started for home. No word from him ever came back to us and 1 never saw him again.
Such, gentle reader, is a simple, truthful relation of the bounty jumper's experience, so far as I know it, of his one sad, disgraceful mistake and his almost incredible escape from pun- ishment. T have given it without bias or coloring, though tender regard lingers around the history of the brave men with whom I shared many a perilous midnight ride, whose devotion to each other is still fresh in memory while their faults are al- most forgotten.
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A Well- Written Sketch of Our Regiment.
The following sketch of our regiment is from the pen of George L. Kilmer, of the editorial staff of the American Pre- Association,and was published in the papers represented in that association :
HEROES IN THE SADDLE.
REMARKABLE STORY OF THE FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
TWICE IN THE BREACH TO SAVE THE DAY FOR KILPATRICK .-- THEIR FLAG CONFELD WITH BAFILE INSCRIPTIONS.
When the honors of war were distributed in March, 1865. and the First Maine Cavalry was authorized to inscribe on its regimental colors the names of twenty-nine battles in which it · had " borne a meritorious part," most people in and out of the army believed that the limit of fighting had been reached. and that a bloodless campaign or perhaps one hard tussle wall end it. But during the month succeeding, the regiment fought seven engagements, in one of which it lost more men killed than in any other of the thirty-six battles of its career. Thirty- six battles during three years of fighting ! One battle for each month of the real work of the war; one battle a month where its services were meritorious and conspicuous.
The First Maine was recruited in six weeks' time in the fall of 1861, the whole State being the mustering field. The off- cers had their pick of recruits, because it was the first call for troopers and the quota allowed but one cavalry regiment, so they took " none but sound, able-bodied men in all respects, be- tween the ages of eighteen and thirty-five years, of courtel, moral and temperate habits, active, intelligent, vigorous and hardy, weighing not less than one hundred and twenty five nor more than one hundred and sixty pounds."
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A WELL-WRITTEN SKETCH OF OUR REGIMENT.
The first man to enlist was Jonathan P. Cilly, and he ves also the first man wounded. The surgeons pronounced Hi- wound fatal, but he lived to be the last commander of the regi ment and led it in the last ten battles on the list.
The troopers fleshed their maiden swords, but only figura- tively, in the hide and seek: campaign of the Shenandoah valley in the spring of 1862. They carly met with one disaster that taught a useful lesson. In covering Banks' retreat down the valley in May, one battalion, galloping in columns of foli: along a narrow pike, ran full tilt into a Confederate battery. The leaders reined up in surprise and the rear ranks rushed on like water over a milldam, men and horses becoming involved in a hopeless and appalling wreck.
The next experience of the regiment was at Cedar mountain, on the Rapidan, where it stood in line for some hours under fire from artillery and passed the ordcal without flinching. In the other battles of their first year, Second Bull Run, Antietam and Fredericksburg, the regiment was often under fire with fatal results, and in the Chancellorsville campaign went with Gen. Stoneman on his famous ride around Lee's army, mecting with stirring adventures and a lively brush now and then, by squadrons, with the confederate troopers in pursuit. But all of this was only practice for the serious work ahead, and it was an ideal cavalry corps that Gen. Pleasonton led out on June 9th. 1863, to cross the Rappahannock river in the face of " Jeb" Stuart's gallant squadrons, and find out what Lec was doing! with his idle army. The First Maine was in the division of Gen. Gregg. and had for its brigadier the dashing young Kil- patrick, a boy of twenty-two. No need to tell here how the men of Buford crossed the river, met and drove back Stuart's best brigades under Gens. Jones, Hampton and Lec. It was the first genuine horseback fight of the war.
Gregg's division forded the river and seized Stuart's bivouac. Brandy Station, headquarters and all, and Stuart, aroused to wrath. turned his whole power locse upon the daring brigade of Col. Percy Wyndham that had despoiled his camp. Gregg ws in danger of losing the fruits of his charge when Kilpatrick
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appeared, leading his command for the that the fader bre Coming to the field the brigade emerged from the non ton open ground and charged in column of squadrons. A mi- federate battery, screened by shrubbery, welcomed th . po arrival with shells, and a force of confederate cavalry delft upon the leading regiment, capturing its colonel and hurling it line back. The second regiment fared even world, and Kil- patrick rode to the First of Maine, shouting, " Men of Mai . you must save the day !"
Making a Flight detour ( the right, the regiment struck the confederate ho:se in the flank, crushing all hte squadrons; then swept os up the hill into and over the battery, shooting and slash- ing right and left. In the melee the ranks were broken and the leader waited a fer minutes to rally the surch - ors, the enemy meantime rushing in to close the gap against their return. Tl.c COL. CALVIN S. LOUTY. [Killed in a charge at Aldic.] ' colunm reformned and rod straight for the battery a zin. then with a sudden swerve the flank avoided it and galloped back to the brigade. Only one killed, nine wounded and thirty-five captured were the casualties, but Kilpatrick told the boys on the spot that it was "one of the best charges ever made." and that it saved the division from defeat. Kilpatrick got a star for the exploit, and thanked the First Maine for winning it.
Eight days later Kilpatrick, at the head of a new division, met Stuart in front of Aldie Gap, in the Blue Ridge, and was getting the worst of it when Gregg's column, with the First Maine leading, hastened to his aid. The confederates hai the advantage, with a shelter of haystacks, a stone wall and a ditch, and several of Kilpatrick's regiments had been broken
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up and driven back to their cannon. Kilpatrick looked to the rear in despair, and his eye caught sight of the First Maine. Galloping up to its colonel he shouted, "Men of Maine, you saved the day at Brandy Station ; save it again at Ali. ! "'
There were two battalions present, and squadrons were has tily formed for the charge. Kilpatrick rode side by side with Col. Douty, and giving three rousing cheers, with waving sabres the calvacade swept down an incline toward the victorior : enemy. The field was cleared at the first dash and onward che Maine boys rode in excited pursuit until they struck a dis- mounted line behind a stone wall. At this point the Maine ranks suffered severely for a moment, but the impetus of the charge bore them through the confederate line, which was routed and driven from the field. Col. Douty fell at the stone wall, pierced with two bullets. This affair cost eight Filled and seventeen wounded. Two days later, at Middleburg, the regi- ment charged a position screened by woods and a stone wall. and carried it, losing three officers and eight men killed and twenty-seven wounded.
In the Gettysburg battle the First Maine missed the heavy fighting of Gregg's division, the brigade changing places with Custer in the great combat of July 3d. On the return march. however, at Shepardstown on the Potomac. July ioth, it best nine killed and seventeen wounded in an affair with the con- federate rear guard.
The campaign of 1863 in the Army of the Potomac was one of warfare in the saddle for the cavalry. The mounted infan- try phase came late in the following year. but before the ro- mance period faded the First Maine had one more chance to win unique distinction for daring work. A detail of three hundred was chosen by Kilpatrick to ride on the famous raid to Richmond in February, 1864. Later, when Kilpatrick and the rash Dahlgren divided forces, five companies of the Maine boys headed the little column of five hundred which Dahlgren led with such fatal results against the works of the confeder- ate capital. This ride of unexampled wildness and bravery cost the regiment seven deaths in battle and five wounded.
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besides eighteen deaths in prison and eighteen lingering, cap- tives. Then followed the era of swift rides and sharp fights of dismounted cavalry.
On the 11th of May, 1864, in Sheridan's Richmond raid. tir. First Maine was rear guard when Stuart was defeated at Yelio Tavern. The Maine boys fought on foot and on horcba !.. and broke for the first time, under the pressure of a whole bri gade. The loss was nine killed and twelve wounded.
The next fight of the regiment was as warm as any cavalry engagement on record, and Gregg's division again bore th brunt. This was at St. Mary's church, Va., June 24th, when Wade Hampton with a large mounted force attempted to cut off Grant's wagon train passing from the Pamunkey to the James river. The First Maine took the lead of the division, and when the troops saw that they cried out, " Fight to-dies, boys ; the First Maine's in the advance."
Gregg dismounted his men and built rude breastworks, ar then the Maine men opened the fight and ended it, using both carbines and revolvers.
Though ordered to retire the men did so slowly, turning at every ridge and fence and clump of trees for one more voller. So they held on till a battery came to their aid, and they help- ed to defend that when it ran out of ammunition. Of the tie hundred and sixty men engaged seventeen were killed and twenty-nine wounded. Hampton was held up until the wagen train was beyond reach. Sheridan left the Army of the Pos tomac Aug. 1, 1864, but Gregg's division remained behind at Petersburg, followed the fortunes of Harcock in his expedition- on the confederate flanks. The regiment added two Battles to its list during August, and in September was re-enforced by eight companies of Maine troops transferred from the First Din- trict of Columbia Cavalry. The strength was about five hun- dred with this increase. On Oct. 27th at Boydton Road sixteen were killed and fifty-siv wounded in a savage fight with Wade Hampton's mounted forces.
The First Maine at that time belonged to a brigade com- manded by Col. C. H. Smith, its former leader, who was a cap-
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tain in the regiment in 1861. Cilley, the first recruit and the first man wounded, had gravitated to the top and led the regi- ment.
The highest casualty list of all was at Dinwiddie Court House, March 3 1st, 1865, the preliminary of Five Forks. Sheridan's cavalry was forced to give ground all day and at length Smith's brigade was called upon to defend a creck crossing against heavy odds. The First Maine dismounted and advanced in a deployed line to meet charging cavalry. They opened fire with Spen- , cer and Henry rifles, seven and sixteen shooters, and the confederate column trembled, wavered and part- ed right and left, soon to TWIN SERGEANTS OF COMPANY A. [The brothers S. W. and P. M. Clari.] melt away in a formless wreck of dead horses and men. In this fight the First Maine's loss was twenty-seven killed and sixty-six wounded.
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