USA > Maine > First Maine bugle, 1893 (history of 1st Maine Cavalry) > Part 13
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Here we had our first and last experiences with one of the pests of Europe --- a second-class " commissionaire." Our guide book was not quite clear, and in our uncertainty he came to our rescue. Out of gratitude and partly from imagined need we made a bargain with him, but when we found he only took us to the outer doors and there left us to ring up attendants. whom of course we had to pay to take us around the interior. we talked so plainly to him about the way he had deceived us, that he was glad to take what we thought he had earned and get out of our sight. Since then our rule is when in doubt to go ahead on what seems the most promising line till stopped. We find we never get far on the wrong road. In all places of interest to sightseers such as we, the walls seem to have both eyes and ears, for we find one can never start into a forbidden place without an attendant rushing out and warning him off.
The rest of the day was used in a visit to the Bar Harbor of Holland, Scheveningen, where we saw the great fishing boats hauled up on the beach, seemingly never to be floated again,
A TWENTY-EIGHT HUNDRED MILE BICYCLE RIDE. 37
with the colored sails, clumsy models, and rudders big enough apparently for an ocean steamer. With nets slung aloft to dry, and swarms of children climbing about them, they certainly did make the beach a most interesting sight. The road took us through the most aristocratic part of the city and through its chief parks, and on the way back to the town from the beach we passed along the famously beautiful wood road just before turning off for Leyden, which was to be our stopping place for the night. After a delightful ride through characteristic Dutch scenery Leyden was reached, just too late for the museums, but we managed to see the fine old tapestries and carvings in the Burgomaster's and the council halls. The Rathaus in which they were is very well preserved, and almost the same as when built in the 14th century. We wondered at the curious " burg," a prehistoric fortress on a high mound in the center of the city, and wandered around the quiet old university town till bed time.
The ride to Amsterdam, through Haarlem, where we saw the famous organ, one of the largest in Europe, and some fine cor- poration portraits by Franz Hals, in the Rathaus, was a quiet one but very enjoyable. We fell in with two English speaking Germans, who were beginning a tour through the northern part of Germany, and rode with them to Amsterdam. Also at Haarlem we ran into some more of our fellow passengers on the " Obdam," in company with other Americans, and in a for- eign land, especially one with such a barbarous language as Hollandische, any American is at once a friend.
At Amsterdam we were walking through the " Zoo" when we were greeted by a " Can you fellows understand this confounded language? " and a University of Pennsylvania man introduced himself. Greetings were exchanged on the basis of the great fraternity of American College men, and we were given points as to what to see and what to omit in making a hasty visit to the city. If all the points that tourists give each other could be collected and published and kept up to date, traveling would become a perfectly simple matter.
The next day we took our first long ride, of about fifty miles, having by that time sufficiently recovered from the effects of
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the voyage and gotten our riding muscles hardened up a bit We picked out our own route back to Rotterdam, avoiding the high roads and making nearly a straight line, following along the canals and on the top of the vast dykes arranged to be used in case war made it necessary to flood a portion of the country. Hardly had we gotten out of the city when we were stopped by a gate and toll demanded. From there on all day were we compelled to pay every few miles. In some cases there would be a bridge over the canal along which we were riding which we did not want to cross, but in such places instead of paying one toll as we expected we were compelled to pay two. The gates were arranged so that we had to cross the approach which was included as part of the bridge, and then before we would get out on the other side to keep on along the canal, for some reason which we do not yet thoroughly under- stand we were compelled to pay again. The tolls averaged only about two cents, but the continual stopping was vexatious. In many places our only road was along the tow path on the top of the dyke, perhaps four feet wide, nearly always with the water on the one hand at a higher level than the land on the other. As we were somewhat off the usual route of cyclists we attracted a great deal of attention in the villages we passed through. People would rush out to see us, the dogs barked, and the children shouted till one would have supposed nothing less than a regiment of cavalry was passing on a dead gallop. The route took us through a great deal of Holland scenery of the most fascinating sort. The great flat pastures, the pictur- esque costumes, odd harnesses and carts, and the always inter- esting canal boats; then the grand dykes, with water inside sometimes twenty feet higher than the land level and even then not within ten feet of the top, along which the road led; the interesting villages with long rows of houses fronting the canal, leaving only our narrow road in their front cach with a stone wash tub built right into the side of the canal in front of the house, all contributed to make a most delightful ride. The feature which we most thoroughly enjoyed, perhaps, was the absence of clinker roads. They were nearly all of earth, worn perfectly hard and smooth.
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The next day we took the boat through the canals and water- ways of Zealand to Middleburg and kept on through the island to the decayed old town of Flushing. Here were many rem- nants of its departed greatness, monuments to the great Dutch admirals, and immense dykes. The costumes here and at Middleburg were as interesting as any we had seen. The women wore very tight sleeves coming just to the elbow. The neck is cut low behind and in front, but the underclothing is not and often makes a curious combination in colors. Add to this a large hoopskirt, a pair of gold spiral cones projecting one from each temple, a sort of lace quaker bonnet over them and a straw bonnet of similar shape over that; forearms burned by the sun to a deep red, wooden shoes and brilliant red stock- ings below the rather short skirt, and the effect can be imagined. The men's coats are much like the coats worn in New England in the early part of this century, with the tails cut off; the trousers are very tight, and the whole is usually surmounted by a rusty tile of doubtful shape. Portions of these costumes are seen in other parts of Holland and in Germany, but the whole thing is seen only in Zealand on market days. The costume most nearly approaching the above in oddity to American eyes are the great black bows worn by people of the Black Forest as a head-dress. The bows are of stiffened ribbon about twelve inches wide, and project out on each side, from the back of the head in some cases fully fifteen inches.
Taking the ferry to Breskens from Flushing, we rode over one of the worst roads it has been our fortune to meet, across the Belgian border where our baggage was examined, to Bruges. Our room there looked directly out on the belfry which Long- fellow has made so familiar to Americans, and its chimes joined in with our dreams through the night. We were in the midst of some sort of a "fest," and there was a concert by a fine military band, which we could enjoy from our room during the evening.
One of our party being a member of the "Continental Tour- ing Club," best known as the "C. T. C.," consulted a brother member as to the roads in Belgium, our experience with them
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
the previous day having been very unfortunate. By his advice we put our cycling dignity in our pocket and took the train to Antwerp, and after a three days enforced stop there, went on by rail to Landen, from whence to the border the roads were macadamized and nearly equal to the excellent German roads, for wheeling purposes.
Bruges, we voted the most interesting town we had seen. Its inhabitants number hardly one-half that the size of the town warrants, and statistics say that one-fourth of them are paupers. It seems about like a deserted city, and its hospitals, churches and quaint streets deserved a much longer stay than we made. The old pictures by Memmling, in the hospital of St. John and the Vandykes in the cathedral were interesting, but to us the anachronisms were so painfully apparent in them, as in the work of all the old Dutch masters that we have seen, as to take away much of our enjoyment.
The stay at Antwerp was improved by two members of the party in inspecting thoroughly that city and in a visit to Brus- sels, the other member spending the time in minutely examining the four walls of the room in which a sprained ankle confined him.
After an uncomfortable ride in the third-class Belgian cars, which are equally devoid of upholstery, convenience and com- fort, it was a relief to all when finally the train left us at Landen. It seemed good to be again our own masters, on our wheels, able to go just as we pleased, with a fine road, weather and scenery about us. However, we seemed to have lost a little of our skill, or perhaps were slightly intoxicated with the delightful scenery, for after riding nearly all the afternoon, and thinking we must be nearly to Liege, which was our destination for the night, we suddenly came out on the hills above the valley of the Meuse and in the beautiful panorama before us saw, not Liege at all, but Huy with its smoking iron works, some twenty- five miles from Liege.
However, it seemed as though the beauty of the country repaid us largely for the extra labor our mistake, in not turning off to the left as we should have, had caused us. After riding through the town and inspecting the chapel ingeniously placed
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A TWENTY-EIGHT HUNDRED MILE BICYCLE RIDE. 41
in a cavern in the limestone hillside, we pushed on, down the Meuse, the hills on each side appearing most beautiful as the gathering twilight hid the heaps of iron ore and waste that dotted them; and right on the road would pass first a nook of quiet sylvan beauty, and then the spouting flame from a great smelting furnace. About five miles short of Liege we stopped for the night, the long ride proving rather too much for one member of the party.
The next day, after inspecting. the curious old courts in the Rathaus of the otherwise very modern looking city of Liege, and purchasing better maps so as not to repeat the blunder of the preceding day, we rode up the beautiful valley of Verdre, crossed the border about seven and reached Aix La Chapelle in a heavy rain about nine in the evening. There we found the other member of our party, who had been sick in the morning and had come on by rail from Liege, feeling much better. Tired and wet with our long ride we soon turned in and dreamed of attending coronation ceremonies, and visiting castled crags, till a loud knock at the door told us that the time had come to begin our ride to and up the Rhine into Switzerland.
( To be continued.)
Incidents of Appomattox.
BY GEN. C. H. SMITH.
As I wrote you some time ago, I hoped to go to Appomat- tox before this time to look over our battlefield there. Having failed to realize my desires in that respect I began to write my recollections of that historic battle without the help of second sight in order to fulfill in some measure my promise to you that I would do so. I naturally turned to Tobie's History for neces- sary data, and find on page 439 a reprint of my official report of the battle which tells the story about as well as I could tell it now, and practically forestalls my purposes, as I do not care to
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FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
write for reprint what anyone can read in the history. How- ever, I can give a few incidents which do not appear in my offi- cial report.
The evening of the eighth of April the brigade went into camp about dark, or a little after dark. A little later, General Crook, our Division Commander sent for me. As I reported to him, I found him standing in an open space with but little appearance of headquarters about him. He gave me my in- structions for the night in an informal, familiar and colloquial manner, which are correctly reported in a note on page 434 of the history. The men groomed their horses and made coffee, those who had any, before we saddled up and moved out. With the help of a guide which we had picked up, I went directly to the railroad station where I found Gen. Custer standing at a high writing desk doing something. I told him what I was or- dered to do. He seemed pleased and at once sent an officer to recall his pickets. He also suggested to me the direction that I subsequently took. As we proceeded over his battlefield of a few hours before, we picked up in the dark two confederate officers who said they were surgeons looking for their wounded.
Soon after we reached the pike northerly from the station we met General Custer's outposts returning to the station. Our order of march was: Sixth Ohio Cavalry in advance followed by First Maine, Second New York and Thirteenth Ohio in order. We advanced on the pike towards the Court House until the advance encountered and drove the enemy's pickets which were posted on the ridge or high ground west of the Court House, where we subsequently formed line of battle and repelled the enemy the next morning at daylight. The line was formed in the dark with the Sixth Ohio on the right, its left resting on or near the pike. The First Maine was next towards the left, its right resting on or possibly extending beyond or south of the pikte. That regiment was very large. It had nearly as many men as the other three regiments of the brigade together and by reason of such greater strength was the backbone of the brigade. The Second New York, a very small regiment was posted on the left of the First Maine. Those three regiments
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INCIDENTS OF APPOMATTOX. 48
were dismounted to fight on foot. Their horses and horse hold- ers were left at a distance in their rear. The section of artillery was posted on the pike close up to the line of dismounted men. The Thirteenth Ohio kept its horses at hand and a part of it was posted on each flank of the dismounted line of battle with mounted videttes pushed well to the front and flanks. Some camp-fires of the enemy were in view. It was probably about two o'clock in the morning when the foregoing disposition of the brigade was completed. But little of interest occurred from that time until daylight, when the enemy advanced to attack as has been often described, by myself and others. Some one has written that the enemy captured one of our guns that morning ; the statement is a mistake. It is true that the enemy made a right vigorous attack and advanced well into our faces. Their shots took effect among our artillery horses which rendered it expedient to send the caisons and limbers further to the rear and subsequently to move the guns back to a better position which daylight revealed. But the attack of the enemy was decisively repelled and our guns were not in danger of being captured at any time. It was evident that the enemy did not expect to en- counter artillery and the repeating rifles of the First Maine Cavalry on that picket line. It was several hours later. perhaps eight or nine o'clock, before the enemy advanced again in force. During that time all our other cavalry forces came to the front, including Generals Sheridan, Crook, Merritt, Custer, McKensie and others. I do not know what part other forces took in the battle, but do know that our third brigade continued to cover the pike and bore the brunt of the enemy's last attack. Just before the final attack General Crook, our Division Commander, came to me just in rear of our line of battle; I pointed out to him the enemy advancing in force. Our mounted men were skirmishing well to the front. There was quite an extended field in view. The general took in the situation and remarked, "Of course we cannot defeat that force, but want to gain as much time as possible." Soon after he rode off and left me. The brigade held its ground as long as possible and was finally driven back, but not until our infantry, colored troops, had got-
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ten well up to relieve it. In our retreat we passed a disabled abandoned Napoleon gun. I made an effort with a squad of men to rescue it but could not; it was not one of the guns used with our brigade on that occasion. Ours were three inch rified guns. That abandoned gun has been spoken of by some one as being one of ours, hence this reference to it.
The following extract from "The Falling Flag" by Edward M. Boykin, Lieutenant Colonel Seventh South Carolina Cavalry, a very interesting narrative which we hope sometime to present in the pages of the BUGLE, sheds some light on the confeder te movements of the night of April 8th, and morning of the 9th, 1865. There must be an error in the supposition that a portion of our cavalry was between Appomattox and the James River, also Gen. Fitz Lee's division was not in that direction but on the right of Gordon's and Longstreet's Infantry as per his report given in Jan. '93 Call, page 85.
"The Federal cavalry kept on toward the town, and the squadron, under cover, drew deeper into the woods, and moved round the town and went into camp, but did not join the main body until next morning. The enemy kept on until they got into, or nearly into the town, but again fell back, establishing their line somewhere between the town and the depot. Our outside picket was in the town.
We went into camp about one o'clock in the morning, on the Richmond side of the town. in the woods-General Gary riding to General Gordon's headquarters to report before lying down.
April gth-The sun rose clear on this the last day, practically, of the Southern Confederacy. It was cool and fresh in the early morning so near the mountains, though the spring must have been a forward one, as the oak trees were covered with their long yellow tassels.
We gathered the brigade on the green on the Richmond side of the village, most of the men on foot, the horses not having come in. About eight o'clock a large por- tion of our regi uent had their horses ---- they having been completely cut off the night before by the charge of Custer's cavalry on the turnpike, and were carried, to save thein, into a country cross-road. Then the " Hampton Legion" got theirs. My int- pression is that the Twenty Fourth Virginia lost the mest or a good many ot their horses. The men built tires, and all seemed to have something to eat, and to be amusing themselves eating it. The woods on the southern and eastern side swarmed with the enemy and their cavalry -- a portion of it was between us and the James River, which was about twelve miles distant. General Fitz Lee's division of cavalry lay over in that direction somewhere; General Longstreet with General Gordon was in and out the outer edge of the town, on the Lynchburg side, and so we waited for the performance to commence. Looking at and listening to the men you would not have thought there was anything special in the situation. They turned all the responsibility over to the officers, who in turn did the same to those above them -- the captain to the colonel, the colonel to the brigadier, and so on. Colonel Haskell had not yet returned -- having sent in all the horses he had gotten, and was still after the balance. About nine or ten o'clock, artillery firing began in front of General Longstreet, and the blue jackets showed in heavy masses on the edge of the woods."
I think General Smith may be in error in placing the Second New York on the left of our regiment. I have talked with Capt. Loring, Sergt. Cook and many others of Co. B. who held the left of our regiment and they all agree that our regiment was on the extreme left. My own recollections on this point are very vivid. As we straightened our line at the rail fence first mentioned on page 437 of the history, I can see now as I saw there the Colonel of the Second New York lead his men on the
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INCIDENTS OF APPOMATTOX
right flank of our regiment up the incline. I advanced the First Maine on his left to keep in touch with him but reluctantly, for I saw very clearly that the only place for dismounted men to hold the advancing enemy successfully was at the margin of the woods, capping the ascent in the other direction, from whence also, we could hurl our men mounted over the open feld if the enemy pursued too closely or in any disorderly manner.
Before we had reached these woods where we met the black countenances of the Birney's Division of the Twenty Fifth Corps all the Cavalry had withdrawn to the right and in a short time were as far to the right as the house of A. LeGrand and Willow LeGrand, as shown on the map, except McKensie and the balance of Crook's Cavalry Division, these troops I have been unable to place. The Tenth New York were back on the road to the Station and had their fight there, the First Pennsylvania and First New Jersey Cavalry coming to their assistance. Captain John J. Tuyl of the Tenth New York was captured on the railroad beyond the Station. His narrative of his capture printed in the History of Tenth New York is bright and laughable. He remarks that he and Lee surrendered about the same time.
As regards the Thirteenth Ohio my recollections vary a little from General Smith:'s, but are not clear as in the matter of the Second New York Mounted Rifles. I remember it thus: there were no mounted videttes in the front of our regiment at any time during the night or morning till we had fallen back into the open field south of the turnpike; that from this time till we reached the woods the Thirteenth Ohio mounted were on our left flank nearly in the prolongation of our line, with some skirmishers thrown out in front and further to the left. The line of falling back as given on the map is only the general direction .--- J. P. C.
LEAVES FROM EDWARD P. TOBIE'S DIARY, 1865.
April S -- Moved out about 9 A. M., marched to Pamplin's and halted about an hour. Advanced to near Appomattox Station and went into camp about eight p. M. About nine ordered to go with the brigade to hold a road. Marched till one o'clock, April 9th, then built breastworks and remained on the skirmish line all night.
April 9-Enemy attacked at daylight; after a sharp skirmish a large force came in on the left and we were forced back, retiring slowly and fighting every inch for about a mile when the Infantry relieved us. Quite a fight, when all at once the firing ceased and Gen. R. E. Lee surrendered. Moved into different positions during the day and finally went into camp at three and one-half P. M. Mail received.
April 10-Started at six and a half A. M., and marched back to Prospect Station, going into camp about four P. M.
April 11 -- Started at seven A. M. as escort for Gen. Grant and made a rapid march to Burkesville Station, on the Danville road, a distance of twenty-five miles, arriving at three and a half p. M. Went into camp.
April 13-Moved at daylight, marched to near Nottaway Court House and went into camp. Guard mount P. M. (Stayed here till April 17.)
work.
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A Tribute to Preston's History.
BY GEN. J. P. CILLEY.
The History of the Tenth New York Cavalry by Capt. N. D. Preston is a beautiful and most interesting volume. It has fol- lowed that attractive feature of our history in giving individual description of battles and various personal experiences and has drawn its material from a large number of its members, and the result is, a narrative as bright and fascinating as a perfect con- versation. Like all successful regimental histories it has been a labor of love to the historian with responding work from a large number of its members. Over two hundred portraits appear in the history and among the many interesting groups taken in the field are Sheridan and his generals, Sheridan and his staff, Gen. Gregg and staff and other cavalry officers; among them appear Gen. Smith and Major Taylor of our regiment. There are many salient features of its service prior to our intimate ac- quaintance with it and after our separation from it in becoming a part of another brigade, that will be a surprise as well as a pleasure for its friends in our regiment to read and know. Among these stands eminent its prophetic acquaintance with Gettysburg. This happy experience came as a sort of Christ- mas gift, the evening of Dec. 25th, 1861, by the arrival of the regiment at that time. In this historic town they remained quartered till March 7th, 1862, when with "loving adieux and waving of handkerchiefs" they left for Perryville on the Susque- hanna. At Gettysburg also occurred the first tragic death in the regiment. John W. Connon of Co. A returning from sick leave and waving his hat in glad recognition of his comrades, was killed by coming in contact with an over head bridge and was the first Union soldier buried at Gettysburg. At Perryville and Havre de Grace, the absence of the attractions of Gettys- burg led to a tumultuous desire on the part of both men and
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