USA > Maine > First Maine bugle, 1893 (history of 1st Maine Cavalry) > Part 28
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
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93
BUGLE ECHOES.
BELFAST, June 18th, 1893.
GEN. J. P. CILLEY,
Dear Sir --- Received the April Call all right. George says it is very interesting. Ile thinks the BUGLE grows better as it grows okder. George has been some bet- ter this past week; he has not had a chill for four or five days. Inclosed is a money order for two fifty, two dollars for the History, twenty-five cents for the express or postage on history. I am sorry we could not have one with pict- ures, but the two dollars is all we can afford at present as money is so scarce with us. George has been sick so long and my health is so poorly that I can not do all my work. George does not go out yet; he keeps his pile of BUGLES beside him and reads them over and over again. Very truly,
MRS. GEO. W. EATON. Hist. p. 490.
The fifty cents received from Comrade R. R. Bangs added to the two fifty re- mitted enabled me to send Ilistory with full illustrations .- J. P. C.
FAIRFIELD, June, 1893. GENERAL J. P. CILLEY,
Comrade-I will attempt to write a line or two for the first time for over a year, being so reduced in health that 1 could not do anything. I have been con- fined to the house most of the time and to my bed quite a portion of the time, and have not been able to earn a dollar for nearly two years. So you see that my finances must be small, but I would like to say to our veterans of the First Maine Cavalry and also all soldiers, they deserve the praise of the Nation for the preservation of our flag and country. I have always admired the heroism and sacrifice that our mothers and wives and sisters madle. How many of us went into the service and left mothers, wives and sisters at home, some with small children and all with cares devolving
upon them. What lonesotoc hour, they suffered. How anxiously they watcher the papers, and when there had been a battle how quickly they would turn to the column of casualties, scanning it an 1 noting such a one is woandel and gone to the hospital, or taken prisoner to be carried into Southern dens. And how many of our noble patriotic women left their peaceful homes and quiet lives, vol- unteering their services to take care of the sick and woun lel, whose Christian deeds are recorded in heaven as well as on earth, they were ministering angels to the sick and wounded, God bless them ! "Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of my disciples ye have done it unto me." As for myself, I have not rouch to say for I got an injury soon after I joined the regiment, which I trielt, conceal from the surgeor which proved to be a mistake, though I did duty as best I could till we went into the Wilderness and there I was dismounted and went to the rear and was detaile I to assist the wounded and we took a lot to Fredericks- burg that night and three days after I was detailed to go to Washington, D. C., with a large number of wohn led, thence back to Fredericksburg to follow the dis- mounted men, and I was so lame that 1 broke down and was picked up by a sur- geon of a New Jersey regintent and sent to Washington to the hospital and from there to Patterson Park Hospital where I remained eight weeks at which time I reported for my regiment and was sent to Camp Stoneman to be remounted and after three weeks succeeded in being mounted and returned to the regimen: then lying in front of Petersburg. I Hil some picket duty and some raiding but was not fit for duty, the surgeon called one night and wished to know if I could go on a long raid and I told him I thought I could, he sai l ge to your quar- ters, and in about an hour be sent an ambulance after me and took me to the
94
FIRST MAINE BUGIE.
cavalry corps hospital near City Point where I remained a few weeks, after which detention Lieutenant Russell de- tailed me to take charge of some men to build a coral between City Point and Dismounted Camp which position I held till Lee's surrender. From the day of my spinal injury I have never seen a well day.
Yours in F. C. & L. A. K. SNELL.
Hist. p. 572.
WASHINGTON, D. C., June 21, 1893. MY DEAR COLONEL :
I inclose postal note for one dollar and fifty cents on account of subscription due on First Maine Bugle. I am intensely interested in reading all of the articles it contains from the "boys" of the First Maine Cavalry, a regiment that always seems as near and dear to me as my own "Harris Light." Those who were with us at Brandy Station June 9th, and Aldie June 17, 1863, can never forget the l'irst Maine boys and how well they fought. My curb chain broke at Brandy Station and my horse carried me way up the hill with your boys where the blue and the gray were well mixed. Again at Aldie I was in the charge up the road with you when Col. Douty was killed. My brother Daniel commanded the squad- ron that led the advance (Harris Light") that drove the rebels through the gap, or village, and was killed at the hay stacks. His last words to me were an expression of a choice to be shot through the heart if hit in that battle. Those who write on Brandy Station and Aldie battles for the Bugle invariably fail to refer to the great importance of each battle, particularly that of Aldie as we there defeated the rebel General Stuart's whole Cavalry Corps which had been ordered by Lee to take the gap and hold it. Their failure to hold that point, so important in pro- tecting the left flank of the invading
army, doubtless compelled a change route of the march into Marylar 0 confederates and fortuunately capre scene of conflict between the two of ... further away from the capitol. 1 20 inclose an original private letter .. : 500 by myself to my sister June 12th, 1988 which you may print if you then o enough interest as showing how it l .. ; to one of the boys who was there. Yours sincerel . E. W. WHILALI
Headquarters Harris Light ( avele ;. (2nd, New York Cavalry ) . WARRENTON JUNCTION, V .... June 12th, 1863
SISTER ADA :
I last wrote you from opposi' F'r 0 ericksburg, June 6th, the day after return there from Yorktown. O : morning of the 7th, we again monvelt : this point, a distance of thirty miles. a . riving at 3.30 P. M.
While our regiment was pas. i. through Falmouth, Daniel and I wo .: see William and found him well as they. We had only a few minutes' ch: : galloped to overtake our colum 1 . iam was in the hottest of the fight a Chancellorsville. We had not h. u from him at all since the battle. 1! ". we found the whole Cavalry Corps un " command of Gen. Pleasanton, as ( cl Stoneman has been sent West. . 1: 1 o'clock p. M. of the Sth, we were ent march again, our division to Kelly's F : Buford's to Beverly's Ford and Averel' to-I don't know what ford. At da. B. ' on the morning of the oth, we all for r . a crossing, directing our march of i. enemy under Stuart massed at Har Station from where he was about r . start on a grand raid north. Weattach. him with our division on the : while Buford fought him on the when ensued one of the greatest
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95
BUGLE ECHOFS.
of the war; - a grand cavalry battle, --- corps against corps, for the first time in America. The movements of our brigade are all I can describe. So soon as we were under the artillery fire of the enemy we formed in the field, the whole brigade in line, that is, each regiment on a line, but in column of squadrons and moved at a gallop towards the enemy's position; over fences, ditches and the railroad where we met them in repeated charges and for hours the most desperate and ex- tensive fighting ensued that I ever dreamed of; charge after charge, retreat and advance, rally and scatter, firing, clubbing and cutting with pistol, carbine and sabre; batteries of flying artillery taken·and re-taken on either side, till, in amidst the surging masses, the ground was strewn for acres around with dead and wounded, horses and riders, blank- ets, baggage, broken arms and equip- ments. For several hours we kept up this scene till nearly every one of us had met hand to hand and given or received a blow, fired or received a shot. We probably had more than a brigade to op- pose us, while at the same time our other brigades were engaged with large forces, equalling if not excelling their own force. Gen. Stuart's headquarters were on our contested ground in a house where we captured their colors and one of the Gen- eral's aids. Their position was some higher than ours By means of their railroad direct from Culpepper Court House, large bodies of Infantry were brought during the afternoon and thrown against Gen. Buford, and we had orders to retire from our field and were marched around to the assistance of Gen. Buford: it was so late, from there the command was entirely drawn off, and we re-crossed the river at Rappahannock Station; the others at Beverly's Ford, with some skirmishing in our rear. Our regimental loss is one lieutenant wounded, four men killed, fifteen wounded and twenty-
three missing. Dani-I and myself were not hurt, though we Lad so'ne rough es- capes which are useless to relate; in fact, I am tired of hearing adventures of the fight. There are too many who shot three or four and cut another's head off ?) It's enough to say our good fortune is lue to our superior strength and skill in use sabre and pistol. Col. Davies had his horse shot under him and receive la sabre cut nearly severing bis sabre belt without injuring his person, he rode o" the field on a nice horse whose sad le I emptied with extreme satisfaction. I an still acting as adjutant, Daniel is com- manding the first squadron, (quite au honor), Capt. Coon is commanding the first battallion. We have had no rest for a long time the whole corps was waiting for our arrival from Yorktown. We ha l a fight on the same ground a year ago bist August. The prospects are that we shall have plenty to do soon, the Rebs or! still awake and may yet be able to enter .he North on a raid. If they get one day the start of us, woe be to the people of Maryland and Pennsylvania. I am in good health. Have just heard franc home. Have not heard from you for some time. Give my love to all, an' write soon to your
Affectionate brother
EDWARD.
MISS ADA WHITAKER,
Hartford, Conn.
Army letters written when facts of the battle lay hot in one's min 1, are very in - teresting and valuable. Gen. Whitaker's war record covers from April 15, 1861. to August 16, 1865, and extended through the following organizations : Co. A, First Regiment Connecticut Infantry, Co. Car i D, First Squadron Connecticut Cavalrycin Second New York Cavalry ) and the First Regiment Connecticut Cavalary reaching the position of Colonel of the last with. promotion as Brevet Briga lier General. U. S. V. He also served on Kilpatrick's and Custer's Staff.
96
FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
PORTLAND, ME., June 9th 1893. DEAR GENERAL,
The BUGLE of Campaign 3, Call 2 is at hand and in it I find a note from my old comrade Elisha DeW. Harris. It is to me an atmospheric handshake and I am truly glad to greet my old associate in arms through the medium of the BUGLE since distance makes it impossible to meet in a more tangible way. Now, Elisha says he is just crazy to have the First Maine Cavalry badge. Send him one with my compliments and send the bill to me.
Yours fraternally, CHAS. W. SKILLINGS.
Hist. p. 544.
NECERDAH, Wis., June 11th, 1893. GEN. J. P. CILLEY,
Dear Comrade .- I received the April number of the BUGLE yesterday. I will own I was glad to get it as I had almost given up getting it. Inclosed find postal note in payment for the balance of the year. Every word in the BUGLE is inter- esting to me, especially Echoes. Com- rade Hunter was a native of my town in Maine, Clinton, and it was a joy to read his letter.
Very truly yours, J. W. HARRIMAN, Co. E.
Hist. p. 534
Dedham, Mass., June 12th, 1892. GEN. J. P. CILLEY,
Dear Comrade :- Your note of the 9th, was received today. I am still here in the same place but P. O. address is Dedham. Islington is a little office off in the woods and inconvenient. I am sorry to miss any copy of the BUGLE, but I suppose one or more has gone astray. The last one I received had a marked bill, which led me to think that a remit- tance I made a year and a half ago had not been received. It was one or two dollars. Perhaps it was received all right. I appreciate the BUGLE and am interested
in the First Maine Cavalry Associ and want to do something for istaco but there are so many ways for nous go, that I have to deny my cif vv things I need. The History is a trezan I appreciate especially the great li- ness and patience with which you lo kept trace of mic an | furnished noowy information concerning the affairs of t regiinent. I want the Boll and pay for it. Expect my financial an tion will be better hereafter.
Yours in the bands of '64-93, W. F. BICKFORN
Fist. p. 488.
Burnside Post, G. A. I.
TOMBSTONE, Ariz, June 12th, 1!). CEN. J. P. CILLEY,
Dear Sir :- Grass is very short with . and we have to refuse others as well you. I have just written a letter of refusal to the Western veterans. O .- comrades here are too poor to do soy thing. We were with you on bir retreat down the valley, also at 1 c Mountain, Aug. 9, 1862. Ours was 1: Forty-sixth Regiment Pennsylvanie & i. unteer Infantry, First Briga le, First D .- sion Twelfth Corps afterwards (wer; Corps.
Yours in F. C. &. L., J. F. DUNCAN.
437 E. 224 St., New Yo June 22nd, IS .3. GEN. J. P. CILLEY,
Dear Comrade :- Copy the Bro! ! received. I do not know how account for the same stan is but fe ; may be delinquent. I beg to incle check for one dollar, which pi we acknowledge. The work is extre es interesting and I look for each issue v . great pleasure. Please continue to see as usual and very much favor,
Yours fraternally,
E. W. SCHUIT !. 13th Ma-s.
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97
BUGLE ECHOES.
MONSON, Me., June 12th, 1893. GEN. J. P. CILLEY :
Dear General :- Enclosed please find check for three dollars and twenty-five cents, as per slip, to pay for BUGLE. I am greatly pleased with it and hope it will continue to blow while a comrade remains to hear it. I want to give you an item of interest, to me at least, possi- bly to my comrades. My great grand- father, Nathaniel Cobb was a soldier of the Revolution and when my oldest son was born, there were five generations rep- resented alive. He died in 1859 aged over one hundred years. My grand- father, Thomas Poole was a soldier in the War of 1812 and lived to be ninety- seven years of age. I enlisted Dec. 16th, 1863 and joined the First Maine Jan. 12th, 1864. Went on several raids dur- ing the winter. Was with Gen. Smith and Major Thaxter in the second detail to go on Dahlgren raid, which failed to join with the first detail. I remember the general well on that trip, it being my good fortune to be detailed head quarter guard that night near the Rapidan river. The general occupied a brush heap with a piece of shelter tent over him. Major Thaxter sharing it with him. It was a rainy disagreeable night. In the morn- ing Gen. Smith arose and said to me, "A bad night soldier," then addressing the Major he said, "I think I will go back to camp today." Turning to me he said "Soldier you can be relieved now and go to your quarters." I saluted and said, "General, if you take an escort today, I should be pleased to be one." This was in the early morning. About eight or nine o'clock the general's orderly came down where we were and said the gen- eral wanted me with four or tive others as escort, and I shall never forget the wildl ride the general gave us that day back to camp near Warrenton. As we rode into camp at dark the general remarked that he should like to know where the regi-
ment was tonight and how all the boys were. After telling us to take good care of our horses he went to hi. quarter .. I with others of the First Maine was sent froin City Point to Washington in Joly 1864 to help repel the rebel attack at th ... time of the Early raid, and was in tiv. battle of Fort Stevens, where we held ti e rebels a day and a night, until the arriva! of the Sixth Corps. I well remender Geo. W. Gregory who went on the line with me and how he tried to dodge the bullets at first. Poor fellow he was shot at Dinwiddie. How old time scen.s come up as I read over the names of comrades in the BUGLE, Reuel W. Por- ter, Co. M who was wont to remarl. when his horse wanted to drink, that if he had the Atlantic Ocean to water in, his horse would want to get through to the other side before he would drink. Death has again entered our ranks and taken one of the number : Comrade Lev: C. Flint died May 5th, 1893. One by one they are falling, soon they will all be gone. I sendyou my family history.
I remain, very sincerely yours, ALBERT F. JACKSON, Co. M. First Maine Cavalry.
Hist. p. 652.
DES MOINES, IOWA, June 13th, ISO3. GEN. J. P. CILLEY,
My Dear General :- I have been look- ing over Call 2, First Maine BUGIE and find many things very interesting in let- ters of comrades and especially "Scenes and Incidents of a trip to the Pacific Coast," by Comrade Tobie. In fac' every article is interesting to me. They freshen the memory of twenty-eight years ago and stir the deep feeling of my heart towards my comrades. I have always been glad that my name was enrolled in the First Maine Cavalry. I consider it the highest honor to have been one of us members. The terrible catastrophe 2 :.: has recently come to Ford's Theatre in
98
FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
Washington, D. C. also stirs my memory and brings back to my mind the night I heard Booth play there a short time be- fore President Lincoln's assassination. I was on a furlough and returning from Maine to our regiment in Va. stopped a night in Washington and attended the Theatre. When we received the terri- ble news, on our return as conquerers after Lee's surrender, that our beloved President was shot down by an assassin in Ford's Theatre, the whole scene flashed before me as I remembered the interior of the building. That was one of the saddest nights of my life, as the rumor settled down into my heart as a fact, the tears ran down my cheeks and I saw other comrades around the camp-fire wipe their facesand turn away with silent heartaches. A little time before we were joyful and happy that the war was over, but now our great Commander was no more, it seemed that the victory and re- joicing 'of the previous days was but mockery and we must again plunge into battle. I hand you draft on New York to pay my subscription for the BUGLE also pay a year's subscription for another worthy comrade whom you may designate. Very sincerely, Your friend and comrade, M. T. V. BOWMAN. Ilist. p. 458, 502.
.
The one dollar was used to continue the BUGLE to Comrade II. B. Sleeper, whose letter came in the same mail with Bowman's.
324 Fourth St., BROOKLYN, N. Y., June 12th, IS93.
DEAR GEN. CILLEY,
Enclosed please find ten dollars. With it I wish to pay my subscription to the BUGLE to Oct. IS93 ($1.50 as per bill received from you yesterday) and I wish you to use the remainder as follows : Send me by mail a copy of one of the
best bound histories of the regiment. use the rest of the money in sending . BUGLE to any comrades that you tilco best.
Your comrade in F. C. & I .. , CHAS. B. KESNEY, Bugler Co. K., Ist Me. Car. Hist. p. 464, 617.
In compliance with the above a cop. of the History in full sheep, gilt, five do. lars was sent him and one dollar crede 0 on BUGLE for '93 to Charles Bir same to Otis M. Churchill and one afp on BUCLE to Arthur I. Gross, all of ( ., K.
"For we belong to Gideon's band,
Aud here's my heart and here's my hant."
ST. ALBANS, Me., June 23d, IS23. DEAR GENERAL,
I spent last winter in the South en account of the ill health of Mrs. Stewar! Returned last day of May. The ual matter accumulated during my alben ", made a considerable pile, and I have not been able to get through it yet: h :: yesterday I came upon your First Mai : BUGLE, sent me, it seems in Jan. last. i : date of your letter accompanying it. i am much pleased with it. Never Five seen a copy before. Anything reltry to the First Maine Cavalry is always m . tensely interesting.
Enclosed is check for one year's suo. scription to the BUGLE, SI. And I intr from the words " Campaign HI," det has been issued three years. Please ser me, if my conjecture is correct, all the back numbers; and I want also Torne's History First Maine Cavalry, ( which ; have never seen) with full illustratidi . On receipt of which, with your bol .: same, I will send check. What a J . the State and the United States owe : the Maine Cavalry and the Mais Artillery.
Very truly yours, D. D. STEWAR ..
FIRST MAINE BUGLE.
Entered at the Post Office, Rockland, Me., as Second Class Matter.
CAMPAIGN III. OCTOBER, 1893. CALL 4.
"The neighing troops, the flashing blade, The Bugle's stirring blast."
PUBLISHED QUARTERLY, JANUARY, APRIL, JULY AND OCTOBER, AND WILL. CONTAIN THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE YEARLY REUNIONS OF THE FIRST MAINE CAVALRY, MATTERS OF HISTORIC VALUE TO THE REGI- MENT, AND ITEMS OF PERSONAL INTEREST TO ALL ITS MEMBERS. IT IS ALSO THE ORGAN OF THE CAVALRY SOCIETY OF THE ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES AND WILL CONTAIN THE YEARLY PROCEEDINGS OF THAT SOCIETY AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE MOUNTED REGIMENTS WHICH PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
PRICE ONE DOLLAR A YEAR, OR TWENTY-FIVE CENTS A CALL
TWENTY-SECOND REUNION
.
August 23. 1893,
PORTLAND.
EDITOR, EDWARD P. TOBIE, PAWTUCKET, R. I.
Published by the First Maine Cavalry Association. ADDRESS, J. P, CILLEY. Treasurer, ROCKLAND, MAINE.
yd bodaildu !!
SAVE MONEY. - Regular Subscribers and those not regular subscribers to the BUGLE may, by ordering through us the periodicals for which they are subscrib- ers, add BUGLE at a greatly reduced price if not without cost. Thus if you wish, let us say, Cosmopolitan and Harper's Monthly, send the money through this office and we will add BUGLE to the list without extra cost.
Regular With Price BUGLE
Arena,
$5.00 $5.25
Army and Navy Journal,
6.00
6.25
Atlantic Monthly,
4.00
4.50
Blue and Gray,
2.50
3.00
Canadian Sportsman,
4.00
4.25
Cassel's Family Magazine,
1.50
2.20
Century,
4.00
4.50
Cosmopolitan,
1.50
2.25
Current Literature,
3.00
3.50
Decorator and Furnisher,
4.00
4.25
Demorest's Family Magazine 2.00
2.50
Fancier,
1.00
1.75
Godey's Ladies' Book,
3.00
3.50
Harper's Bazar or Weekly,
4.00
4.50
Harper's Magazine,
4.00
4.25
Harper's Young People,
2.00
2.50
Home Journal,
2.00
2.50
Horseman,
4.00
4.50
Illustrated American,
10.00 10.50
Journal of Military Service and Institution,
4.00
4.50
Judge,
5.00
5.50
Life,
5.00
5.75
Lippincott's Magazine,
3.00
3.25
Littell's Living Age,
8.00
8.25
Harper's Weekly,
North American Review,
5.00
5.50
Bugle,
New England Magazine,
3.00
3.50
The Century,
Outing,
3.00
3.50
Harper's Bazar,
-
Popular Science Monthly,
5.00
5.50
Bugle,
Public Opinion,
3.00
3.50
Review of Reviews,
2.50
3.25
Scientific American,
3.00
3.50
The Century,
Supplement,
5.00
5.25
Harper's Weekly,
Both, same address,
7.00
6.75
Harper's Bazar,
Architect and Builder edition 2.50
3.00
S. A. and A. & B. ed., same address.
5.(*) 5
S. A. and Supp. and A. and B., same address, 9.00
Scribner's Magazine, 3.00
St. Nicholas, 3.00 :
Short Stories, 2.50 . .
United Service Magazine, 4.00 :
Wide Awake,
2.40
Worthington's Magaizne,
2.50
Youth's Companion (renew- als 50 cents extra) 1.75
Babyland,
.50
The Pansy, 1.00 1 : Our Little Men and Women, 1.00 1 5 Regular Club. .. Price
Bugle,
St. Nicholas,
$6.00 $518
Harper's Young People,
Bugle,
St. Nicholas,
6.40 5.4
Wide Awake,
Bugle, 7
St. Nicholas,
8.00
Wide Awake,
Harper's Young People,
Bugle,
Cosmopolitan,
6.50
The Century,
Bugle,
Cosmopolitan,
6.50
Harper's Magazine,
Bugle,
The Century,
9.00
Harper's Magazine,
Bugle,
Harper's Weekly, 9.00
Harper's Bazar,
Bugle,
Cosmopolitan,
7.50
1 9.00
The Century,
5.00
St. Nicholas,
5
Bugle,
1
15.00 132
Harper's Young People,
My Experience as Prisoner of War.
BY MARCELLUS M. PARKER, CO. B.
(Concluded.)
We had a good night's rest in our prison, rolling about over the slab floor until we found a place to fit us. It was a new thing for us to sleep on a floor. Our captors issued some round crackers and fresh beef to us during the day, the crack- ers hard as a rock. One of mine was so very hard and scorched in baking that I put it in my pocket, intending to carry it home -if I ever went home.
Some of the rebel soldiers came to talk to us and they were surprised that so few of us should have made so determined a charge on them. They said they " fell back" thinking a large force was coming by the noise and eagerness of the charge. A number of citizens also came to see us and talk of the war. We were the first Yankee soldiers to penetrate so far into the State. Some of them were very bitter and abused us as they pleased. I feel sure we returned their insults with interest. Finally an officer came around. He asked the sergeant of the guard why he allowed the people to annoy the prisoners. The sergeant replied that " he had no orders to keep them away." " Then I will give you orders. Let no one come near them. It is bad enough to be a prisoner without being insulted."
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