USA > Maine > History of the First Maine cavalry, 1861-1865, V. 1 > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
At Belle Plain Landing the facilities for camping were not so good, and there was abundance of mud thereabouts. The duty
118
FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
there consisted mainly in unloading bags of grain from the vessels that transported it there. The men were divided into reliefs, so that generally two hours a day was all the service required of each man. They made themselves as comfortable as they could, and enjoyed the benefits of well-supplied sutlers and boat-loads of eatables. As a matter of fact they had become by this time able to enjoy themselves under all circumstances.
In camp the hardest work was to keep comfortable, and many of the men were inclined to wish for the clear, steady cold, and clean snow of Maine. What wood was originally in the vicinity of the camp-ground was soon used up, and before the winter was over the boys had to go a long distance for fuel. The campground was always covered with from four to twenty inches of mud, or from two to twelve inches of snow, and wet feet were the rule rather than the exception. During what little time was spent in camp there were drills, company, regi- mental and brigade, at every opportunity, and frequent reviews and inspections, without much regard to weather, on one occa- sion a brigade review being held in a cold, drizzly rain, with the mud deep enough for all practical purposes, to say the least. There was but a small amount of guard duty to perform, except- ing the guard over the horses. Fatigue duty was plenty. The horses could not be allowed to stand in the soft mud, so the stables were corduroyed, as were many of the company streets. most of which work was done on Sundays, when a spirit of reverence on the part of the president and commanding officers forbade drill, which called forth the lines, in imitation of the well-known sailor's refrain :-
Six days shalt thou labor and do all thou art able. And the seventh attend inspection and corduroy the stable.
During the winter the greater part of the wagon train was dispensed with. and in its stead pack mules were put in use. It required a large amount of work to organize the mule train, and unpleasant work, too; and when it did get into working order it was no small job to transport forage and rations from Belle Plain by its means, or to transport the same to the pickets after the ten-day trips were instituted. In short. the men were
119
PUNISHING DESERTERS.
kept busy all the time. and gladly welcomed a detail for picket or fatigue duty away from camp. Religious services were held in camp but two or three times all winter, it being seldom that there were men enough in camp on Sunday for a congregation of sufficient size to make it worth the while of the chaplain to preach.
In January the men were paid four months' pay, up to the thirty-first of the October previous, and were thus enabled to re-enforce the larder from the sutlers' stores; but this food, although it tasted good, was not healthy. The rations issued were excellent. The regular rations, bread, hard and soft, pork, beef, coffee, etc., were good, and beside these, potatoes and other vegetables were issued frequently ; so on account of food the men had no cause to complain. Many men received boxes from home, filled with familiar toothsome bits and with needed cloth- ing, and considered themselves happy. Clothing was drawn at will, and every man could have an "extra blanket," if he wished, or two, for that matter. The mail facilities were also excellent, and writing and receiving letters and reading the home papers and other reading matter sent by kind friends, formed a standard enjoyment.
One cold, raw afternoon in April the regiment was ordered out to join in a brigade drill and parade, and after marching round till all was blue, the brigade was drawn up in a hollow triangle, and a blacksmith's forge hauled into the centre. After waiting in this situation a while, the colonel commanding the brigade (Col. Judson Kilpatrick) announced that the command was assembled to witness a scene he prayed God neither the men nor he might ever be called upon to witness again; viz .. the punishment of two comrades for the fearful crime of deser- tion. The assistant adjutant general read the order, by which it appeared that the criminals belonged to Co. K. Second New York Cavalry. Then an improvised barber clipped the hair from half the head of one of them with scissors, while the other was allowed to go off with all his hair, and a blacksmith proceeded to brand, with a hot iron, a letter " D" on the left hip of each of them. an operation which caused one to wince a little and the other not at all. The guards then marched the
120
FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
deserters, bareheaded, around the inside of the triangle and off the parade-ground, accompanied by a couple of drummers, beat- ing anything but a tune, and the parade was dismissed. The boys looked upon the whole proceeding as a farce, and no one was frightened by this exhibition, or made more contented with his lot as a soldier. They believed that justice. to true men demanded that deserters should be shot, and were inclined to consider any less punishment mere foolishness.
On the third of March Capt. Virgin, of Co. G, was detailed to take charge of a foraging expedition, consisting of seventy men from the regiment and a detachment of infantry. March- ing to Belle Plain, they took transports down the Potomac to the mouth of the Rappahannock. After foraging through Northumberland and Westmoreland counties, the infantry, with a large quantity of provision and grain, and all the negroes they could carry, again took transports for Belle Plain, while the cavalry proceeded overland, under command of Capt. Vir- gin. This force encountered no enemy, and arrived in camp after five days absence, bringing with it eight rebel prisoners. one of whom was a major, and eighty mules and thirty horses, having made a successful trip, though they were well worn out on their return.
Several amusing incidents occurred on this trip. What negroes could not be accommodated on the transports were ordered to return to their masters: but several refused to do this, and followed the cavalry on foot to freedom. While on the march campward a splendid large, fiery mule was taken. which one of the negroes was given permission to ride. With eyes sparkling with happiness at this good fortune, he was on that mule's back in a twinkling, and as quickly on his own back on the ground. Nothing daunted. he was up and on the animal again, and again the mule threw him off. Now came a lively contest, and one which those who saw greatly enjoyed, and which the mule seemed to rather enjoy also. As fast as Sambo got on lie got off. His pluck was good, and so was the mule's. He kept on mounting and dismounting, cheered by expressions like " Hang to him; you'll come top half of the time." and hundreds of others, such as only jolly soldiers could invent at
121
REVIEW BY THE PRESIDENT.
such a time. but finally got winded, and gave up the contest. The next morning, however, he waked up full of courage, and before noon he was riding "dat onery mool," with all the consciousness of well-earned triumph.
At the plantation where the cavalry stopped upon landing from the steamer, the planter had the utmost confidence in his negroes. He did not feel at all alarmed, saying, " My niggers won't run away, - they are used too well." Unfortunately for his assertion, two of them were missing next day. When the force returned these two paid a visit to massa and missis, were "much pleased to get back, and didn't want to go with the Yankees no how." The planter was again triumphant, and the negroes were reinstated in his good graces, but he soon dis- covered that they were too smart for him, as they got their clothing together, and were again off with the Yankees, bag and baggage, before he knew what they were about.
On the sixth of April the Army of the Potomac was reviewed near Falmouth by President Lincoln, accompanied by Gens. Halleck and Hooker, with major and brigadier generals by scores. The regiment of course participated. The only notice- able feature of the occasion was the immense amount of cavalry in the line.
Considering the arduous duties, the large amount of rainy, snowy, cold, and generally uncomfortable weather, the quanti- ties of mud everywhere, the want of shelter, and, most of the time, of a dry place to stand, the horses stood the winter remarkably well, which must be attributed to the care they received from the men, and to having plenty of forage.
The men also stood it well. Physically they were in better condition than the winter before, in spite of the surroundings. There was, of course, the usual amount of growling and fault- finding at everything, which had now become chronic. but these served as escape valves, and the various duties were gen- erally performed promptly and cheerfully. There was, the first of the winter, as the men reviewed their services up to that time, and could see no advantage gained. a strong tendency to despondency ; but this gradually wore off, and as a whole the men maintained their well-won reputation for keeping in good spirits.
-
CHAPTER VIII.
THE CAMPAIGN UNDER HOOKER.
ORGANIZATION OF THE CAVALRY CORPS. - ROSTER OF OFFICERS AT THE OPENING OF THE SPRING CAMPAIGN, 1863. - FIRST PRACTICAL USE OF THE CAVALRY FORCE. - STONEMAN'S RAID. - CHARGE INTO LOUISA COURT HOUSE. - COS. B AND I MEET THE ENEMY. - DESTROYING PROP- ERTY. - SUCCESSFUL STRATAGEM. - ACTUAL WORK OF THE RAID BE- GUN. - EXPEDITION TO BURN A BRIDGE. - GALLANT AND SUCCESSFUL EXPLOIT. - ON THE BACK TRACK. - GLOOMY NIGHT RIDES. - SWIMMING THE RAPPAHANNOCK. - SCOUTING AND PICKETING AGAINST GUERILLAS. - THE FIGHT AT BRANDY STATION. - FIRST CAVALRY CHARGE OF THE REGIMENT. - REORGANIZATION OF THE BRIGADE. - A RACE FOR MARYLAND. -- BATTLE AT ALDIE. - DEATH OF COL. DOUTY AND CAPT. SUMMAT. - BATTLE .AT MIDDLEBURG. - ADVENTURE OF CAPT. CHAD- BOURNE. - BATTLE AT UPPERVILLE. - AGAIN IN MARYLAND. - IN PENNSYLVANIA.
U P to the spring of 1863 the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac, at least, had been of little use as a separate branch of the service. In the first place, the regular army officers had no faith in volunteer cavalry, characterizing it as a "mounted mob," while commanding officers had had little faith in it any way, and the remark. "I have never yet seen a dead cavalry man," was credited to half a dozen different prominent generals. Thus there was the prejudice against cav- alry in general, and volunteer cavalry in particular, to overcome. Then it is a well-known fact that the people of the north were sadly deficient in horsemanship as compared to their southern foes, and that the northern cavalry men for the most part were obliged to learn to ride, in addition to learning the drill and other duties ; and thus the work of making volunteer regiments of cavalry into good troopers was necessarily one which required much time and much actual experience. The cavalry force had been broken up and divided. - a regiment with this division or brigade, a company at this or that general's headquarters, a little
122
123
THE CAVALRY ORGANIZED.
here and a little there, till it was rare to see a large body together, and it had been a common remark among the men, " Whose kite are we going to be_tail to next ?" The history of this regiment shows that it had served together but little of the time, and considerable of its duty had consisted of being attached to and detached from one or another brigade or divi- sion. A portion of it had served all over the Army of the Potomac, on all sorts of service. And the different companies had been broken up by the general desire on the part of com- manding officers to have orderlies, clerks, etc., from the First Maine Cavalry, which, though complimentary, rather interfered with the efficiency of the regiment.1 The men had often felt heartily ashamed of belonging to a branch of the service which it was costing the government so much to maintain, and which was of so little real service. To be sure, they had done all that had been set them to do; had worked as hard or harder than the infantry, yet they felt that they had done comparatively noth- ing. But a change came over all this, and during the winter of 1862 and 1863 the cavalry was organized and rendered effective. From this time it maintained a high rank, and wiped out the boasted superiority of the southern troopers. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside commenced this work, and when Gen. Hooker, " Fighting Joe," was placed in command of the Army of the Potomac the later part of January, upon the resignation of Gen. Burnside, he continued it. The whole cavalry force was formed into brigades and divisions, and placed in command of Gen. Stoneman, under the name "Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac," as per General Order No. 6, dated Feb. 5, 1863.
On arriving at Camp Bayard the regiment was in Gen. Bay- ard's old brigade, then commanded by Col. David MeM. Gregg, of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry. Later the brigade was attached to the Third division, Cavalry corps, of which divi- sion Col. Gregg, who had been commissioned brigadier general, was placed in command, while the First Maine, Second New
The monthly returns for August, 1862, show that one hundred and four men were on detached service, of which number eighty-four were serving as orderlies; while in Sep- tember the number serving as orderlies was one hundred and five, and the whole number on detached service was two hundred and ten. Besides this, in september Cos, G, H, and M were on detached service at different headquarters.
---
124
FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
York (Harris Light) and Tenth New York regiments consti- tuted the First brigade, and were placed in command of Col. Judson Kilpatrick, of the Second New York. Brigade inspec- tions, reviews and drills were frequent; the different regiments were thoroughly armed with carbines (the First Maine receiv- ing Sharpe's, having before had a small number of the Burnside pattern, which were retained), and matters generally began to look as if the cavalry might amount to something, after all. a vision which subsequent events proved not to be delusive.
Gen. Charles H. Smith, in his address at the reunion of the regiment, at Pittsfield, August 25, 1880, thus speaks of the his- tory of the regiment up to this time : -
Having arrived in Washington. the regiment entered upon the second period of its history. It there first received its arms, to wit: very long sabres and very short pistols. At that time the average Maine volunteer was less familiar with the use of fire-arms than with the uses of theodolites or tele- scopes. With revolver in hand, the trooper was more likely to shoot off his horse's ears, or kill his next comrade, than hit an enemy, however near. His little knowledge of his weapon made it, indeed, a dangerous thing. And when he undertook to wield his sabre, no one would have doubted for a moment but that he was. indeed, "wonderfully and fearfully made." Thus armed and prepared. or rather unprepared, the regiment passed to the front to encounter Virginia horsemen that had been reared in the saddle and bred to the use of the double-barrelled shot-gun. True, the shot-gun is not a very formidable weapon when compared with our modern Springfield ritle. but it could discount the cavalry pistol many times, and when within range. with buck and ball. it could do execution without the exercise of very much skill. For a time, therefore. we entertained very great respect for those shot-guns. Subsequently, however. as we all know. those advantages were reversed. If the north was less prepared at the beginning, it was more enterprising and progressive in the end, and with the introduction of our breech-loaders and long-range repeaters, the shot-gun quickly lost its pres- tige. But we had not as yet reached those better times. Our cavalry was no better organized than armed. It served in detachments here and there. Our regiment was splendidly mounted. and the men were intelligent and subordinate. It therefore became well and favorably known. It was called upon to detail orderlies, messengers, escorts and provost guards for nearly every general in the army. It was otherwise constantly engaged in guard, picket and scouting duty. During this period it was present at the battles of Cedar Mountain. Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg. but took only a very subordinate part in each. To support batteries, as it was called, was a special duty of cavalry at that time, and thus, for the most part. we served as " they also serve who only stand and wait." The time for our cavalry had not yet come. Of course I do not for-
125
THE FIRST YEAR'S EXPERIENCE.
get the services rendered by the regiment in Banks' retreat in the valley, and the unfortunate charge at Middletown, of which our intrepid Cilley wears a perpetual reminder. Nor do I forget the gallant passage through Winches- ter of Maj. Whitney, with only two companies, while the town was held and occupied by rebels ; nor a later gallant. almost reckless charge of Tucker and Coleman, with Co. B, at Louisa Court House. But these feats were only sporadic. They were not parts of a continuous similar service, such as we subsequently experienced. No victories as yet had perched upon our ban- ners, and we had witnessed only such results as tended to depress rather than inspire us. And had the regiment terminated its career during this second period of its history, there would have been a feeling of disappoint- ment, because as a regiment it had not had a chance to illustrate the career of its ideal heroic soldier. It had not as yet charged the cannon's mouth, nor seen the enemy go down beneath its own tread, nor plucked victory with its own hand, nor inscribed upon its banner those more brilliant deeds that have since become its pride and glory.
I have spoken of certain heroic deeds that circumstances prevented the regiment from achieving at this time, but I could not justly dismiss this second period of its existence without noticing some of the great benefits it gained from its varied daily experiences. In the first place, it learned to campaign, with all that term implies. It learned, by experience, to cast off all unnecessary impediments, such as picket-ropes, lariats, pins and nose- bags, and when forage was lacking, to stand by its horses, even at midnight. while they grazed. It learned to bivouac, and make itself comfortable. too, in bivouac. On the mareh. it learned during a halt of five minutes to cook coffee in tin cups over a blaze of burning fagot. It learned to make three days' rations last six days - that is, to eat one hardtack, and, with the help of cold water, imagine you had eaten two. It learned to forage liberally and discriminatingly. It learned how to kill a pig within hearing of the provost guard without letting it squeal. It also learned that wonderful art of kin- dling fires in drenching rains, in the wettest of places, with the wettest of material. I almost believe that campaigning soldiers could build a fire under water, if they really wanted to. I give one instance: It was on the Rappahannock, in 1862. The regiment halted after dark. There had been a long, continuous rain, and it was raining then. We groped our way by com- panies into a piece of woods where it was absolute darkness. One could not step except at his peril. The prospect was damp and dark indeed. It looked as though the night would have to be endured while standing in our places, But soon the gleam of sparks not larger than fire-flies were seen here and there. Some flickered and died, but others were fanned into life and growth. and in a little while cheerful fires were springing up throughout that great irregular camp. There were lights and shadows everywhere. Trees, horses and men presented a curious, mixed appearance. Coffee-cups and frying-pans were soon put to their uses. Jokes were in order, and merry voices and ringing laughter dispelled the last thought of hardship. I fur- ther remember that as the camp-fires grew higher, I looked up through the tree-tops as far as the fire-light could penetrate the immeasurable darkness above, and a more unusual and weird sight I never saw. No artist could copy it, no pencil could reproduce it. But even if it could have been repro-
-----
126
FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
duced, the time and place were not favorable for the exercise of such refine- ment. Coffee, hardtack and bacon offered greater attractions, and to skilfully arrange three-cornered rails from the adjoining fence for a bed. involved our highest idea of art at that time.
Reflection thus reveals to us the fact that the second period of our regi- mental history afforded us a most valuable experience, -an experience that was necessary, and that so admirably prepared us for our subsequent and more heroic career. It was a busy period. The regiment was seldom idle. It was a period of novelties. Everything, in fact, at the beginning was new to us. It is, therefore, rich in reminiscences -richer in that respect even than our subsequent services. It therefore constitutes a very important part of our history, and we cherish its memory as we affectionately cherish the memory of all those who shared it with us.
During the winter there were several changes in the field officers of the regiment. Lieut. Col. Douty was commissioned colonel on the resignation of Col. Allen. Capt. Smith, of Co. D), was commissioned major in place of Major Stowell, resigned, and about a month later he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, while Capt. Boothby, of Co. F, was promoted to major. Maj. Whitney resigned in March, but the vacancy was not filled at that time. Many changes had also taken place among the staff and line officers since the organization of the regiment, by resignation, promotion, etc., and a complete roster of the offi- cers at the opening of the spring campaign of 1863, with the date of rank, is as follows, though all were not then serving with the regiment : -
FIELD AND STAFF.
Colonel, CALVIN S. DOUTY, Dover, March 20, 1863. Lieutenant Colonel, CHARLES II. SMITH, Eastport, March 20, 1863. Majors, JONATHAN P. CILLEY, Thomaston, May 8. 1862. STEPHEN BOOTHBY, Portland, March 20, 1863. Adjutant, ADDISON P. RUSSELL, Houlton. February 5, 1863. Quartermaster, CLARENCE D. ULMER, Rockland, March 17, 1863. Surgeon, GEORGE W. COLBY. Richmond, October 31, 1861.
Assistant Surgeons, ALEXANDER M. . PARKER, Westbrook, March 26, 1863. HORACE STEVENS, Skowhegan. March 26, 1863. Commissary. EUSTIS C. BIGELOW, Portland. September 6, 1862. Chaplain. SAMUEL FULLER. Brewer, November 29, 1862.
NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF.
Sergeant Major, ELISHA A. CLIFFORD, Lincoln, February 16, 1863. Quartermaster Sergeant, ORIN S. HASKELL, Levant, March 9, 1883.
Col. CALVIN S. DOUTY Killed at Aldie, June 17, 1863.
127
ROSTER OF OFFICERS.
NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF - Continued.
Commissary Sergeant, MARTIN T. V. BOWMAN, Hallowell, May 1. 1862. Hospital Stewards, SAMUEL C. LOVEJOY, Rockland. October 14, 1861.
EMERY T. GATCHELL, Brunswick. September 28, 1862. Saddler Sergeant. HENRY W. NORWOOD, Bangor, March 1. 1863.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
CO. A. - Captain, SIDNEY W. THAXTER, Bangor, March 24, 1862. First Lieutenant, LLEWELLYN G. ESTES, Oldtown, March 24, 1862. Second Lieutenant, HORACE S. COLE, Hampden, February 5, 1863. CO. B. - Captain, BENJAMIN F. TUCKER, U. S. A., May 8, 1862. First Lieutenant. WM. P. COLEMAN, Lincolnville, September 26, 1861. Second Lieutenant, FRANK M. CUTLER, Union, October 4, 1861.
CO. C. - Captain, ROBERT F. DYER, Augusta, October 20. 1861.
Second Lieutenant, GEORGES. KIMBALL, Gardiner, October 20. 1861. CO. D. - Captain, ANDREW B. SPURLING, Orland, February 16. 1863. First Lieutenant, WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, Orland. February 16, 1863. Second Lieutenant, ANDREW H. BIBBER, Eastport, February 16, 1863. CO. E. - First Lieutenant, Osco A. ELLIS, Lincoln, February 16. 1863. Second Lieutenant, MARK NEVILLE, Littleton, February 16, 1863.
CO. F. - First Lientenant, WALSTEIN PHILLIPS, Portland. May 20. 1862. Second Lieutenant, WILLIAM HARRIS, Machias, September 12, 1864. CO. G. - Captain, ISAAC G. VIRGIN, Dixfield, December 31, 1862.
First Lieutenant, GEORGE E. HUNTON. East Livermore. December 31. 1862.
Second Lieutenant, SAMUEL B. M. LOVEJOY, East Livermore, December 31, 1862.
CO. H. - Captain, GEORGE J. SUMMAT. U. S. A., October 8. 1861. First Lieutenant, HENRY C. HALL, Starks, October 23, 1862. Second Lieutenant, WM. F. STONE, Portland, October 2. 1862. CO. I. - Captain, PAUL CHADBOURNE, Waterboro'. December 2, 1862. First Lieutenant, FRANK W. PRAY, Shapleigh, December 2, 1862. Second Lieutenant, JOHN R. ANDREWS. Biddeford, December 2. 1862.
CO. K. - First Lieutenant, JOHN D. MYRICK, Augusta, December 9, 1862. Second Lieutenant, CHARLES W. FORD, Bristol, December 9, 1862. CO. L. - Captain. CONSTANTINE TAYLOR, U. S. A., January 15, 1862. First Lieutenant. ZENAS VAUGHAN. Freeman, October 23, 1862. Second Lieutenant, JOHN P. CARSON, Mount Vernon, November 21. 1862.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.