USA > Maine > History of the First Maine cavalry, 1861-1865, V. 1 > Part 17
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J. KILPATRICK, Colonel Commanding Brigade.
At this time the Second and Third divisions were consoli- dated into one division, named the Second, still remaining in command of Gen. D. MeM. Gregg, and the brigades were reor- ganized. Col. Kilpatrick, who was promoted to brigadier general June tenth, retained command of the First brigade, which was now formed of the Harris Light and other regiments ; while the First Maine, Tenth New York, and Fourth and Sixteenth Pennsylvania regiments composed the Third brigade, of which Col. J. Irwin Gregg, of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania (a cousin of the general commanding the division), was placed in command. Co. I was detailed at the headquarters of Gen. Pleasanton, who had succeeded Gen. Stoneman in command of the cavalry corps.
It now became known to Gen. Hooker that Gen. Lee's army was moving northward on the opposite side of the Blue ridge, perhaps with the intention of going into Maryland, and perhaps intending to cross the ridge and get between him and Wash- ington, and then either attack him in the rear or cut off his connection with Washington and capture that city. So his
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own army was put in motion, with the cavalry in the advance. watching with jealous eyes every gap, to learn the intentions of the enemy and prevent his crossing the ridge.
On the fifteenth the regiment marched to near Manassas Junction, and remained there till the morning of the seven- teenth, when it broke camp at an early hour, and after a hard march of more than twenty miles arrived at Aldie about two o'clock P. M., a small town on the pike leading from Washing- ton to Winchester, where a severe cavalry fight was in progress. The enemy, consisting of two brigades of Gen. Stuart's cav- alry and four guns, commanded by Stuart in person, had been posted in a strong position on a ridge of hills covered with stone walls back of the town, extending across from the Mid- dleburg and Snicker's Gap roads and commanding both, while their skirmish line occupied a stone wall on the eastern slope of the hill and a long ditch behind some hay stacks. The First Maine, on arriving there, was ordered by Gen. Gregg to report to Gen. Kilpatrick, and by him was ordered into a position on the left of the town; but before arriving there an order was received to return in haste, which was obeyed so quickly that, instead of countermarching, the regiment wheeled by fours, and thus went into the fight left in front. On reaching the crest of the hill on the Snicker's Gap road, they found the exhausted forces of the Union cavalry, who had been fighting all day, being pressed back by the enemy. The regiment (with the exception of four companies under command of Lieut. Col. Smith, which had been ordered still further to the left on the hill, had started, and had crossed a creek when the order to return came) was ordered to charge, and without stopping, went in altogether, as by detachments, starting with three rous- ing cheers. In face of the battery on the erest of the hill, and the carbines and rifles behind the stone walls and the hay stacks (it was afterwards learned that a regiment of Mississippi infantry occupied the position ), the broad, long-armed swordsmen from Maine swept the rebels from the field, and pursued them half a mile or more, until they came upon a reserve strongly posted on foot behind a stone wall. Here a deadly fire met them; but they stopped not until they had driven the enemy from his
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stronghold and far beyond. The road and fields near this wall were covered with Union dead and wounded. Col. Douty was killed here, and Maj. Boothby took command of the regiment, and held the position the regiment had gained on the crest of the hill near the stone wall; and there was no more fighting that day. Lieut. Col. Smith, with the remaining battalion, arrived after the fighting had ceased, when the lieutenant colonel superintended the securing of the body of Col. Douty. which was in the very advance, and was pierced with two bullets, either of which would have proved fatal. The body was sent home for burial. Capt. Summat, of Co. H, was also killed, and Lieut. Montgomery, of Co. D, was wounded. Four enlisted men were killed and eighteen wounded. The bodies of the dead were all taken from the field.
The story of Aldie is thus told by Capt. Henry C. Hall, of Co. H, then lieutenant : -
At Aldie, in the afternoon of the seventeenth of June, 1863. Gen. Kil- patrick, commanding the First brigade, Second cavalry division, who had the advance of our column that day, met a strong force of the enemy under Gen. Stuart. Only the enemy's advance had reached the town, a part of which was readily captured and the others charged back to their main force, about a mile distant. The whole rebel command was now prepared for action, and quickly drove Kilpatrick's small force back to the town. The First Massachusetts, the Harris Light, and other regiments, were ordered in. A section of artillery was ordered into position on the crest of the hill just west of the town: the enemy brought up a light battery, and the guns of both sides were soon working effectively. The cavalry was hotly engaged. The charges and counter-charges were superb and grand. No such close encounters, no such daring bravery had before been exhibited by the cavalry of either army. Kilpatrick pushed them back a full half mile to some high stone fences, behind which a regiment of dismounted calvary had been placed. who received Kilpatrick's men with a murderous fire, which literally covered the field in front with dead and dying. and sent the others flying in disorder to the rear. The confederate commander now saw his opportunity. He called the Fourth and Fifth Virginia regiments. and with them charged Kilpatrick's retreating troops, and drove them back in wild confusion. Kilpatrick now called lustily for help, and the First Maine was sent him. At this time we were marching up the left bank of Little River. in support of a section of artillery. Lieut. Col. Smith, with four companies, had been detached and was some distance away. We were ordered " fours right about." which brought Co. H at the head of the col- umn, left in front, and an orderly was sent for Lieut. Col. Smith. We moved quickly back across the pike and up through a sparsely wooded field to the
CHAS. H. SMITH. Col. Ist Me. Cav. Bvt. Maj. Gen. U. S. Vols.
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crest of the hill, where Kilpatrick's artillery was hotly engaged. The com- panies formed squadron as fast as they arrived, and prepared for action. Co. H was scarcely formed when Kilpatrick's broken regiments came up the hill in our front and passed to our right and rear, routed and demor- alized. Kilpatrick was among them, but when he saw an unbroken front of live men, with glistening sabres drawn, he instantly stopped. His moistened features were covered with dust; his countenance was dejected and sad; the fire and the flash of his eye were gone, and he looked indeed "a ruined man." "What regiment is this ?" he asked, in tones that did not betray him. "First Maine !" shouted a dozen throats. The response was electric. Then we heard the old, familiar, clear-ringing tones, and saw his countenance brighten to a smile, his eyes flash, and his whole frame fill with enthusiasm, as he commanded: "Forward, First Maine! You saved the field at Brandy Station, and you can do it here ! Are there twelve men who will follow me ?" He turned instantly, and forty boys of Co. H, followed by Co. D, with deafening yells and flashing sabres, charged down the hill and met the victorious rebels, brave, bold, determined fellows, just at the road, and in an instant we were among them; nor would they turn till they felt the steel borne by brave and stronger arms than theirs. Some of our boys fell here; but the others, undaunted, pushed on, and soon all on the road were on the run; and those on the flanks, many more on either side than on the road, halted, hesitated, and soon joined in the retreat. Of the next few minutes I can relate but little of what transpired beyond my reach. I very soon passed Kilpatrick and his orderly, Private Dennis Murphy, of Co. HI, on the road. Kilpatrick's horse had been shot through the neck, and he was halted, and seemed to be deliberating whether to urge the bleed- ing brute further, or to retire and exchange him for a better.
When I passed him I supposed I was in advance of all of our men, and gave my horse the rein and the spur and quickly closed the interval between myself and the running rebels. In the dusty darkness it was scarcely pos- sible to distinguish friend from foe. I raised my sabre high, to strike the first I should reach. He raised his arm to parry the blow I was just ready to give, when I discovered him to be Private I. C. Mosher, of Co. HI, who. in some manner, had passed me unnoticed. He had been shot through the bridle arm, which was hanging useless at his side, and his horse was carry- ing him whithersoever it would. In his right hand he held his pistol, which fortunately for me was empty, for he at first thought me a rebel. There were some upon his left and rear hacking him on the head and back with sabres, and on his right front I discovered a pistol in the hand of one who had fired the successful shot just as I came. His perilous situation flashed upon me at once, and my first thought was to save him. if possible. I accordingly paid my first attention to the one with the pistol, who, when he saw I meant him, quickly raised the weapon to cover me, which I as quickly knocked from his hand. I then gave him one of my best over the head with the sabre. He fell over to the left, and shielded his head by the side of his horse's neck, clinging to the long mane to support himself. I then thrust once, twice, three times, but I blush to confess that my sabre point was so blunt I could not pierce even his old gray coat, it was so thick and hard. Just then a big, stout-looking rebel came up on my right and
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rear, and made for me with sabre raised "right smart." I thought I was done for, sure, he was so large and strong; but I was determined to go down face to him, if down I must go. and turned in my saddle to receive him. When I turned on him the cowardly creature pulled up his horse and reined out into the field on the right. I then turned my attention to those in front again ; but when I came up with them Mosher and those who had shown him so much attention were gone. Mosher had got control of his horse with his right hand, and reined out of the column and saved himself from further mutilation and from capture. Just as I got to the nearest again in the fleeing column, and was about to make two of him if I could. my horse went down, and I went over its head. I instantly rolled over into the ditch, and saved being trampled by the horses of Co. H, that were com- ing in column but a few yards in rear. My horse - whether he stumbled or was stunned by a shot I never knew -rose again and went on to rebeldom. and I never saw him more. At this point a thick clump of pines grew close to the road on the left, whither the rebels were fleeing for shelter and to escape capture. The colors of the Fourth Virginia, in which regiment was the famous Black Horse Cavalry, were on the right of the road, and were charged and captured by three sergeants of Co. H. Daniel W. Hall, Robert A. Heal, and Benjamin C. Mosher; and they have since hung in the rotunda of the Capitol at Augusta. In a few minutes private Henry J. Varney brought back a captured rebel on a pale horse. I told the rebel I would swap horses with him, and that I had already delivered mine. He readily assented and kindly assisted me to mount, and then Varney escorted him to the rear.
When we first set out on the charge Capt. Summat was on the left flank of the company, superintending its alignment, and Col. Douty was on the left flank of the regiment, attending to the formation of the companies as they arrived, and neither of them, it seems to me, could have known of Kilpatrick's presence, nor of his order to charge; but when they found a charge had been ordered, neither lost any time in getting to the head of the charging column. At this time Co. I was at Cavalry corps headquarters. Co. L at First Army corps headquarters, and Lieut. Col. Smith had not yet returned with his four companies. With the four remaining companies Maj. Boothby charged on the right of the road, and thereby relieved Cos. H and D, and saved them from capture. He had a hard fight down by the sheds and hay-stacks on the right, but Smith coming up with his four com- panies, they quickly got in on the rebel left and cleared the field. During Boothby's hardest fighting, and before Smith had arrived, Gen. Kilpatrick came up in rear of Boothby's line and called out in tender, pleading tones: "God bless you, Boothby! hold them! hold them!" while the very air was blue with flashing words that fell from fearless Boothby's lips.
As soon as the field was secured to us search was made for the missing. and the wounded collected and cared for. Lying upon the ground beyond those fatal walls was found the lifeless form of Col. Douty, pierced by two shots in the side: and near by the dead body of Capt. Summat, with one leg terribly crushed and broken. In the road close by the pines lay Charlie Decker, with a bullet hole in his forehead; and near where we first struck the enemy lay Jimmy Hurd, with a bullet hole in his bridle hand and his
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neck broken. First Sergt. D. W. Hall was mortally wounded in capturing the flag, and died the next day. Corp. Emery was said to be mortally wounded, -had seven distinct wounds, one through his lungs, - but he par- tially recovered, and lived several years. A man of Co. D was also shot through the lungs near the pines, but he survived. Many others received lesser wounds.
When Corp. Emery arrived at the hospital, with a bullet through his lungs, one through his wrist, and one through his arm, and several sabre cuts on his head, Steward Gatchell, after examining his wounds, said to him, "Well, they meant you this time." "Yes," was the reply, "but they didn't get me, and I shall soon be able to give them another trial. d -n the rebs." And he did give them another trial. Just as a portion of the regiment started to charge, Corp. Joseph H. Coffin, of Co. G, rose in his stirrups, and swinging his sabre, sang out in a voice which it would seem would almost reach the old homestead : "Come on, boys ; here's for the honor of old Maine !"
James Moore, M. D., surgeon of the Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, thus writes of Aldie, as published in Capt. Glazier's "Three Years in the Federal Cavalry " : -
The rebel general being foiled at every point, resolved to make one more desperate effort. Silently and quickly he massed a heavy force upon our extreme right. and. led by Gen. Rosser, made one of the most desperate and determined charges of the day. Kilpatrick was aware of this movement, and, satisfied that his men. exhausted as they were, could not withstand the charge, had already sent for re-enforcements. Before they could reach him the shock came. The First Massachusetts had the right, and fought as only brave men could, to stem the tide that steadily bore them back. until the whole right gave way. Back rushed our men in wild confusion, and on vame the victorious rebel horsemen. The general saw, with anguish, his flying soldiers, yet in his extremity retained his presence of mind, and proved himself worthy the star he had won at Brandy Station. Sending orders for the centre and left to stand fast, he placed himself at the head of the First Maine, sent to his assistance. and coolly waited till the rebel charging columns had advanced within fifty yards of Randall's guns. He then shouted "Forward !" and the same regiment that saved the day at Brandy Station was destined to save the day at Aldie. Rosser's men could not withstand the charge, but broke and fled up the hill. The general's horse was killed in- the charge, and here the brave Col. Douty fell. The general determined now to complete the victory: and mounting a fresh hotse, he urged on the First Maine and First Massachusetts, sent orders for hi- whole line to advance, and then sounded the charge. Lee struggled for A few moments against this advance, and then ordered a retreat, which
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ended in a rout. His troops were driven in confusion as far as Middleburg. and night alone saved the remnant of his command.
The official report of this fight should be preserved, and is as follows : -
HEADQUARTERS FIRST MAINE CAVALRY; August 31, 1863.
LIEUT. JOHN B. MAITLAND,
A. A. A. G. Third brigade, Second division, Cavalry corps.
Lieutenant : - I have the honor to submit the following report of the part sustained by the regiment in the action at Aldie, on the seventeenth of June last: On the arrival of the brigade near the town Col. C. S. Douty was ordered forward with his regiment, to report to Brig. Gen. Gregg, command- ing division. At this time the whole of the brigade had become hotly engaged with the enemy. Having reported. the colonel was ordered to proceed with his command to a position to the left of the town; but before arriving there had to return in haste, by express orders, to the hill on the right of the town, near the battery, arriving just in time to meet and resist the impetuous charge of the enemy upon the exhausted forces of part of the First brigade. A portion of the regiment, led by Col. Douty in person. immediately charged, turned the enemy and pursued him to the very crest of the hill, where the advance, being exposed to a cross-fire from a large force of dismounted men posted behind stone walls, suffered severely. Col. Douty and Capt. G. J. Summat, Co. HI. were killed instantly, and Lieut. W. Montgomery, Co. D, was wounded. Notwithstanding our loss, the enemy was so perplexed and discouraged by the tenacity and impetuosity of the charge that he immediately gave way, so that Maj. Boothby, by quickly following up the advantage, utterly routed them and drove them from their ground. The wounded were taken off, the trophies of the field were col- lected, and the dead were being buried when the regiment was relieved at dark.
I am respectfully yours, etc., C. H. SMITH, Colonel First Maine Cavalry.
Gen. Kilpatrick, in his address at the reunion in Pittsfield. thus speaks of Aldie: " And very soon came Aldie, where you recollect the Harris Light, the Fourth New York and other regiments lay in by hay-stacks down across by the old road and up by the hill, with Randall's battery upon the hill in the rear: and the First Massachusetts had broken and given way, driven back ; and the Fifteenth Virginia Cavalry, coming down the road, drove us clear up within ten feet of Randall's battery ; and I looked back in despair, and there I saw old Col. Douty with the First Maine. I said. . Men of Maine, you saved the day at Brandy Station, save it again at Aldie.' And upon
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the run you went, and I had the honor to ride side by side with your gallant old Col. Douty, and sad to say, saw him go down in a soldier's death upon that bloody field."
Lieut. Col. Smith now took command of the regiment, and shortly afterwards was commissioned colonel, to rank from this day, while Maj. Boothby was commissioned lieutenant colonel, to rank from the same date.
The day after Aldie was occupied in skirmishing and recon- noitring the enemy's position without any loss, this regiment being in the rear. The enemy fell back a short distance during the day, occupying that night a ridge, heavily wooded, with open undulating country between them and the Union forces. When demonstrations were made on the morning of June nineteenth, the enemy was found to be in position, with artillery, on and near the pike up which they had been driven, and near the town of Middleburg, their force being about equally divided on either side of the pike. The general battle line was longest to the right, where Gen. Kilpatrick had the front. After considerable skirmishing, Gen. Gregg sent an order for an advance to be made by the troops occupying the pike, the flanks moving at the same time. The First Maine was on the `pike. Cos. M and E, commanded by Capt. Brown and Lieut. Ellis, were sent into the woods at the left of the pike, beyond which was an open field, and charged across this field to a stone wall, where they met the enemy, and a severe fight ensued, resulting in a victory for the Maine boys, who cap- tured a lieutenant colonel, three line officers, and twenty-one men. Lieut. Taylor, of Co. M, and Lieut. Neville, of Co. E, were killed in this contest, and Sergt. Charles C. Putnam, guidon bearer of Co. E, was shot down within twelve feet of the wall. But the heaviest and hottest contest was on the pike. The enemy charged down to, and nearly through, the Union line, only to be hurled back with heavy loss. The boys in blue gained the ridge, only to see beyond the belt of woods a heavy force in reserve, already moving out to charge upon them ; for a moment the advance was checked, the front forced back, several of the dead and wounded shut out from the sight of their comrades by the rebel advance, but not for long; the
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reserves were also coming, like the whirlwind, and when it struck, the shock was too heavy to be resisted. Nor was breath- ing time given to the enemy to re-form; but through and over them went the boys in blue, till it was no longer a battle, but a rout, and the rebel line of battle was completely broken, not to be formed again. The fight was now a fierce one. Every inch of ground through the belt of woods was hotly contested, the Union force finally occupying the position the rebels held at the opening of the fight, while the latter had retired across the open field beyond, neither side showing any disposition to attack again. Later in the afternoon the force moved out to the front, the enemy slowly retiring, till darkness put an end to the fight- ing. During this engagement Co. C, under command of Lieut. George S. Kimball, made a charge up the pike, in which they were driven back and Lieut. Kimball was killed; but the rest of the regiment came up and drove the enemy back. Col. Smith's horse was shot during the day.
The official report of this engagement is as follows : -
HEADQUARTERS FIRST MAINE CAVALRY, MIDDLEBURG, VA., June 23, 1863.
LIEUT. JOHN B. MAITLAND,
4. A. A. G. Third brigade, Second division, Cavalry corps.
Lieutenant: - I have the honor to report the following as the part taken by my regiment in the action of the nineteenth instant: About ten o'clock advanced up the Winchester pike about two miles, and took position on left of the pike to support skirmishers. When ordered to advance, two compa- nies, M and E. commanded by Capt. Brown and Lieut. Ellis, charged through the woods in our front and left, across an open field to a stone wall, where. after a sharp engagement, they captured a lieutenant colonel, three line officers, and twenty-one enlisted men. - a daring feat, but gallantly per- formed. Lieut. Taylor, Co. M, and Lieut. Neville, Co. E, both fell in the contest. Two other companies charged through the woods on our front and right, driving the enemy in superior numbers before them. to a point where the belt of woods crosses the pike, where they united with the rest of the regiment that charged directly up the pike. The regiment charged on a heavy force of the enemy posted in the belt of wood and behind stone wall -. drove them from their strong position, and advanced into an open field. where a strong force of the enemy was met, which, after a desperate con- test, and by our repeated charges, was compelled to abandon its chosen position and retire. Lieut. George S. Kimball, Co. C. was instantly killed. Our entire loss was three commissioned officers killed and one wounded. seven enlisted men killed and twenty-six wounded.
I am very respectfully yours, etc.,
C. H. SMITH, Colonel First Maine Cavalry.
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MIDDLEBURG.
During this fight Sergt. McDougall, of Co. K, received seven- teen bullet holes in his clothing, and, strange to say, escaped unharmed. Another incident which occurred on this day is thus related in Chaplain Merrill's "Campaigns of the First Maine and First D. C. Cavalry ": -
Capt. Chadbourne, of Co. I (at the time serving on detached duty with his company at the headquarters of Gen, Pleasanton), accompanied by three men, was on his way with despatches to Gen. Hooker, whose headquarters were then near Fairfax Court House. They had just passed one of our wagon trains (some thirty mule teams) when they saw a squad of cavalry, some two score in number, coming toward them. As those in front were dressed in our uniform, they were supposed to be the train guard. The captain continued to advance, all the while, however, keeping his eyes well open. When within a few paces, he saw them fumbling for their weapons. "Boys," said he to his men, in a low tone, "they are rebs; we must get out of this": and as he wheeled his horse, Moseby (for he it was in command), called out, "Don't run, we are friends." One of the men hesitated, and the next moment was a prisoner. The captain, with his other two men. made good time for the rear, with the enemy at their heels. A portion of Moseby's men took possession of the wagon train, while the balance pursued the captain and his men. The rebels were well mounted, but the "race is not always to the swift." This race had continued less than a mile when the captain came upon a squad of our own cavalry halted in the woods, some thirty or forty in number. Never did a more welcome sight greet the eye. and never did the voice of command ring out more clearly than that of the gallant captain: "Mount, men, mount. and fall in quick!" By this time the two foremost of the pursuers were so near upon him that when the cap- tain wheeled his horse, as he did while giving the word, the action brought him directly between the two. and both were secured. Meantime some twenty of our men were mounted. The position of the parties was now reversed. The rebels were driven back on their main force. Squad after squad was charged and captured or dispersed, till in a few moments the whole rebel force was disposed of, the wagon train recovered, the drivers recap- tured and remounted, and sent on their way.
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