USA > Maine > History of the First Maine cavalry, 1861-1865, V. 1 > Part 18
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Maj. George M. Brown, then captain of Co. M. thus tells the story of Middleburg at the regimental reunion at Lewiston, 1879 :-
During the morning we were in support of a section of the battery com- manded by Lieut. Fowler, of the Second Artillery. During the forenoon we moved up the Winchester pike and took position in the woods to the left of the pike, in support of a line of skirmishers. Gen. Gregg ordered an advance to be made on the extreme left, occupied by Cos. M and E, under cover of woods. The enemy was in heavy force in a belt of woods, beyond an open field several hundred yards wide, with the pike running through this and
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our centre, the First Maine covering all on the left of the pike. Col. J. I. Gregg, commanding brigade, and the officer commanding Cos. M and E, were able with glasses to discover artillery masked by the woods. Believing the advance would be but a signal for the-destruction of his line, Col. G. sent the officer with him to inform Gen. Gregg of the exact position of things. Gen. Gregg quietly replied, "The advance must be made, and at once"; adding. however, that he had artillery in position, and when the enemy opened he would destroy him. Cos. M and E were instructed at the command "For- ward!" to dash into and across the open field. Our sudden dash saved the lives of many, as the roar of their cannon was followed by the hurling of shot and shell over our heads; and as we sped across the open field, we heard the wild cheer of our comrades on our right, as they also charged to the front. All reached the woods but Lieut. Neville, of Co. E, who was instantly killed by a fragment of shell crashing through his skull. We who galloped knew nothing of that, nor of what the rest of the line were doing. Straight into the woods we dashed, met by a fierce volley from a body of dismounted cavalry; but no stopping now ; nearly through the belt of woods we pushed them; just here Lieut. Taylor's horse was killed, and in an in- stant he was upon another from which Sergt. Alanson Warren had fallen, severely wounded; from tree to tree we pushed them, so near we could look our foemen in the eye, and found them worthy of our steel. When the halt and rally were sounded, both sides were glad to retire and re-form. In three minutes we were upon them again. They were now beyond the woods behind a stone wall. Our fierce charge was repulsed by a fierce defence, and as we retired again they attempted to reach their horses and reserves, but too late; Co. E by a gallop to their left and rear, M to the right and front, enveloped, overwhelmed and captured them to a man, Lieut. Taylor and the color bearer being killed almost at the moment of victory. On our right there had also been charge and counter charge, through and beyond their first line, and our boys went to meet their second and heavier line, to be hurled back again for a moment only; then turning, and with irresistible force carrying everything before them up to and beyond the coveted ridge, the enemy flying broken and helpless before them. The battle was won. Our regiment had less than three hundred men for duty, - two hundred and fifty-seven was the total, I believe; our loss was three officers killed, one wounded, seven enlisted men killed and twenty-six wounded. Lieut. Kim- ball was killed beyond the enemy's first line, and in the few minutes inter- vening between the first and second charge. his body had been partially stripped and robbed. Occupying the ground fought over, we recovered the bodies of our killed, and had the sad satisfaction of sending those of the officers home to friends for Christian burial.
The regiment remained near Middleburg until the twenty- first, when it advanced towards Upperville, and participated in another engagement, the third within a week, and in each bear- ing itself so gallantly as to be allowed the three names " Aldie." "Middleburg," and " Upperville," on the regimental battle-flag.
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THIS DESCRIPTION IS FROM A PRIVATE LETTER FROM DR. J. P. SHEAHAN. IT IS INTERESTING, BECAUSE VIVID.
The view is taken just west of the town. The Confederate line was on the ridge in the distance ; we charged through the town, capturing a gun, and came upon their line at the point given in the picture. The stone wall running off to the right was where Co. K was dismounted in the road a little in advance. It was there that a desperate sabre fight took place. The Confederate line was behind the other stone wall, farther on, which also was off to the right. The white mark on the wall where we were, indicates the spot where I was, and is, I rather think, a reflection of my face during the battle. To the left of the road, in the foreground, is a grave, evi- dently a Confederate one.
No field that I visited looked so natural to me as this. Not a stone, apparently, had been moved.
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The story of this engagement, in which the regiment lost Capt. Spurling, of Co. D, and seven men wounded and one man miss- ing. and in which Col. Smith crossed sabres with an enemy for the first time, and lost his weapon, is thus related in Chaplain Merrill's "Campaigns of the First Maine and First D. C. Cavalry " :-
The enemy, having suffered severely in the recent battles, was falling slowly back towards the Blue ridge, and our troops were following them up. At nine o'clock A. M. of the twenty-first. the regiment, now numbering (in the absence of several companies on detached duty) but two hundred and twenty-five men, moved out in the second line of battle, the First and Second brigades composing the first. The enemy disputed the advance by planting artillery at available points, but they did little damage. A brisk cannonading was kept up, the enemy falling back and our troops advancing. This regi- ment being in the second line of battle, was not engaged in the earlier part of the day, and only advanced as the way was opened. At about four o'clock P. M. the troops were drawn up in a large open plain. In front was the town of Upperville, through which the road led. In an opening beyond, a little to the left, the enemy's cavalry could be seen through the woods, while farther in their rear was Ashby's Gap. Col. Smith had been ordered to take his regiment to a position on the right of the town. Two regiments (one of them the Harris Light, Kilpatrick's old regiment.) had been sent in to take the town and hold it, but had been successively driven back. The general had said to Gen. Pleasanton: "If I had the First Maine, they would go through." A moment later, as Col. Smith was passing Gen. Pleasanton with his regiment, on his way to the position assigned him, he was halted and ordered to report to Kilpatrick, in front of the town. Proceeding to that point, he was ordered to "charge the town, drive out the enemy. and, if possible, get beyond." It was one of those bold dashes for which Kilpatrick had a special fondness. His opinion of the First Maine was indi- cated by his request for their services on that occasion, and by his some- what characteristic remark as they advanced: "That First Maine would charge straight into h-l if they were ordered to." Col. Smith at once formed two companies in sections of eight, with drawn sabres, and led the charge in person. Maj. Boothby followed with the rest of the regiment. In the middle of the street through which they must pass, and near the ventre of the town, the enemy had planted a brass howitzer. Pointed as it was, toward the advancing column, it had an ugly look. Steadily our men advanced, till suddenly the order was given: "Forward!" At once the volumn dashed forward. The suddenness of the movement seemed to dis- concert the gunners. The piece was fired -a charge of grape-shot whistled over the heads of the men. In an instant the gun was captured. So vigor- ous was the charge, that on reaching the gun one of our boys leaped his horse clear over it. The enemy was driven from the town. At a little dis- tance beyond a strong force was found in a good position, ready to receive a charge. Col. Smith now halted his command, returned sabres, and then
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with carbines drove the enemy from his position and took it. A brisk and somewhat wild fight ensued, in the latter part of which other troops partici- pated. The enemy lost in killed and wounded a considerable number, and was driven back to the gap. We took-seventy-five prisoners, amongst whom were a colonel, a lieutenant colonel, and two majors.
The official report of this engagement 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 par- ticipation of my regiment in the fight near Upperville, Va., June 21, 1863: The regiment, being on the right of the brigade near Middleburg, advanced thence in the second line of battle to Upperville. When near the town I was ordered, with my regiment, to "charge through the town, drive out the enemy, and get beyond it. if possible," all of which was duly accomplished. On entering the town the regiment was met by a discharge of grape from a gun posted to oppose it, which was immediately captured, the enemy dis- persed and driven beyond the town, whither the regiment pursued and engaged him, killing and wounding many and capturing seventy-five.
I am very respectfully yours, etc., C. H. SMITH, Colonel First Maine Caratry.
Concerning this engagement a comrade of Co. M thus writes of what he saw and heard : -
After the battle at Middleburg. June nineteenth, the regiment, with a portion of the corps, went into camp near the town, and remained there until the morning of the twenty-first, when the whole corps advanced toward Upperville, a few miles north. Soon after moving out, Capt. Brown, with Cos. M and E. was sent with orders to Col. Taylor, commanding the First brigade, who was at or near Thoroughfare Gap. After proceeding several miles they met the First brigade, delivered the orders, and started to rejoin the regiment. In the meantime the corps had advanced to the town of Upperville, and Gen. Kilpatrick's brigade was hotly engaged in and about the town, while the remainder of the corps was drawn up in two lines of battle on the hill southeast of the town, the First Maine being in the second line. As Capt. Brown's command was about to join the regiment, and had nearly reached its position in the line, orders reached the captain to report with the two companies to Kilpatrick, who was on the pike just at the edge of the town. Accompanied by Col. Smith the two companies advanced to the position designated. and Capt. Brown reported as ordered, while the remainder of the regiment also came up and halted. Gen. Kilpatrick at once said to Captain Brown, "Captain, I want you to go through this town and drive those fellows out." The two companies were then formed in
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sections of eight; and while getting ready to charge, Gen. Kilpatrick remarked to Capt. Brown, in a jocose manner, "Brown, do you sing any songs now ?" alluding to the musical abilities of Capt. B. which were well known at Kilpatrick's headquarters. When all was ready. Gen. K. gave the order " Forward !" saying. " I will go with the remainder of the regiment and support you." As these two companies started at a walk, Col. Smith rode to the head and alongside of Capt. Brown, who, when he saw him said, "Colonel, do not go with us; we cannot afford to lose you to-day," he understanding that he was to lead the charge himself: but the colonel paid no attention to him, and gave the order to trot. We were now well down into the town, and seeing a body of the enemy in the road. the order was given to charge. Just at this moment the discharge of a gun was heard, amd a charge of grape and canister came hissing over our heads, but did not check our onward speed; whereupon the men at the gun turned and ran, leaving the gun, which proved to be a small mountain howitzer, and which was secured by the remainder of the regiment as it came up. On we went through the town, and were about to advance to the hill on the north side. when we discovered that the enemy was posted there, and their bullets came zipping through our ranks, causing us to slacken our pace somewhat. Just then we came to a cross-road lined with a high stone wall, and the men turned into it and commenced firing, driving the enemy from the brow of the hill. Col. Smith then shouted " Forward!" and we advanced nearly to the top of the hill. The road here was narrow, with a high stone wall on each side, which had been thrown down in places, and we turned to the right into the field, deployed, formed squadron front, and advanced, the enemy retreating up the pike at a smart gallop. We had nearly reached another small elevation when we discovered the enemy in force, a heavy column by fours on the pike. The remainder of the regiment had followed us up promptly. and was now in the same field, and advancing over the ground we had just left. We were ordered to gain the pike again, and Co. M had. done so, when the head of the enemy's column appeared some ten or fifteen rods in our front, and at once charged down upon us. Our little force, num- bering but sixteen or twenty men, seeing nothing could be done, turned and retreated, closely followed by the enemy. when the remainder of the regi- ment, then in the field, seeing the situation, dismounted, and advancing to the stone wall poured in volley after volley on the flank of the enemy as they went by. The enemy followed our little force but a short distance when they discovered that they were in a trap, and turned to get out of it. but not till their colonel was wounded and their lieutenant colonel a prisoner. Capt. Brown capturing him with an empty revolver : upon learning which fact the lieutenant colonel said: " Well. if I had known that, I should not have surrendered, as I had one shot left." Before the fight was over all of our regiment was engaged, and detachments from other commands came up. and took a hand in following the enemy on his retreat. Capt. Spurling, of Co. D. was slightly wounded in the hand. The enemy made one more feeble charge. it seeming to be their object to secure their wounded colonel, who was being taken off the field by two sergeants and the bugler of Co. M: and for a moment rebels, prisoners, and the First Maine were badly mixed up; but the enemy was easily repulsed.
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I must admit that when the order to charge was given and the grape-shot went howling over our heads, I shut my eyes, as I did not wish to see who went down: but it was only for an instant, and then it seemed that I heard but the gallop of one mighty horse, as we thundered down the streets of that quiet town.
We took the wounded colonel back to the town, and got a bed for him. He was wounded severely, and in great pain. When his lieutenant colonel came in and saw him, tears came into his eyes, and he said: "O colonel, this has been a sad day for our regiment!" The colonel gave him quite a sum of Confederate money and directions in relation to matters of business, saying he was convinced he was on his death-bed. We did all we could to make him comfortable, and left him to the care of the surgeons.
In the first charge of the enemy down the pike, where they followed the small squad, John L. Miner, of Co. M, whose horse was unable to keep up with the rest, was tumbled from his saddle by a blow from the sabre of the colonel leading the charge, which struck him on the carbine sling, nearly knocking the breath out of his body. He crawled to the stone wall, and lay there quietly while the whole rebel force passed him, and until he saw us coming back as we followed the retreating force up the pike. He sprang up as our advance reached him, and seeing me, he sang out: "Sergeant, I played dead on them, and they did not touch me at all after I fell." In this same charge the horse of a young rebel became unmanageable, and when his comrades retreated he kept right on, riding into our ranks, shout- ing: "Don't shoot ! don't shoot ! I surrender !" And throwing himself from his horse he escaped injury, though several shots. were fired at him.
In our retreat down the pike R. W. Porter, of Co. M, fearing his horse would not hold out, turned him to the wall and made him leap it. Just as he had cleared the wall, and was about to land on the other side, the horse was struck in the neck with a bullet, and went down like a log, rider and all. The rider at first thought, from the force of the shock, that the whole rebel army was charging over him; but he soon came to his senses, cleared himself from his horse, and got out all right.
Gen. Smith, in his address at the reunion in Pittsfield, thus speaks of these three engagements : -
One week after Brandy Station the regiment was again summoned at Aldie, in a moment of pending defeat. By another impetuous and over- whelming charge it broke and drove the enemy from the field. and again won the day. Would that there were nothing more sad to chronicle of Aldie -that victories might have been won without sacrifices. But we will never forget that our brave Col. Douty, who had witnessed our charge at Brandy Station with a soldier's pride, and had seen his regiment become distinguished under his own leadership, led it in person at fatal Aldie, and while achieving victory gave his life for his country. We also sadly remem- ber that his gallant spirit departed not alone. The dauntless Summat, and many others on that field. equally brave and true. bore him company. and even now may be doing him escort duty on the other shore. Only
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ALDIE, MIDDLEBURG, UPPERVILLE.
two days after Aldie the regiment was again engaged at Middleburg, in one of its most hotly-contested fights of the war. The affair is hardly known as a battle by itself, but is usually regarded as a part of Aldie. Other regiments were near, but the fighting was nearly all done by the First Maine. The enemy was in front in strong force, either covered by timber or posted behind heavy stone fences. Our regiment was ordered to advance and drive them out. The attack was ordered in three columns. Capt. Brown, with Cos. E and M, made a dash to the front and left, and, with surprising success and great gallantry, captured a major, two company offi- vers, and more than thirty men, and turned the flank of the enemy. In that charge two promising young officers were killed. Lieut. Taylor, of Co. M. had just been promoted. He was brave and dashing, and a favorite with the men. Modest Neville, of Co. E, had hardly won his commission. He had not been mustered in as an officer when he gave his life to accept a higher commission, let us hope. The main body of the regiment attacked, and after a most spirited contest, the enemy in superior force retired. In connection with this fight, it is my purpose to speak more particularly of the charge made by Lieut. Kimball with Co. C. He dashed up the pike, ran the gauntlet of stone walls lined with dismounted men. penetrated a large body of mounted men posted just beyond the woods, and was killed when he had nearly gained their rear. Many of us knew him well. He was amiable, genial, unguarded, and he fell like a warrior. When I con- sider the superior forces encountered, the peculiar dangers of the situation, and the resistance actually overcome, I think that charge is not surpassed in gallantry by any other within my knowledge. True, they were not " six hundred " ; there were hardly sixty, and Tennyson has not immortalized them: but when I recall the charge as I saw it, Kimball followed by his company of sorrels, compact and steady, and all moving like an arrow's . figlit, swiftly and unerringly " into the jaws of death," I fail to see in what respect of heroism it is inferior even to the immortal " Charge of the Light Brigade."
Only two days after Middleburg the regiment was again called to the front to do where other regiments had failed. It was at Upperville. The regiment was ordered to "charge the town, drive out the enemy, and get beyond it, if possible." It formed again, and as it moved off and disap- peared within the town. a distinguished general exclaimed: "Those Maine Boys would charge straight into h-1. if ordered to do so."
Among the incidents of this engagement that have been pre- served are these: Cos. F and D led in one of the charges, during which Corp. John H. Merrill, of Co. F, found himself surrounded by the enemy, but would not surrender till he had emptied his revolver, when, flinging his empty revolver at his captors with an oath, he surrendered. Private Charles East- man, also of Co. F, in the counter charge was thrust in the back by a rebel sabre, whereupon he drew up his carbine and shot the officer who sabred him.
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The experience of Corp. Simeon A. Holden, of Co. D, in this engagement, was an interesting one, and is thus told :
Corp. Holden, who was serving as chief of the orderlies at Gen. Kilpat- rick's headquarters, was bringing in a prisoner when a rebel rode up unob- served and thrust his sabre into Holden's back on the right side, two and a half inches from the back bone. The sabre passed entirely through the body, coming out in front just below the diaphragm, and cutting through the liver. The rebel's order to surrender was promptly replied to by Holden's sabre, which sent him toppling to the ground. Holden soon became weak from loss of blood, and was assisted from his horse by Capt. Armstrong, of . Gen. Kilpatrick's staff, and taken into a house a short distance from the field. News of his condition and whereabouts being sent to his company. Sergt. Devereaux visited him, and remained with him during the night. In the morning the sergeant went to the company for breakfast, and on his return to the hospital was informed by the guard that Corp. Holden was dead, and that the man who was lying by his side had been put into an ambulance with others, and sent to Fairfax, forty miles away. Several of the men, however, were too severely wounded to admit of removal so great a distance, and Holden, with others, was left at Aldie, in a barn taken for hospital use, the assistant surgeon of the Second Maryland Cavalry being left in charge. The Union troops moved on, and the enemy again took pos- session of the place. Holden's name naturally appeared in the published list of the killed in the engagement, as his comrades in the company believed was the fact, which was copied into his own home paper; and his relatives were arranging for a funeral sermon in honor of their dead soldier boy, when they received a letter from him, dated August fourteenth, at Alexandria.
. While in this barn hospital, Corp. Holden was one day informed by a young lady whose parents were rebels, that Moseby took dinner at her father's house that day, and said he had given orders for the Yankee prison- ers to be taken to Richmond that week. This was duly reported to the -sur- geon, and a plan of escape was adopted. It happened that one of the men was able to ride, and was willing to take the risk of going to Fairfax for the freedom of his comrades and of himself. These two notes were given him: -
To the commanding officer at Fairfax. Va .:
Six Union soldiers at hospital at Aldie able to be moved. Please send ambulances and corporal's guard.
SURG. SECOND MD. CAVY. IN CHARGE. Signed,
GEN. KING, Fairfax : - .
Please send ambulances at once, and at least two hundred men for guard. Moseby i- here with quite a force, and we are to be taken to Richmond in a few days.
Signed, SURGEON IN CHARGE.
This last note was put into the messenger's stocking: the first was to be shown if he was halted by any of Moseby's men. The messenger set out on his ride, and some five miles from the barn was halted by a "Johnny."
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and taken to Moseby in person. The latter read the first note, marked it O. K., and the messenger had no further trouble, but arrived at Fairfax at half-past nine o'clock that evening. At eleven o'clock the ambulances were on the road to Aldie. with the corporal's guard. Later two hundred men of the Second Massachusetts Cavalry were sent out for the same destination. Next morning twenty-eight of Moseby's men pounced upon the ambulance and guard from a thicket. and captured them. They were just taking them away, when a major with two hundred men charged down the turnpike, and captured twenty-two men and horses, who were taken to Fairfax with the wounded Yankees. Corp. Holden says that when the surgeon told him relief was at hand, he stood upon his feet for the first time since he was wounded, and put on his blouse. The following December the corporal rejoined his company, having recovered from the fearful wound.
The enemy having been driven back through the Blue ridge at Ashby's Gap, on the twenty-second the regiment moved back to Middleburg, and remained on duty there and at Aldie till the twenty-sixth; then marched to Leesburg, near Edwards' Ferry, on the Potomac, remaining there the next day, and crossing the river on pontoons just at dusk; marched till day- light the morning of the twenty-eighth, when it reached Burns- ville, Md., thence through Hyattsville and Urbana to Monocacy Junction, where a halt was ordered for the night. On the twenty-ninth the regiment reached Frederick by noon, where the boys saw many familiar faces and were cheered by many ยท tokens of welcome. The march was continued through Liberty, New Windsor, Winchester (which place the rebel Gen. Stuart. with a large force, had visited the night before, but had left before the regiment arrived there), Manchester, across the Pennsylvania line, at ten o'clock, July first, to Hanover June- tion, where the regiment halted till dark, and then again in the saddle, and on the march till three o'clock next morning, when it halted within two miles of Gettysburg.
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