USA > Maine > History of the First Maine cavalry, 1861-1865, V. 1 > Part 6
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June sixth. - Marched to Waynesborough, encamped on a hill near a depot, waiting for a train to convey us to Lynchburg.
June seventh. - Received one ration of flour, which we were obliged to cook in the ashes, amidst a drenching rain. This is one hundred and eighteen miles from Winchester.
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THE PRISONERS AT BELLE ISLE.
June eighth. - Marched six miles in the afternoon.
June ninth. - Having only half a breakfast, marched fourteen miles over the mountains.
June tenth. - Laying over to-day, waiting for the cars at Charlottesville.
June eleventh. - Conveyed by rail to Lynchburg. Nothing to eat, and so, of course, can eat nothing.
June twelfth. - Camped near Lynchburg. Expecting to be paroled. Rations, three crackers and a small piece of salt beef.
June fifteenth. -- Weather so hot that we were obliged to make shelters of our blankets: and we have so few of them that we have to stow snugly.
June seventeenth. - Moved up to the fair-grounds. Some of the prisoners have sheds for shelter. Receive daily rations of flour and poor bacon.
July sixteenth. -- Levi Delano, of Co. M, died.
August second. - George A. Dockham, Co. M, died.
August eighth. - Left Lynchburg, on the cars. for Richmond.
August ninth. - Arrived at Richmond, and quartered on Belle Island. Rations, small piece of bread per day, very small piece of meat once in three days.
September thirteenth. - Paroled and marched twelve miles to meet trans- ports.
September fourteenth. -- On board transports, under the old flag. Hurrah for home!
Sergt. Warren also gives these incidents of prison life : --
As we marched by the guard, on our arrival at Belle Isle, we were counted into squads of one hundred, and each squad placed in charge of one of the sergeants. It happened to be my lot to have charge of one of these squads. During the march we were hustled along like a flock of sheep, so that when we were counted off, each squad was composed of men from every state. On or about the sixth of September, the several sergeants in command received orders, just at night. to muster their men and await their turn to march to the officers' headquarters, and sign the parole papers. This created great excitement in camp, and when the order came to " Fall in." every man who could walk, and some who could not, were eager to join the ranks. I remember one man (I think he belonged in Ohio) succeeded, with the help of his comrades, in getting from his tent to the ranks. I saw at a glance that he could not. even with the aid of his comrades (who were themselves weak), reach our transports. As I supposed we were to march that night. and as it was generally understood that the sick were to be car- ned to Richmond, and from there forwarded in ambulances, I begged of him to return to his tent. He would not; and, by the advice of his friends. Fondered him to do so. He obeyed. God only knows my feelings at that moment. We were leaving him to, we knew not what, while we were going home. We marched out, signed the parole, and were marched back. Ere the sun rose the next morning. I was called to witness his death. And in less than one hour, two more of my squad were dead.
During the night of the twelfth of September we again received orders to march to headquarters, this time to answer to our names as they were
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
called from the parole. Since the night on which we signed the parole. one of my comrades had been sent over from the hospital at Richmond, conse- quently his name was not on the rolls. I told him to fall in and I would try and have his name put on. On arriving at headquarters we found only a little red-tape clerk from the office of Gen. Winder (then in command of Richmond) to receive our report. After reporting, I said: "There is a man in my squad whose name is not on these papers. Can it not be put on ?"
Clerk. "Why was it not put on ?"
Sergt. " He was in the hospital at the time we signed."
Clerk. " He has been returned since ?"
Sergt. "Yes; can you let him sign ?"
Clerk. "No; I have not the authority."
Sergt. "Can I not ask the officer of the day ?" (then asleep in the room.) Clerk (angrily). "No."
Sergt. "Can I not speak to the commander of the post ?" (also asleep in the room.)
Clerk. "No: he has no more authority than I have."
Sergt. "Is there no way that he can be allowed to sign his name ? He is very anxious to go home with us."
Clerk (very angry). "No. And if you say any more your own name shall be struck from the roll."
However, when we passed the guard the next morning the man went with us, and returned to his regiment without being obliged to sign a parole.
On the twelfth of June one of Fremont's scouts was placed in our midst. chained to a Union citizen. It was reported that he was to be tried as a spy. During the following night the boys in my company cut him loose, shaved him, and furnished him with a uniform, by one giving him a jacket, another pants, a third a hat, and so on. We took him into our company and gave him the name of Thomas Knight (one of our company who escaped at Harrison- burg). They searched our ranks for him, but his disguise was complete and he could not be detected. He was reported at all times under his assumed name, and was finally paroled under that name.
Of the many personal incidents of this disaster, the following have been preserved: Dr. Haley had a very excellent set of surgical instruments, which he patriotically, if not wisely, took with him into the field. instead of obtaining a set from the War Department. When he was taken prisoner the beauty of these instruments attracted the attention of one of Jackson's sur- . geons, who was so much pleased with them that he appropriated them to his own use ; the loss of his instruments was ever after a standing joke upon the surgeon by his fellow officers.
A dozen or so of the boys who lost their horses in the fearful charge in Middletown,-among whom was Sergt. Horace M. White, of Co. E,-managed to elude capture by taking to the
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PERSONAL INCIDENTS.
woods and mountains, where they remained concealed till dark, when, keeping together, they struck out for the Potomac, and the Union army. They wandered all that night, kept out of sight the next day, Sunday, and that night again started. Being by this time extremely hungry, they made bold to apply at a lone house for food, where, to their great surprise, they were cordially welcomed, and hospitably treated by an old Scotchman and his wife, and sent on their way refreshed and rejoicing. Monday night they reached the Potomac, when Sergt. White, being an old Penobscot River driver, crossed the river on a rude raft, confiscated the use of a ferry-boat, and carried it back, and the whole party was ferried over, and in due time arrived safely within the Union lines.
Robert Nutter, a private of Co. E, was taken prisoner, but managed to escape at Mount Jackson ; he returned to the regi- ment, bringing with him two rebel infantry men with their arms. He stated that he met them on the way, and "took them prisoners," and related the circumstance as seriously as though there was nothing amusing in the idea of an unarmed man compelling two armed men to surrender themselves as prisoners. This was not at the time considered a flattering demonstration of the rebel boast that "one Southerner was as good as five Yankees."
Lieut. Joseph C. Hill, Co. A, acting quartermaster of the battalion, was captured with his teams, and as he was seated upon a wagon a prisoner, his Yankee curiosity got the better of him, and he began a sly search to see what the wagon contained. He was so fortunate as to find a loaded revolver, which he at once took possession of, and, jumping from the team, he shot his guard, took his horse, and recapturing his own and some other teams, he took them back into the Union lines.
The battalion remained in the vicinity of Williamsport, refit- ting and remounting, scouting, picketing, etc., till June twelfth, when, the enemy having retreated, it moved with the army up the valley again, Cos. A and B stopping at Winchester, Co. H at Strasburg, and Cos. E and M proceeding to Front Royal; on this march Co. E bivouacked one rainy night near a church at Kerrtown, and the boys made a liberal informal requisition upon
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
the white oak fence rails in the vicinity for fuel. This soon brought out the owner of the estate, who, with an extremely long face, and in a pitiful tone, remonstrated against this destruction of his property. "These rails," said he "are more than one hundred years old." "A hundred years!" replied one of the boys, "that's old enough ; 'tis time they were burned." "I guess they are well seasoned, then," said another, throwing one on to the roaring fire, "they burn well." The boys would. all have gladly spared the poor man's feelings, but they could not spare the rails ; these had served him and his ancestors for more than a century, and they closed a long and useful career by doing good service for the boys of Co. E that night, who rever- ently, as they reaped the benefit of the glowing fire, pronounced the benediction, "Peace to your ashes."
While at Winchester on this visit, Co. A was camped some three miles from the town, and the officers took up their quar- ters in the house of an old rebel, somewhat against his wishes ; his wife was much of a lady, and endeavored to make matters as comfortable as possible for her guests ; but the most interest- ing feature of this household was a niece of vinegar aspect, who made herself miserable by endeavoring to show her disgust for the officers and men. She did not speak to one of them while they were there, nor did her features once throw away their rebel look or relapse into a smile.
On the twentieth Cos. A and B moved from Winchester to Front Royal, when the whole battalion was placed in Brig. Gen. Crawford's command. While here the duties consisted chiefly of scouting in various directions, in order to learn if the enemy was in the valley in any force, and some long and hard marches were made; but the camp-ground was a very fine one, sur- rounded by mountains, the air was cool, and the boys had no reason to find fault.
An incident which occurred at that time, showing how adventuresome spirits sometimes amused themselves, in spite of stringent orders, is thus related by Corp. Cook of Co. B : -
I was one afternoon sitting in front of my tent cleaning my revolver. when a sergeant of the Tenth Maine Infantry passed by, and seeing the pis- tol, inquired if I would take a tramp that night after roll-call. I replied that
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FORAGING FOR HONEY.
I' would, and he said, " Then meet me over by that tree, and bring your revolver," and passed on. I posted myself beside the designated tree at the appointed time, and was soon joined by the sergeant and five members of his company, armed with water-pails instead of rifles. A column was formed, the sergeant taking the advance, carrying a pepper-box revolver at an angle of forty-five degrees, and myself bringing up the rear, ready to repel an attack from that quarter if necessary; and we at once took up a line of march into the deep forest, over hills, through valleys, sloughs and under- brush, until my legs almost failed me, and I began to envy the foot-pads, who, to my oft-made inquiry, "Where are we going, and are we not most there ?" replied, "Only on a lark to see a rebel," and trudged along appar- ently as fresh as ever. At last, after innumerable hair-breadth escapes from pitfalls, swamps, precipices and rebels, we arrived at a clearing, where the inevitable Virginia dog warned us that we were near a habitation, and I learned that the bee-hives of this estate were the prize to repay the danger and hardships we had incurred. The dog was quickly silenced, the owner of the place aroused, and a supper of the best in the house ordered. As we entered the house a small boy slipped almost unperceived out of the back door, but no notice was taken of it at the time. Supper was long in coming, the man in answer to all inquiries as to when it would be ready, replying "immediately," in a surly manner and with a sinister glance at the back door. Finally a good meal of nice bread, new milk, and honey (a marked improvement over government rations, we thought), was obtained and dis- posed of, and we proceeded to business. Five bee-hives were taken from their resting-places to the front of the house, we, at the earnest persuasion of the old man, leaving the sixth hive, "to pay for our supper." A fire of hay and straw served to drive away the bees, and also served as a beacon to any stray rebel or Union patrol, either of which was alike to be dreaded. The pails were well filled with the sweet spoils, and we were resting around the fire to gather strength for the long tramp before us, when we heard the clang of sabres and the sound of tearing down fences, which caused us to "get " as fast as possible. We ran into the woods on the opposite side of the clearing from the sounds, and formed a line of battle in the shade. the infantry boys, armed with fence rails, taking the position of "charge bayonets," each with the right foot resting on a pail of honey, as if to defend that with their lives, while the officers of the command got their revolvers ready. In a few moments there entered the clearing seven mounted men guided by the small boy (on foot), whom we now remembered seeing leave the house as we first entered, and who had evidently been sent by the old man to notify the guerillas of this visit of the Union soldiers. Fortunately we were not discovered, and after the enemy was out of sight we took a roundabout way to the camp, and had made quite a circuit of the woods, when we heard the exclamation, "There they are!" and found we had almost run into the arms of our pursuers. An immediate and prolonged silence quelled suspicion, and after a long spell of listening the patrol moved away, and we again cautiously wended our way until we arrived at a long open plain that lay between us and camp, which must be crossed before we were safe. We remained in the edge of the woods for some time, considering the matter, but as daylight was beginning to appear, we found we must make a run for
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
our camp or be caught by our own comrades. We made a dash, but had not gone one-fourth the distance before the mounted patrol was in hot pursuit, and bullets were hissing after us lively. At last we reached the ditch that separated us from camp, and as we crossed the fallen tree that served as a bridge we felt at home, and opened on the patrol with our revolvers, the sergeant not forgetting to-empty his pepper-box at them, which caused them to retreat as fast as they had advanced. After some crawling around I arrived in camp in safety, and found the horses all saddled and the men standing "to horse," cursing Stonewall Jackson for routing them out so early in the morning. Next day a large pan of honey graced the mess-table at regimental headquarters, and as it was presented there Lieut. Col. Douty. who was passing, looked up and inquired, "Was that the cause of last night's muster ?" at which I made my salute in due form, and without stopping to answer came away.
On the second of July Cos. A and M, and two companies of the Michigan cavalry, under command of Capt. Thaxter, had a skirmish with the enemy's pickets at Milford, thirteen miles from Front Royal, in which the Michiganders lost one man taken prisoner. On the fifth Cos. A and B, under the same commander, had a skirmish at Sperryville, and on the sixth the whole brigade, the battalion being under command of Capt. Summat, made a reconnoissance to Luray, where another skir- mish took place, two companies of the Vermont cavalry' and Co. A of this regiment charging through the town and driving a force of Ashby's cavalry a mile beyond, when the pursuit was stopped and the brigade returned to Front Royal. The most of the time, from the twentieth of June till the tenth of July. was spent in scouting and performing a large amount of like service, and on July tenth the battalion rejoined the remainder of the regiment. then at Warrenton.
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CHAPTER III.
FIRST CAMPAIGN WITH THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
DEPARTURE FROM WASHINGTON. - FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF VIRGINIA. - FAIRFAX COURT HOUSE. - WAR SCENES ALONG THE MARCH. - THE FIRST BIVOUAC. - A ROUGH INTRODUCTION TO CAMPAIGNING. - THE FIRST EXPEDITION. - FIRST EXPERIENCES IN FORAGING. - A MIDNIGHT RECONNAISSANCE. - A RIDE IN A PELTING RAIN. - THE FIRST RELIG- IOUS SERVICES AT THE FRONT. - A QUEER TASTE TO MEAT AND MILK. - VIRGINIA THUNDER STORMS. - THE FIRST BURIAL IN THE " SACRED SOIL." - SUCCESSFUL RAID ON CULPEPPER. - "CAMP STANTON." - HEALTH OF THE MEN. - THE MARCH TO FREDERICKSBURG. - IN CAMP AT FALMOUTH. - REVIEW BY PRES. LINCOLN. - SHELTER TENTS. - ON THE MARCH AGAIN. - IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY. - CHARGE INTO WINCHESTER, AND SURPRISE OF THE REBELS. - BACK TO MA- NASSAS. - CHERRIES! CHERRIES! - AT WEAVERVILLE. - ON THE ROAD TO FREEDOM. - FOURTH OF JULY. - ARRIVAL OF LIEUT. COL. DOUTY'S BATTALION. - AT WARRENTON. - " NOT A GODLY GOOD MAN." - PICKETING, SCOUTING, ETC. - THE STAY AT WATERLOO.
T HAT portion of the regiment left in camp on Capitol Hill, Washington, when Maj. Douty's battalion departed for Harper's Ferry, which was considered the regiment proper and is so designated, remained there nearly a week, during which the time was spent in drill, mounted and dis- mounted, and in the manual of arms, and in generally prepar- ing for active service. On the second of April orders were received to commence a march for Warrenton Junetion, Va .. on the fourth. but, for some reason, the departure was post- poned for one day. On the night of the fourth the regiment was assembled on foot, when stirring addresses were made by Chaplain Teft and by Gen. Fremont's chaplain, and the " Red, White, and Blue," and other songs, patriotic and otherwise, were sung by some Maine ladies, then residing in Washington, as a cheering " send-off " to the boys.
At noon Saturday, April fifth, the regiment, under command
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
of Maj. Stowell. broke camp, and after a march through the "city of magnificent distances," accompanied by a baggage train long enough for a whole corps later in the war, crossed the famous " Long Bridge," trod the sacred soil of Virginia for the first time, and were on the way to the front and to active service. At this time Gen. Mcclellan had changed his plan of operations, and, with the greater portion of the Army of the Potomac, was en route for Yorktown, to operate on Richmond from that direction, and commence what is known as the Peninsula campaign, leaving but a small force, under command of Gen. MeDowell, in the direct front of Washington; and to join this latter force the regiment was ordered. Gen. Banks also had a force in the Shenandoah valley, and Gen. Fremont in Western Virginia.
The first impressions of Virginia were not very favorable. The roads were muddy and in bad order, and houses were few. far between, not particularly good, even before the war, and now presenting a dilapidated, tumble-down appearance. The whole country wore a deserted, unhealthy look, to which the earth-works, abandoned camp-grounds, and the waste and de- struction which accompany an army, even when not in active operation. added an extra gloom. There was an indescribable feeling of sadness on the part of the boys, as they were intro- duced to and began to learn what the devastation of war meant, which the exhilaration of being at last on the way to the front. - on their first actual march, -could hardly overcome.
The regiment reached Bailey's cross-roads about three o'clock. where a short rest was taken, and at dark halted for the night at Fairfax Court House, a place of interest to the boys just. then, from the fact that a short time before a dashing and suc- cessful cavalry charge had been made into the village. The county buildings here, famous in the history of Virginia and of the country, were deserted. and had been sadly desecrated. From top to bottom the walls were defaced, while record-books. deeds, bonds. wills, inventories, mortgages, and papers of all kinds were scattered about the floors, with every appearance of having been overhauled time and again, not that what was
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FIRST SCENES OF WAR.
really valuable might be saved. but for curiosities, to be pre- served as war relics ; and of course they had to be looked over again now, and probably again and again after that, till not a leaf of the records was left. The horses were picketed in the yards, and a portion of the boys were quartered in the buildings, and the remainder outside. There was a novelty about the situation, which, added to the crowded, uncomfort- able quarters, prevented much very good sleep that night.
The next morning the regiment was on the march at nine o'clock, and by noon Centreville was reached, where a halt was made, during which the boys thoroughly inspected the rebel earth-works, and the quarters occupied by the rebel army the previous winter, all which were of much interest as giving new ideas of war. Some of the rebel "quaker guns," manned with stuffed gunners crowned with old hats, were still in posi- tion, to mockingly warn approaching Union men to come no farther. Bull Run was crossed during the afternoon (over a half-built bridge, the old bridge having been destroyed by the rebels in their flight), some two miles from the battle-field that bears its name-a small stream, not so large as the Little Androscoggin. Dead horses strewed the way on the day's march, filling the air with that peculiar stench which after- wards became familiar to all soldiers. Many a soldier's grave by the roadside, with its rude head-board and ruder inscription, or no head-board at all, even though the grave of an enemy. sent a thrill to the hearts of the Maine boys, and told them, plainer than words could do, more of what war really was. Everything that day told of war in a new aspect ; and the boys were better soldiers that night than they had been in the morn- ing, in that they were more familiar with some of its scenes, and knew better what the service entailed.
At dark the regiment went into camp at Manassas Junction, the horses were picketed by the side of the road, and no tents being pitched (there were none then except the large, un- wieldly Sibley tents carried from Augusta), the boys had their first experience in sleeping out-of-doors. The weather was fair, the boys, though tired, were in good spirits, and inclined to make the best of the circumstances, and much fun was made in
.
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
getting to bed. The best places were picked out, there being a general desire to get under the shelter of the wagons. Many a man went to sleep that night laughing at advice flying round freely, such as, "Leave the window up a little way, to have plenty of fresh air," etc.
Next morning, April seventh, the boys waked up in good spirits, and the regiment was soon on the move. Shortly after starting a mixed storm commenced -drizzle and rain, then rain, drizzle, drizzle and snow, and then snow ; and the march- ing was made more uncomfortable by the condition of the roads, which fast grew muddy and rough. In the afternoon creeks came in the way so often that it was considered there was but one, and that so crooked that the regiment landed on the same side every time it forded it. A warlike appearance was given to the country by the presence along the road of several infan- try regiments, of which the First California was generally con- sidered to be the best looking. The boys got cold, wet, hungry and cross before night, and considered soldiering a little rough. The last time the creek was forded it was very deep, having been swollen by the storm ; the shores were steep, the landing bad, and several of the boys managed to get thrown into the water, which made fun for others, if not for themselves. A few miles farther on the regiment was drawn up in some woods near Warrenton Junction, and ordered to dismount and go into camp.
But " go into camp " was a mere form of words. The horses were hitched up, and that is about all that was done. It was soon learned that the wagons were the other side of the creek. five miles away, stuck in the mud or unable to cross the swollen stream ; consequently the regiment was without rations, forage. tents, axes, cooking utensils, dishes, or anything else needed for comfort, these being in the wagons, and was in the woods where the ground was fast growing softer and muddier. with the snow falling like Maine. The boys thought this decidedly rough, but the experience was a good instructor, and they were not caught again in the same way, - they did not leave everything in the wagons after that, -and if they had they would have known better how to take care of themselves. Rousing fires were
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A ROUGH WELCOME TO VIRGINIA.
built, and what comfort could be got out of them was extracted ; a few barrels of hard bread were procured from the New England Cavalry (a regiment from. Rhode Island and New Hampshire, who were camped near by, and who had named the locality " Camp Mud,") which the boys ate without coffee or accompaniments, with what relish they could. A portion of the boys wandered off and found shelter in some of the few houses in the vicinity, others found friends in the New England Cav- alry and in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Massachusetts Infantry regiments, camped close by, and quartered with them; but the majority remained on the ground and lived through it, they never knew how. Shed roofs were constructed as well as pos- sible of the horse blankets, drawn over poles cut with axes borrowed from the other regiments, while leaves were scraped together for beds. Under this insufficient shelter they tried to sleep, the rain and snow still falling, and many of them waked in the night to be driven out by finding themselves lying in nice little puddles of dirty water, the " soft beds " of leaves assisting in this wonderfully ; and all that night could have been seen men who had been driven from their beds or who had not had any, sitting or standing on logs by the fire, trying to keep comfort- able. Many a man spoiled a good pair of boots that night by standing too near the fire, in his fruitless endeavors to keep warm and somewhere near dry ; but all stood it nobly, comfort- ing themselves with the thought that " there never was but one storm that didn't come to an end, and this is the one," and with the fact that the boys in the other regiments, who had been longer in Virginia, said this was unusually bad weather.
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