USA > Maine > History of the First Maine cavalry, 1861-1865, V. 1 > Part 7
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The morning brought no change for the better, except day- light ; the storm of rain and drizzle still continued in all its force, and lasted all day, and there was no prospect of the wagons coming up at present. The half-starved horses looked cold and spiritless, and the best that could be done for their encouragement was to take them out of the " mud pots " they had made during the night and hitch them in dryer spots, only to have them make new " mud pots " in a few minutes. Some beef was obtained. killed by the carbines of the New England Cavalry (the First Maine had no carbines till some time later).
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
which was sliced and toasted over the fire on the end of a stick, reminding the boys of the picture in the old geography of Napoleon's troops in bivouac, and they made as merry over it as they could, and when toasted, ate the meat without pepper, salt, or bread. Later in the day two days' rations of pork and hard bread were issued, procured from somewhere; but there was no way to cook the pork except as the beef, a la Napoleon. Just at night about half a feed of grain was obtained by some means and given to the horses. Comfort was hardly to be sought after; a few hung round the fires and horses all day, "suffer- ing comfort," as they termed it, at a hearty rate, but the most wandered off for the best shelter they could find ; quite a party took refuge in a deserted blacksmith shop made of logs, a mile or more from the regiment, which with a big fire in the forge, though leaky, they were willing, under the circumstances, to call "bully quarters." There was plenty of beef in the vicinity which Rhode Island carbines killed, and it was cooked in various primitive ways, one quarter being hung up over the fire in the forge at night and allowed to roast, being turned round occa- sionally, as someone waked and thought to do so, furnishing them with plenty of roast beef the next morning. Thus passed the first day at Warrenton Junction ; and the second night was about like the first, only more had found shelter.
The next day it still stormed, the air was colder, the mud was deeper, and the boys passed the time much the same as the day before ; viz., working hard to keep somewhere near comfort- able. They would have blessed a sutler then, but the few in the vicinity had nothing to eat. However, they made the best of it, and as a whole did no discredit to the spirit of being jolly under all circumstances ; there was singing, and joking, and story telling, and good spirits, almost beyond belief when looked back upon. About noon the horses were saddled, and the regi- ment marched about a mile to Cedar Creek, the railroad bridge over which had been destroyed by the rebels on their departure from this vicinity. Workmen were engaged in rebuilding the bridge, but it had not sufficiently progressed to be passable, and on the uncertain footing formed by the ruins of the former bridge the men crossed the swollen creek on foot and proceeded
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STILL " SUFFERING COMFORT."
to Catlett's Station, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, where a train had arrived bringing forage, rations, and sutlers' supplies. Hay and grain, about enough for two feeds, were issued to the regiment, which the boys "sole-carted " to and across the creek ; and then mounting, each with his bundle, they marched back to the woods and gave the half-starved horses a good square meal, much to the satisfaction of both men and horses. That was all the variety of that day, and the night was as the one before.
A severe joke was played in the old blacksmith shop that night, which somewhat relieved the monotony. All the corners large enough to sleep in were filled with the tired-out, hungry men, and several were obliged to stand, or at best sit, and sleep so if they could. About midnight a happy thought struck one who had been trying in vain to sleep standing, and giving those similarly situated the hint, he waked the quiet sleepers, and suggested they better be ready for emergencies - that he had heard someone prowling around outside the shop, and if the rebels should come they could easily capture the whole party unless they were ready for them. At this there was a general rush to put on their arms (for most of them had carelessly taken off their belts that they might rest easier, showing a good degree of ignorance of the art of war) and an examination of revolvers ; and when they would again lie down they found their places occupied by those who had created the scare. The joke was taken in good part, especially by those who thus got a good resting-place.
The third morning the enjoyment of the romance of the situ- ation began to grow somewhat stale, as the men found the ground covered with an inch or more of snow, and very little, if anything, to eat, and some of them began to get discouraged and even blue. Still there were some who maintained their jollity throughout, to the surprise of themselves as well as of their comrades, but these grew less in number on this day. In the afternoon rations were drawn, both from the commissary and from the cattle roaming in the woods, which had a salutary effect ; but the men were not really happy when they lay down to sleep that night in their different quarters, though the storm
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
had ceased, and there was a prospect of better weather for the morrow.
The fourth morning, Friday, April eleventh, matters bright- ened. The weather was fine, and camp was moved a mile or more away to dry ground in some fine, clean woods, where there was some prospect for comfort; a good supply of forage was procured from Catlett's Station, and there was an end to the rough introduction to Virginia, which had consisted, besides the last day's dreary and uncomfortable march, of three days of rain, snow, wind and cold, with hardly anything for men or horses to eat ; nothing in which to cook what little the men did have ; no shelter, the horses standing in six to twelve inches of mud all the time, and the men the same most of the time, and the men wet through and through incessantly. In a sanitary point of view the men stood it well, which was due, in a great measure, to superior physique and to the abundance of cheerful dispositions.
This night the first expedition from the regiment was sent out, which consisted of Cos. D, F and G, under command of Maj. Whitney. One day's rations were taken in the haversacks, and twelve rounds of ammunition were issued; the command reported to Col. Robert B. Lawton, of the New England Cav- alry, who was in readiness with seven companies of his own regiment, and the whole force started just before dark, and rode to the pretty little village of Warrenton, ten miles away, it having been reported that the famous Black Horse Cavalry had visited the village the previous night. Nothing was found there, and the expedition returned, arriving at camp the next morning, having been in the saddle just twelve hours. This night ride was an entirely new and novel experience to the boys, and they entered into the spirit of the occasion, and enjoyed it much. It was as if they had suddenly entered upon a new existence, so thoroughly different was it from anything they had previously known of, except by reading. A private letter, written on the thirteenth, two days after, will give some idea of how the expedition was regarded by the men at the time : -
Last Friday Cos. D. F. and G of this regiment, and seven companies of the New England regiment of cavalry, were ordered to be in readiness to
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EXPEDITION TO WARRENTON.
start off at six o'clock in the evening, with one day's rations in their haver- sacks, under sealed orders. We packed up our saddles, and when we got ready twelve rounds of cartridges were dealt out to each man, and the secret leaked out. We were going to Warrenton, some ten or twelve miles, where it was reported the Black Horse Cavalry had been the night before. We were in the saddle at six, but did not get fairly started until about seven. The orders were to keep quiet as possible, and no loud talking. We soon struck into the woods, and then commenced the finest ride ever known. There we were, on a bright moonlight night, in a fine stretch of woods, rid- ing horseback -now through mud to the horses' knees, now in water to their bellies. now trotting over and through places that would have made us shudder to walk over by daylight, now getting a switch in the face from overhanging limbs, now losing a cap by the same means, now taking a good smart gallop over a smooth place, now over a stump and round trees, now in a ditch and now over a fence, now jumping a gully -frogs singing, sabres clashing, stars shining - pleasant scenery all the way - with just excitement enough to make us fearless. Didn't I enjoy it ? I let myself out to the full enjoyment of it, and drank to the full of the wild scene; for one I did not wish to talk. I was happy enough -talk would have destroyed the spell. Then I had compensation to the full extent for the drag of last winter, and blessed the day that I chose cavalry instead of infantry. "John C. Fre- mont" was sure footed. not a stumble during the trip. That ride was worth a great deal to me, and I have heard many of the boys say that they never were so happy before as on that ride. There's where one lives. Such a ride gives one a taste of life not to be found elsewhere. On we went until about half-past ten, when we halted. Orders passed along the line in a low tone: "Let every man have his revolver ready -keep quiet as possible." We were put in single file and went on at a walk. We heard the town clock strike eleven in the distance, and the barking of dogs. Our greatest fear was that the barking might give to the rebels notice of our coming. We followed a path round the town, through fields and over fences, no noise but the tread of the horses on the soft ground. I rode about an hour with my hand on the handle of my revolver, but getting tired of that, and beginning to think we never should get there. I left it in the holster, ready for instant use. Soon we halted, and then learned we had got the town entirely sur- rounded, while one company had gone through the town to reconnoitre, and they were to blow the " assembly" when they met with any trouble. We sat on our horses listening for the bugle, while the clock struck twelve, and then one, but no bugle. Then we moved on, formed "two's," and soon found ourselves facing - the town clock. The rebels had not been there that night, and all was quiet. After a little consultation between the com- manders, it was decided to come right back. At ten minutes past two the column started. and I was again surprised. At Centreville, Manassas, and all the places I had seen in Virginia, there was no place at all, but now we were passing through the prettiest village I ever saw, just after midnight. A New England look of tidiness dwelt over everything, neat, substantial buildings, mostly brick, wide streets lined with trees, green lawns and plenty of trees, and a quiet. cosy look. We passed through only one street, but could see four churches and a court house that will favorably compare,
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
outside. with that at Auburn. I was then glad we had had no brush with the rebels. for it seemed too bad to destroy so pretty a place. As you may suppose. we hardly wanted to come right back. being somewhat tired as soon as the excitement was over, and I was afraid the ride back would drag heavily, knowing we must go slow: but after getting fairly started we began to " go it" again, and had a fine ride back, though by no means equal to the one of the night before - that cannot be surpassed - seldom equalled.
We got back here about sunrise, and a pretty looking set we were. If Falstaff's army had been as dirty as they were ragged, they might have been compared to us yesterday morning. Horses and men were all covered with the red sacred soil of Virginia. One good thing, it only sticks till it is dry, and then almost drops off. We were in the saddle twelve hours without stirring from it, and could have ridden some farther had occasion required. There is not a man in the company but will ride better and with more confi- dence in himself and horse since then. If for nothing else, our going down there did us much good in that way.
The boys made themselves as comfortable as they could in the new camp, and succeeded admirably till Sunday, when the trains arrived, tents were pitched, and all was serene. Rations and forage were getting short. the facilities for transpor- tation to Washington not being sufficient to supply the troops in camp here, so on this day a foraging party was sent out under command of Lieut. Myrick, of Co. K, which returned in the evening, having been highly successful. At this time receipts were given for the forage taken, on the supposition that government would pay for the same at the close of the war, if the parties holding such receipts could prove their loyalty.
Monday, April fourteenth, the First Maine Cavalry, the New England Cavalry, Twelfth and Thirteenth Massachusetts Infan- try regiments, Ninth New York State Militia, and a battery. some six thousand troops in all, were reviewed by Brig. Gen. Abercrombie. commanding; and it became generally known that the regiment had been assigned to Gen. Abercrombie's brigade, Gen. Ord's division, and Co. I was detailed as provost guard at the general's headquarters.
Early on the morning of the fifteenth most of the regiment, accompanied by a squadron of the New England Cavalry, and a company of the Seventeenth Indiana Infantry, went on a for- aging expedition for the brigade, and returned at night, having been gone twelve hours, nine of which the men passed in the
THE TWICE CONFISCATED BEANS. . 59
saddle, bringing with them wagons loaded with hams, corn, hay, poultry, honey, butter, meal, flour, eggs, and the good things of the land, and two prisoners." A little camp incident grew out of this expedition, which created great amusement among the boys of Co. G, and wonder among the officers of the regiment except one, who took his with different emotions. During the day some of Co. G's boys confiscated a small lot of beans, and returned to camp elated with anticipations of tasting once more the good old New England dish, and of again having a good square meal, something they could not conscientiously say they had had since leaving Maine. The captain heard of this, and in turn confiscated the beans. Of course the boys could say nothing against this effectively, but the sequel will show they were not without redress. The captain had his man prepare the beans for baking, and then, knowing they would taste good to all, sent a polite note to the officers of the regi- ment, inviting them, with his compliments, to breakfast with him the next morning. This was generally accepted, and anticipation ran high at the various headquarters that night ; but alas! Along towards morning the boys of Co. G were quietly waked by the switch guard, and after silently enjoying the expected good square meal, which was relished all the more in view of the circumstances under which it was eaten, as quietly returned to bed. Daylight discovered the fact to the astonished and would-be hospitable captain that his oven had been desecrated, and not a bean was left. Again was his boy obliged to visit the several officers with a polite note. this time begging, with compliments, to be excused from their company at breakfast that morning. He never was certain who was the person most to blame in the matter, but his manner toward one of the boys ever after showed that he had suspicions, which the boys knew were correct.
The night of Wednesday, sixteenth, Cos. G and K, with four companies of the New England Cavalry, made a reconnoissance, under command of Lieut. Col. Willard Sayles of the New England Cavalry, starting at nine o'clock, doing considerable marching in all sorts of directions, considerable sitting still while houses were being searched, and arriving back at camp
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
next morning, bringing one prisoner, said to be a spy. The boys were thoroughly tired out, the trip having been most tedious, - as they thought needlessly so.
The next Saturday a cold rain storm set in, which lasted for four days, the weather being more uncomfortable than during a northeast storm in Maine. Monday Co. G was sent to Beal- ton Station, about six miles away, the rain pouring at the time, to see if the station had been burned the night before, as was reported. The station was all right, and the boys, not knowing how often they were in the next two years to be in that locality. did not stop to reconnoitre much, but went back as fast as pos- sible. They arrived in camp wet through, and were given a ration of whiskey and quinine to prevent catching cold, which, however, but few took, and there was no perceptible difference in the health of those who did take it and those who did not.
Col. Allen rejoined the regiment on Tuesday, twenty-second, but did not take active command at once, as he was still suffering from illness, and on Sunday, twenty-seventh, the first religious services in Virginia were held by the chaplain.
The regiment remained in this camp, occasionally sending out a foraging party, doing some picket duty, and drilling in the manual of arms, the charge, and in leaping ditches, when the weather would permit, till the twenty-eighth, when the camp was moved a short distance into an open field and laid out according to tactics, the company tents being in one contin- . uous line, with company headquarters in the rear of their respec- tive companies, and regimental headquarters in rear of all. About this time the boys noticed a queer and decidedly unpleasant taste to the fresh meat, and to the milk, whenever they were so fortunate as to get any. It was like onions, some- what, but stronger and harsher. It was found that all around, for miles, there sprang up in the spring with the grass, but more rapid in growth, a species of garlic, which the cattle, in their anxiety for something green, ate with the grass, and which infected not only the milk of the cows, but the flesh of all cattle so thoroughly that it was almost impossible to eat it, and large quantities of meat were thrown away by the boys for this reason. It was said the meat was eatable if one held a raw onion in one
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RECONNOISSANCE TO CULPEPPER.
hand for an occasional bite, but few, could eat it unless half starved, without such accompaniment, and onions were not on the list of army rations. . This peculiarity was noticed every spring when the regiment was in this locality, and disappeared later in the season, as the grass grew stronger and more plenti- ful.1 Tuesday night, twenty-ninth, the first dress parade in Virginia was held, Col. Allen being in command.
About the first of May Gen. Hartsuff took command of the brigade (second brigade, first division, fifth corps), Gen. Abercrombie being assigned to other service. The second of May the boys had an introduction to a Virginia thunder storm. It came up suddenly, giving hardly warning enough to allow the men to scamper in from the field, where the regiment had formed for dress parade. It was one incessant flash and roar, while, as was said at the time, " the rain came down in sheets, with hail between the sheets," and it was impossible to see an object a dozen feet away. Tents were but little protection, the water driving through them quite freely, and although the shower was of short duration, at its close the camp-ground was covered with water like one great pond. At six o'clock the same evening the regiment attended the funeral of David Sen- nett, of Co. D, who died of diphtheria, - the first death in the regiment after leaving Augusta.
On the afternoon of Sunday, May fourth, divine service was commenced by Chaplain Teft (his second in Virginia), but his opening prayer was interrupted by an order for the regi- ment to get ready to move immediately, with three days' rations. The meeting was unceremoniously adjourned, and preparations were at once made for moving.
About five o'clock the regiment started, under command of Maj. Stowell, Col. Allen being too ill to go, to make a recon- noissance to Culpepper Court House. The Rappahannock River was reached about midnight, and as the ford was in bad condition, the water running swiftly and to the tops of the sad- , dles, some time was spent in crossing, and some of the boys, not
' This garlic is said to be one of the legacies of the Revolutionary war. The Hessians brought the garlic, of which they were very fond, with them from Germany, and from that it sprung up wild, and is found the most plentiful in this region, and round about, where the Hessian troops were in camp.
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satisfied with having the lower part of the body wet, left their horses and got wet all over alike. Considerable sport was made during the passage of the ford at the expense of the unfortunate ones, and this, together with the shouts of the officers to their men to "Keep the horse's head up stream !" "Keep further to the right !" etc., and the exploits of the various riders on the passage, made up a combination of strange sights and sounds which was extremely novel then, and which will never be for- gotten by those who were there. Never again did the regiment make such a fuss crossing a stream. After crossing, the regiment halted for half an hour or so, when boots were emptied of water, clothes wrung out, saddle-bags and haversacks drained, and all the water got rid of as far as it was possible to do so. A short ride brought the regiment to the plantation of Richard H. Cunningham (known as "Elkwood Plantation, Farley Hill "), who, by the way, was not at home, where the horses were pick- eted on the spacious grounds, and the boys, except the necessary pickets, slept in the magnificently furnished but now deserted mansion, in the best places they could find, many of them luxuriating on feather beds with wet clothes, boots, and arms all on.
Early in the morning the regiment was again on the move, having thrown out advance and rear guards and flankers, and proceeding "at a walk." The advance guard, Co. L, Capt. Taylor, arrived in the vicinity of Brandy Station in advance of the main column, when Lieut. Vaughn, who was in command of the extreme advance, consisting of fifteen men, discovered a force of rebel cavalry in line but a few yards distant. Hastily forming his men in line of battle, the lieutenant charged this force, which immediately retreated without firing a shot, and he followed them to and through Culpepper, capturing eight prisoners. Capt. Taylor, with the rest of the company, followed his advance. The regiment kept on, halting half a mile from the village, and Co. D, Capt. Smith, and Co. G, Capt. Bur- bank, were ordered to advance. Galloping into the village (receiving a welcome from a few ladies with waving handker- chiefs) these companies halted in front of the court house, while scouts were sent out in various directions. The men of
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THE EXPEDITION SUCCESSFUL.
the village were sour-looking and reserved, but the negroes and boys were free in giving information, and from them it was learned that a force of some fifty cavalry left there about half an hour before, when they learned of the approach of the regi- ment. An old negro woman-created some amusement by occa- sionally peeping out from behind a door, saying a few words, and then dodging back, as if fearful of being seen by someone who would inform her master that she was communicating with the Yankee soldiers. But the information gained from her proved to be true. After remaining there a short time, the result of the expedition being accomplished, the two companies withdrew from the village, and drew up in line outside, to pro- tect Capt. Taylor and his command in their withdrawal. Capt. Taylor in due time joined these companies, when the return march was commenced, Co. G serving as rear guard. A few miles from the village there was a brief halt to bait the horses and allow the men to eat a small ration. Then the march was resumed without molestation, though there were one or two scares, as was but natural at that time ; the Rappahannock was crossed just before dark, with less trouble than on the previous night, and camp was reached about midnight, after a tedious march, the men being thoroughly tired out with their thirty or forty mile ride that day. This reconnoissance was a very suc- cessful one. It was a bold push for the regiment, which was thus the first force to cross the Rappahannock. It was the furthest advance into Virginia that had at that time been made by Union troops in that direction, and important information was gained. So the boys of the First Maine Cavalry were the first Union troops the Culpepperians ever saw. They saw the regiment many times after this, though.
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