USA > Maine > History of the First Maine cavalry, 1861-1865, V. 1 > Part 8
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The prisoners captured, if they were not soldiers, were with the rebel troops, and armed, and evidently thought to get clear by being in citizen's dress. Two of them were recognized as men that had visited the camp a few days previous, pretending to look for horses. One of them, an old man armed with an umbrella, was sworn and let go when the command arrived at the river that night, there being no prospect of his being of any service to the enemy. A year later, as the prisoners taken from
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the regiment at the fight at Brandy Station reached Culpepper. they were welcomed by the same old man, whose joy at seeing so many Yankee prisoners was unbounded. Then they wished he had not been released.
A day or two after this the brigade was moved a short dis- tance across Cedar Creek, and went into camp near Catlett's Station. This camp, which was named "Camp Stanton," was in a good locality, and with pleasant surroundings, and had the boys been allowed the privileges they afterwards were, they would have enjoyed the time spent here very much. But at this time "private property must be respected," though the boys could not really see why. The regiment chose an excellent position near the mansion of the owner of the plantation (in which were brigade headquarters), in a beautiful field fenced from the other grounds by the traditional zig-zag Virginia fence, built of superb rails, which the boys had already learned made just the best fire-wood in the world, and as they viewed their new camp-ground in the beauty of the spring verdure, the expressive army word "bully " was brought into general requisi- tion. But they soon found that they had no privileges at all there. Not a rail must be taken from the fences, and the visions of cozy fires disappeared in the twinkling of an eye. The grounds must be kept clean and neat. To such an extent was this " protection of private property " carried that life on the splendid camp-ground became an intolerable bore. Fortu- nately the regiment remained there but a short time; and when it returned the next spring but little of the glory of the place was left. a new order of things having taken place, the comfort and health of our own soldiers having come to be considered of more importance than the wishes of wealthy rebels.
On the ninth of May the regiment was paid for the months of January, February, March and April (a large part of the money received being sent home), and on the eleventh was reviewed with the brigade.
At noon of the twelth the regiment, with the brigade, started on the march to Fredericksburg, Cos. D. K. and L being the advance guard and flankers, and the remainder of the regi- ment in rear of the column. Several who were too ill to march
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THE MARCHI TO FALMOUTH.
but not enough so, or who had too much pluck to go to the hospital, rode in the wagons on the baggage, which was not the pleasantest mode of transportation, as may well be imagined, while quite a number were sent to Washington for hospital treatment, the change of climate and water, and the exposure to the weather and the irregularity of diet during the first week in Virginia having told severely on the health of the regiment. Diarrhea had been and then was very prevalent, a large major- ity of the men having been affected with it more or less, some of them seriously, and there were also a few cases of typhoid fever, and some suffering from other ailments.
After a march of six or eight miles the advance went into camp at five o'clock. but the rear did not arrive till half-past nine. Next morning reveille sounded at four o'clock, and at half-past six the companies in the rear the previous day, which now took the advance, were on the way, while the others, now in the rear, did not get started till two hours later. The march was a long one, twenty miles or more, the heat almost insuffer- able, and at times the dust so dense that one could hardly see the horses in front of him. The cavalry men called it an exceed- ingly hard march, and the infantry suffered terribly. The line was strung along for miles, the men straggling badly, and the teams pulling along as if on their own hook. The advance went into camp about two o'clock in the afternoon, while the rear did not arrive till half-past six, and the infantry straggled in all through the night, not more than one-third of any regi- ment coming in together. One regiment arrived at camp with but eight men in one company, and one officer and one man in another. Many of them were passed by the rear guard, resting and even sleeping by the wayside, singly and in squads, or crawling along as best they could. Some of the cavalry boys kindly gave up their horses to the tired infantry men and took a walk, thereby resting themselves as well as their less favored brothers-in-arms. The country through which the march was made was a fine one, not having yet been devastated by the ravages of war, and the fine plantations, grand mansions, clean- looking white oak groves, and large fields, looking so fresh in their beautiful spring green, would have made the ride one of
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real pleasure but for the heat and dust. The rear guard encountered large numbers of contrabands during the day, with whom they talked freely, and some amusing incidents occurred. One woman, who appeared to be quite intelligent, said her mistress told her the Yankees would sell the negroes to make money, but she didn't believe it. She was very well posted on the events of the war, its causes, and on the rebel successes and defeats. The negroes appeared to be happy at seeing our troops, and expressed their joy in hundreds of extravagant ways.
Next morning the march was resumed at seven o'clock, Cos. D, K, and L again in the advance and the remainder in the rear ; before eight it began to rain, and continued to do so all day. During the afternoon the brigade reached Falmouth, on the opposite side of the Rappahannock from Fredericksburg, which was occupied by a portion of McDowell's forces ; and after any quantity of marching back and forth, a camp-ground for the regiment was finally decided upon, and then there was nothing to do but for the advance to wait patiently in the rain for the trains to come up, to get their tents to pitch, while the rear, which did not reach camp till after dark, had their waiting to do along the road.
The regiment remained in camp here till Sunday, eighteenth. when it was moved a short distance to a better location. The next Tuesday the brigade, together with Rickett's brigade (the two forming Gen. Ord's division), was reviewed by Gen. McDowell, and three days later, Friday, May twenty-third, MeDowell's whole force was reviewed by President Lincoln. accompanied by Secretary of War Stanton, M. Mercier, the French Minister, and other distinguished gentlemen, as well as by Mrs. Lincoln. Mrs. Stanton, and other ladies.
While here the tents which were brought from Augusta were taken from the regiment, and shelter tents (named by the boys " dog kennels ") were supplied. These were made of two square pieces of cloth, say six feet square, fitted with guys and loops for fastening to the tent-pins, and with buttons and button- holes all round, so that two or any number could be buttoned together, and a tent of any size formed. It was the intention
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THE SHELTER TENTS.
that each man should carry one piece, or one-half of a tent, it being very light, and thus every two men would always be sup- plied with a tent ample for the purposes of shelter. Tent-poles, in sections, were also furnished, but the boys sooner learned to cut poles in the woods or split- them from rails than they did to carry these without losing them. The boys were at first inclined to look upon these tents with derision, but they event- ually proved to be the best tent for active campaigning in the history of wars.
Sunday, May twenty-fifth, the regiment was ordered to march to Alexandria, accompanied by three batteries, under command of Col. Allen, the infantry having gone to Aquia Creek to take transports for the same place. The command was in motion at six o'clock in the evening, and after a tedious march went into bivouac in the road at half-past eleven, having made five miles in as many hours, owing to continuous delays caused by the artillery and wagons getting stuck in the mud.
The regiment left at Falmouth thirty-four sick men in a little old building which had been used as a hospital; some of them very ill, but the majority suffering from diarrhea. Among the number was Corp. Cyrus T. Reed, of Co. G, who was sunstruck while waiting in the hot sun for the column to start. These thirty-four men, with a surgeon who was too sick to be of much service, with no nurses or waiters, no medicine except quinine and salts, and with nothing left for them to eat but some hard bread, remained there three days, when they were sent to Wash- ington, by rail to Aquia Creek and thence by steamer, where they were distributed among the hospitals, the worst cases being taken to the hospitals in that city, and the remainder going to the hospital at Fairfax Seminary, near Alexandria. The surgeon did the best he could. - flat on his back, - direct- ing those in the best condition what to do for those requir- ing care, but was unable to procure medicine, or any relief, although he made frequent applications to medical directors in Fredericksburg, till the third day. The boys thought they had indeed got into a tight place, left alone in that way; but by the aid of some negroes living near, who cooked biscuit, hoe cake, gruel, etc., for pay, they managed to live through it.
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Monday the march was resumed early in the morning, the regiment acting as advance and rear guard. Marching was better than on the day before, and the route was enlivened by fine views of the country and of the Potomac, with numerous vessels sailing up and down. The command went into camp at about ten o'clock in the evening, near Dumfries, having stopped near Aquia Creek for dinner, and marched about seventeen miles The next day, passed through Dumfries, and marched about twenty miles, bivouacking at Occoquan. During the day a courier arrived from Gen. McDowell bearing despatches altering the destination of the command, on account of the movements of the rebels, who were reported to be in consider- able force near Centreville, and the route was changed toward Manassas, where the command arrived at noon of the twenty- eighth, and joined the remainder of MeDowell's corps, camping there that night. The next morning the whole force, with the First Maine in the advance, took up the line of march for Front Royal, in the Shenandoah valley, up which Stonewall Jackson's force was returning after driving Banks. The regiment (leav- ing Capt. Cowan. of Co. I, very ill in a house by the roadside) passed through Thoroughfare Gap and camped that night on the other side of the Blue Ridge; the next day went fifteen miles further and camped on the estate of the late Chief Justice Marshall, and the third day, thirty-first, reached Front Royal at 'dark, after a long day's march in the rain, and camped just outside the village on the Manassas Gap road.
The regiment remained in the vicinity of Front Royal till the eighteenth of June, picketing, patroling, scouting, etc. On the second the camp was moved across the Shenandoah, and on the fourth the troops were all ordered back again. In the mean- time a heavy storm of rain visited that locality, causing the river to rise very rapidly (twenty feet in as many hours), and the morning of the fifth all the bridges were swept away, with the exception of one which the enemy had destroyed a day or two before, by floating huge trunks of trees and rafts down the rapid current against it. Three companies of cavalry and con- siderable infantry were thus cut off and imprisoned for a few days, but finally recrossed by ferry.
شماهن
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A DASH INTO WINCHESTER.
On the second of June Cos. C and D, under command of Maj. Whitney, were sent out by order of Gen. McDowell to communicate with Gen. Banks, then at Williamsport. They started late in the afternoon, and just at dark halted in the woods a couple of miles from Winchester, which was then in possession of the enemy, where they remained that night in a drenching rain without fires, as the light of them would indi- cate their presence to the enemy, without shelter, cold, wet, and decidedly uncomfortable, the men getting what consolation they could from the fact that the storm and darkness were advanta- geous to the success of their dangerous enterprise, and that there was no loss without some gain. Early next morning they dashed into the town, creating a complete surprise to the rebel soldiery, about three hundred strong, who were guarding a large number of Union prisoners captured during Banks' retreat a few days before, and fearing no attack from that direction, had no pickets out. The consternation and frightened looks and actions of soldiers and citizens, as well as the joyous surprise of the prisoners, were vastly amusing to the Maine cavaliers, and many laughable incidents occurred. The rebels, supposing this was the advance of a large force, were ready to surrender at discretion, and some of them threw down their arms in dismay, while others took to flight. Prisoners leaped from their beds. and running over their guard, made a bold push for freedom, and a few of them, among whom were some captured from Lieut. Col. Douty's battalion at Middletown, escaped. In fact they all might have been released with ease, had not the little force other work to do. So complete was the surprise, that when Lieut. Montgomery, of Co. D, rode up alone to a small squad of rebels who were on guard over some prisoners, and demanded of one of them his gun, the thoroughly frightened rebel gave it up without a word, and gazed after the retreating form of the lieutenant in blank astonishment. The orders being simply to communicate with Gen. Banks, and not stop to fight, the command made no stay here, but pushed on. Maj. Whit- ney had that morning found a guide, who stated that a rebel force was in camp just beyond Winchester, and the major fully expected to find such a force; but instead, after marching a few
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miles he found Gen. Banks' pickets, and soon reached the gen- eral's headquarters, delivered his orders and received new ones. and starting on the return, rejoined the regiment on the next day, having pushed through a city held by the rebels.
While encamped here a few members of the regiment, when returning from a scouting expedition, met a negro some five miles from camp, who informed them that they were inside the rebel pickets. They laughed at this, but soon one of the party who had fallen a short distance in rear of the remainder, saw three or four soldiers in. gray in a clump of bushes by the side of the road, one of whom had his musket aimed at him. He at once threw himself on the opposite side of his horse, when there was a report of a musket, and a bullet whizzed over the saddle. The rebels rushed forward with a shout, evidently expecting to pick him up, but by the time they got where he was supposed to be lying, he was well out of danger. The next day a recon- noissance was made in this direction, but no signs of the enemy were discovered.
On the afternoon of the seventeenth Cos. K, G, and I, under command of Maj. Stowell, again started for Manassas Junction, which they reached the next day just after sunset, having marched forty-two miles the second day, and two days later the other four squadrons arrived there, as escort for the trains. This march will long be remembered, for the weather was clear and cool, and never before or since did the boys feast so heartily on cherries. They had found a few in the vicinity of Front Royal, but it was dangerous going far from the camp for them there. The whole route was literally lined with cherry-trees, from a medium to an immense size, all hanging full of large, ripe. luscious cherries. At first the orders were to let them alone, but such orders were ineffective, and when the surgeon pronounced them excellent in a sanitary point of view, the colonel, finding that the men would eat them any way, and having due regard for the orders not to take any property belonging to the enemy, applied to the general commanding for permission for his men to pick a few. He was told, " Let them eat all they want." Then another difficulty suggested itself. For the boys to stop and eat cherries, all they wanted, would
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THE FEAST OF CHERRIES.
delay the march and demoralize the line, so he asked permission for the men to break off small branches to save time, to which he received the reply : "Let them break off as large branches as they choose -whole trees, if they like." Gen. Hartsuff stock went up with the boys then, and they gladly obeyed his injune- tion. Now there was a feast on cherries. As a tree loomed up by the roadside, scores of the boys would leave the line and go for it, and quicker than it takes to tell it, they were in the tree, loaded with branches, and down and in the line again. At times the regiment bore the appearance of a travelling cherry orchard, as the men rode along, each one with a liberal branch, from which he was eating as fast as possible. Bushels and bushels were picked and eaten, and they proved to be, as recom- mended by the surgeon, excellent in a sanitary point of view. And the boys did not go without cherries for a week or more, while the memory thereof was ever afterwards a red letter in the reminiscences of that summer's campaign.
After remaining at Manassas a couple of days the regiment moved on the twenty-second to near Bristersburg, and on the next day took the back track a few miles to Weaverville, where it remained, drilling a bit now and then, and doing pieket and patrol duty, scouting, etc., and for the most of the time grazing the horses in the beautiful clover fields, till July fifth, living all the time on cherries.
Private Emery T. Gatehell, of Co. K (afterwards hospital steward), relates this incident, which occurred while the regi- ment was in this vicinity :
About sunset one night I received an order to report to Gen. Hartsuff for duty as orderly, and upon inquiring of the orderly sergeant if it was neces- sary for me to report at the general's headquarters, then near Manassas. that night, was told that it was not. But something seemed to say to me that it was, and I started. After riding some six miles I reached a deso- late, gloomy piece of woods, through which progress was cheerless and slow, on account of the depth of the mud. When part way through this dismal region. I noticed some halting on the part of my horse, as if it heard an unusual sound. I listened carefully, not feeling sure that I was out of the reach of guerillas, but could at first hear nothing. Still the horse acted strangely, and at last I halted it, when I heard what seemed to be the eries of a woman in distress. Wondering what a woman could be duing in such a place, I lost no time in hastening in the direction from
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which the sound came. I soon discovered a young colored woman, who informed me that her husband was a few feet distant, as she supposed, dying. I at once dismounted, and was guided by the woman to a small clump of bushes, where she had improvised a hut and fixed a sort of bed, on which her husband was lying, apparently in great misery. Upon making inquiries, I judged (and rightly it proved) cramp colic to be the trouble; and procuring a cloth wet with water, I commenced rubbing the stomach and bowels of the sick man in a lively manner, and in a short time had the satisfaction of seeing him much relieved, when I prepared to pursue my journey. Before going, however, I inquired how it happened that these people were in such a dreary place at that time of night, and learned that they were runaway slaves, on their way to Alexandria and to liberty, taking with them their only child, a six months' old babe. I left, pondering as I went what influence it was that caused me to start for the general's head- quarters that night, in spite of the sergeant's opinion, and thus be instru- mental in saving human life, where it would have been fearfully sad for the mother and child to be left without husband and father. It was a touching sight to see these poor beings travelling, they knew not where, but to some far-off promised land, where the word freedom had to them a significant meaning; and the thought that I was able to be of service to them was always one of great satisfaction.
On the second of July the regiment was attached to Gen. Duryea's brigade, Gen. Rickett's division.
The Fourth of July was duly observed. A day or two previous a meeting of the officers was held, at which it was resolved, at the suggestion of the colonel, to be for the honor of the state that her sons should not forget the birthday of the nation whose life they were trying to preserve, but should cele- brate it in the best possible manner, and a committee was appointed to perfect the arrangements. On the morning of the "glad day of America " reveille turned the men out at half-past three o'clock, probably to give them a slight taste of the old-time morning of the Fourth. A flag-staff had been placed in position at headquarters, under direction of Lieut. Virgin, of Co. G, and at sunrise there was a grand flag-raising and a national salute by the entire regiment, under direction of Capt. Taylor, of Co. L; then regular camp duties till half- past nine, when the regiment joined the brigade in a review by the new commander. Gen. Duryea. In the afternoon the regiment assembled in the woods, where there was music by the band, reading of the Declaration of Independence by Lieut. Kimball, of Co. C, speeches, suited to the occasion, by Capts.
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FOURTH OF JULY.
Smith, of Co. D, Boothby, of Co. F, and others, and singing by Lieuts. Bigelow, Co. F, Chadbourne, Co. I, Pray, Co. I, and Myrick, Co. K, and Adjt. Stevens. These exercises were fol- lowed by a foot-race for three prizes, five, three, and two dollars, which were won by members of Co. C, L, and K, respectively ; a sack-race, which made a "right smart heap " of sport, and in which a comrade of Co. G proved the best man, and took three dollars for so proving ; and a race for a greased pig (furnished by Capt. Cowan), in which fun grew fast and furious, a Co. D man carrying off the porker and the prize, three dollars. A sweepstakes race for officers' horses, for a purse of twenty-five dollars, was arranged, to take place at half-past six in the even- ing, at which seven horses were entered. During the race the horse of Capt. Smith, of Co. D, who was riding behind the racers, fell, and the captain was thrown over the horse's head, receiving quite serious injuries in the shoulder, compelling him to retire from duty for twenty days. At eight o'clock there was a grand bonfire in lieu of fireworks, closing the celebra- tion, which was doubtless even more heartily enjoyed by the boys than the more elaborate celebrations in their own state were by those who participated in them.
On the fifth the regiment marched to Warrenton, a distance of a dozen miles, Cos. F and K advance and Co. G rear guard, and were followed during the day by the remainder of the division. The advance dashed into the town at a trot, creating considerable excitement among the citizens, and camped some two miles from town on the road toward Sulphur Springs. The following day, Sunday, Cos. D, F, and G went on a reconnois- sance to the springs, and the next day Cos. F and K went to Waterloo. This last detachment captured a rebel mail carrier who was on his way to Richmond with a heavy mail. and sent prisoner and mail to headquarters to be disposed of, and also met a cavalry detachment sent out from Front Royal by Gen. Banks to reconnoitre ; and as each party took the other to be the enemy, an exciting chase occurred after a small party of them, but good fortune and good judgment prevented anything serious happening.
The regiment remained in the vicinity of Warrenton, doing
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picket and patrol duty, reconnoitring, etc., till the twenty- second, being joined by Lieut. Col. Douty's battalion from the Shenandoah valley on the tenth, and changing camp to the north of and nearer to the village on the twelfth. During this time Co. E received an order to detail a man for duty at Gen. Rickett's headquarters. The first sergeant, thinking the man was merely wanted for police duty, sent a stout, good-natured man, but of not very prepossessing appearance. When Noah, as he was called, reported to the general, the latter looked at him, evidently not favorably impressed by his looks, and said : "I wanted a good man ; are you a good man ?" Noah straight- ened himself up and replied in a very deliberate manner : " Wall, gen'ral, I aint a godly good man, but I was always counted a good man on a farm." The general had no more remarks to make, but he found Noah a good man.
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