USA > Maine > History of the First Maine cavalry, 1861-1865, V. 2 > Part 7
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421
FARMVILLE.
ately jumped up, got behind the body of his horse, and com- menced firing, using for breastworks what a moment before had been his best friend.
The firing in front became less frequent, the few of the enemy that had been posted in the edge of the town retreated. and the regiment advanced up the hill beyond the town. skirmishing slightly on the way, and capturing some prisoners. Here the regiment halted, by orders from Gen. Crooke, and a detail was sent out to forage for rations.1 This was a most successful detail, and the boys had a big dinner, taken from the tables of the best citizens of the town, while tobacco in great plenty and of the best quality -the best to which the boys ever helped themselves on Virginia soil - was brought in and distributed. More than this, many of the boys confis- cated articles of underclothing, and enjoyed a change then and there. The regimental band was paraded through the streets of the town with Gen. Smith's staff, playing patriotic airs, and on the whole it was a general jollification on the part of the boys.
Then back into the town went the regiment, happy as ever was a regiment, and now fun was plenty. The citizens looked on with all sorts of eyes and all sorts of mouths. The boys helped themselves to anything they wanted. - considering that they had earned it, - till almost every one had as much as he could carry. The remainder of the brigade soon joined the regiment, and the whole force marched back out of the town, meeting the infantry coming in. The cavalry men, in their joyous spirits, offered the infantry men tobacco, which was gladly welcomed. and in another moment half the regiment were throwing plugs of tobacco at the infantry men. for which they scrambled like so many ragged boys for half rotten apples thrown away by the storekeeper.2
During the forenoon Private Rufus A Smith, of Co. I. who was serving as orderly for Gen. Smith, was sent with an order
1 Gen. Smith had applied to Gen. Crooke for permission to stop and get forage, saying : " My men have been galloping over the hills all day, and we want forage." To this Girl. Crooke sent back the reply: "All right; go ahead and forage; I will let the Second brigade go ahead."
: Gen. W. H. F. Lee's command was the force driven out of Farmville by this brigade. and just before departing he left word with the mayor of Farmville to present his compli- ments to Gen. Smith.
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422
FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
to Col. Clark, and was captured. After the surrender of Gen. Lee, a few days afterward. he returned, and upon reaching brigade headquarters, he saluted Gen. Smith as politely as possible, and reported : " I could not find Col. Clark, sir," just as though he had been gone but an hour.
While in the town. the Second brigade of the division had engaged the enemy in the vicinity of the battery which saluted the regiment as it charged into the town, and was having a hard time. The Third brigade was now ordered to the sup- port of the Second, and crossing the Appomattox River, which wound around the right of the town, at a very bad ford, was soon in position, where it remained, without this regiment, at least, having anything more serious than expecting to fight. till about nine o'clock in the evening, and then recrossing the river, marched to Prospect Station, arriving about two o'clock the next morning.
The casualties in the regiment this day were one man killed and four wounded.
A short nap, and the regiment was in readiness to move at daylight of the eighth, and remained in readiness till the whole cavalry corps had passed, when it followed in the rear, starting about nine o'clock. An easy march took the regiment to Pomplin's Station, where there was a halt of an hour or more. and then the march commenced again, the men being in fine spirits, though tired and well worn out with the severe work of the past few days. At dusk the regiment halted a short. distance from Appomattox Station and near a railroad, to allow another column of troops to pass on a cross-road. A strong detail from the brigade was sent off after something to eat for men and horses. While waiting there the men heard the whistle of an engine, and then the sound of an approaching train. Strange sounds for that vieinity - what does it mean ? As the sound approached it was accompanied with the sound of cheers, till the men were well nigh lost in wonder. Then a train reached the regiment on the railroad, came to a stop, and the engineer-one of Custer's long-haired, rough riders, who could control the iron horse as easy as he could his own quad- ruped, and would ride either to destruction if duty said go -
"GOING OUT TO HOLD A ROAD." 423
sang out : " Gen. Custer has charged into Appomattox Station and captured three trains loaded with supplies, and here is one of them. Pitch in, boys." The boys did pitch in, and in a short time had rations and forage enough, and to spare for those who had been sent out to capture it by the slower method of horseback riding. Going foraging by railroad was something new. even in those times of wonders. The men loaded what they could carry on the horses, and fed the rest out to them by the roadside. - there was enough. They also found plenty of clothing on the train, and better still, underclothing, of which they were sadly in need, and improved the time in put- ting them on. - even to gray pants and jackets. - in place of the torn, service-stained ones furnished by Uncle Sam.
The other column got by at last, and the regiment moved on. A mile or more, perhaps, and the regiment was drawn up in a field, near Appomattox Station, the men were told, and ordered to unsaddle and go into camp. Welcome order, and obeyed with all the spirit the tired boys could muster. The foragers rejoined the command, having been unsuccessful, and were duly laughed at. but they forgave that when they found there was plenty for them. A good supper, thanks to Gen. Custer's capture, and by nine o'clock a part of the brigade was sleeping sweetly, and the remainder preparing for sleep with pleasant anticipations.
Suddenly came the order : "Saddle and pack, and be ready to move out at once !" In less than an hour the men were mounted and awaiting orders. A brigade staff officer rode along by Col. Cilley, telling him the regiment was going out a short distance to hold a road, and that the general thought they were shoving this brigade a little. The men agreed with him, but there was no getting behind the orders. Soon the command reached burning wagons, scattered munitions of war of every kind, muskets. caissons, clothing, blankets, and all sorts of stores, strewed in every direction, some partially destroyed. while some were as yet unhurt, the light from the burning wagons lighting up the scene and making it picturesque. The command had barely got clear of this work of destruction when the advance found the enemy's pickets, and commenced
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424
FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
skirmishing. The march had been slow before, and was now even more so; march a few steps, halt a few moments, and march again, till midnight, when the brigade was drawn up in line of battle on the right of the road. A staff officer rode to Col. Cilley with : " Prepare your men to fight on foot -give no loud orders -let there be as little noise as possible - I will show you where to take position." It was quietly done. the led horses left there. and the men were taken across the road. advanced to the brow of a hill and placed in line in a direction at right angles with the road, which was on the right. The firing had stopped as soon as the little force stopped advancing. though the occasional hum of a bullet and crack of a rifle. sounding fiercer than usual in the stillness of midnight. told that the enemy was near and was aware of the presence of this force. It was a strange, weird scene, - those men noiselessly carrying rails and building breastworks, their forms showing at intervals against the sky, and then disappearing. By one o'clock a strong line of works had been put up, and the men were resting on their arms, most of them asleep, but enough awake to give the alarm in case of need.1
With the first gray of dawn on the morning of Sunday. April ninth. - memorable day, - the enemy sent over a " good morning." suddenly awakening those blue-coated sleepers. whose first motion was for their carbines with one hand as they rubbed open their eyes with the other, and a lively skir- mish fire commenced, which lasted an hour or more without amounting to much. . The daylight revealed the position of the force. This regiment was in the road and the remainder of the brigade was on the right of the road. one regiment remain- ing mounted in reserve, while in the road. in rear, were two pieces of artillery. On the left there was no force to be seen. The skirmish fire grew quite hot at times, and then dwindled down to occasional shots, the enemy apparently feeling the
1 It appears this brigade had the rear of the colunm that day, and was the last into camp. Soon after arriving there Gen. Crooke sent for Gen. Smith, and said: " Gen. sher- idan thinks Gen. Lee is in a tight place, and may try to get ont to-night by the Lynchburg , pike; he wants me to look out for him, and I guess you better go. I will give you asection of artillery, and you look np a guide." Gen. Smith was given two guns, under command of Lient. Lord, and the brigade moved ont. On reaching the pike, it turned in the direc- tion of Clover Hill, relieving Custer's men on picket.
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APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE. 425
strength of the Union force. Then the men could see in the distance a body of the enemy's troops working round their left. and in a short time the line was swung around on a line with the road, to meet this attempt to flank it, the men all the time fighting. The men began to wonder where the rest of the troops were if the enemy could come around them in that way. but all such disrespectful thoughts were quieted when they saw Little Phil Sheridan and a staff officer riding in full view of the situation, looking as unconcerned as if it were all right. and apparently satisfied with the position of affairs, which impression he left with the men by his bearing as he rode off to the right without so much as a word to any one connected with the little fight, his momentary presence re-enforcing the command equal to its own numbers, by the confidence the men received from him.
No firing could be heard except in the immediate front of this brigade, and the men supposed that was all that was engaged, and that they were merely "holding a road." The line in front grew stronger and came nearer, and finally came within fair range, when their men seemed unwilling to advance. The carbines of this brigade did all that could be expected, and inspired the line with a wholesome fear, - a feeling, apparently. that they would fight very well where they were. but would have to get wonderfully waked up to advance much, even on that little handful of Yankees. The little brigade fought well. losing ground little by little, being pressed slowly back, the enemy gaining no temporary advantage sufficient to raise their spirits to attempt a charge, which would literally have swal- lowed the brigade up, they being of at least ten times its num- bers, but worn out. half starved. and wholly discouraged. Had the enemy fought with their vim of a year before, this brigade would hardly have got a sight at the road it was holding. This could not long continue. The brigade was losing the field, and had already left the road when an orderly came riding by. say- ing: "Keep up your courage, boys: the infantry is coming right along - in two columns - black and white -side by side -- a regular checker-board." They must come soon, or the field were lost ; the men were scattering little by little ; the line Was
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426
FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
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· growing thin; the force was certainly fast getting towards demoralization, causing a corresponding rise in the spirits of the enemy. As the men reached the woods at the edge of the field they met the infantry, a part of the Twenty-fifth corps. - black, to be sure, but their uniforms were blue and their hearts loyal, and the men were as glad to meet them as though they were of pure Anglo-Saxon blood. They were Union soldiers. - they were needed, -and black or white, they were welcome. and the " Bully for you ! " which greeted them from all sides was none the less hearty than the same greeting had, on previ- ous like circumstances, been given troops of their own color. These troops were in good spirits, and apparently anxious to get at "dem rebels." The men of this brigade passed through their line into and through the woods and into a field where the led horses had been taken, while the negroes took their places in front of the enemy. An officer of the regiment who remained behind to see if " the niggers would fight," afterwards said they went in gallantly, charging across the field in fine style, while their once owners waited not to recognize their former slaves.1
The different regiments in the brigade got together, the men hunted for their comrades, some of them, alas. never to find them alive, the number of casualties in each regiment was ascertained. - in this regiment two killed, seventeen wounded. and one missing, -a hasty breakfast was eaten, and the men remained quietly in readiness for whatever orders were in store for them. All seemed to feel that a big day's work was yet to be done, and that they would get their share, and they lay there expecting every moment to be ordered to mount and away, anxious, fearing, expecting soon to hear roar of cannon and rattle of musketry such as they had seldom if ever heard. and wondering why things were so quiet, - why there was not firing on some part of the line, at least, till the quiet grew
1 Thus this brigade, commanded by a First Maine officer, and having in it the First Maine regiment, had the post of honor in what proved to be the last fight in the Army of the Potomac. The enemy came forward with the intention of brushing this force out of the way if there was nothing but cavalry, and came so near as to endanger the gun -. which at first were on the skirmish line, and it was necessary to take the horses out of the way and draw the guns off by the prolongs. The enemy made a very brisk attack, but finding artillery and the repeating carbines of the First Maine, they gave up the idea of " brushing this foree out of the way " so easily.
427
SURRENDER OF GEN. LEE.
oppressive, foreboding, as they believed, a severer storm when it did burst.
But here is a rumor that Gen. Lee has surrendered ! What ' Nonsense! Who says that? An orderly told such an officer. and he told so-and-so. The half-formed hope dies at once ; it is only a common rumor, and can be traced to no authority. But it is repeated! All listen eagerly to the story, not yet daring to hope. Col. Cilley speaks of it to Capt. Hall in a low tone of voice, as if half ashamed to be heard repeating the improbable story, and the captain replies : "I know they say so ; but don't. for pity's sake, say anything about it "; as if it were weak to repeat it, and might reflect on his judgment. The rumor gathers strength. - no one seems to know how. - no one can tell how it got there, -and no one believes it. Then it assumes a more tangible form, and it is reported that there is a cessation of hostilities, and that Gens. Grant and Lee are endeavoring to arrange terms of capitulation. Yet the men do not know whether to believe it or not.
Then comes an order to move, and the regiment, with the brigade, marches toward the front, halting a short time, and then directly over the contested field of the morning, where no troops are seen. A few ride up the road, out of curiosity, by the breastworks thrown up the night before, over the hill, which it is now learned is Clover Hill, and soon return, saying they can see the two armies lying quietly on their arms, and the flags of truce. The men begin to have some idea of believing the many reports flying around. and learn that when they thought they were "only holding a road," the little brigade was resisting Gen. Lee in his attempt to escape over the only road to Lynchburg, and was holding the post of honor. A short stop, and the command marches back again, halting in the field where it re-formed after the fight, the men filled with new and unusual sensations. Will the generals come to terms? Is Gen. Lee going to surrender? Is the fighting over? Can it be possible the end of marching and fighting, of hardship and exposure, of dull picket and duller camp duty has come? And their thoughts at once return to their homes, and they think " if this only could be true."
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
By the middle of the afternoon the brigade was ordered to go into camp where it then was, which relieved the men of the strain of being ready to move at any moment, and soon after the mail arrived, bringing kind messages from loved ones. "Oh, if they only knew we were safe, and the fighting over! . But perhaps Gen. Lee will decide to fight it out, rather than agree to Gen. Grant's terms." Uncertain yet. It was amusing to read in the papers the various surmises as to the result of the then present campaign, -how and what Gen. Grant was going to do, and how and what Gen. Lee would be obliged to do, - and compare them with the actual state of affairs.
The men went to sleep that night in the same state of uncer- tainty, but with strong hopes that the result of the conference had been favorable. The next morning they were awakened by the roar of cannon, and sprang for their arms as from intui- tion, while "How are you, Lee's surrender?" was heard in tones of doubt and sinking hope. The report that "it is a salute in honor of the surrender," only half reassured them. But when they got orders to move they were told they were going to ride through the camps of their late enemies, and were ordered to make no noisy demonstrations -to use no in- sulting language or offensive epithets to the prisoners, and then. for the first time, hours after the whole loyal north had learned the joyful news, they knew Gen. Lee had surrendered to Gen. Grant. Even then they did not fully realize the position of affairs. It was too great a change in their prospects to be at once understood. They were happy enough that morning, with a deep sense of happiness too strong for outward demonstration.
As they rode over Clover Hill and neared Appomattox Court House. Little Phil Sheridan stood by the roadside, looking as unconcerned as if he had done nothing, and then all the pent- up joy. all the uncertainty, all the alternating hope and fear of the past twenty-four hours, found vent in three cheers such as only victorious soldiers can give. Then they realized the whole matter, and could talk it over with each other, while before there had not been much disposition to talk about it. A second thought on the part of some commanding officer, and the direc- tion of the march was changed. taking the command around,
429
APPOMATTOX.
instead of through. the camp of the captured army, and the men of the First Maine Cavalry saw no more of the surrender.
Gen. Smith, at the reunion at Pittsfield, 1880, thus speaks of this last engagement :--
Appomattox! What a glorious ending of a glorious career! After Five Forks, our regiment was with the advance in pursuit of the enemy. It marched past and beyond the rebel army, confronted it in its retreat, and at two o'clock on the morning of the ninth of April, drove in its pickets and crouched in its path, in full view of its camp-fires, to await certain attack at daylight. It has often been asked. " Who fired the last shot at Appomat- tox?" That question has never been determined. and it is not possible that it ever will be. In the uncertainty of that point, it is pleasant to feel that every one present participated in firing the last shot, and in that matter "there is glory enough for all." The question. however, as to who fired the first shot on that ever-to-be-remembered morning, is not in doubt. The First Maine Cavalry received the first attack of that pent-up and doomed rebel army, and fired the first shot to repel it. It also continued its firing in the very front till hostilities were ended. and the grand old Army of the Potomac commanded peace to the country.
Gen. Joshua L. Chamberlain, in an address to the regiment at the reunion at Pittsfield, 1880, said :-
I spoke of Appomattox. I cannot but refer to it again. I was so favored as to see you in several engagements. Brandy Station was one which I shall never forget. But how can any human words speak the emotions that still swell in my heart when I remember that morning of the ninth of April. 1865, when, having myself received a message from Gen. Sheri- dan to break off with my brigade from the column and come to his sup- port. I double quicked three miles to that field, and saw you there. as I said just now. in that magnificent scene, holding your own. almost holding your own at any rate. surging like the very waves of the ocean before the old Stonewall Jackson corps of infantry at Appomattox Court House. - where, from midnight. I think, or nearly so. until eight o'clock in the morn- ing. the cavalry, single-handed, without any infantry supporting them, had held at bay that most magnificent army of the rebellion, the Army of North- ern Virginia. I submit. comrades, that that was a scene and a feat which history never saw before nor since. I say, without fear of contradiction. that it was the cavalry, and it was the First Maine Cavalry which had the post of honor in that crowning and consummating scene, without which We should not have been able to stop Lee. He would have got somehow or other. I doubt not. to Lynchburg, had it not been for your magnificent speed and strength which held him there at bay.
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FIRST MAINE CAVALRY.
The story of this last fight of the glorious old Army of the . Potomac was thus put in verse by a member of this regiment, in 1875 : -
THIE MORNING AT APPOMATTOX.
One Sabbath morn. ten years ago, beneath an April sky, The southern soldiers stacked their arms and bade the field good-by; Surrendered after four years' war to justice and to right;
And hymns of praise and songs of joy rang through the north that night.
Six days before. and Petersburg. the stronghold of the foe, Was occupied by Union troops; then Richmond felt the blow; And since that time, by day and night, unlike its past repute, Lee's army'd been in full retreat - and Grant's in hot pursuit.
Upon that morn, ten years ago, before the break of day, A force of gallant boys in blue, near Appomattox lay; Along a hill the blue line ran, across the Lynchburg road,
And baek and forth, with watchful eye, the faithful sentry strode.
The foree was small, but staunel and true - a cavalry brigade:
We'd reached the hill and found the foe at midnight's deepest shade; Dismounted then and formed the line, sent horses to the rear,
Then slept upon our arms and dreamed of home and loved ones dear.
The orders were to hold the road, and that at any cost; We did not know if that were done the southern cause was lost,
Nor did we know that single road was Lee's sole chance of 'scape .
From Sheridan, who'd " pushed things" well and caught him in bad shape.
With dawn's first light the fight commenced -an hour or two'twas waged. With little gain on either side. The Union troops engaged .
Were but this small brigade: we heard no firing on our right,
Nor yet upon our left - we stood alone in that fieree fight.
At length we saw, down on the left, a mile or more away, A line of battle forming fast - a line of men in gray;
Forward they march, straight for the road, with steady tread but slow- We swing our line round with the road to meet the flanking foe.
This force was full ten times our own, and infantry beside. It ought to drive us easily, and would but that the tide
Had turned; the banners of defeat hung round about it then- A week's retreat had left but little courage in those men.
That they were brave they well had shown all through that four years' strife: They fight with desperation now, yet seem devoid of life; They answer not the orders " charge!" which we distinctly hear Above the din of battle sounds, their line has come so near.
They press us hard: by sheer main strength they foree us to retire; We fall back slowly, keeping up a sharp and rapid fire - Back to the road. where for a time we check their onward course And then give way, pushed back at last by their superior force.
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431
THE MORNING AT APPOMATTOX.
Soon " Little Phil" came riding by, so cool, calm, and serene, We knew at once that all was well. The moment he was seen By our brave boys they made a dash and gained the road again - His presence there, without a word, was worth a thousand men.
'Twas all in vain: again they come, again force us to yield, And drive us. fighting step by step. across the open field. We felt that all was lost. but in our sorest time of need An orderly, war-stained and grim, rode up at break-neck speed.
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