USA > Michigan > An historical sketch of the Seventh regiment Michigan volunteer cavalry from its organization, in 1862, to its muster out, in 1865 > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
" At Gettysburg. on the 3d of July, on the extended GEN. GEO. A. CU-TER. right of our line during the early part of the day. the regiment, as a reserve and as a support to Battery . M.' occupied various positions upon the field. About four o'clock in the afternoon the regiment was ordered to charge the advancing line of the enemy's skirmishers. who were strongly supported by their cavalry reserve. A desperate but unequal hand-to-hand conflict here occurred. The regiment, being finally obliged to re
23
MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY,
tire, rallied twice under a sharp fire from the enemy, without support or cover, and returned to the charge, and held the field until the advance of the First Michigan."
Gen. J. H. Kidd, in his address at Gettysburg, graphically describes this charge :
"Just then a column of mounted men was seen ad- vancing from our right and rear, squadron succeeding squadron. until an entire regiment came into view with sabres gleaming and colors gaily fluttering in the breeze. It was the Seventh Michigan, commanded by Colonel Mann : Gregg, seeing the necessity for prompt action, had ordered it to charge. As it moved for- ward and cleared the battery, Custer drew his sabre, placed himself in front, and shouted. . Come on. you Wolverines " The Seventh dashed into the open field and rode straight at the dismounted line, which, stag- gered by the appearance of this new foe, broke to the rear and ran for its reserves. Custer led the charge half-way across the plain, then turned to the left ; but the gallant regiment swept on under its own leaders, riding down and capturing many prisoners,
" There was no cheek to the charge. The squadrons kept on in good form. Every man yelled at the top of his voice until the regiment had gone probably one thousand yards straight toward the Confederate bat- teries, when, by some error of the guide of the lead- ing squadron, the head of the column was deflected to the left, making a quarter turn, and the regiment was hurled headlong against a post and rail-fence that
24
SEVENTH REGIMENT
ran obliquely in front of the Rummel barn. This proved, for the moment, an impassable barrier. The squadrons coming up successively at a charge, rushed pell-mell upon each other, and were thrown into a state of indescribable confusion, though the rear com- panies, without order or orders, formed left and right- front-into-line along the fence and pluckily began firing across it into the faces of the Confederates, who, when they saw the impetuous onset of the Seventh thus abruptly checked, rallied. and began to colleet in swarms upon the opposite side. Some of the officers leaped from their saddles and called upon the men to assist in making an opening. Among these were Lieutenant Geo. G. Briggs, acting Adju- tant, and Captain Il. N. Moore. The task was a difficult and hazardous one. the posts and rail- being so firmly united that it could be accomplished only by lifting the HEMAN N. MOORE, Captain Company " K." posts, which were set deeply, and moving several lengths at once. This was finally done, however, though the regiment was exposed to not only a fire from the force in front,
.
25
MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
but to a flanking fire from a strong skirmish line along a fence to the right, and running at nearly right angles with the one through which it was trying to pass.
" While this was going on. Briggs' horse was shot. and he found himself on foot with three Confederate prisoners on his hands. With these he started to the rear, having no remount. Before he could reach a place of safety, the rush of charging squadrons from either side had intercepted his retreat. In the mêlée that followed, two of his men ran away; the other undertook the duty of escorting his eaptor back to the I'mfederate lines. The experiment cost him his life, but the plucky adjutant, although he did not run away. lived to fight again on many another day.
" In the mean time, through the passageway thus effected, the regiment moved forward .- the centre -quadron leading,-and resumed the charge. Before it the Confederates at once fell back. The charge was continued across a plowed field to the front and right up to, and past. Rummels, to a point within two or three hundred yards of the Confederate battery. There another fence confronted it, the last one in the way of reaching the battery, the guns of which were pouring canister into the charging column as fast as could be fired. Two men, Privates Powers and Ingelede, of Captain Moore's company. leaped this fence and passed several rods beyond. Powers came back without a scratch, but Ingelede was severely wounded. These two men were certainly within two hundred yards of the enemy's cannon.
26
SEVENTH REGIMENT
" But seeing that the enemy to the right had thrown down the fences and were forming a column for a charge, the companies of the Seventh fell back through the opening in the fence. Captain Moore, in whose company sixteen horses had been killed, retired slowly, endeavoring to cover the retreat of his dismounted men ; but, taking the wrong direction, he came to the fence one hundred yards above the opening, just as the enemy's charging column struck him.
" Glancing over his shoulder, he caught the gleam of a sabre, thrust from the arm of a sturdy Confeder- ate. He ducked to avoid the blow, but received the point upon the back of his head. At the same time a pistol ball crashed through his charger's brain, and the horse went down with Moore's leg under him. An instant later. Moore avenged his steed with the last shot in his revolver, and the Confederate fell dead at his side. Some dismounted men of the Thirteenth Virginia Cavalry took Moore prisoner and escorted him back to the rear of their battery, from which position, during the excitement that followed, he made his escape."
In his report General Custer says: "I at once ordered the Seventh Michigan Cavalry to charge the advancing commun of the enemy. The ground was very unfavorable for the manouvring of cavalry, but, despite all obstacles, the regiment boldly advanced to the assault, which was exeented in splendid style, the enemy being driven from field to field, until our
27
MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
advance reached a high and unbroken fence, behind which the enemy was strongly posted. Nothing daunted, Colonel Mann, followed by the main body of his regiment, bravely rode up to the fence, discharging revolvers in the very face of the foe. No troops could have maintained this position. The Seventh was therefore compelled to retire, followed by twice the number of the enemy."
Lieutenant J. L. Carpenter, of Company - F." was severely wounded and taken prisoner by the enemy. He fainted from loss of blood and was left by his captors on the field, where he was subsequently picked up by our own men. Lieu- tenant J. G. Birney, of Company .. C." was also wounded and captured, but he effected his es- cape the same day. Stuart's attempt, MAJOR JAS. L. CARPENTER. with four brigades of rebel cavalry, to turn the Union right on the last day at Gettysburg, was foiled, principally by the determined resistance and impetuous onslaughts of the Michigan Cavalry
28
SEVENTH REGIMENT
Brigade. Of the regiments composing that organi- zation, none are entitled to more laurels for the part performed on that bistoric field than the Seventh Michigan Cavalry. Although the smallest regiment in the brigade, it suffered the greatest loss of any. With twenty-nine officers and four hundred and thirty-two men-four hundred and sixty-one in all- present for duty, thirteen men were killed, four officers and forty-four meu wounded, and thirty-nine men were missing. This was nearly double the loss of the Fifth, with seven hundred and seventy present for duty, and over one-fourth greater than the loss of the First, with five hundred and two present for duty. The Sixth, with six hundred and eleven present for duty, suffered a loss of twentyeight in killed, wounded. and missing. It is a distinction we are not disposed to estimate lightly, that our casualties exceeded those of any other cavalry regiment engaged in the battle of Gettysburg. Of the part taken by the Michigan Cavalry brigade at Gettysburg. Captain Charles King. U. S. A., has written :
" Virginia's beautiful division of cavalry, plumed, stately. superb, rides forth from the screening forest to overwhelm the Union ranks. Oh, well for Gregg and his gallant few in the worn old Second Division- well for the hard-used Army of the Potomac-well for the cause of freedom and union is it that Custer and the Wolverines are -till there !
*: :!: * *
" The hoarsely shouted . Charge" the glorious
29
MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
burst of cheers! the wild fury of the onset ! the crash and shock of the meeting hosts -- and Virginia's grand advance is done. Michigan has tackled and downed her in mid-field. Hand to hand, blade to blade, Stu- art's veterans, Custer's eager boys are clinched in furious fight, with the Wolverines on top. * * * * *
"Hacking, hewing. hammering now, the Union blues surround the bathed legion, powerless in its very weight, and so, slowly, gradually, al- most imperceptibly at first, the gray horsemen are borne backward up the field. back through the dense dust cloud. and at last. dissolv- ing before the tor- rent. they turn and fee and seek the distant shelter of the wood. their breath- JAMES G. BIRNEY, Captain Company " C." less conquerors chas- ing at their heels. Like Pickett's-Stuart's grand assault is turned to . uanght What soldier lives who does not envy Michigan that day ? It was the cavalry combat of the war!"
On the morning of the 4th orders came to march
30
SEVENTHI REGIMENT
in pursuit of the fleeing army of Lee, who, during the night before, had decided to get back to "Ole Virginny " as quickly as possible. Our route took us directly across the field of the hot infantry and artillery fighting of the day before. All will remember the awful spectacle presented. In places several bodies had been heaped together to clear the way for the column to pass, so thickly had the ground been strewn with the fallen in that great battle. That afternoon and night there was a fearful thunderstorm, and the scene was one of great grandeur, as, marching on the hill road, the clouds and lightning seemed, and in fact were, below us in the valley. In the midst of pouring rain and intense darkness, save when light- ning brought an instant of illumination, the head of the column, which was held by the Seventh, was met by a volley of canister shot from two pieces of artil- lery posted in the roadway at Monterey Pass, directly in front of the summer hotel. As the road was still ascending. the gunners, miscalculating our distance away, aimed too high, and no harm from the first discharge came to its. The column promptly charged and in a few minutes the position was ours, together with the cannon and a good many prisoners. All night the march was kept up, fraught with con- siderable fighting, rewarded by the capture of many prisoners and some four hundred wagons of the enemy's trains.
The remainder of the campaign is included in the report of Major Newcombe :
31
MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
" At Smithburg, July 5th, the regiment supported Battery . M' and occupied the extreme right.
" At Hagerstown, July 6th, the regiment, having supported the battery in the early part of the affair, was afterward advanced on the right. nearly past the town, when it was dismounted and thrown forward as skirmishers, driving the enemy beyond the town, when it was recalled."
Capt. Wellington Willets, Company " E," was taken prisoner at Hagerstown, and held in the various prisons of the South until the spring of 1865.
" At Williamsport, the same day, we supported a bat- tery. Companies . L' and . M' joined the regiment at Boones- borough, July 8th, 1863. where the regi- ment that day, in the early part of the action, supported Bat- tery ' M' on the right of the Hagerstown road. As our line of skirmishers was fall- ing back. Major New- combe, with his bat- talion. dismounted HABLAN B. COCHRAN, First Sergeant Company " F." and advanced to its support. The line advanced under a heavy fire, and drove the enemy
32
SEVENTH REGIMENT
from the woods. Reinforcements coming up. a charge was made and the enemy was driven from the field. The remainder of the regiment supported the skirmishers and was exposed to a heavy fire.
"On the 12th of July the regiment. being attached to the First Brigade, entered, with it, Hagerstown. under a sharp fire from the enemy. In the afternoon the regiment was advanced to support the infantry at the extreme right of the town.
" At Falling Waters. July 14th, upon coming into action. Major Granger was dispatched to the right, where, dismounting a part of his command, he soon took from the enemy a ten-pounder Parrott gun. that, after having turned against the enemy with great effect. he brought from the field. Another part of the regiment went to the support of the skirmishers, and the remainder as a support for Battery . M. The enemy's column advanced to charge the battery, when that part of the right sup- porting it-seventy sabres-advanced to the charge and brought from the field four hundred prisoners, with the battle-flag of the Fifty-fifth Virginia. The dismounted skirmisher- of the Seventh captured the Colonel of the Fifty-fifth. with several other officers and a squad of men." Here was killed Orderly Sergeant Cochran. of Company " F." as noble a youth as ever died for his country. The flag was captured by Sergeant tafterward Lieutenant Chas. M. Holton. of Company " A." This flag was sent by General Kilpatrick to the War Department, where it was
33
MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY
turned over by Secretary Stanton to Colonel Mann to be held as a trophy, and in whose possession it still remains. In the
charge on the
Fifty-fifth
Vir-
ginia. Lieutenant
Dodge and Ser- geant Cochran were in the ad- vance. The enemy discharged a vol- ley that killed Cochran and put twenty-even bul. lets into the horse of Private Dopps. of Company " F," in the first set of CHARLES M. HOLTON. First Lieutenant Company "C." " fours," breaking every one of the animal's legs. Dopps himself was only scratched.
After a few days' much needed rest we again crossed the Potomac into Virginia, and participated in engagements at Snickers' Gap. July 19th : Kelly's Ford. September 13th : Culpepper Court-House. September 14th : Raccoon Ford. September 10th : White's Ford. September 21st. and Jack's Shop. September 26th.
In the retrograde movement from the Rapidan. the enemy was met October 9th near James City : on
34
SEVENTH REGIMENT
the 10th, participated in the battle of Brandy Station, where Buford's and Kilpatrick's divisions were surrounded by the rebel infantry and cavalry. The Michigan Brigade charged through and cleared the river front of the enemy, so that the whole com- mand was withdrawn in good order. From the 11th to the 19th we were active in guarding the flank and rear of the army. On the 19th, after skirmishing from Gaines- ville to Buck- land's Mills, a heavy engage- ment occurred at the latter place with the enemy's infan- try and cavalry. Here Lieuten- ants Briggs and Holmes were taken prisoners, but succeeded in 1 :. 11. HOLMES, Second Lieutenant Company " E." running the guard in the night, and found their way back to our lines, after undergoing severe hard-hip -.
The enemy, falling back toward the Rapidan, was not again encountered until the 19th of November-at Steven-burg. and the 20th of November at Morton's Ford. In the affair of the 26th, the regiment cap-
35
1755041
MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
tured a number of prisoners from the rear of the rebel column. An incident of this action is worthy of record. Just before the engagement, Captain Warner, of Company "B." had been compelled by sickness to drop behind his regiment. General Custer, finding him away from his command, placed him under arrest and took away his arms. The Captain pushed forward and rejoined the command just as it was going into action. Unarmed as he was, he rode in the forefront, and, catching a fully-armed rebel in his arms, he drew him from his horse, placed him across the pommel of his saddle and carried him to General Custer, who, it is needless to say, restored the Captain his arms and rescinded the order of arrest. The season's campaign being now over, we settled down into winter-quarters near Stevensburg. Va., picketing the line of the Rapidan about Morton's Ford.
By utilizing the material of abandoned and partly dismantled houses, comfortable winter-quarters were arranged ; and, although the camp was flat and muddy in wet weather, it was pleasant to be at rest after the hardships of the campaign. While here, may be mentioned an issue of whisky. that illustrates the inexhaustibility of a barrel of commissary whisky, as well, also, as the fact that some men have acquired a reputation for capacity in storing it away that they do not deserve. All will recollect the cold New Year of 1864. On that day the brigade Quarter- master was ordered to dispense whisky on orders of regimental and company officers. Accordingly, your
36
SEVENTH REGIMENT
historian was ordered to repair to the brigade Quarter-master's in order to vouch for the signatures of the officers of his regiment- a duty, by the way, he was not loth to undertake, since it angured the probability of participating in a good New Year's din- ner with the Quarter-master. Like the obedient soldier he was. he at once betook himself to the old mill. where was installed the Quarter-master. While vet a little way off. wrapt in the admiration of the architectural glories of the structure, he heard the official discoursing softly to his force in a strain like this: " Now. you have drawn off two buckets for brigade headquarters, have you?" " Yes," was the answer. " Well, fill in two buckets of clear cold water from the mill race, and draw off four buckets for regimental headquarters, and fill up again from the mill race. Then till the orders for the personal use of the company officers, and, as the barrel goes down, fill up from the mill race, and even then there is many a man that will get a good deal more whisky than he ought to have." The picket detail left camp after dinner, the weather at that time being fairly comfortable. Long before night it turned cold, and early in the night it was necessary to relieve the outposts once an hour. Even then the men were nearly frozen, and not a man slept in reserve, but hovered closely about the huge log tires that had been built in order to keep from freezing.
When the regiment had settled in winter quarters. Colonel Mann went to Washington to lay before the
£
37
MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
Ordnance Department the improved system of cavalry and infantryaccontrements which he had designed, and which had already received the commendation of General Meade and most of the general officers of the Army of the Potomac. The War Department decided to order a quantity of them for trial, and sent Colonel Mann to New York to procure and supervise their manufacture. This device, of which General Grant wrote, " I believe no one invention yet made will do more to promote the ethicieney of the Army,"' proved so success- ful. and the Gov- ernment gave such large orders for their manu- facture, that the matter seemed to demand the con- Stant attention of Colonel Mann, and, unwilling to accept a detail to ordnance duty while nominally A. (. LITCHFIELD, Colonel and Brevet Brigadur-General. Colonel of a reg- iment fighting at the front, he resigned on March 1st, devolving the command on Lieutenant-Colonel Liteh- field.
38
SEVENTH REGIMENT
On the 25th of January, 1864, a recruiting detail was sent to Michigan under charge of Captain D. H. Darling. The party returned about the middle of April. having obtained some recruits. although not nearly as many as had been expected and were needed.
On the 28th of February one hundred picked men and horses of the regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Litchfield, left camp at Stevensburg. on the raid to Richmond, under General Kilpatrick. Beaver Dam Station, on the Virginia Central Railroad, was reached the afternoon of the 29th ; and, after destroying the station and track. the march was resumed, and the defenses of Richmond encountered the afternoon of March Ist. Here we remained for several hours awaiting the sound of Colonel Dalghren's signal gun on the other side of Richmond, when we were to dash into the city and release the Union prisoners there confined. But Dalghren was betrayed by a negro guide and killed, and the signal was not given. Dark- ness coming on, we moved off a few miles into a pine swamp, where we went into bivonae. About midnight a superior force of the enemy, with artillery, attacked the camp. The explosions of the screaming shells crashing through the trees made the horses unruly, and, as it was pitch dark, with the enemy, who was . familiar with our position, assailing us front and flank, and, being unsupported, we were compelled to fall back some distance. suffering a loss of forty-four men missing. These, in the backward movement, were cut off, together with Colonel Litchfield, who made a most
39
MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
heroie and gallant effort to check the rebel advance, dealing death and destruction in the ranks of the enemy, the last ball in his revolver piercing a rebel brain at the mo- ment he was seized by three others and borne down. Cap- tain John A. Clark and Lieutenant S. B. Carll were also captured. Colonel Litchfield and Cap- tain Clark were im- mired in the dun- geon with negro soldiers at Libby Prison until June, 1 1864, when they JOHN A. CLARK, Captain Company " I." were removed to Macon. Ga.
The regiment, with the division, made its way to Yorktown, arriving there March 4, where the boys surfeited themselves with oysters, erabs, lobsters and fish, and on the 11th of March embarked on trans- ports for Alexandria, Va., whence they returned by easy marches to the camp at Stevensburg, reaching there the 1sth of March.
About the 1st of April General Kilpatrick was ordered to the West ; the brigade was transferred to the first division, forming the first brigade under our
40
SEVENTHI REGIMENT
old commander Custer, while General A. T. A. Torbert was assigned to the command of the division. At the same time our camp was moved over to the hills near Culpepper Court-House.
Kilpatrick had many traits that commended him to soldiers, and it was not without regret we saw him go away. In his little speech to his assembled division. before departure, he said. that it was with great sorrow he spoke the parting word to men whose courage had been tested and not found wanting on many a hard-fought field. Better soldiers did not exist than those of the Third Cavalry Division, and while he might find troops equally brave in the department to which he was ordered. his heart would yearn for the tried and true men of his old command, that had won victory after victory, and had given him a soldierly renown dearer to him than all else : that the appellation " Kill cavalry " had been unjustly applied to him; that the welfare of his troops had been ever prominent in his mind. and that if the losses in his division had been heavy, it was because the exigencies of the service had engaged them more constantly in conflict with the enemy than other divisions of the cavalry. In parting, he assured them of his continuing interest. and said that the best wish he could express was, that their new commander might have as much consider- ation for them as he could conscientiously say he had always entertained and di-played.
Toward the latter part of April, a spark of discord was kindled by the action of the Brigade Provost-Mar-
41
MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
shal, Lieutenant Bayliss. One Sunday, by order from brigade headquarters, the regiment was assembled. dismounted. upon the parade ground, a little distance from camp, for dress parade and inspection. While this was in progress, the provost-guard stole into camp, overawed the camp guard, and seized and made away with a number of horses from each company. Upon their return the men were justly exasperated at this high-handed proceeding, and loaded their car- bines with the intent of moving at once upon brigade headquarters to resene their horses, even if they had to lay out the provost-guard to do it. After much persuasion on the part of the officers, the men were induced to permit the commanding officer and adjutant to go as envoys in their stead, who succeeded in effecting a prompt return of the horses : and thereby was averted a movement that, from the spirit mani- fested. might have had a serious ending.
About the first of May there was a division review on the hills overlooking Culpepper, and we were found in proper condition for the campaign under the Corps leadership of glorious Phil Sheridan.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.