History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 25

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140

USA > New Jersey > Sussex County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 25
USA > New Jersey > Warren County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 25

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Wilson's two cavalry brigades were drawn back and placed on the left of the infantry, Chapman's going into the fight well around the enemy's right flank, while McIntosh's remained in reserve. .

As the battle progressed and rolled all along the crest of hills for two or three miles in extent, Me- Intosh became eager to participate again, and, leav- ing his own brigade, he rode down into Chapman's line in the full strength of his splendid manhood ; shortly he was brought out and back to the ambu- lances with a shattered leg. The surgeons declared it must come off, and there, on the field, in the full tide of the terrific battle he had so skillfully brought on, this most able and gallant Jerseyman calmly lay down and submitted to amputation. When it was over he asked to be sent home, and that same night was taken to Harper's Ferry in an ambulance and placed on a train, arriving the next morning in Phil- adelphia, where his magnificent nerve-power gave way, and for many weeks his life hung by a thread. He finally recovered, and was placed on the retired list, according to hi- brevet of major-general.

The battle of the Opequan-called by the Confed- erates the battle of Winchester-rolled on throughout the afternoon with undiminished fury. Col. Pen- nington, of the Third New Jersey Cavalry, succeeded to the command of MeIntosh's brigade, which moved into a gap between Early's infantry and his cavalry, Chapman's brigade having forced the rebel cavalry back, so that the bare flank of the rebel infantry lay open and exposed without even a skirmish-line to keep off' a thanking fire. l'ennington seized the op- portunity, and placed his battery in position to rake the rebel ranks crosswise. The rebel artillery, which had fiercely shelled Pennington's brigade going into this position, now became desperately engaged in front, and Pennington opened his battery with short fuse upon the doomed infantry of Early's army, too heavily engaged in its front to heed this new peril. Yet the brave fellows fought on, nor commenced to waver until an immense cloud of cavalry-Merritt's and Averill's divisions-was seen sweeping around the left and rear of the rebel position, clear up to Winchester. Then the Confederates saw they were beaten, and their lines began to crumble. Before dark they were going pell-mell up the valley towards Newton, the Union cavalry in hot pursuit. Some of the cavalry, outstripping their comrades, ran into a rebel brigade in tolerable order, and were very severely handled before other troopers came up, but as the cavalry closed up the retreat became a wild panic, and fully justified Sheridan's crisp telegrams that he had sent Early " whirling up the valley." This battle made Gen. Wilson a major-general, and he was sent West to organize a cavalry corps for Gen. Thomas. Gen. George A. Custer came from the Michigan bri- gade to command the Third Division. With an en- larged command, that magnificent cavalry leader performed wonders. From the day that he assumed

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command it was his proud boast that he captured every piece of artillery that opened on the Third Division.

The battle of Cedar Creek, of the 19th of October, made Custer's division famous throughout the world. His lines were never broken by the disaster of the morning, which spread dismay and panic through the army. At the first alarm Merritt and Custer assem- bled their divisions, which lay on the right of the army, and, marching by the back road to the left of the Sixth Corps, formed line of battle, which with that splendid mass of veterans opposed the farther advance of Early's troops. Such was their position when Sheridan rode on the field from Winchester, imparting a new courage to his troops. As soon as the Eighth and Nineteenth Corps could be gathered up and placed in line the cavalry were moved back to the right, and the entire mass moved forward at the double-quick, the cavalry taking the gallop, and the charge swept the rebels back across Cedar Creek. The cavalry surpassed all its previous splendid record in its terrific charge upon the enemy. Past the camps which it had left in the morning it literally rode over the Confederates, until thousands of rebels and bat- tery after battery were overtaken and captured. The Third Division took twenty-six pieces of artillery, and never halted till Early was far back of Fisher's Hill.

Some days previous the Third Division had also captured several pieces of artillery in a fight with Gen. Rosser's cavalry, so that it began to be famous for its triumphs against that arm of the Confederate service.

Officers who had gone North early in August to recruit new men had succeeded beyond their expec- tations. Mainly through the personal efforts of Capt. M. B. Birdseye a splendid lot of men had been brought to the field, and once more the Harris Light appeared with twelve full companies, and Walter C. Hull came back from Albany a full colonel only to be shot dead a few days later, November 12th, in an engagement with the rebel cavalry on the "back road."

Capt. A. M. Randol, of the regular artillery, now became colonel; Birdseye, lieutenant-colonel; Maj. Joseph O'Keefe, of Sheridan's staff, came to the regi- ment as senior major; Capt. Glover was promoted second major; and Capt. Mattison was recommended for the third major; but an Italian nobleman just arrived in the country with the highest indorsement from the Italian minister was appointed to the com- mission by Governor Seymour.

As this gentleman could hardly speak a word of English and had no experience with American troops, it became necessary for him to seek a detail on staff duty, which was readily given him; and he never exercised the command of his battalion in the Harris Light Cavalry a single day, Capt. Mattison always fulfilling all the duties of the position. Lieut. Wil- liam B. Shafer was promoted to a captaincy, and

became a chief of squadron at once, as well as one of the most efficient and valuable officers in the regi- ment.

The Mount Jackson expedition seasoned the new men to the hardships of winter campaigning, and Custer's expedition up the valley in December was severe even upon old troops. Custer marched up the valley for two days, in extremely cold weather, with but little opposition. From an artillery caisson he read, when twenty-five miles out, a dispatch by courier from Sheridan announcing the receipt of dis- patches from Washington stating that information had been received from Richmond that Jefferson Davis had gone crazy and the rebels everywhere were preparing to abandon the war. Gen. Sheridan therefore gave Custer leave to go on with his division as far as he could and test the truth of this astound- ing information, which, however, did not prevent the young general from throwing out strong pickets at night.

On the second night the division went into camp at Lacy's Springs, the Second Brigade on the right of the road and somewhat in advance of the First Brigade, on the left. At earliest dawn of day on the third morning the troops saddled up, and, after taking coffee, the First Brigade was waiting orders to move, when a tremendous yell, followed by the sharp crack of carbines over in the front of the Second Brigade, burst upon them. Plainly, the rebels hadn't aban- doned the Confederacy just yet.

Hastily the First Brigade sprang to their horses and waited orders from Gen. Custer. None coming, the right was extended to the road just as a body of charging rebels swept by in the grayish darkness of approaching day. A well-directed volley from the right of the Harris Light Cavalry unhorsed many of them, but they swept on, aiming to capture Gen. Cus- ter, who, coming out of his headquarters, very nar- rowly escaped. The rebels swept on and cut down many of the officers' servants and camp-followers, and leaving a large number of their own men dead or prisoners. In the Second Brigade there were six- teen men wounded in the head by sabre-cuts. The rebel attack was soon repulsed, but Custer was satis- fied with the information he had obtained of the en- emy's purpose to continue the war, and he lost no time in getting on the road homeward. Mattison's battalion of the Harris Light Cavalry covered the retreat.

So cold had the weather become that the march was very painful. Many men had their ears, hands, or feet frozen. The prisoners taken in the charge were marched along on foot for the two days it re- quired to get back to the army.

Another expedition followed soon after to Moor- field, in Western Virginia, and occupied about four days.

What had been earlier known as Averill's division had been broken up, and all the cavalry with Sheri-

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dan was embraced in the First and Third Division-, each having three brigades of four or five regiments, Capehart's West Virginia brigade becoming the Third of the Third Division. Each brigade, as usual, had its four-gun battery of horse-artillery, and a light pontoon-train was attached to the corps.

On the 28th of February, 1865, Gen. Sheridan, with this corps, a light wagon-train loaded with ammunition and coffee, sugar, and salt, and a train of ambulances, marched out of Winchester. It was said that this column consumed three hours in passing a given point on the broad Winchester and Staunton Pike, one of the best roads in Virginia.

At Staunton it was learned that Early was in- trenched at Waynesboro', at the foot of the moun- tain. Leaving the hard macadamized road, the huge column plowel its way through mud from twelve to twenty inches deep, and the head of the column had reached Eir'y's position while yet the rear was in Staunton, foarteen miles away.

Custer, perceiving Eurly had taken up a most in- defensible position on the north side of the creek, instead of placing his forces behind it, determined to make short work of him without waiting for the First Division. Forming his regiments as fast as they ar- rived, he led them through the mud under a smart artillery-fire straight up to the enemy, his line lop- ping Early's flanks and capturing the whole com- mand,-between two and three thousand infantry and several batteries of artillery. Early and a few mounted officers ignominiously fled to the moun- tain, over which Cu-ter's men pursued him all night.

Sheridan detached a strong force to take the pris- oners back to Winchester, thereby depriving himself of troops that were afterwards much needed. His column was still very large, and with it he marched on to Charlottesville, and thence towards Lynchburg. Deming it injudicious to attempt the capture of this strongly-fortified city, he turned down the James River and marched at will for many days, destroying property vital to the Confederacy. On the 14th of March he encamped at Ashland Station, near Rich- mond, and on the 15th sent the First Connecticut Cavalry along the railroad towards Richmond, and Mattison's battalion on the old telegraph road. These troops advanced to within a few miles of the rebel capital, when the Connecticut regiment ran into Pick- ett's division, and was severely punished and driven back. The battalion of the Harris Light fell back to a position about a mile in advance of the division.

Custer sent orders to hold the enemy there as long as possible, in doing which a most severe fight ensued, a brigade of Pickett's division overlapping the cavalry battalion on both flanks; but the battalion held the position until recalled by Lieut .- Col. Birdseye, when it hastily fell back, two of the gallant fellows rescuing Capt. Mattison, who, struck by a glancing bullet, would have fallen from his saddle but for their timely aid.

Farther back the rebel brigade ran into an ambus- cade previously arranged by Cols. Randol and Birds- eye, and received eight rounds of ammunition from a hundred Spencer carbines at short range, which sent them reeling back into the woods with heavy los -. The same troops became prisoners of war two weeks later to the same regiment, and complimented the Harris Light for their determined fighting at .Ash- land, admitting that they suffered heavy loss in the encounter.

Crossing the South Anna, Sheridan marched down on the north side of the Pamunkey to the White House, where he opened communication again with the outside world, and where he was supplied with much-needed provisions and munitions of war.

After crossing the Peninsula the cavalry had the pleasure of seeing the tall form of Abraham Lincoln on the deck of a steamer, watching their passage of the James on Grant's pontoons.

Passing around the rear of the Army of the Poto- me, the cavalry from the valley joined their old comrades of the Second Division, which had re- mained with the army at Petersburg. The reunited corps at once took up the march for Dinwiddie Court- house, where heavy fighting began on the 31st of March, lasting all day, chietly between our First and Second Cavalry Divisions and the entire Confederate cavalry corps, aided by Pickett's and Johnson's di- visions of infantry. The Third Cavalry Division did not enter this battle until evening. when Sheridan was very hard pressed. But at daylight of April Ist the Third Division led the fighting, the First Brigade, in the advance, closing up on the enemy, who fell back to strong works at the Five Forks. The First Brigade, dismounted, made a gallant charge, which was repulsed with heavy loss. Again rallying, the brigade wa- hurled against the breastworks only to meet another bloody repulse, in which O'Keefe, the noblest and most gallant foreigner in the American army, fell wounded in five places. Col. Birdseye and four brave men risked their lives to bring him otl' the field, in which attempt two noble fellows were killed. The third charge was participated in by the whole division and by the Third Corps, and the works were taken. Five thousand prisoners fell into the hands of the Third Division, but the losses in the day's fight- ing were the heaviest the brigade ever suffered.

On the 3d of April the Harris Light Cavalry, aided by the Third New Jersey Cavalry, attacked the rem- nants of this force at Sweathouse Creek, but were repulsed with some loss.

On the Gth of April the Harris Light Cavalry cap- tured a wagon-train and participated in the battle with Ewell's corps which resulted in the capture of the entire corps. The Harris Light took fifteen hun- dred prisoners in this engagement.

On the Sth the Harris Light was the first regiment to arrive at Appomattox Station, cutting out three trains of cars loaded with supplies for Lee's army.

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SUSSEX AND WARREN COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

This brought on a hot fight, the Third New Jersey Cavalry coming to the support of the Harris Light. The fight grew heavier as more troops came to both sides, and only ceased at midnight with the capture of a battery of artillery and the retreat of the brigade supporting it.

The next morning the cavalry advanced to renew the fight in the face of Lee's entire army. Two divi- sions had commenced the trot preparatory to a charge against the rebel lines, when Lee's flags of truce ap- peared, and the glorious news sped along the column that Lee's army had surrendered.

After the surrender the cavalry marched to the borders of North Carolina, when the announcement was made that Johnston's army had surrendered to Gen. Sherman.

Marching the entire length of Virginia from Dan- ville to Alexandria, the cavalry participated in the grand review at Washington in May, and then the work of disbanding commenced. All except the re- enlisted veterans of the Harris Light Cavalry were sent homeward on the 6th of June, and the last of the regiment were mustered ont the 21st of June.

It fell to Maj. Mattison to deliver the last farewell to the departing soldiers with whom he had served so long. Copies of the address were taken home by the men, some of whom still retain them.

II .- BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHI.

MAJ. WILLIAM R. MATTISON, son of John B. and Mary A. (Hardisty) Mattison, was born in the city of Baltimore, Md., Oct. 22, 1840. His great-great- grandfather, James Mattison, came from Hunterdon Co., N. J., and settled not far from Newton, on the Fredon road, where he engaged in farming. Here his great-grandfather, John, and his grandfather, Wil- liam, both extensive farmers, were born and lived. Here also his father, John B., was born, in 1808.

John B. Mattison was an architect and builder, and a man of inventive genius. He removed to Baltimore, where he married Mary A., daughter of William Hardisty, and by her had a family of five children,-four sons and one danghter. Here for several years he was employed in the city gas-works. Later he removed to Annapolis, Md., where he en- gaged in building. He returned to Newton with his family in 1846, and soon after went to Savannah, Ga., where he was employed in building a Presby- terian church. Two years later he located at Selma, Ala., where he organized a company and establishicd a gas-works. He died here in 1858, at the age of fifty. The mother had died in Newton in 1857, aged forty-seven.

William R. was a delicate, studious boy. At the age of fifteen he was apprenticed in the Herald office, where he remained three years. He then be- came clerk in the Newton post-office, under John McCarter, and continued such under the next post- master, Henry C. Kelsey.

On Aug. 5, 1861, he, then in poor health, enlisted in Company B, one of two companies which Gen. Kilpatrick was raising in Sussex County to join the Harris Light Cavalry (afterwards named the Second New York), and was appointed quartermaster-ser- geant. His first battle was that of Ball's Bluff, in the fall of 1861, and his last that at Appomattox Station, April 9, 1865, when Lee surrendered. He belonged to the Army of the Potomac until after the battle of Winchester, 1864, when the First and the Third Divisions of cavalry were detailed for service with Sheridan in the valley campaign. He participated in every battle fought by his regiment except that of Gettysburg.

In December, 1861, he was promoted sergeant-major of the regiment. May 5, 1862, he was commissioned second lieutenant of Company K, and in December of the same year first lieutenant. He led a charge at the battle of Aldie, June 17, 1863, and captured one hundred sharpshooters. He was acting adjutant of the regiment from the fall of 1863 to the summer of 1864. Feb. 28, 1864, with the Dahlgren column of Kilpatrick's expedition, he took a commanding part in the desperate but unsuccessful attempt to liberate the Union soldiers confined in the Richmond prisons. This column, which started with five hundred and fifty picked men, returned with only two hundred and thirty-six.

Previous to and at the battle of Stony Creek on the Wilson raid he aeted as adjutant-general to Col. Harhaus, then in command of the First Brigade. September 19th he led an advance squadron which brought on the battle of Winchester; he also led a squadron in the Luray valley fight. On the reorgani- zation of the regiment, in October, he was appointed captain of Company B, but acted as major from that time on until near the close of the war. He was slightly wounded, March 15th, in a severe brush which his battalion had with a brigade of Pickett's division while on the march with Sheridan around Richmond to join Grant, and had a horse shot under him and narrowly escaped capture in the fight with Lee's re- treating army, April 3d.

At the grand review at Washington, May 21st, he was presented with a major's commission by Governor Fenton's own hand. He was mustered out June 29th, receiving a high indorsement from his superior offi- cers. After his return home he received a brevet as lieutenant-colonel from the Governor of New York. On the 15th of August following he engaged in the book business. The next winter, on recommendation of Gen. Grant, he was appointed first lieutenant in the Eighth New Jersey Cavalry, but, owing to busi- ness, he three months later tendered his resignation. In 1869 he was appointed postmaster at Newton, which office he has ever since held. He possessed some literary ability, and in 1870 established "Our Magazine," which fifteen months later was absorbed by Wood's "Household Magazine." In 1872 le dis-

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posed of his book-store to S. II. Shafer. He was a Democrat previous to the war, since which time he has been an active Republican.

On Sept. 29, 1869, he married Fannie L., daughter of Samnel and Elizabeth ( Mattison) Smith, and has had born to him five children,-namely, Helen Vir- ginia, Mary Elizabeth, Henry C. Kelsey, Alice Olivia, and Charles William.

CHAPTER XVI.

SUSSEX AND WARREN IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION (Continued).

THE FIRST NEW JERSEY CAVALRY.

I .- ORGANIZATION OF THE REGIMENT.

THE FIRST REGIMENT of New Jersey Cavalry was composed largely of Sussex County men. It was raised in August and September, 1861. The order of the President calling for a regiment of volunteer cavalry from the State.of New Jersey was issued to Hon. William Halsted, of Trenton, on the 4th of August, and allowed only ten days for raising the regiment ; subsequently, ten days more were added to the time. For some reason, Governor Olden, then the executive of the State, did not not see fit to rec- ognize the proposed regiment as part of New Jersey's contingent of volunteers, and consequently it had to be raised under wholly independent auspices. Col. Halsted addressed himself with characteristic energy to the work of raising the regiment.

On the 24th of August the first four companies, under command of Maj. M. H. Beaumont, arrived in Washington, and only a week after six other com- panies were brought in by Col. Halsted himself, the whole going into camp on Meridian Hill.

The regiment was originally organized as follows : Colonel, William Halsted ; Lieutenant-Colonel, J. H. Alexander; First Major, Myron II. Beaumont ; Sce- ond Major, Henry O. Halsted ; Surgeon, William W. L. Phillips; Assistant Surgeon, Ferdinand V. L. Dayton; Acting Adjutant, W. E. Morford; Chaplain, Henry R. Pyne ; Quartermaster, Benjamin B. Hal- sted.

Company A .- Captain, John H. Shelmire; First Lieutenant, Jacob R. Sackett; Second Lientenant, James II. Hart.

Company B .- Captain, Richard C. Lewis; First Lieutenant, William Frampton ; Second Lieutenant, James Tompkinson.

Company C .- Captain, Ivins D. Jones; First Lieu- tenant, John S. Tash ; Second Lieutenant, William W. Gray.

Company D .- Captain, Robert N. Boyd; First Lieu- tenant, John Worsley ; Second Lientenant, Henry W. Sawyer.

Company E .- Captain, John W. Kester; First

Lieutenant, Patton J. Yorke; Second Lieutenant, Francis B. Allibone.

Company F .- Captain, John H. Lueas ; First Licu- tenant, Moses W. Malsbury; Second Lieutenant, Aaron S. Robbins.

Company G .- Captain, John HI. Smith : First Lieu- tenant, George W. Wardell; Second Lieutenant, Peter A. Berthoff,

Company H .- Captain, H. C. Perley ; Fir-t Lieu- tenant, William T. Inman ; Second Lieutenant, Myer Asch.

Company I .- Captain, Benjamin W. Jones; First Lieutenant, James Hunt; Second Lieutenant, Ed- ward Field.

Company K. - Captain, Virgil Broderick; First Lieutenant, Thomas R. Haines; Second Lieutenant, John Fowler.

Company L .- Captain, William W. Taylor; Fir-t Lieutenant, Hugh II. Janeway ; Second Lieutenant, Peter H. Langstaff.

Company M .- Captain, John P. Fowler; First Lieutenant, Horace W. Bristol ; Seeond Lieutenant, Samuel Warbag.

Such was the official roster of the regiment when the companies took their places in camp. In the un- settled and confused state of things which followed during the two or three succeeding months, several important changes were made. The lieutenant- coloneley was conferred permanently upon Joseph . Karge, formerly an officer in the Prussian service, but for some years a naturalized citizen of the United States. His severe discipline at first occa- sioned some revolt, but in the end it was justified by the regiment, who proudly saw themselves attaining the order and efficiency of true soldiers. During the month of December the regiment was assigned to the division of Gen. Heintzelman, and, Col. Halsted having become involved in difficulty with the War Department, Lient .- Col. Karge assumed command.

There was a sudden resumption of energy and discipline. Well sustained by the senior major, who, though young, was familiar with the routine of the cavalry service, Karge set to work to make soldiers of the officers and men. As a first step he sent the most inefficient officers and men before the exam- ining board in Washington, thus starting the rest into activity. ... In the five weeks of this régime a soldierly spirit was implanted in the men, which pre- served its vitality through all the coming trouble."*

By the middle of January, Col. Halsted had settled his difficulty with the War Department. Ile was therefore restored to his regiment, which was removed from the jurisdiction of Gen. Heintzelman. Col. Halsted was nearly seventy years of age, and his herculean labors and perplexities had so worn upon his physical strength us to render doubtful his ability to endure the cavalry service. Therefore, upon the

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History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 25

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1140

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140