USA > New Jersey > New Jersey and the rebellion : a history of the service of the troops and people of New Jersey in aid of the Union cause, Pt. 2 > Part 3
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to his own rear. There was the main body of the force that had broken the right wing, coming in line of battle full upon their rear. " Fours left about wheel," was the instant order. "Boys, there's a good many of them, but we must cut through. Charge !" and obliquely against their line rushed down the Jersey troopers. Enthusiasm and desperation supplied the place of numbers, and cutting their way out, the little band opened a path towards the section of our battery. Three times was the guidon of Company E taken by the enemy. Twice it was re-taken by our men, and the third time, when all seemed desperate, a little troop of the First Pennsylvania cut through the enemy and brought off the flag in safety. Once the rebels who hung upon the rear attempted to charge our retiring men ; but the wheel of the rear division sufficed to check their assault, and the left wing of the New Jersey reached Clark's two guns, annoyed only by the revolvers of the rebels.
Under cover of the fire of the artillery, and assisted by the charge of the Pennsylvanians, Hart had succeeded in bringing off' the remnant of the right wing. He was the senior officer of that half of the regiment. Broderick was dying in the enemy's hands. Shelmire lay dead across the body of a rebel. Sawyer and Hyde Crocker were prisoners. Lieutenant Brooks was disabled by a saber stroke on his right arm. Wyndham himself had just received a bullet in his leg. Men and horses had been fighting for over three hours, and were now utterly exhausted. Duffie was in line of battle two miles and a half in the rear, but there was no sup- port upon the field. Kilpatrick's Brigade, which had charged on the right and rear of the New Jersey, had beaten the rebels oppo- site it, the First Maine bearing off a battle-flag; but it was now formned on the flank some distance from the field, to cover the New Jersey from being entirely cut off. The enemy was, indeed, terribly demoralized, and the charge of a dozen of our men again and again routed a hundred of the rebels ; but now there were not a dozen horses that could charge, not a man who could shout above a whisper. The guns were across a ditch which rendered their removal very difficult, and it was their fire which kept the rebels from crossing the hills to charge against us. So with a desperate
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hope that Duffie might come up after all, the worn-out troopers stood by the gallant cannoneers of the Sixth New York Indepen- lent Battery-New Yorkers by commission but Jerseymen of Rahway in their origin.
Presently the apprehended moment came, and the last reserves of the rebels, fresh and strong, poured down on three sides upon the exhausted little knot of New Jersey troopers. While the cavalry fought hand to hand across the guns, the artillerymen con- tinued steadily serving their pieces and delivering their fire at the enemy upon the hill. At length, from mere exhaustion, Hart, Hobensack and Beekman, with their comrades, were forced back a little way from the guns; and while they were forming the men afresh the rebels rode again upon the cannoneers. As one of the gunners was ramming home a charge, a rebel officer cut him down with three successive saber strokes; then springing from his horse, he wheeled the piece towards our troopers, not fifty yards away. Hobensack turned to Hart, stretched out his hand and said: " We must shut our eyes and take it; good-by ;" and clasping each other's hands they waited for their death. The roar of the piece thundered out, and the smoke wrapped them in its folds, but the charge flew harmlessly over their heads. The piece had been ele- vated against the hill, and the rebels had not thought of changing its angle. They were so savage at the harmlessness of the dis- charge that they actually advanced half way towards our men; but beyond that they dared not come ; and the New Jersey regiment marched calmly off the field without an effort being made to pursue them. No other comment can be needed to exhibit the impression made by them upon the rebels. If there had been five hundred fresh men upon the field, they might have swept the whole rebel force into the Rappahannock River. .
It would be a mere repetition of the same thing with respect to every officer and man to speak of instances of gallantry. There was scarcely an officer present with the regiment who did not acquire distinction ; and the enlisted men who have been mentioned were not exceptions to the average behavior, but happened to be connected with particular crises of the combat. Thus when it is
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recorded that Sergeant Craig killed four of the enemy in single fight, it is not pretended that others did not do as much ; but his actions happened to come under the observation of commanders who reported it; and when it is stated that Captains Lucas and Malsbury, with Lieutenants Beekman and Hobensack, charged once with eleven men into a crowd of the enemy from which they emerged with only three, the historian does not desire to intimate that they were more closely engaged than others of the officers. When the records do not do justice to all it is no reason why some names should not be mentioned with the credit they deserve. It is enough to say in illustration of the severity of the engagement, that out of thirty-nine horses in the second squadron twenty-seven were left on the field; and that of two hundred and eighty officers and men in the regiment, six officers and over fifty men were killed, wounded and missing. Of the three senior officers on the field, Wyndham received a ball in his leg which unfitted him for months for active service ; and Broderick and Shelmire never came off the field alive. As is frequently the case in cavalry combats, but little quarter was asked or given. Men fought as long as they could and then fell beneath the saber or the pistol, the loss of the enemy almost doubling that of the National troopers.
Lieutenant-Colonel Virgil Broderick was in the prime of health, strength, intelligence and ambition, when at the age of thirty-five he fell at Brandy Station. A plain, practical education had devel- oped his naturally vigorous intellect, and without elaborate refine- ment of mental culture, had trained him in habits of thought and observation. Lacking somewhat in rigidity of discipline and tac- tical knowledge, he supplied their place in time of action by a con- tagious enthusiasm and a quick perception of advantages ; and thus, though frequently deficient as a camp commander, he was never found wanting on the field. When he regarded a man as worthy of his confidence or affection, he bestowed on him a fullness of reliance corresponding to his own steadfastness of character : but when he had found any one false or weak, he was apt to with- draw too entirely his esteem and charity. This was his own judgment upon himself, and a fault which he often desired to cor-
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rect -- his own efforts at self-improvement thus sometimes puzzling others as to his consistency.
Very different was the other field officer who fell on that day. A plain Pennsylvania farmer, with daughters married and full- grown sons, Major Stelmire had marched to the field at the head of a company of his neighbors. The fact that he was accepted as leader by men who had associated with him for years, is in itself a testimony that he had deserved and obtained their respect and confidence. From the very first, his standing in the regiment cor- responded to his position at home. The steadiness and integrity of his character, the sterling worth of the man, had supplied the place of that military bearing and knowledge which come slowly to those of middle age. What he learned became part of himself, and whatever he had to do was done well and thoroughly, though his regard for the substance made him often too regardless of the form. The weight of his personal character made him, in his company and in the regiment, the center and support of those who preferred the faithful and quiet performance of duty to the restless ambition after distinction. His religion was of a character akin to his other traits : it was a part of his daily life, rather than some- thing outside of or above it. Faithful to his God as to his country, it is by his deeds-not by any remembered words-that his fidelity is assured. His death was as unostentatious as his life. No one beyond his immediate command marked him in the action, and no one saw him when he fell. Heading his battalion bravely he pene- trated the ranks of the enemy. When the rebels closed around him he took no backward step. That he did his duty to the end, is only proved by the position of his corpse lying surrounded by the dead, across the body of a foe.5
" The following is Major Janeway's report of this battle, as made to the State au- thorities :
"The regiment has been engaged in another very severe cavalry fight. On the Sth inst., the division broke camp at Warrenton Junction and marched to Kelley's Ford, where we bivouacked for the night. The next day, (the 9th, ) at five o'clock, a. m., we crossed the river and moved on Brandy Station. As is usual in times of danger we were in the advance. Meanwhile, General Buford was fighting hard opposite Rap- pahannock Station. The object of our movement was to turn the right flank of the rebels. Colonel Wyndham was in command of the Second Brigade-composed of the
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NEW JERSEY AND THE REBELLION.
A detail of the splendid achievements of the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac during the latter days of June, belongs to a chronicle of wider scope than this ; for the First New Jersey Cavalry was called to take but a very subordinate share in the fighting, and was only under fire while covering the rear, when the corps was commanded to retire.
VII-GETTYSBURG.
On Saturday, the 27th of June, the Cavalry Corps, having per- formed the work assigned it, started on its march to join the other corps of the army on the field of Gettysburg. Crossing the Poto- mac at Edward's Ferry, the First Jersey took the road to Frederick. thence passing swiftly forward until, on the 2d of July, it de.
First New Jersey, First Michigan aud First Pennsylvania Cavalry-and the command of our regiment devolved upon Lieutenant-Colonel Broderick. Captain York, of Coni- pany I, had the advance-guard, composed of Companies C and I-he moved his men so carefully that he captured every vidette on the road, so that the first intimation the enemy had of our being in their rear was by seeing the head of our column debouch from the woods.
"Colonel Wyndham moved his troops with such celerity that we were upon them almost before they were aware of our vicinity. The fight lasted four hours, and was a continual succession of the most brilliant charges ever made. Every officer acted with the utmost bravery and coolness, and it is impossible for men to behave better than did ours-they proved themselves well worthy of the State from which they came, and more cannot be said in their praisc.
"Lieutenant-Colonel Broderiek and Major Shelmire were both wounded and taken prisoners while leading one of the numerous charges. Accounts of the nature of their capture are so conflicting, that I defer sending any statement regarding it till I learn something definite; but that they both behaved with the greatest daring and gallantry there can be no question.
" Captain Sawyer, Company K, and Lieutenant Broeker, Company II, are also pris- oners, but not thought to be wounded. Captain Lucas, Company F, Captain Maul -- bury and Adjutant Kitchen, while in the thickest of the fight, had their horses shot under them ; that of Adjutant Kitchen fell dead, carrying him along with it. His escape seems almost miraculous. When the order was given to retire our regiment covered the rear. I am told that General Gregg expressed the greatest satisfaction at the conduet of the regiment. Towards the close of the engagement Colonel Wyndham received a bullet-wound in the calf of the leg, but we are thankful to know that it will not prove dangerous ; he kept the field for some time after being hit, but was finally obliged to give up. He also paid the regiment the highest compliments for its steady and dashing charges. The fight was hand to hand throughout. We had in the engage- ment four field officers, fourteen line officers and two hundred and eighty-one enlisted men. Our loss in killed, wounded and missing is at present three field officers, two line officers and fifty-two enlisted men. This of itself speaks volumes for the bravery of our regiment. The morale of the regiment has been greatly benefitted by yester- day's work, and I am confident that the men will fight better now than ever.
"HUGH H. JANEWAY, Major Commanding."
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bouched upon the field where battle had already been joined, going into position, dismounted, on the extreme right of our line. Dur- ing the afternoon, an assault was made upon its position, but was easily repulsed, and at night the cavalry brigade fell back upon the Baltimore pike to bivouac until the morrow. On the 3d, in the dispositions for the decisive battle, Gregg with his division, and Custer's Brigade of Kilpatrick's was entrusted with the defense of the right flank of our army ; and bravely was that important duty performed. As the battle opened, the First Jersey was advanced from the very rear, some two miles to the front, arriving just in time to see the dense column of the rebel cavalry pouring upon our flank. Leaping from their horses, forming line as they touched the ground, and starting at once into a run, in the very face of the enemy, the First Jersey dashed at the nearest cover, where, sup- ported only by a squadron of their own little regiment, they pre- pared to check the progress of the entire force arrayed against them. And they did it, and more, even driving back the assailing columns. Sent forward as a forlorn hope, to give time for the rest of the division to come up with unblown horses, this little band of one hundred and fifty men, by their undaunted bearing and their steady fire, staggered the troops that by a single charge could have ridden over them. Refusing to dismount in spite of the storm of bullets constantly whistling over our men, Janeway rode from end to end of his line of skirmishers, encouraging, warning and direct- ing its every portion-showing here as on many another field a coolness and bravery that made him a marked man among men. Advancing from point to point, heralding each charge by a cheer which shook the enemy worse than the bullets of their carbines, for more than a hundred yards the First Jersey pushed their little line; and at last, with ammunition exhausted, they still held their ground, facing the rebels with their revolvers. Then Janeway rode back to the reserve, and reported to Major Beaumont the condition of his men, requesting ammunition and reinforcement. At Major Beaumont's request, Colonel McIntosh, commanding the brigade. ordered another regiment to take the place of the First Jersey. That regiment halted a hundred yards to the rear of the line where the
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Jerseymen were stationed, and would not advance any further, while the latter resisted every effort to move them back. Presently, Colonel McIntosh rode up to Major Beaumont, saying, "Major, where is your regiment ?" "On the skirmish line, sir." "But I ordered them to be relieved." "The other regiment cannot be got to relicve them." "I will see about that," said the Colonel ; " re- call your men." "I have re-called them," replied the Major, " and they won't come." Even Colonel McIntosh failed to get the relicv- ing regiment up through the tremendous fire to the position of the First Jersey ; old soldiers as they were, they could not calmly face it. At length, however, the Third Pennsylvania came upon the line, and the First Jersey was at liberty to retire from the action. But no! They sought every method to avoid falling back. Bor- rowing ammunition from the Pennsylvanians, they kept their boldly- won position, and cheering like mad, defied the efforts of the enemy -only a handful retiring, casting reluctant looks behind as they went. And now the rebels essayed to charge and turn the position which they could not take in front, but each assault was repulsed, the fine old First Michigan Cavalry charging straight into their ranks and putting them ingloriously to flight. By this time, the grand attack of Longstreet had been made and repulsed, and all that remained was for the cavalry to sweep away the rebel horse from our flank. With charge after charge they were beaten from the ground-the Third Pennsylvania, making one magnificent dash upon a greatly-outnumbering body of the enemy. Newhall, the Adjutant-General of the brigade, and five officers of a single squadron, fell beneath the saber and the pistol, but the enemy was cut to pieces ; and with cheers of triumph, the cavalry of Gregg saw Stuart's battalions gallop in rout to the protection of their artillery.
But the First New Jersey had work still to do. Guarding the line and picketing far to the front, they watched through the night upon the bloody ground, until the welcome light of the birthday of the nation permitted them to seek a brief season of repose.
At five o'clock on the afternoon of the day, the cavalry was .
again in motion, following up the retreating columns of the enemy.
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THE SIXTEENTH REGIMENT-(FIRST CAVALRY).
And now each day brought its skirmish, each march its batch of prisoners. On the 5th, in the mountain passes above Emmetts- burg, the First New Jersey was sharply and successfully engaged ; and again, on the 6th, it had another contest. Though again successful, it lost the services of an officer-Lieutenant Cox receiv- ing an ugly wound. Captain Boyd had been disabled at Gettys- burg, and small as it was, the regiment had scarcely enough officers left to perform the duty required. On the 14th, having been daily engaged in arduous duty, the regiment crossed the Potomac at Harper's Ferry, and finding the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry (rebel) in possession of the country beyond, the following day advanced against them, capturing their Colonel. A day or two after, the division advanced to Shepherdstown for the purpose of securing forage, and while there was attacked by the enemy, but the First New Jersey was not engaged, the First Pennsylvania carrying off the honors of the day. As the army moved forward again to the Rappahannock, the cavalry guarded the train of wagons, and when relieved of this duty, were employed in alternate scouting and picket-duty on both sides of the Rappahannock, in the neigh- borhood of Warrenton, until the middle of September, when it moved to the rear to guard the railroad, the First New Jersey being posted at Bristow Station. Here it remained until the 4th of October, when it was transferred to Hartwood Church near Fal- mouth.
VIII-SULPHUR SPRINGS AND BRISTOW STATION.
On the 10th of October, the cavalry division was ordered to move towards Kelley's Ford, and arriving there the following day, immediately crossed and pushed on towards Brandy Station. There it was learned that General Meade, having detected an attempt of Lee to steal along his flank and cut him off from Washington, was retreating ; and that while Buford held the rear, checking the oper- ations of the rebel cavalry, Gregg was to take the ground around Warrenton, White Sulphur Springs, and guard the flank especially threatened by the enemy. The Second Brigade was accordingly placed in the vicinity of Jefferson, on the south side of the river,
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while the First picketted and scouted around the town of Warren- ton itself-the First New Jersey, now numbering three hundred and sixty effective men, being allowed to remain in reserve, at rest, with the exception of one squadron. Early on the afternoon of the 12th, the enemy appeared in strong force in front of the Second Brigade, which soon became hotly engaged, but was unable to prevent the advance of Ewell's Corps marching around' its left flank, thus cutting it off from the river. The situation thus grow- ing critical, the First Brigade was hurriedly ordered up-the First New Jersey instantly moving to the scene of action, accompanied by one section of Martin's horse artillery. At this moment it was discovered that the command was very short of serviceable ammu- nition, late severe rains having rendered useless the supply received, but from the stock of other regiments enough was hastily procured to supply two squadrons with ten rounds apiece, and with this scant supply the regiment dashed forward to the front. As he approached the Springs, Janeway detached Captain Hart with the first squadron, as an advance guard, with orders to diverge to the right as he approached the river. As, in obedience to these direc- tions, he emerged from the woods above the Springs, he was sud- denly attacked by the rebel forces who had crossed the bridge and were advancing rapidly up the road. Promptly taking position in the woods a little higher up the river, Hart checked the attempted movement of the enemy in that direction, at the same time rescuing a number of stragglers who had been cut off and were endeavoring to escape. Informed that this brave officer had thus occupied the position directed, Janeway at once ordered Major Lucas to take for- ward the fourth squadron as skirmishers, meanwhile forming, under his own eye the other squadrons under cover of the wood. Almost before Lucas could form his men, the rebels came charging into the wood, but delivering fire as well as the circumstances permitted, he charged them in turn, driving them over half a mile, completely into the shelter of the trees and buildings around the Springs, when, deploying his skirmishers, he deliberately fell back within supporting distance of the regiment. Emboldened by this move- ment, the rebels again charged forth from their cover, to be met
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boldly as before, Janeway sending in the fifth squadron under Kinsley, Craig and Hughes, before whom the enemy again retired, closely pressed by our troopers. Meanwhile, Captain Gray had been dispatched with the third squadron to the extreme right to hold the ground between Hart and the river. Still the fight con- tinued, and the situation every moment grew more critical. Cap- tain Malsbury, who had been sent on picket with the sixth squad- ron, was still absent, and Janeway was thus left with only the second squadron as a reserve, while the whole of Ewell's Corps of infantry was before him. At this time, Colonel Taylor, command- ing the brigade, hesitating to compel a single regiment to continue such an unequal fight, sent a message to Janeway, directing him to fall back slowly ; but the Major replied, that " to fall back would ex- pose our weakness and ensure our destruction by the overwhelming force of the enemy," and asked permission to hold his ground until dark, which, being granted, he once more addressed himself to the arduous task before him. It was, indeed, a difficult work, and the hour one of great anxiety. Major Lucas had already sent word that the enemy was deploying against him a formidable line of infantry; that the rebel cavalry was strengthening every minute ; that many of his men had exhausted their ammunition, and that the next attack would certainly force him back. Yet, Janeway had but a single squadron left, the advance of which would leave him bare of all support. But, fortunately, at this moment, Mals- bury appeared, forming his squadron as he came. Then, just as the rebel fire grew more rapid and intense, Janeway led Robbins' squadron into and through the woods, meeting the rebel charge, while Lucas, under cover of their advance withdrew those of his men who had expended their ammunition, and began to form them on the flank of Malsbury.
Now, as the day waned, the fighting grew fiercer than before. Scarcely had Malsbury taken the place of Robbins, when Hick, the junior Captain of the squadron, received a ball in his leg, which forced him to leave the field, and the missiles of the enemy, pene- trating the thin wood which screened the reserve, fell around them even more thickly than they did in the front. In the carly twi-
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light, the enemy succeeded at last in getting a force around upon the flank, and, turning the right of Captain Gray, drove him and his men, fighting as they went, across a ravine, back to the point where Lucas was rallying his men. Thus through the trees upon this flank a cross-fire was now opened, and not without effect- Lucas falling dead with a ball in his brain. But the work of death was not yet done. Gray, taking the place of Lucas, his Lieute- nants, Corriell and Rodgers, with such men as had been rallied and supplied with a round or two of ball, dashed into the wood to the assistance of the little force still struggling there. Though Rodgers was soon wounded, and Mckinstry, Lane, Craig, Cause, Dye and Hughes had their horses shot beneath them, still they all staunchly stood their ground with Janeway, Robbins and the rest. Until the last gleam of light had faded from the sky, the stubborn Jerseymen held the wood against the enemy, and even then, after every car- tridge for carbine and revolver had been expended, and when the rebels had slowly crept up upon the flank until they were firing on them from the rear, Robbins and Lieutenant Cause could only, by reiterated orders, persuade the second squadron to abandon the position which they had so long held.
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