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 32
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Of the two companies, numbering two hundred and ten men, recruited at Paterson, about fifty returned at the expiration of their term of service ; four-fifths of the remainder died on the field of battle, or lingered in hospitals till death ended their sufferings. The losses of the other companies were no less severe. The people of New Jersey should remember that this brigade, although not representing their State, has represented their valor, and should be proud of the reputation of a command composed so largely of Jer- seymen-which for three long years was always side by side with the best of its troops. Nor should the fact of their leaving the State to seek service militate against them. Their only object in so doing was to get more quickly into service, and their patriotism was larger than the limits of their State. Whatever their mistake in this matter may have been, they paid its penalty in being deprived of the liberal assistance provided by the State for its sol- diers in the field. It should be added that many of those who survived the expiration of the term of enlistment, again entered the service in other organizations, while others, members of the First Regiment, desiring to remain in the field, were attached to the Eighty-second New York and remained with it until Lee's sur. render.
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The Jerseymen who served with Sickles, were not the only men from this State who were connected with New York organizations. Two companies of the Harris Light Cavalry (A and B), were raised in Sussex County by General Kilpatrick, and gallantly maintained the reputation of their native State. The original officers were : Captain, A. N. Duffie ; First Lieutenant, George V. Griggs ; Second Lieutenant, Benjamin Gregory, Company A; Captain, E. F. Cook ; First Lieutenant, Henry Gwinton ; Second Lieutenant, George Fall, Company B. Of these, Cooke, Griggs and Gwinton, were from Sussex County ; Gregory from Jersey City, and Duffie and Fall were foreigners. After a short encampment at Scarsdale, New York, Kilpatrick took the squadron to Washington, with other companies, and in a few weeks the regiment was one thousand and two hundred strong. About the last of September, the Sussex squadron was sent with Baker's Brigade to Poolesville, Maryland, and was present at the disastrous fight of Ball's Bluff. Though not in action, the squadron rendered valuable service in getting the wounded back across the river.
After Baker's death, which was much deplored by this squad- ron on account of his fatherly care over the men, the companies marched back to Washington and rejoined the regiment, which by an order of Secretary Cameron was now called the Seventh United States Cavalry. This order was recalled two weeks later and the commanding officer was ordered to report to the Governor of New York, to have his regiment numbered with others of that State. For a while the regiment was called the Seventh New York, at the request of the Colonel, but it was soon officially named the Second New York Cavalry; the " Harris Light" being still the popular name, and the one dearest to the men.
The first action of any importance in which the squadron was · engaged, occurred on the Falmouth Road, in April, 1862. The Jerseymen were in the advance, and behaved most handsomely, driving the enemy back upon Falmouth, with the assistance of the battalion under Major (afterwards Major General) Davies. At mid- night the squadron also took part in the famous charge upon the rebel barricades, and at daylight, next morning, entered Falmouth.
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After the occupation of Fredericksburg it was engaged in several scouts. About the First of May, Duffie's Battalion, consisting. of this and another squadron, was detached as body-guard to Major- General McDowell, and remained with that officer until after the Second Bull Run Battle-being the first to fire upon the enemy on that field. During this battle Lieutenant Griggs and twenty of his men acted as escort to General Fitz John Porter, and while riding across the field (Saturday, August 30th) discovered the dead body of Lieutenant Frederick Compton, of Newark, who had gone out voluntarily the previous night to find a squadron which had been cut off in the darkness. After the reverses at Bull Run and Chan- tilly, the squadron followed the First Corps into Maryland, and was present at the Battles of South Mountain and Antietam, though not engaged in either. Returning to the regiment in October, the squadron operated with the First New Jersey Cavalry, remaining in the same brigade until the Cavalry Corps was organized.
Early in the spring of 1863, Kilpatrick made the first famous raid upon Richmond. with the Harris Light Cavalry. The men of Sussex, as usual, took an important part in that expedition, and it was a Sussex officer who carried the flag almost into the rebel Capital.
The Harris Light Cavalry rejoined the Army of the Potomac about the 1st of June following, and Kilpatrick, now commanding a brigade in Gregg's Division, moved south across Kelley's Ford on the morning of the memorable 9th of June, in conjunction with similar movements at the upper fords by the whole corps. The division under General Duffie (formerly Captain of Company A) moved off rapidly out of sight towards Stevensburg, and was not seen again until after the great fight. With this exception, the whole cavalry corps of each army was engaged, and doubtless, but for the absence of this division, the battle would have been won by us. Kilpatrick marched rapidly towards Brandy Station, and soon came in sight of the enemy, massed on the west side of the railroad. " At once forming his brigade, under a heavy artillery fire," (we quote the language of a participant) " Kilpatrick moved across the fields, in echelon of Regiment-the First Maine on the
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right, the Harris Light in the center, and the Tenth New York on the left. This brought the Harris Light directly in range of the massed rebels beyond the railroad. When nearing at a full gallop it was discovered that a deep ravine intervened between the regi- ment and the railroad, which brought the command to a halt, under a most galling fire from the enemy on the high ground in front. In the confusion which followed, voices were heard calling the command to the left, and some of the officers, believing that a crossing place had been found, gave orders to move to the left ; but at this moment, White's rebel battalion was crossing at that point on a counter charge, to strike our flank. Supposing the order to mean an attack upon this force, the men rushed wildly after it, and smashed right into the head of the Tenth New York, advancing in the order above mentioned. This not only broke up the Harris Light, but also the Tenth New York, which has suffered unjustly much of the blame of this unfortunate blunder. But one squadron, Captain Mitchell's (including Company B, of the old Sussex squadron), remained with Davies, the heroic commander of the Harris Light, who had gallantly cleared the ravine, and faced alone the rebel host. Unhorsed instantly, he still stood cver the body of his beloved ' Buckskin,' and parried every blow aimed at him by the eager rebels. Once, with consummate skill, he caught the saber of a strong and muscular officer and sent it whirling into the air. Mitchell soon reached Davies, and the First Maine swing- ing around, the rebels gave way. Mitchell retook the guns lost by Colonel Wyndham, on the left of Kilpatrick, but could not hold them. Captain Griggs started, after the regiment had been rallied, to recover these guns, but Davies, having no support, recalled him."
A week later, the Harris Light removed, at Aldie, every stain of the blunder of Brandy Station. The squadron which had been . accused of leading that affair was selected by Kilpatrick to charge a body of sharpshooters, who, posted behind haystacks in a meadow below the town, poured a destructive fire into the brigade forming on the hills to the right. With desperate courage the squadron dashed down the hill, across the meadow, over ditches, right upon the stacks. A hundred more sharpshooters concealed
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in a large ditch near by, now opened upon the gallant squadron. Unable to return this fire, they stood and fought those around the stacks until more than one-half had fallen. In a few moments Captain Gwinton charged to the support of the doomed squadron, and Kilpatrick rushed the Sixth Ohio down the hill to the rescue. Perceiving at last where the deadly fire came from, Gwinton's com- mand headed straight for the ditch, to the right of the stacks. The Sixth Ohio went to the left, and the enemy was captured almost before he knew of the reinforcement. Lieutenants Whita- ker and Martinson and many others fell in this charge, while Lieu- tenant Raymond and the larger part of the squadron were wounded. Only nineteen men of those who first charged the stacks came away unhurt, and these, with a few others, two days later, charged a stone wall, from which a regiment had just been repulsed.
Other portions of the Harris Light distinguished themselves at Aldie. Captain Griggs not only fought his command effectively, but dared to order the commander of another regiment to attack the enemy, who was gaining on our right. A sergeant of the Harris Light (Wurt Cunningham-afterwards promoted and killed) also pointed out to the same officer how he could successfully use his command, and between Griggs and Cunningham much good was done. Nearly all the Jersey officers were complimented for their behavior in this fight, which was participated in by Kilpat- rick's Brigade on our side and Fitz Hugh Lee's on the other, and was a great success for our troops.
In the succeeding fights between Aldie and the Blue Ridge, in which the whole corps were employed, none fought more bravely than the Jerseymen of the Harris Light Cavalry. Kilpatrick was the soul of those brilliant conflicts, and he did not hesitate to push forward his own "pet" regiment in every emergency which de- manded great nerve and boldness, and in no case was his faith dis- honored. For days the cavalry of the contending armies fought desperately, but at last, the rebel trains being safely beyond the mountain, Stuart slipped through Ashby's Gap, and dared us to enter it, while our cavalry, countermarching, made for Poolesville, and followed the Army of the Potomac towards Pennsylvania.
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Gwinton and Griggs, with their companies, were sent to Wash- ington to escort surplus baggage and horses. After performing this duty-in a column from the Dismounted Camp, comman- ded by Major Fry, of a Pennsylvania regiment-they started to rejoin the corps at Poolesville. Fry, hearing from General Halleck's scouts, that a small forage party of the enemy had crossed at Seneca Falls, when near Rockville, requested Griggs, (Gwinton being temporarily absent,) to go after them. Coming soon upon a small body of rebels similar to that described by the scouts, Lieutenant A. C. Shafer, in command of Griggs' advance guard, charged and drove it back towards the river. This body of rebels grew larger as it fell back, and Griggs soon was fighting a brigade instead of a forage party. After a short fight, the little squadron was compelled to fly, leaving nearly half of Griggs' own company wounded. Stuart was so greatly deceived by this affair as to believe Kilpatrick's Division was in his front, and passing through Rockville, he turned towards the Monocacy without touch- ing the communications between Washington and the North. Fry, upon Griggs' return to the column, hastened to Washington with the news of Stuart's crossing, and the gallant little fight-which Stuart admitted had delayed the rebels an hour and a half.
Meantime, Kilpatrick, now in command of a splendid division of cavalry, was operating in the direction of the Pennsylvania line, but hearing that Stuart had struck the railroad at Monocacy Bridge, he turned to give him battle. A most desperate fight ensued, resulting in the withdrawal of Stuart's Corps from his front. In the short Gettysburg campaign, Kilpatrick, unable to get the Harris Light transferred to his new command, borrowed the regi- ment from Gregg, and worked it so hard that but a remnant was left to return to the latter. Kilpatrick fought in fifteen days almost as many battles., capturing forty-five hundred prisoners, nine guns and eleven battle-flags.
Changes had constantly been going on in the Harris Light, and a number of the Jerseymen who went out in the ranks now wore the uniform of officers. Kilpatrick, first Lieutenant-Colonel, then Colonel, was now a Brigadier-General, and in command of a divi-
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sion-doubtless the youngest man with so large a command in the army. Cooke was a Major, Griggs and Gwinton Captains, and a number of the Sussex Sergeants were now First and Second Lieu- tenants, while the squadron was scattered throughout the regiment.
Kilpatrick persistently begged for his old regiment, declaring that it was necessary to his success that he should have it. Finally an order came to Cooke, then in command, to report his regiment to Kilpatrick for permanent assignment to the Third Cavalry Divi- sion, and in this incomparable division the regiment remained until the end of the war, as necessary a part of it as any organization connected with it.
Early in September Kilpatrick moved down the Rappahannock and destroyed the two gunboats captured from our navy a short time before. Soon after this affair, in the same month, the whole corps crossed the Rappahannock, Kilpatrick striking the enemy's outpost near Brandy Station, driving everthing before him, while Buford, far to the right, made direct for Culpepper. When near the town he endeavored to swing around upon it from the Sperry- ville road, but met with determined resistance. At a gallop the Third Division closed up on the flying rebels in its front, and sud- denly appeared on the hills just in front of Culpepper, around which Stuart's whole corps, in gorgeous array, was drawn up in order of battle, breathlessly awaiting Buford's assault. While from Kilpatrick's band the grand music of the Star Spangled Ban- ner floated over the field, firing the hearts of men and nerving all to deeds of valor, a battalion of the Harris Light, led by Captain Griggs, and embracing nearly all the Sussex men, dashed ahead of all other troops, across the creek, straight upon the rebel battery. A short death-struggle and Griggs was the proud captor of two Blakeley guns, and nearly all the men of the battery. And now Buford, wheeling around upon the town, swept the rebels away in wild confusion. Rallying once again beyond the hills, the rebels turned upon the Harris Light, which alone was in sight, and made a desperate rush to cut it off-but it was not to be caught thus. Quickly falling back it was soon relieved by Buford's advancing columns. General George A. Custer, whose brigade was not actively
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engaged, rode forward and charged with Griggs' battalion upon the battery and beyond the town, receiving a severe bullet hole through his leg.
Later in September, Kilpatrick and Buford had an encounter with Stuart, far south of Madison Court House, in which the Harris Light was badly cut up, by getting across the path of a brigade retreating before Buford. Early in October, as General Lee commenced his movement towards Sperryville, on our right flank, General Kilpatrick was pushed well out towards Madison Court House, to observe the manœuvers of the enemy, and to cover the retreat of our army, which was falling back across the Rappahannock, and severe skirmishing followed for several days. At daylight on the 11th October, a day never to be forgotten in the history of the Third Division, Kilpatrick cautiously drew away from the enemy and followed our retreating army. Pleas- anton, at Culpepper, halted Kilpatrick south of the town, and directed him to send a good officer with a squadron back upon the road, to penetrate the enemy's lines and develope their intentions. The ominous silence which reigned over those hills, betokened the coming storm, for in the Harris Light there were men who had discovered the enemy's cavalry creeping around our flank the pre- vious night. Captain Griggs (with his own and one Sussex com- pany) was selected by General Davies for this most hazardous expedition. Soon after he had started, the enemy appeared on all sides of the division, and Kilpatrick, alarmed for Griggs' safety, sent scouts back to recall him ; but it was too late. Surrounded and cut off, with a division of cavalry closed in between him and Kilpatrick, Griggs had barely time to direct his men to fly to the right, when a bullet entered his brain and he dropped from the saddle, a victim to a cruel order. Thus died one of New Jersey's noblest sons, an honor to his State and a bright ornament to his regiment. And now commenced a wonderful spectacle. Across the fields towards Brandy Station, three long columns of horsemen moved rapidly, apparently unheeding each other, while to the rear a dense column of infantry, moving through clouds of dust, hurried on after the cavalry. The latter was A. P. Hill's Corps-
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one-third of the rebel army. On the right, and nearest Brandy Station, heading off the center column, marched Fitz Hugh Lee's rebel division. To the left, in plain view of the center, with colors floating gayly over the column, rode Stuart and Wade Hampton, at the head of the rest of the Confederate cavalry. In the center, unappalled by the fearful hosts around them, with desperate cour- age and proud bearing, rode the dauntless heroes of the Third Cavalry Division of the Union army. Brandy Station was the point, to reach which every nerve was strained. Fitz Hugh Lee reached it first. Then, cut off from the Union army, which lay behind the Rappahannock, but five miles away, the Third Division turned to fight one-half of the rebel host! Unmindful of the furious fire of Fitz Hugh Lee's guns, that division turned its back upon them, and, Kilpatrick leading, dashed against Wade Hampton with such wild, mad fury, that the boasted chivalry shrank back in dismay. A brave, imposing looking officer rallied his brigade and made a dash at Davies, who with a little handful of the Harris Light, was fighting around the depot. " Bring those colors here !" shouted Gwinton, riding towards the brow of the hill facing this brigade. Around the tattered flags of the Harris Light gathered a little band, which met the coming foe and sent them reeling back to their line, leaving their gallant leader prostrate before our men. Still furiously raged the fight. Gath- ering his command closer around his guns, Kilpatrick, undismayed by the fearful odds, hurled back every charge, while about the battery men hacked away at each other remorselessly. Elder's three-inch iron guns mowed great gaps through the rebel ranks, and all the enemy's artillery concentrated upon them only disabled one gun. All through the fight this battery never ceased to pour its shot and shell upon the enemy. At times the guns became so . hot that the men were obliged to pause temporarily to let them cool. Elder, contemptuously indifferent to the enemy all about him, held his revolver over his own men and swore he would shoot the first who faltered. With terrible oaths and howls of pain the division fought on, nor thought of flight or surrender. Hour after hour flew by, and still the fight of three thousand against a small
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army raged unceasingly. At last, when ammunition was exhausted and the field was covered with the dead and dying, the wild shriek of twelve-pounders rang out loud above the din of battle, and shells whizzed through the air and burst and crashed into the rebel ranks. Turning, Kilpatrick's weary troopers beheld Buford's Division spread across the plain in splendid order-flags flying, bugles sounding, lines advancing, batteries shrieking death to the foe. Curses were changed to cheers, as Buford, with stoical calm- ness, advanced with his staff to the extreme front, removed the cigar from his lips, and coolly surveyed the mingled masses in front. Before his brigades came over the hill behind him, the rebels nervously shrank back and took position on the defensive. Grandly the superb First Division marched up to its work, sweep- ing back Fitz Hugh Lee from the flank and delivering its fire into the enemy in front. Stuart no longer desired to fight, and quietly, at dusk, our cavalry turned and marched away with their wounded.
About the 22d of October, Kilpatrick was again cut off by the whole of Stuart's Corps, at Buckland Mills, but, by adroit coolness, managed to slip away, after a severe struggle, in which he inflicted as much damage upon the enemy as his command suffered. Soon after this, Kilpatrick again crossed to the south of the Rappahan- nock, and after several skirmishes settled down into winter camp at Stevensburg.
On the 28th of February, 1864, Kilpatrick started on the great raid to Richmond, with four thousand cavalry. A selected party of five hundred and fifty men under Colonel Dahlgren and Lieu. tenant-Colonel Cooke, moved away from the division on indepen- dent roads, passing Spottsylvania Court House at daylight of the 29th, and Frederick Hall at noon-where in full sight of Lee's Reserve Artillery Camp they captured an entire Court-Martial . detail, attendants, &c. Continuing the march, without rest, this party crossed the South Anna about dusk and halted a little after midnight near Goochland Court House. Resuming the march at three o'clock, a. m., Tuesday, the 1st of March, Dahlgren's guide-a negro sent from Meade's Headquarters-assured him that the Ferry (or Ford) across the James was but five miles away.
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After marching five hours and not reaching the river, Dahlgren's suspicions of the negro's treachery becoming very strong, he threatened him with instant death. The negro pleaded for another hour, promising to bring the column to a crossing within that time. Dahlgren gave the respite, but his scouts having reported nothing but a scow ferry on the river, and that many miles from where he had supposed himself to be, he, at the end of the hour, hung the negro to a tree by the roadside. The poor fellow protested his innocence to the last, and the mystery of his conduct has never yet been cleared away. Foiled in his attempt to cross the James, and burning with a desire to win imperishable renown by some unequalled act of daring, Dahlgren determined that night to attack Richmond from the north bank of the river, and by desperate charges to stampede the militia, supposed to be holding the city. His first fight began about dark, and about six miles from the city. He literally rode over the city troops until within three miles of the Capital, when he was met by such a desperate fire as to check his further advance. Against the advice of Cooke he urged on his men by jeers and taunts, until at last, finding it impossible to move the enemy, he gave up the useless sacrifice of life, and en- deavored in the darkness to collect his scattered troops. Calling for volunteers to cover the retreat-which alone was responded to by a small party of the Harris Light-Dahlgren started away, and the word was passed among the men to fall into the road and fol- low. A detachment of the First Maine, coming into the road and not knowing of the order to retreat, unconsciously cut the column in two, by halting to await orders. The night was intensely dark, and when it was discovered that Dahlgren and Cooke had marched on with about a hundred men, scouts were sent out to find his trail, and the column moved along on the main road. Dahlgren turned into a by-road and did not miss the remainder of his column until near Hungary Station. Disappointed in not finding Kilpatrick here, as expected, the Colonel destroyed most of his baggage, and not waiting to hear from his lost column, started towards the Pa- munkey, which he crossed, and also the Mattapony. When near King and Queen Court-house, he was surrounded (Wednesday
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night, the 2d), himself killed and nearly all the rest captured- Cooke and others being hunted down with blood-hounds.
The other part of this column was more fortunate. Failing to get on Dahlgren's trail, the party moved up the main road, Captain J. F. B. Mitchell (Harris Light) having assumed command-until running into a rebel camp, they were forced to countermarch, and seek some other route. Marching back towards Richmond, the road being full of the straggling militia they had captured in the fight and had released, the party finally struck into a road towards Hungary Station. Wandering along until midnight, Mitchell dis- covered that the enemy was just behind his column in hot pur- suit. Turning into a lane, and marching across a field, a swamp was found, in which the hunted party concealed themselves. Here, after a rebel cavalry regiment had passed by-as they thought, in full chase-three men of the Harris Light went out to look for Hungary Station. Returning in two or three hours, and reporting no Union troops in the neighborhood of Hungary, it was deter- mined to strike out again and trust in Providence to lead the party out of its troubles. A negro was procured who carefully led the party around the rebel regiment, which failing to find Mitchell's party had gone into camp on the road. Circling around Hungary, the party after daylight on Wednesday, struck the Brook Pike, and moved towards Richmond, hoping to hear of Kilpatrick. Soon running into the enemy, another retrograde march was made down the Brook Pike, but finding that Wade Hampton's Cavalry were on this road, it became necessary to get off of it also. A small road was eventually found, leading to an obscure ford on the Chick- ahominy, into which the little command joyfully turned. Coming upon a party of laborers, clearing away the debris of a train of cars destroyed by Kilpatrick the day before, they were compelled by threats to tell all they knew of Kilpatrick's whereabouts. Selecting an intelligent old man, Captain Mitchell gave him a horse and made him show him the ford. When safely across it, out of sight of his neighbors, the guide declared his love for the Union, and gladly gave Mitchell much valuable information about the enemy and the roads leading down the Peninsula. It had been decided
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