USA > New Jersey > Cape May County > The history of Cape May County, New Jersey : from the aboriginal times to the present day > Part 25
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panies of Pennsylvania three-months' men arrived, to one of which Mr. Sawyer was attached as private. Ere thirty days had passed he was appointed a second sergeant, and in sixty days from the time of his enlistment he was promoted second lieutenant. The time of the three-months' men hav- ing expired in August, 1861, he returned home.
He had not been home long when he again offered his services to Governor Olden for a position in a New Jersey regiment, and his record having been found so meritorious, he was, on the 19th of February, 1862, commissioned as second lieutenant in Company D, First New Jersey Cavalry, in which position he served with such marked credit that, on April 7, 1862, he was promoted first lieutenant, and so meritorious had been his conduct from the time he first en- tered the regiment that he was promoted captain of Com- pany K on the 8th of October, 1862.
Captain Sawyer made a most gallant fight with his com- pany on the 9th of June, 1863, at the battle of Brady's Sta- tion-one of the great cavalry battles of the Rebellion. Un- fortunately, he received two wounds in this battle, was taken prisoner and held for nine months in Libby Prison.
In order to do justice to him, we copy at length from the "Appended Notes" in Foster's "History of New Jersey and the Rebellion" that portion in reference to Captain Sawyer. It reads :
"In the battle of Brandy Station, June 9, 1863, Captain Sawyer was taken prisoner, and, after remaining a short time at Culpepper, was carried to Richmond and placed in Libby Prison. Here he remained until the 6th of July, when all the captains among the prisoners were summoned by General Winder from their quarters into a lower room of the prison. No exchanges having taken place, the men generally supposed that they were to be paroled and sent home; but no such good fortune awaited them. Instead of receiving an order for their release, they were informed that an order had been issued by the rebel War Department di- recting that two captains should be selected by lot from among the prisoners to be shot in retaliation for the exe- cution by General Burnside of two rebel officers, who had been detected in recruiting within the Union lines. The
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consternation occasioned by this announcement may be: imagined. They had hoped for release, and here was an order which in a moment clouded the whole prospect. Es- cape, of course, was impossible. The drawing was inevita- ble. After being formed in a hollow square, a slip of pa- per, with the name of each man written upon it, and care- fully folded up, was deposited in a box, whereupon Captain Turner informed the men that they might select whom they pleased to draw the names, the first two names drawn to in- dicate the men to be shot.
"Captain Sawyer, who alone seemed to retain his self- possession, suggested that one of the chaplains should be appointed. Three of the chaplains were called down from an upper room, and the Rev. Mr. Brown, of the Sixth Mary- land, accepting the task, amid a silence almost deathlike the drawing commenced. The first name taken out of the box was that of 'Captain Henry Washington Sawyer, of the Sec- ond New Jersey Cavalry,' and the second that of 'Captain Flynn, of the Fifty-first Indiana.' 'When the names were read out,' says the Richmond Dispatch. 'Sawyer heard it with no apparent emotion, remarking that some one had to be drawn, and he could stand it as well as any one else. Flynn was very white and depressed.' The drawing over, the prisoners were returned to their quarters, the condemned meanwhile poceeding under guard to the headquarters of General Winder, Provost Marshal-General. Here they were warned not to delude themselves with any hope of escape, as retaliation must be and would be inflicted, it being added that the execution would positively take place on the 14th, eight days hence. Sawyer, however, desperate as the situa- tion seemed, did not despair, but, reflecting that if by any means his situation could be brought to the knowledge of the government, he might still be rescued, he asked permis- sion to write to his wife. which, being granted on condition that the authorities should read the letter, he immediately wrote the following, which none other than a brave and true-souled man, thus standing in the shadow of death, could pen :
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"'Provost-General's Office, " .Richmond, Va., July Cth. 1863.
"'My Dear Wife :- I am under the necessity of informing you that my prospects look dark.
" "This morning all the captains now prisoners at the Libby Military Prison drew lots for two to be executed. It fell to my iot. Myself and Captain Flynn, of the Fifty-first Indiana Infantry, will be executed for two captains executed by Burnside.
" "The Provost-General, J. H. Winder, assures me that the Secretary of War of the Southern Confederacy will per-
HENRY W. SAWYER.
mit yourself and my dear children to visit me before I am executed. You will be permitted to bring an attendant. Captain Whilldin, or Uncle W. W. Ware, or Dan, had bet- ter come with you. My situation is hard to be borne, and I cannot think of dying without seeing you and the children. You will be allowed to return without molestation to your home. I am resigned to whatever is in store for me, with the consolation that I die without having committed any crime. I have no trial, no jury, nor am I charged with any crime, but it fell to my lot. You will proceed to Washing- ton. My government will give you transportation for Fortress Monroe, and you will get here by a flag of truce,
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and return the same way. Bring with you a shirt for me.
" 'It will be necessary for you to preserve this letter to bring evidence at Washington of my condition. My pay is due me from the Ist of March, which you are entitled to. Captain B- owes me fifty dollars, money lent to him when he went on a furlough. You will write to him at once, and he will send it to you.
"'My dear wife, the fortune of war has put me in this po- sition. If I must die, a sacrifice to my country, with God's will I must submit; only let me see you once more, and I will die becoming a man and an officer; but, for God's sake, do not disappoint me. Write to me as soon as you get this, and go to Captain Whilldin; he will advise you what to do. " 'I have done nothing to deserve this penalty. But you must submit to your fate. It will be no disgrace to myself, you or the children; but you may point with pride and say: "I give my husband;" my children will have the consolation to say : "I was made an orphan for my country."
"'God will provide for you; never fear. Oh! it is hard to leave you thus. I wish the ball that passed through my lead in the last battle would have done its work; but it was not to be so. My mind is somewhat influenced, for it has come so suddenly on me. Write to me as soon as you get this; leave your letter open, and I will get it. Direct my name and rank, by way of Fortress Monroe.
" 'Farewell! farewell !! and I hope it is all for the best. I remain yours until deatlı, " .H. W. Sawyer,
"'Captain First New Jersey Cavalry.'
"After penning this letter, with a conflict of feeling which we may well imagine, Sawyer and his companion were placed in close confinement in a dungeon under ground. Here they were fed on corn bread and water, the dungeon being so damp that their clothing mildewed. The 14th came at last, but still they remained unmolested. Sawyer had estimated aright; his letter had saved him from the rebel clutch. Immediately upon receiving it, his true- hearted wife hastened to lay the matter before influential friends, and these at once proceeded to Washington, pre- sented the case to the President and Secretary of War, who, without delay, directed that General Lee, son of General
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Robert E. Lee, and General Winder, son of the rebel Pro- vost Marshal-General, then prisoners in our hands, should be placed in close confinement as hostages, General Butler being at the same time ordered to notify the Confederate Government that immediately upon receiving information, authentic or otherwise, of the execution of Sawyer and Flynn, he should proceed to execute Winder and Lee. This .action, prompt and unmistakable, and more significant, per- haps, to the enemy, because of General Butler's known resolution of purpose, produced the desired effect. Saw- yer and Flynn were not executed.
"After remaining twenty-one days in the dungeon to which they were assigned, they were relieved and placed on the same footing with other prisoners. Still, however, the Richmond papers vehemently insisted that the execution must and would take place, and the fate of the condemned remained some time longer a matter of speculation and doubt. But the days lengthened into weeks, the winter passed, and at length, in March, 1864, the prison doors were opened, Sawyer being exchanged for General Lee. The satisfaction with which the brave captain once more walked forth a free man, and found shelter under the old flag, was such as only a man coming from death into life, from dismal "bondage into joyous and perfect liberty, can ever experi- ence, and none other, certainly, can appreciate. It should be added that Captain Sawyer, after this sad experience, as before it, fought gallantly and effectively for the good cause, coming out of the war a major and with scars 'more honor- able than the highest rank.'"
Captain Flynn, who never got over his long confinement in Libby Prison, seven weeks of which were spent in a dun- geon, died six months after his release.
The Philadelphia Inquirer of Wednesday, March 23, 1864, said of Captain Sawyer's confinement in Libby:
"Captain Sawyer, of the First New Jersey Cavalry, who has been a prisoner in the Libby Prison for nine months, arrived in this city on Monday. Captain Sawyer was taken prisoner in the cavalry combat at Brandy Station in June last. This was the closest cavalry fight of the war. Towards the conclusion Captain Sawyer received two wounds from pistol
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
bullets, one of which passed through his thigh and the other striking his right cheek, passed out of the back of the neck on the left side of the spine. Notwithstanding his wounds, he still kept the saddle until his horse was shot, when the lat- ter sprang up into the air and fell dead, throwing his rider with such force as to render him insensible. When he re- covered consciousness Captain Sawyer saw Lieutenant- Colonel Broderick lying near, and crawled up to him, but on examination found that he was dead. A short distance further on he saw Major Shellmire, while all around him were men of his own or other companies, either killed or wounded.
"While by the side of Colonel Broderick, Captain Sawyer was seen by two rebel soldiers, who took him prisoner, and, after washing the blood from his face with water from a neighboring ditch, conveyed him to the rear. His wounds were pronounced very dangerous, if not mortal, but in a few weeks he improved so much he was sent to Richmond and confined in Libby Prison. In that dismal prison he re- mained until about a week ago. Early in June all the cap- tains who were prisoners were assembled in a room by a Captain Turner, their jailor. These officers, of course, did not know of the object of these unusual proceedings, but supposed it was in order that they might be pardoned. The- reader can judge of the painful surprise they experienced when Captain Turner said: 'Gentlemen, it is my painful duty to communicate to you an order I have received from Gen- era Winder (provost marshal of Richmond), which I will read.' The order was then read, ordering Captain Turner to select, by lot, two Federal captains for immediate execu- tion, in retaliation for the execution of two Confederate offi- cers in Kentucky by General Burnside.
"The order having been read, it only remained to decide who the lot should fall upon, and Captain Turner asked the Union officers to select a man to draw the ballots as the names were called. After a brief silence Captain Sawyer suggested a chaplain of the United States Army, who was present. This was acceded to, and the drawing commenced. Nearly half the roll had been called and neither of the fatal
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ballots had been drawn; but when the name of Captain Henry W. Sawyer was called the ballot drawn responded 'execution.'
"The two victims were separated from their comrades and ordered to prepare for death. The Richmond papers, in their published accounts of this scene, all agreed in saying that Captain Sawyer met the trial with unfaltering courage. There was no bravado, no affectation of recklessness, but there was no faltering: only the steady, calm courage of 3 brave man: to use the captain's own words (if we may do so without impropriety), he was determined that New Jer- sey should have no cause to be ashamed of his conduct.
"The prisoners thus sentenced to death were removed to a dungeon, a vault in the cellar of the Libby Prison, where they remained until about the middle of August. The vault was only about six feet wide, and had no place for light or air, except a hole about six inches square cut in the door. In front of this door a sentry was constantly stationed whose duty it was to challenge the inmates once in each half hour and receive a reply. This, of course, rendered it impossible for both the inmates to sleep at one time. That, however, would have been impossible without this, for it was neces- sary for one to remain awake to keep away the rats, which swarmed in the cell, off his comrade. About the Ioth of August the prisoners were removed from this vault to the upper rooms among the other prisoners, where 1100 men were confined in six rooms, averaging about 37 by 100 feet each.
"We should have stated above that shortly after being sen- tenced, Captain Sawyer asked for a respite sufficient to per- mit his wife to visit him. This procured a respite for fifteen days. During this time the Richmond papers clamored for the execution of the two Union officers, with a spirit worthy the bloodiest barbarians. But during the fifteen days the Government had received information, and General Lee, a son of General Robert E. Lee, and Captain Winder, a son of the Richmond jailor, were ordered into close confinement as hostages for Sawyer and Fynn. This was effectual, and it is hardly probable that the Rebel Government, after that event,
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ever really intended to carry their sentence into effect. At all events, last week Captains Sawyer and Flynn were ex- changed for Lee and Winder, and both are now safe.
"Captain Sawyer, from long and close confinement (being entirely without meat for the last forty days of his imprison- ment), is, of course, somewhat weak; but he is in good spirits and hopes to rejoin his regiment at an early date."
After the close of the war he was breveted lieutenant-col- onel by United States Commission, and remained in that po- sition until September, 1865, when the regiment was dis- charged. At the close of the Rebellion, the rank of the reg- ular army being recruited up, he was offered by Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, having been recommended by a division officer, a lieutenantcy in the regular army, which position he declined. During the time that he was in the field he received four wounds, two of which were of a serious character. One ball he carried in his body until he died. For being one of the guards at the Capitol on April 19, 1861, he was granted a medal by the Pennsylvania Legislature in rec- ognition of his services.
In 1867 Colonel Sawyer became proprietor of the Ocean House, Cape May City, and held it until April, 1873, when be removed to Wilmington, Del., and became proprietor of the Clayton House, which he conducted for about three years. He again returned to Cape May and built the "Chalfonte," which he managed and owned for several years, when he sold it.
Colonel Sawyer was for a number of years a valued mem- ber of the City Council, and served in that capacity during the years 1876, '77, '78, 'So, '81, '82, '85, '86 and '87, and was at one time superintendent of the United States Life Saving Service for the coast of New Jersey and a member of the New Jersey State Sinking Fund Commisison from 1888 to 1891. He died suddenly of heart failure at Cape May City on October 16, 1893.
The records of the other Cape May men in the First Cav- alry Regiment are:
William B. Eldredge, private Co. D .; enlisted August 13,
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FIRST NEW JERSEY CAVALRY.
'61; mustered in August 20, '61; transferred to Company K June 2,'63; mustered out of service September 16. '64.
Caleb L. Warner, private Company D; enrolled August 13, '61; mustered into service August 24, '61; re-enlisted January 1, '64; mustered out of service July 24. '65.
John H. Warner, corporal Company D; commissioned August 13, '61; mustered into service August 20, '61: re- enlisted as a sergeant January 1, '64; first sergeant Decem- ber 12, '64; commissioned second lieutenant July 18, '65, but not mustered into office; mustered out of service July 24, '65.
Harry L. Gilmore, sergeant Company D; commissioned August 13. '61 ; mustered into service August 20, '61; trans- ferred to United States Army as hospital steward June I, '62; discharged threfrom July 24, '65.
Jacob E. Johnson, private Company B; enrolled and mus- tered into service September 5. '64 for one year; dis- charged at camp near Cloud's Mills, Va., May 31, '65.
Johnson also served in Company K. Twenty-third In- fantry Regiment, previously. He enrolled on August 28, 1862, and was mustered into service as a corporal for nine montlis on September 13, 1862. He became a private Oc- tober 25, 1862, and was mustered out of service with his company on June 27, 1863.
The First New Jersey Cavalry was organized by authority of the War Department, and was not under the control of the State, and was first known as Halstead's Cavalry. It proceeded to Washington on September 1. 1861, where it encamped until February, 1862. On February 19 an order was issued placing it under the State authority, and it was then thoroughly organized. The regiment was first at- tached to the Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac, then to the military district of Washington: then to the Depart- ment of the Rappahannock; then to the Army of Virginia; then to the defenses of Washington : then to the Army of the Potomac, and again to the Department of Washington. This regiment was probably in as many encounters during the war as any other regiment. the following being the list: Pohick Church, Va., December 29, '61, and January 15. '62; Seddons' Farm, Va., May I, '62; Gray's Farm, Va., May 9;
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
Rappahannock Station, May; Strasburg, June I: Wood- stock, June 2: Harrisonburg, June 6; Cross Keys, June 8; Madison C. H., July 27; Barnett's Ford (Rapidan), July 29, August 4 and August 7: Cedar Mountain, August 9; Rappa- hannoek Station, August 18; Brandy Station, August 20; Rappahannock Station, August 20 and 21; Warrenton, Au- gust 23; Waterloo Ford, August 24: Snicker's Gap, August 28; Bull Run, August 29 and 30; Chantilly, September 1; Warrenton, September 24; Aldie, October 31; Port Cono- way, November 19: Fredericksburg, December II to 13; Rappahannock Station, April 7, '63; Stoneman's road, April 30; Rappahannock Station and Kelly's Ford, May 19: Brandy Station, June 9; Aldie, June 17: Middleburg, June 19; Upperville, June 21 ; near Aldie, June 22; Westminster, Md., June 30; Gettysburg, Pa., July 2 and 3: Emmettsburg, Md., July 4 and 6: Tettersburg, Pa., July 7; Cavetown, Md., July 8; Harper's Ferry, Va., July 14: Sheppardstown, Md., July 16; Barryville, Va., July 31; Salem, Va., August 15; White Plains, August 16; Sulphur Springs and Brandy Sta- tion, October 12; Bristow Station, October 14; near War- renton, November 12 and 18; Mountain Run, November 27: Mine Run, November 27; Parker's Store, November 29; Custer's raid, February 18. '64; Ravenna River, Febru- ary 21; Ely's Ford (Rapidan), May 3; Todd's Tavern, May 5 and 7; Sheridan's raid, May 9; Beaver Dam Station, May IO; Yellow Tavern and Ashland Station, May II; fortifica- tions of Richmond, May 12; Church of the Messiah, May 12; North Anna River, May 24; Hawes' shop, May 28; Em- mons Church, May 29; Cold Harbor, June 1; Gaines' Mills, June 2; Chickahominy River, June 2; Bottom's Bridge, June 4 and 5; Pamunky River, June 8; Trevillian Station, June 12 and 14; White House, June 20 and 21; St. Mary's Church, June 24; near Petersburg, June 29 and July 12; raid through the Shenandoah, July; Deep Bottom, July 28; Malvern Hill, July 28 to 30; Deep Bottom, August 14; Charles City Cross Roads, August 16 and 17; Reams Sta- tion, August 26; Malvern Hill, September 5: Charles City, September 11; Jerusalem plank road, September 17: Reams Station, September 29 and 30; Vaughn's road, October 1;
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FIRST NEW JERSEY CAVALRY.
Boydton plank road, October 6; Stony Creek, November 27; Bellefield Station, December 9 and 10: Dinwiddie C. H., February 6, '65; Hatcher's Run, February 6 and 7; before Petersburg, March 20; Dinwiddie C. H., March 30; Five Forks and Chamberlain's Creek, March 31; Amelia Springs and Jettersville, April 5: Sailors' Creek, April 6; Farmville, April 6 and 7; Appomattox C. H. (Lee's surrender), April 9.
CHAPTER XXIV. THE ENLISTMENTS OF 1862.
Not until the second year of the war did any more men" go to the front from Cape May county, but in the mean- while the Board of Freeholders prepared for the relief of the families of those who went to help save the Union. On August 28, 1861, a committee consisting of one person from each township and Cape Island, were appointed to look af- ter the wants of the soldiers' families: Thomas Williams, Upper township; William S. Townsend, Dennis; Smith Townsend, Middle; Samuel F. Ware, Lower, and Waters B. Miller, Cape Island. These committeemen each had his own territory to look after, and was authorized to give each soldier's family six dollars per month as long as the head of the family was in service. This committee served until May, 1862, when a new one was appointed, consisting of Thomas Williams, of Upper: Richard S. Leaming, of Den- nis: Aaron Miller, of Middle; Samuel F. Ware, of Lower, and Dr. Samuel S. Marcy, of Cape Island.
Samuel Fithian Ware, of Lower township, who served with great credit on the Relief Committee during the war, was born on October 16. 1800, and was a brother of Wilmon WV .. Maskel, John G. W., and Joseph. He served in the- Board of Freeholders many years. He was a carpenter and an undertaker, and buried during his time about fifteen hundred persons. He died in 1876.
In the meanwhile the Seaville Rangers, which were known as Company B. of the Atlantic Brigade, did duty and drilled at home under the care of Captain Joseph E. Corson. They were given by the State for use on October 26, 1861, thirty sets of arms and equipment and 1000 rounds of elon- gated ball cartridges.
On the 23d of December the Board of Freeholders pro. vided for the transporting of volunteers to the State rendez-
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THE ENLISTMENTS OF 1862.
vous and appointed as a committee to take charge of the work Clinton H. Ludlam, of Dennisville, and Samuel R. Magonagle, of Cape Island.
The Twelfth Regiment was one of the quota of five regi- ments charged upon New Jersey under the call for 300,000 volunteers for three years made by President Lincoln on July 7, 1862. It was rendezvoused at Woodbury, and left the State on September 7 for service. In it were J. Howard Willetts, formerly of Cape May, who had served in the Sev- enth Regiment, as before noted; Richard S. Thompson and Albert Walker, of Cape May Court House. J. Howard Willetts was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the regi- ment on August 1I, 1862, and served as such until he was promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment, February 27, 1863. He was discharged on December 19, 1864, on ac- count of wounds received in the battle of Chancellorsville, Va.
Richard S. Thompson was commissioned captain of Com- pany F on August 14. 1862, and mustered into service on September 4. He was promoted major of the regiment on February 25, 1864. and commissioned as lieutenant-colonel on July 2, 1864, and sixteen days later mustered into that position. On account of wounds received in the action at Ream's Station, Va., where he commanded the regiment, he was discharged from the service February 17, 1865.
Lieutenant-Colonel Richard S. Thompson was born De- cember 27, 1837. at Cape May Court House. His father was Richard Thompson, a prominent citizen of this county. His mother, Elizabeth. was the daughter of Major Nathan- iel Holmes, also of this county. After nine years' study in seminaries and under private tutors, he entered Harvard College in 1859, graduated in 1861. He was admitted to the Philadelphia bar early in 1862. He was a member of Captain Biddle's Artillery Company, of Philadelphia.
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