USA > New York > Boots and saddles. A history of the first volunteer cavalry of the war, known as the First New York (Lincoln) Cavalry, and also as the Sabre regiment. Its organization, campaigns and battles > Part 12
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In the outskirts of the town there was a grave yard containing the remains of several thousand soldiers, killed in the battle between Stonewall Jackson of the Confederate army, and Generals Banks and Shields of the Federal army.
On the 8th of Janury Lieutenant O. B. Knowles and twenty men of our regiment went to Newtown and cap- tured a large quantity of gray cloth intended for the Confederate army; but the party having it in charge made his escape. We were then lying at Hollings- worth's Mills, on the turnpike south of Winchester, and it was bitter cold. The men were living in tents and the horses were entirely without shelter. The forage and rations had to be hauled from Martinsburg in wagons. and the road was beset at all points by the enemy's cav- alry, making strong escorts necessary for the protection of the trains. In consequence of these things forage was scarce, and our poor horses suffered, not only from exposure, but from want of food.
I never could see why our Government kept troops
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at Winchester. It was far removed from a base of sup- plies, and its lines of communication too long and too much exposed to be kept open with any kind of cer- tainty, without employing a very large force for escort duty. There were no railroad or telegraph communi- cations there during the war, nor could we have kept them intact if there had been. Every communication had to be sent by couriers, and many good men lost their lives in this dangerous service, being killed by the skulking bushwhackers or the bold guerrillas. When a small party set out with dispatches they took their lives in their hands, and generally took leave of their comrades as if they were never again to see them. This may seem like a sad picture to those who never participated in "wars rude alarms;" but our boys made light of such matters, as they were exposed to death almost every day, and it had lost its terrors to a very great extent. Indeed they rather enjoyed the danger, and would vol- unteer at any time to go through with dispatches, in order to enjoy an adventure. I never saw men with such personal courage, self-reliance and contempt of danger.
On the 9th we were ordered to encamp on the bleak hill side just north of the town, and our condition was pitiable. No shelter for our horses, and very little for the men. We soon set to work tearing down uninhab- ited old houses and mills in and about Winchester, in order to get lumber to build sheds for the horses and to secure our tents against the chilling winds and driving SHOW.
On the 10th the West Virginia troops under Milroy had a parade in honor of the admission of their State into the Federal Union.
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On the 14th the companies of our regiment left at Martinsburg joined us, and it was amusing to hear their comments on the appearance of things at Winchester. compared with those they had just left.
On the 17th General Jones, of the Confederate army, with his cavalry, rode down from New Market to inspect our position, and see how we kept " watch and ward "at Winchester. An "intelligent (?) contraband informed General Milroy that the rebel cavalry were at Millwood, and our regiment was sent off in hot haste to give them a fitting reception. On reaching Millwood we found that General Jones had come down the east side of the Blue Ridge, crossing the Shenandoah at Castleman's Ferry the previous night, and had approached to within three miles of Winchester; then crossed over to the Front Royal road and encamped in a pine thicket about four miles from the river. We found their camping place, but they had left early in the morning in the di- rection of Newtown, and were approaching Winchester from that quarter, while we were leaving it in pursuit of them in almost the opposite direction. They sent a squad of men down the " Back Road" who struck the main pike in rear of our outer pickets. and captured sev- eral of the videttes, who took them for our own men. Thus playing upon us the game we had taught them at Woodstock on the 7th instant; but they were not so suc- cessful. Company " K" was on duty that day, and, hearing what had happened, set out at speed after the retreating enemy. They soon overtook them, and charged at once, re-capturing our own men and driving the enemy's scouting party several miles. The men who has been captured resorted to all manner of tricks to delay the march of the enemy. feeling certain that their
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friends would soon be in pursuit. At last their captors threatened to shoot them if they did not hurry up, and were about to carry out their threats when they spied the " boys in blue " approaching at a gallop.
They saw they could not escape with their prisoners, so after cursing them vigorously. they abandoned them in order to save themselves.
On the 25th the whole regiment went to White Post. between Millwood and Front Royal, but no enemy was to be seen. On the 26th one hundred men were sent to the Devil's Hole, in the North Mountain, and they brought in about a dozen villainous-looking . bushwhack- ers," and a large number of cattle, sheep and horses, which those gentlemen (?) had secreted there. One of the prisoners turned out to be a lieutenant, with an order from General Jones to capture one of our scouts named Brown. ( This soldier was of a highly respectable family, residing at Somers, Westchester county, New York.
We were the only cavalry at Winchester, and we were carefully kept from rusting. General Mitroy soomed to realize that the enemy had no special love for him. and that their cavalry might dash in some night and take him out of his bed. unless we scoured the country in all directions, and reporting their whereabouts every day. Many a time we cursed the old general. although we admired his intrepidity and well-known devotion to the cause, as we trudged along by our horses to keep from freezing, on our return from some fruitless chase after the almost ubiquitous enemy. A few Confederate horsemen would appear on nearly every road approach .- ing Winchester, at the same moment of time, front. rear and flank- and our regiment would be ordered out in as many different detachments to investigate the
-. 4 .-
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matter. But this was only a ruse of the enemy to worry us and wear out our horses, so that we should not be able to do them so much harm at a distance from our camps.
We had to do picket duty as well as scouting, and our men seldom had two nights in bed in a week. We were on the go five days out of seven, and some parts of the regiment every day in the week.
On the 3d of February we went to Strasburg and captured a large quantity of flour, ready to be for- warded to Lee's army, and I thought we would freeze to death on the return. The turnpike was built on high ground, and the cold wind swept along in gusts, freezing everything with its wintry breath. A citizen remarked to me that when General White, of our army, com- manded at Winchester. the Confederates used to ride all around him, and he seldom ventured out after them ; " but," said he " I hear of you all everywhere in the valley." I told him we were a pretty lively set of Yan- kees.
On the 5th of February the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry arrived at Winchester, which somewhat light- ened our duties. On the 6th, the stage, with all our mail and several officers and soldiers, who were on board as passengers, was captured by Mosby's guerrillas, while on its way up from Martinsburg.
We sent fifty of our men in pursuit, under Captain Jones and Lieutenants Watkins and Laverty, and they overtook them near Millwood. It had been freezing hard, and the roads were very slippery, but Jones or- dered his men to charge the moment he spied the enemy. and one of the most exciting chases of the war was the result.
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Revolvers were used by pursuers and pursued, but our men had to be very careful about firing on account of the prisoners. At last the revolvers were emptied, and Jones' men drew their sabres and dashed in among the retreating enemy, sabring them right and left. The guerrillas had mounted their prisoners on the stage horses, with all the harness on, and were urging them forward at the top of their speed. It was almost dark, and the boys found it difficult to distinguish between the captors and their prisoners.
Lieutenant Watkins, who was riding a swift and power- ful horse, dashed up to a mounted man and demanded his surrender, but receiving no reply, he rose in his stir- rups to give him a taste of his sabre, when the man slid from his horse and rollel over and over on the hard frozen ground.
He was picked up, more dead than alive, and turned out to be Captain Dietrich, 1. A. A. G. of one of our brigades at Winchester. The geurrillas had mounted him on one of the stage horses, without a saddle, and having neither great-coat nor gloves, the "Johnnies" having appropriated them, he was almost frozen, and could not hold his horse.
Lieutenant Laverty was severely wounded in the leg by a pistol ball during the chase, and shortly afterwards resigned. He was a promising young officer, and we regretted his loss. All of the prisoners were re-captured, together with the stage horses and harness, and half a dozen of the guerrillas as well. Several of the enemy had been killed, and it was found, upon inquiring of the prisoners, that one of the killed was named Jones. Cap- tain Jones had the dead bodies taken to a house near by. and strange to say the proprietor's name was Jones.
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On the 9th, Captain Hertzog went out with his com- pany and brought in a lieutenant as prisoner, together with seyen fine horses with all their equipments. He had met a scouting party of the enemy, had killed two of them in the skirmish that followed, and had made the above captures.
On the 26th, about 4:00 a. m., a party of the enemy's cavalry got in rear of our piekets on the Strasburg road, capturing eight out of fifteen of the men, and thirteen of the horses ; two men were wounded, but made their escape on horseback. The enemy came down the "Back Road" to within three miles of Winchester, where it strikes the main pike. This road was not picketed for some cause or other, save at its junction with the main pike, where a few infantry were stationed as supports for our cavalry pickets, who were some distance beyond.
The raiders soon dispersed the infantry, and then marched south along the turnpike at a leisurely gait, surprising and capturing our men on the way out, as above stated, thus repeating the game which we had taught them at Woodstock, a short time before.
On hearing of this we sent about fifty men of our regi- ment in pursuit, under Captain Passegger and Lieu- tenant Weiss. This mounted force proceeded to Stras- burg, where they overtook the enemy and charged them at once, driving them through the town and beyond Fisher's Hill in its rear, where a squadron of the enemy's cavalry were on picket.
This force was also put to fight and driven some dis- tance, and all of our men re-captured. Captain Passeg- ger then returned by the Back Road, according to orders, and reached camp in safety with his prisoners about 9 a. m. that day.
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Major Kerwin, of the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cav- alry, had come up with a battalion of his regiment just as Passegger left the turnpike, and continued in pursuit of the enemy, with a squadron under Captain Dewees in advance. This force proceeded as far as Woodstock. where they fell in with some of the enemy and made several captures.
As Major Kerwin was returning with his battalion, proudly escorting the prisoners they had captured, he met Major Byrne, with another battalion of the same regiment, coming up to reinforce him. The two forces met on the turnpike between Strasburg and Fisher's Hill, where it is almost impossible for cavalry to leave the road on either side, owing to the nature of the ground, and here the two columns were halted. just as they had been marching, while their officers discussed the situa- tion. While in this position, firing was heard in the di- rection of Fisher's Hill, and the next instant Kerwin's rear guard were observed galloping in, with the enemy yelling and firing close at their heels.
Kerwin gave the command to his battalion : " By fours, left about wheel !" and they soon were facing the enemy; but unfortunately the other battalion wheeled also, at the word of command, which was not intended for them, and faced in the opposite direction. Kerwin then gave the command: " Forward!" supposing that both battal- ions were facing the enemy, and the result was that each battalion set out in an opposite direction. Both officers and men were no doubt much excited. as I was told that this was the first time the Thirteenth Pennsylvania had met the enemy; and as the rear guard dashed up. at headlong speed, shouting that the chemy were coming in great force, they threw the head of Kerwin's column
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into some confusion. At that moment it was discovered that Byrne's battalion of the Thirteenth were moving to the rear, upon which Kerwin's men took the alarm and began to waver.
Just then the enemy hove in sight and poured a volley into them, accompanied by the well known "rebel yell," and a general panic seized upon all, except a few of the officers, which resulted in a disgraceful and most disastrous rout.
Major Kerwin, Captain Meany, and a few other officers of the Thirteenth made the most heroic exertions to rally their men, but they were too panic-stricken to pay any attention, and only thought of escape. At last a pretty respectable number of the officers and non-com- missioned officers, and a few of the coolest of the men, were got together, and with Kerwin and Meany leading. they charged upon the enemy, driving them back over a mile; thus saving many of the command, who other- wise would have been killed or captured by reason of their horses having given out.
This shows what a few determined officers can do, and proves conclusively that there was no reason for such a disgraceful retreat ; the Thirteenth Pennsylvania being fully able to cope with the enemy's forces had they not given way to their fears.
The result was disastrous. Twelve of the men were killed, and many others of them seriously wounded. some of whom afterwards died of their wounds; and eleven of the commissioned officers and eighty of the "rank and file" were captured.
The alarm had reached Winchester, and our regiment was sent out, under Major Adams, to look after the enemy and save the remnant of the Thirteenth Penn-
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sylvania Cavalry. We met the Thirteenth a short dis- tance south of the town, coming on at a rapid gait, and so bespattered with mud that officers and men were quite indistinguishable. We halted them and tried to inspire them with confidence, but they could not feel safe any- where short of Winchester. We inquired after Pas- segger, and were told that he and all of his men had been captured, which made us very angry, and our men cursed the Thirteenth for cowards. We then struck spurs to our horses and rode rapidly in pursuit of the enemy. On arriving at Strasburg we learned from the citizens that Passegger had not been captured, but had returned by the Back Road ; and that the enemy had re- turned to Woodstock, saying that they expected that d -- d First New York Cavalry would soon be on their tracks with their race horses.
This was their first introduction to the enemy, and it was a bad beginning ; but I am happy to be able to say that this regiment was afterwards considered equal to any in the Army of the Potomac. They had good material in the regiment and, as a rule, the line officers were good soldiers; but. like many other regiments, some of the field officers were not the men to lead troopers to glory. Major Michael Kerwin, however, was a compe- tent and gallant officer. George R. MeGuire, the adju- tant of that regiment, was a good officer, and Captain Dan. Meaney was a cool. brave, dashing fellow, who liked nothing better than to lead a charge upon the enemy; and there were many other gallant officers of the Thirteenth Pennsylvania, who, after that. distin- guished themselves on the field.
About this time Captain Simons of our regiment, who had been left at Greenspring Run, arrived at Winchester
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with a battery of horse artillery, which he had escorted through the mountains from Romney. It is the greatest wonder in the world that Imboden did not capture the whole party, as he might have done had he been on the qui vive.
On the 4th of March our regiment, the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, two regiments of infantry, and a battery of horse artillery, went to Woodstock, but the enemy fell back and we couldn't raise a fight
On the 10th, Colonel McReynolds arrived from Mar- tinsburg with the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
General W. L. Elliott, of the regular army, also arrived with a brigade of infantry and a battery of artillery.
About this time Major Timothy Quinn, a resident of Troy, New York, joined our regiment, and there was a good deal of ill feeling among the officers because the Governor of New York had appointed this stranger over the heads of those who were entitled to the position. and well qualified to fill it. But the major was a man of sterling common sense. and soon became a general favorite. He was over six feet tall, and splendidly built, possessed a genial temper, and proved himself a worthy " son of Mars."
On the 24th the regiment was sent to Wardensville, about half way to Moorfield. as it had been reported that Imboden was at or near that place; but we could hear nothing of our old friend in that direction.
On the 27th. our regiment was ordered to proceed to Berryville, about ten miles east of Winchester, and about five miles from Snicker's Gap in the Blue Ridge. at the western base of which flows the Shenandoah River. This was the second time during that winter 14
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that we had built stables and winter quarters and had to abandon them.
While at Winchester we had some very pleasant times at the residence of Mrs. Meredith, who had two charm- ing daughters; both strongly in favor of the Union. Mrs. Ginn also had two lovely daughters, both loyal, and one of them formed a union with a gentleman from Ohio shortly afterwards ; but we were not able to attend the nuptials, as Winchester and vicinity was at that time disputed territory. Mrs. Wright also had two fine daughters, but the younger was for the " gray," on which account she frequently looked . blue " at us.
John S. Mosby had been commissioned a captain in the Confederate army, and had just brought himself into public notoriety by the capture of General Stough- ton. in his bed. at Fairfax Court House, surrounded by his watchful (?) troops; and General Milroy began to fear that this bold rider and his " moss troopers " would play the same trick upon him, if not closely watched. The headquarters of this new star in the constellation of guerrilla chief's were in Loudon Valley, on the East side of the Blue Ridge. He had then about two hun- dred mounted guerrillas under his command, besides. any number of bushwhackers. half soldiers, half-farmers, who scoured the country on foot, warlaying small pa- trols, and shooting our piekets at night. These were the most detestable characters that the war produced When taken in daytime. they were innocent farmers. (?) but at night they were human hyenas.
Berryville was at a convenient distance from the main gap of the Blue Ridge, through which Mosby. or any other Confederate forer, would have to pass in order to get into the Shenandoah Valley, and we were sent to
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that place to watch those by-ways from rebeldom. Lou- don and Fauquier counties, on the east side of the mountains, were denominated " Mosby's Confederacy," as his force held sway in those counties.
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CHAPTER XVI.
The Third Briga le a: Berryville-Review at Winchester-Mosby after our Patrols-Capture of the Guerrilla Leopold-Trap set for Mosby- Sad Blunder of the Sixty-seventh. Pennsylvania Volunteers-After Mosby-Capture of Union Cavalry at Charlestown-Major Adams' Fight with Mosby-Re-capture of our Troops -- Races at Berryville- Colonel Ware and his Stock-Bushwhackers-Narrow Escape of Mosby-Scout to Fairfax.
Your arrival in Berryville, in March, 1863, we were joined by the following troops : Sixty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Staunton; Twelfth West Virginia Volunteers, Colonel Klunk ; Sixth Mary- land Volunteers, Colonel Horn ; Baltimore Light Bat- tery, Captain Alexander.
These troops, together with the First New York ( Lin- coln) Calvalry, formel the Third Brigade of Milroy's Di- vision (the Second) of the Eighth Army Corps. General Schenk commanded the corps, with headquarters at Bal- timore. Colonel MeReynolds commanded the Third Brigade, with headquarters at Berryville. Milroy's headquarters were at Winchester.
On the 31st of March I was appointed A. A. G. of the Third Brigade, and took up my quarters with Colo- nel MeReynolds, in the town.
On the 6th of April there was a review of the troops at Winchester, on which occasion, General Milroy was the recipient of a sword, sash and bolt, presented by the West Virginia troops of his division, and there were a great many ladies and gentlemen present on horseback and in carriages. Many of our officers attended the review, and rode with the general as his escort. I recol-
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lect that Major Adams was one of the officers invited to ride with the general, he being one of Milroy's favorites.
On the night of the 12th, while Lieutenant Woodruff and a patrol of ten men of Company F, of our regi- ment, were going towards Snicker's Ferry, they were bushwacked by about thirty of Mosby's guerrillas. The first volley killed private Charles Young, and wounded two of the horses. Lieutenant Woodruff called upon his men to charge, which they did most gallantly, driv- ing the enemy from their ambush; but in so doing lost another man, Clark D. Reynolds, who got mixed with the enemy in the darkness and was carried off a prisoner.
The next day a patrol from Company HI, under Lieu- tenant Martindale, had a skirmish with Mosby's men near Berry's Ferry, and killed one of them. Several of the boys crossed the river while their comrades covered them with carbines from behind a stone wall on the bank. On reaching the other side they were attacked by Mosby's men, who dashed down to the bank and fired at them as they swam back. At that moment the boys behind the wall fired, dropping one of the "Johnnies," and the rest retreated
On the night of the 21st we sent forty men and three officers, of our regiment, under Captain Bailey, to capture the notorious Captain Leopold. An okl negro had cross. edl over and told us that the captain and his men rendez- voused at his master's house, on the other side of the She- nandoah, among the Blue Ridge Mountains. The "dar- key" agreed to be on the opposite bank of the river at midnight, to strike three matches, in quick succession, as a signal that all was right, or only one in case things were not right. Our boys were "standing to horse, " at the appointed hour, peering through the darkness for the
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signal. At last they observed three distinct flashes and were soon in the saddle swimming for the opposite shore. It was considered hazardous, as the negro might have been employed by the enemy to draw them into an am- buscade, so we had artillery on the bank to protect them in case they should be pursued by a superior force. On crossing they found the old " darkey" all excitement, who informed them that Leopold was in bed at the house. and then led them to a point from which they could dis- tinguish the outlines of the buildings. They then sur- rounded the house quietly, and rapped at the door. There was great commotion within, but the officers sung out that the house was surrounded, and would be burned, and everybody in it put to death, if a single shot were fired. After a good deal of parleying the door was opened and the boys walked in, pistol in hand, and cap- tured Mr. Leopold and seven of his gang, all villainous looking scoundrels. Leopold was quite young looking, but he was a notorious bushwhacker.
On the night of May 5th we sent a squad of our men, under Lieutenants Boyd and Wyckoff, with about four hundred of the Sixty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers. under Colonel Staunton, to set a "trap" for Mosby.
We had captured a lot of skiff's at Front Royal, and had brought them down to " Snicker's Gap" for the purpose of ferrying the infantry across the river.
It had been arranged that the cavalry should keep some distance in advance of the infantry, and when they should meet Mosby's men they were to skirmish long enough for a trooper to ride back and inform the infantry, so that they could conceal themselves. The cavalry were then to retreat and draw Mosby's men into the ambuscade. The river was crossed in safety and the
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