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 17
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Miss Sallie, the Doctor's amiable daughter, was a beau- tiful blonde, and as good and gentle as she was beautiful. She was a fine horsewoman, and frequently rode out with Captain Bailey and other young officers of the
The Campbell family also entertained us hospitably,
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and their mansion was the resort of many of our officers.
Commodore Bowman's house was always headquarters. and one of his grand daughters married Dr. Schoales, surgeon of the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
There were many other noted Union families there, and many of our officers and men have found wives there since the " cruel war" has ended.
Colonel Faulkner, who had been United States Minis- ter to France. had his residence there ; but he was "down South." His spouse was equal to the situation, how- ever. and never failed to invite the commanding officer and his staff to partake of the hospitalities of her house ; and it was sellom that those invited could resist the fas- cinations of the daughters and the blandishments of their ma.
General Averill, who could twang the light guitar ; General Sigel, who could talk about music: General Stahl, who could talk with the ladies about Paris, and their mutual acquaintances there ; Colonel A. W Adams. and others of our "grim visaged warriors," would " smooth their wrinkled fronts" and " caper nimbly" into Mrs. Faulkner's parlor, to enjoy the music, wit and wine dispensed there.
And so it happened that ye gentle Faulkners always had a guard, and a " protection paper" from headquar- ters; notwithstanding it was well known that they were bitter secessionists, and their house always the head- quarters of the Confederates when in possession of the town.
Mrs. Faulkner and her daughters were well skilled in diplomacy, and much more than a match for most of our good-natured, unsuspecting commanders, and the gay young officers of their staff; and no doubt those
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fair diplomatists wheedled many a bit of valuable infor- mation out of them when mellow with wine.
On the 21st of August, I was sent out with my com- pany on a scout. We passed through Jarretstown, Greenspring, Whitehall, and Winchester; returning to camp by way of Bunker Hill. We rode fifty miles in twelve hours, and brought back five Confederate soldiers with their horses, arms and accoutrements.
While at Martinsburg we laid out a race course. and kept up our field sports with great spirit, when our duties would permit; but seouts were of so frequent occurrence that we had very little time to devote to amusement.
Scouting parties were sent to Middletown and Bloom- ery Gap, but no enemy could be heard of nearer than Strasburg and Romney.
On the night of September 7th. the enemy drove in the pickets of the Twentieth Pennsylvania Cavalry, stationed at Bath, Morgan County, Virginia, and our regiment set out in pursuit, but could hear nothing of the raiders.
On the 12th of September. my first sergeant. Rolland Ellis, was accidentally shot while at target practice. He was a brave soldier. and beloved by all the company. I took his remains to Philadelphia, to his parents; and breaking the news to them was hardest task of my life.
On the 15th of September, the authorities of New York State sent a stand of colors to our regiment. and there was a review of the troops for the purpose of witnessing the presentation. Colonel MeReynolds. com- manling the forces, presented the standard in a very eloquent manner. and Major Harkins received it on be- half of the regiment in a most appropriate speech.
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That same day fifty men from the Twelfth Pennsyl- vania Cavalry, under Lieutenant Irwin, and fifty of our regiment, all under command of Captain Jones, of ours. went on a scout. On approaching Smithfield they fell in with a large detachment of the enemy, which they chased into the town. Here the graybacks were rein- forced and charged upon our troops. The boys fought desperately, but lost their commander, Captain Jones ; who was wounded in the hand, and captured, after having his horse shot under him. The enemy then tried to surround the Union boys, but were repulsed at every point by detachments under Captain Bailey and Lieu- tenant Poindexter, of the First New York, and Lieuten- ant Irwin of the Twelfth Pennsylvania. The fight lasted nearly an hour, being a succession of charges and coun- ter charges, captures and re-captures; one of the most important of which was the re-capture of Captain Jones. together with his three captors. Our boys finally ste- ceeded in routing the enemy. and driving them to within a few miles of Winchester. Our casualties were three men wounded ; but we captured a dozen prisoners from the enemy, including two officers.
On the 20th of September, Captain Bailey returned from a scout, having passed through Winchester to Strasburg, where he captured eleven of Major Gilmore's men, and several conseript officers, with their horses and equipments.
While operating in the Shenandoah Valley, and in West Virginia. we found it necessary to employ citizens as scouts and spies. While at Oldtown, Maryland. we had one named Moss, a Union man, who had been driven away from his family on account of his political opinions.
On one of our raids we passed his house and he called
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in to see his family, from whom he had been separated for months without any means of communicating with them. He was dressed like a soldier and had his head tied up so that the neighbors should not recognize him. The enemy captured him soon after and he was tied, hand and foot, and informed that he would be hung ; but during the night he succeded in untying a knot and and made his escape, bringing with him a shot gun and a good horse. He made some other adventurous scouts into the enemy's lines, and had several hairbreadth escapes, but unfortunately I have no exact account of them.
At Martinsburg our principal citizen scout was one " Noakes." a cool, brave fellow. He had a great weak- ness for good horses, would risk his life to get one, and was not overly scrupulous as to how he obtained it, if taken from the enemy. On one occasion a small party of the boys were returning with Noakes, from a scout up the Valley, when they met a force of the enemy on the road, only a few hundred yards off. Noakes was riding an old farm horse, they were near a farm house, and he dismounted and let down the fence ; the officer in charge threatening him with his sabre by way of a blind. The boys had dashed through, and Noakes had re-placed the rails as the enemy rode up, shouting to him to take them down. Noakes was cursing the Yankees for making him take down his own fence, and for riding through his wheat field : but the Confederate officer out him short by ordering him to open the fence or he would blow his brains out. Noakes grumbled out something about it being hard to be treated so by his own friends; but proceeded to take down the bars. By that time our boys were half a mile away, and the enemy failed to over-
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take them. Noakes arrived in camp that night with a fine stallion, taken from some stable on his way. He generally went out mounted on a mule, or broken down army horse, and nearlyalways returned with a fine horse. which he would carry to Maryland and sell for a good round sum.
While returning from a seout one night we met an old citizen riding along, and Noakes asked him if he knew anything of the Yankees at Martinsburg .. The old fel- low took the bait, and asked Noakes what he belonged to. " Gilmore's battalion." said Noakes. The old man then told him that he had just been " running the block- ade," to get a horse for his nephew, who belonged to Mosby's command, and had lost his horse in a fight with the Yankees a few days before. He told Noakes where the Union pickets were posted around Martinsburg, and requested him to " try and get into town, and cap- ture that d ---- d Noakes, who was guiding the Yankees everywheres through the Valley." Noakes promised to do his best, and said he would call at the house on his way up the Valley, and let him know how he made out. Noakes took a few men out that night and brought the old man and his nephew in as prisoners.
After being in the " Valley" a while, our men became so familiar with every road and path that we dispensed with the citizens, and organized a band of scouts from the men of our own regiment. We had a number of brave fellows to whom adventure and danger were a pleas- ant excitement, and we soon had a body of the best scouts in the army. The principle men among them were Savacool. Atkins and Vosburg, of Company K; Peavy and Valentine, of Company B; and Forkey, Dunn and the Goubleman brothers, of Company D.
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On one occasion a party of these men went clear down to North Carolina. They had plenty of Confederate money, which they procured from Philadelphia. in sheets, for a trifling sum ; the words " fac simile," printed at the bottom each note, so that it could easily be cut off. This money was pronounced genuine by the cashier of the bank at Winchester, and passed current everywhere in Rebeldom. The boys always had plenty of poultry. eggs, butter, milk, &c., when on scout, without the trouble of taking them. They bought them, and were always welcomed by the inhabitants. This gave our regiment a good name in the valley-where we were known as "the gallant First New York Cavalry"-and the citizens were never afraid to see us come along.
On the trip to North Carolina the boys brought back a lot of fine horses, and a negro whom they had pur- chased from his master for three thousand dollars " for simile." The poor darkey was astonished when he found himself in the camp of the Yankees, a free man.
He had been of great service on the return trip and the boys set him at liberty, with the understanding that he should stay with them and do such things as they might require until the war should be over.
Valentine often rode up the Valley dressed in female clothing, and obtained much valuable information. Forkey could get himself up as a negro, and as such he had many strange adventures.
Savacool went through the Valley as a mail carrier, collecting letters at all the houses, and much informa- tion was obtained in this way. On one of his trips he met Gilmore's battalion. and could not hide, so he bolly face the music. He had captured many of these men. and was afraid some of them would recognize him. Gil-
Capture of Blackford's Rangers, Back Creek Valley, Va.
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more quizzed him closely, but his suspicions were al- layed by Savacool taking a letter from his pouch ad- dressed to Gilmore himself. It was from a lady in Winchester, and he was so well pleased with the con- tents that he gave Savacool a pull at his canteen of apple jack. He then informed Savacool that they were on their way to burn the bridge of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road over Back Creek.
Savacool had no sooner got away from them than he made a detour and rode for Martinsburg with all haste. to inform Colonel MeReynolds of what he had. heard. Captain R. G. Prendergrast was immediately sent to Back Creek Valley, with one hundred men to look after the bridge burners. Fifty of the men were from our regiment and fifty from the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cav- alry, under Captain Henry.
Prendergrast learning that the party were concealed in a piece of woods, disposed of his men so as to cut off retreat. and then charged into the ambush, capturing Captain Blackford and his lieutenant, and thirty men. with all their arms; besides thirty-six horses with their equipments complete.
Gilmore had stopped behind to see his lady love, and had not joined his men when the attack was made, so he escaped. This took place on the 14th of October.
On the Isth Gilmore piloted General Imboden to Charlestown. near Harper's Ferry, where the Ninth Mary- land Volunteers, under Colonel Simpson, were en- camped. and after a short fight they captured nearly the whole regiment : and Gilmore must have ilt avenged for the loss of Blackford's company.
General Sullivan sallied forth from Harper's Ferry. and drove Imboden to Berryville, killing a number of
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his men, and capturing not a few; but nothing conkl wipe out the fact that the enemy had got the best of him in the affair at Charlestown.
About this time Lieutenant-Colonel Adams was or- dered to Washington. as a witness in General Milroy's Court of Inquiry, and did not join us again until the following January. While absent he was commissioned and mustered in as lieutenant-colonel of our regiment, with rank from April 3, 1863.
FIRST NEW YORK (LINCOLN) CAVALRY. 23:
CHAPTER XX.
We move to Charlestown-The Town and its People-Raid after Ini- boden-Savacool's Adventure-Numerous Skirmishes-Fight with Imboden-Death of Hoglan and Black-Our Captures-The Harrison- bary Raid-Sterns and Gilmore-Re-enlistment of the Regiment- Savacool kills Blackford-Riot with the Twenty-first New York Cavalry-Fight with Rosser's Cavalry-Colonel Mulligan-Prepar- ing for Veteran Furlough.
PATHIE capture of the Ninth Maryland Volunteers, at Charlestown, October 18, 1863, produced a change in the location of the troops, and our regiment was or- dered to report at that place for duty.
We arrived there on the 20th of October, and found our old comrade in arms, Colonel Boyd, in command. His own regiment-the Twenty-first Pennsylvania Car- alry, also the Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry and Major Cole's battalion of Maryland Cavalry, were with him, forming the outposts of Harper's Ferry, where General Sullivan had his headquarters.
Colonel Boyd, with his usual energy, at once set out. with a strong force, in quest of his old adversary, Gen -. eral Imboden, going as far as Winchester, where it was found the enemy were encamped at Strasburg. We had Not prepared for such a long ride, and therefore returned to camp, having captured a number of prisoners, in- cluding . Captain Nelson and Lieutenant Randolph, of the Confederate General Pendleton's staff. who were rusticating among their friends in the Valley.
On the 27th we again set out to look for Imboden. passing through Berryville, Milwood, White Post, Front
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Royal and Strasburg: returning through Winchester and Berryville.
I had command of the advance guard, and my men captured twenty prisoners, including a major, two cap- tains and three lieutenants, having had several slight skirmishes by the way, with some of Mosby's and Gil- more's men.
At Strasburg we were told that our friend (?) Imbo- den was at Mt. Jackson, and we concluded to pay him a visit soon.
On our way up the Valley, Sergeant Edwin F. Sava- cool of Company K. of our regiment, was in the ex- treme advance, as he usually was, dressed in a full suit of Confederate gray, and " roped in" several prisoners.
Between Berryville and Milwood he found a fine horse, with full set of military equipments, tied to a fence, and his rider up a tree picking persimmons. He hailed the " Johnny" and told him he had better get down, as the Yankees were coming up the road from Berryville.
The fellow showed great alacrity in descending from the tree, but when he attempted to get his horse, Sava- cool pointed his revolver at him and informed him that he was a prisoner. " That's bad," said the " Johnny," heaving a sigh, and at once handed over his arms and accoutrements. Savacool turned his prisoner over to the first men who came up. and passed on ahead as he- fore.
On arriving at the Shenandoah River, near Front Royal, he learned from a negro that young Baylor, of Monby's gang, was at his mother's house, on the point of land between the forks of the river, which meet at that place. It was known as Richards' Farm House;
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Mrs. Baylor having married Mr. Richards. As Sava- cool entered, with cocked revolver, the inmates were much surprised, as they thought he was a Confederate soldier, on account of his clothing.
While the old lady was talking to him her son edged up and made a spring for his throat, at the same time grasping the pistol with one of his hands. Savacool pulled the trigger, causing the hammer to come down on Baylor's thumb, and he let go his hold and jumped behind his mother. She then begged Savacool not to shoot him, which he promised not to do, provided he would quietly surrender. This Baylor agreed to do, and Savacool took a seat, pistol in hand. to await the arrival of our troops.
The old lady got up on a chair and began to rummage the shelves of a closet, and Savacool noticed her putting something behind her as she turned to get down. His suspicions were aroused and he told her to show her hands. She did not obey, but kept backing towards her son. and Savacool told her to halt or he would blow her son's brains out.
She then burst into tears, and begged him not to kill them, as she produced a small revolver from behind her back. At that moment we rode up and Baylor was placed under guard ; his mother begging of us to treat him kindly. If I am not mistaken he slipped away from the guard that night at strasburg, and made his escape.
On the 31st Captain Jones was ordered out with his troop and met the enemy near Winchester; and after a short skirmish and a long race he captured sixteen of them, and brought them to camp with their arms and horses.
On the 6th of November Captain Bailey sallied forth
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at the head of his troop to visit Winchester. While halted in the main street. Gilmore's men made a despe- rate charge, expecting to " stampede" and capture the whole party; but our boys didn't seare worth a cent.
Bailey heard the enemy coming, and quickly mount- ing his men, he turned the corner of the street, dashed around the square and charged them in the rear; thus surprising and stampeding them ; killing one, wounding several, and capturing five of their number.
On the 11th we received orders to go into winter quar- ters at Charlestown, and at once began to erect " shan- ties" for the men and . sheds" for the horses.
Charlestown was established in 1786, and was so named in honor of Colonel Charles Washington- brother to General Washington-who owned nearly all the land thereabout at that time. and gave a certain quantity of it as a site for the town. His residence-a substantial log house-had stood adjacent to the south. ern suburbs of the town ; but nothing remains to mark its location save the deep spring, clear as crystal, at which the ". F. F. V. S" usel to slake their thirst nearly a century ago.
Bushrod Washington's old plantation (so called.) is about two and a half miles from town, and on it is still to be seen the well which was dug by Braddock's army when they passed through. en route to the scene of their subsequent defeat.
General Washington's " Masonic Cave" is about two miles south-east of the town, on at farm then occupied by a Mr. Seldon. It has a number of large and airy appartements. Here it is said. the general often met the Masonie fraternity for the purpose of performing the " mystic rite :" of the er 'er, and for social converse; and
-
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here a great Masonic festival was held in 1844: but. at the time of which I write, the principle chamber was used as a milk house. Sic transit gloria mundi.
The ruins of an Episcopal church-built previous to the French and English wars-are still standing near the town, on the Smithfield Road; and many a strange story is told by the " oldest inhabitants," about ghostly apparitions and unearthly noises having been seen and heard within those ancient ruins. Indeed. Burns' le- gends of " Alloway Kirk" are nothing to compare with them ; and many of the lower class, especially the ne- groes, are superstitious enough to believe them.
The "forefathers of the hamlet" lie buried in this church yard, but most of the tombstones are prostrate and moss-grown, while the inscriptions on them, "their bones from insult to protect," are almost obliterated.
Here also John Brown (" Old Ossawattomie") was hung. for attempting that which the Union army did afterwards. to the tune of: "John Brown's body lies mouldering in the tomb, but his soul goes marching on," ete Lately the people of Kansas have erected a mon- ument to his memory, and are desirous of placing his statue in the Capitol at Washington, so that his name shall have
" A forted residence 'eainst the tooth of time. And razure of oblivio ... "
The inhabitants of Charlestown were nearly all rabid Recessionists, and consequently we found ourselves in a desert land, compared with the town of Martinsburg. which we had just left.
We found an elegant place fora race courseat t'harle -. town, however, and some of the most exciting trials of speed that we ever had came off there.
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On the 15th of November, Colonel Boyd, with about seven hundred cavalry and a section of artillery, left Charlestown on a raid after Imboden, with four days' rations and forage. We reached Strasburg that night and bivouacked. Started at day-light next morning. I was in command of the advance guard, composed of Companies "A" and "C," our old squadron, which had done such good service under Boyd and Jones, on the Peninsula. We found a squadron of Confederate cavalry at Woodstock, which we charged, capturing a lieutenant and several men, a mail carrier, with a large mail for the South, and a wagon loaded with apple jack, on its way to the Confederate camp. On reaching Edin- burg, five miles farther on. the enemy were reinforced by another squadron, and made a bold stand; but my advance charged. driving them like sheep. They attemp- ted to check us again, near Mount Jackson, but our blood was then up, and we swept them before us like leaves of the forest.
By this time the boys were so clated with their sue- cess that I could not restrain them, and on they dashed, after the retreating enemy. at break-neck speed, yelling like Camanche Indians. They soon ran into the main body of the enemy at Mount Jackson, consisting of cavalry, infantry and artillery, and were set upon by a superior force, mounted on fresh horses, and, before I could succor them. Daniel Black of my company, was killed, and Sergeant Andy MeGuckin, of my company, and a man named Taylor. and another whose name I have forgotten, of Company A, were captured. Mefuckin afterwards died while prisoner of war. Daniel Black, was as brave a soldier as ever drew blade. In the last charge we had captured an officer and a dozen men from
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the enemy, and killed two more. We now held the ene- my in check until Colonel Boyd arrived with the main body, when he formed line of battle and opened on them with the artillery. Mymen were then deployed as skir- mishers, and the rebels opened on us with artillery. The firing was kept up on both sides for about fifteen minutes, during which time Corporal Hogland, of Company F, of our regiment, was killed. He was a correspondent for the newspapers, and was with my advance for the purpose of getting information. He was standing within six feet of me, when a conical shot, fired from one of the rebel guns, struck him in the face, knocking one half of his head off, covering me with his blood and brains: and his horse ran into the enemy's lines and was captured. Hogland was a brave soldier, and a very intelligent young man. He wrote over the nom-de-plume of ":Grape- Shot." While the enemy were firing, Lieutenant Knowles of my company, boldly dashed up close to their lines, and discovered that they had withdrawn the bulk of their force across the river at Mount Jackson. Colonel Boyd then ordered the charge, and away we went, like a tem- pest, capturing twenty-one of the enemy, and part of their wagon train. They had the bridge "covered" with their guns, however, and we had to fall back and open fire with our artillery. Nothing further could be gained by that means, so we returned to camp, bringing our dead and wounded along, together with the prisoners and property captured from the enemy. We had three officers and forty men as prisoners, one hundred and sixty head of fat cattle, ten four horse teams, fifty good tents, a large quantity of tobacco and salt, four Harrels of apple jack, and one hundred tine horses; besides de-
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stroying a large quantity of supplies, for which we had not sufficient transportation.
We had also killed and wounded a number of the enemy.
This was the third time we had attacked Imboden in his camp, and driven him out with loss.
On the way back we stopped at Edinburg, to breathe the horses and rest the men, and while dismounted on the road side, some of the men went down to the bank of the Shenandoah to obtain some food from the occupants of several houses which stood there.
We, on the road, observed a party of cavalry riding along the base of the mountains, on the opposite side of the river. and watched them till we saw them enter the ford, in order to eross over to our side, at a point directly opposite to the head of our colman. They had on blue overcoats, and, as it was beginning to grow dusk, we took them for a flanking party sent from the rear of our own column.
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