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 20
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We had run into General Imboden's command, of over two thousand men, cavalry, infantry and artillery ; while we had not three hundred men all told. Major Gilmore had discovered our movements and reported them to his chief, and they had set a trap to bag our whole party. Gilmore knew we would run into Imboden at Non Market, and had posted his men on the roads in cur rear. hoping to pick up all who might escape the meshes of Imboden's net. Mosby was acting in conjunction with him, and they were congratulating themselves on the swift and sure destruction of our little detachment.
General Sigel had not counted upon any serious op- position to his column before getting to Harrisonburg. and when he found his march interrupted at Mt. Jack- son. he sent Lieutenant Meldrum. of the Twentieth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with about fifty men, across the mountains to intercept us and bring us back to the Valley. But this party ran into Major Gilmore's men In the mountains and were driven back with consider-
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able loss ; while we passed on to our fate in happy igno- rance of what awaited us.
Major Quinn, of our regiment, with about two hun- dred men, and a section of artillery, was driving Imbo- den up the pike when we saw them from the top of the mountain at New Market: this also was intended for our relief.
We lost about one hundred and twenty-five men eap- tured, besides about two hundred of the horses. The men abandoned their horses in the mountains. in order to elude pursuit, and returned to camp in squads. for several days afterwards, on foot.
Boyd has been censured for this affair, but it is not easy to see how he could have acted otherwise than he did. A more timid man would have turned back, prob- ably, and after all would have fared no better.
If Boyd made a mistake, it was one that only a bold brave man was likely to make ; and it is better to meet with disaster while bolilly advancing, than while beating a retreat at the bare sight of the enemy. After this affair Colonel Boyd returned to his regiment at Cham- bersburg, Pennsylvania.
I lost my colored servant and two horses in this atfair. One of the horses had all my personal effects packed on his back, which left me in a sad predicament during the whole campaign that followed.
Six of my company went to " Libby" on that occasion. Several more were captured, but succeeded in making their escape. Sergeant J. J. Snyder, and a party of the men, all dismountel. wore wandering along through the mountains, when they spied a house. Snyder proposed to go down to it, but the others objected, so he went alone. As he entered the door a dozen graybacks jumped
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up from the breakfast table, almost frightened to death ; but finding only one man they soon recovered their courage, and of course took him prisoner. He deliber- ately walked up to the table and began to eat. while they looked on in astonishment. He told them they had better " git." as there were fifty Yankees in the woods close to the house ; so they went out to reconnoitre. Soon shots were heard and they came back in great haste, gathered up everything belonging to them, and started, taking Snyder along. They had not gone far, however, when they were fired upon by our men, and off they went leaving Snyder behind. He returned to the house. fin- id:el his breakfast, then compelled the old fellow who lived there to ferry him across the river, and soon was in camp among his friends. Patrick Donelly also got away after being captured. Those who went to " Libby" from the company were : Sergeants Jno. V. Harvey, Jno. W. MeClellan, and Thomas B. Ostrander; and privates Wm. Neely. D. J. Davidson, and a recruit named Smith.
Charles B. Evarts, a son of Hon. William M. Evarts, How Secretary of State under President Hayes, had en- listed in our regiment in January, just before we went on veteran furlough to New York. His father was then in Europe, and he ran away from Yale College, where he was a student. to take a hand in saving the Union. His friends did not know where he was, and probably would not have found out for some time had he not been sent to Hart Island. instead of to the front. He didn't like Hart Island, ant hadn't enlisted to be cooped up there; so he wrote to his mother, informing her of what he had done. and requested her to try and get him seut to the front at once.
The regiment arrived in New York shortly afterwards.
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and he returned with us to Dixie; and the New Market scrape was almost his first military experience. The boys say he behaved most gallantly during the whole of that exciting and dangerous ordcal, and returned to camp on foot, having been forced to abandon his horse in the mountains in order to secure his own escape.
On the 15th of May, 1864, the day after Boyd's mis fortune, General Sigel moved up towards New Market with his little force, where he met the combined forces of Imboden and Breckenridge, of the Confederate army, which outnumbered his own, and a sharp battle was fought, which resulted in the retreat of Sigel's army. It withdrew in good order, however, to Mt. Jackson, and afterwards to Middletown. A battalion of our regi- ment, under Major Quinn, had driven Imboden through and beyond New Market, on the previous day, making several charges, and we thought we would have an easy victory; but, General Breckenridge coming up with his corps, the scale of battle was turned against us. I don't think I ever took part in a more unfortunate campaign than this of 1864 had been thus far. Our regiment cov- ered the retreat from New Market. after having fought gallantly on the right in the battle. and confronted the enemy at the Burnt Bridge at Mount Jackson, during the night of the retreat.
After these two misfortunes, we felt somewhat dis- couraged, and began to think that we were not in good hands ; but on the 21st of May. General David Hunter, known as " Black Dave," superseded General Sigel, and confidence was again restored in the army, and it felt equal to anything that might be required of it
Lieutenant Colonel Adams had been acting as chief of staff to General Sigel. during the battle of New
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Market, and he returned with him to Martinsburg, tak- ing a portion of our regiment with him as an escort.
The following account of the battle of New Market was clipped from a New York newspaper, and may prove interesting at this time:
THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
General Siger's Recent Expedition and it's Object- What was Accomplished by the Movement.
MR. THEODORE C. WILSON'S DISPATCH.
SHENANDOAH VALLEY. MOMS. 104.
Through the courtesy of an officer high in rank, who was present at the late engagement at New Market. your correspondent is enabled to make the following extract from a letter written by said officer to a member of the Committee on the Conduct of the War. The extraet is of both interest and importance. as it accords with the official report on the subject. Therefore, the publie, by reading this. can form their own opinion. they having, no doubt, already read the other side of the question :
SIGEL'S CAMPAIGN.
According to the general and final arrangement. the main object for the troops in the Department of West Virginia was to make an offen- sive movement from the Kanawha Valley. under Generals Crook and AAverill. for the purpose of destroying the Tennessee Railroad, and (: - pecially the New River bridge, about ten miles cast of Newbern. This movement to be favored and assisted by the advaner of a small force from Beverly, and a demonstration in the Shenandoah Valley. threatening Staunton, and thereby inducing the enemy to detach part of his force, which was stationed near Lewisburg and along the Ten- nessee Railroad, between Lynchburg and Newbern. Under this pre- sumption, the troops of the department were distributed. Reinforer- ments of the best infantry and the best cavalry, under General Averill. were sent to General Crook. while the remainder were concentrated af Martinsburg, and a small force of infantry and cavalry were stationed a: Beverly. On the 25th of April. three hundred cavalry advanced from Beverly into Pocohontas county, where the first engagement took place. General Sigel, who was unwilling to send a small expedition up the Shenandoah Valley, without sharing himself the danger, pro- corded to Martinsburg to superintend the movement of the troops- whom he had place I maler command of the senior officer. Maior Gien- and Stahl-consisting of eight regiments of infantry. besides the cus- airy and artillery.
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THE START AND ADVANCE.
The column moved from Martinsburg to the front on or about the 2sth of April, occupied Bunker Hill and Winchester, and advanced as far as Middletown and Cedar Creek. Here it was ascertained that no troops except Imbolen's forces were in the valley, and it seemed therefore, necessary to advance further up the valley to attain the object in view-namely, to compel Breckenridge to make his arrangements for the defense of Staunton. The advance was made. and the troops were moved to Woodstock. Imboden retreating in haste beyond New Market. At Woodstock the whole telegraphic correspondence between Breckenridge and Imboden and the commander of Gilmore's Cavalry. stationed at Woodstock, fell into our hands. Among these despatches wasone signed by Breckenridge, datel Dublin Station, May 5, saying that four thousand men were en route from Jackson River Depot, a so that the quartermaster should furnish transportation for Breckenridge and staff and sixteen horses. Another and later despatch, dated Naunton, and signed by Breckenridge, directed Captain Davis, at Woodstock, to find out the strength of our forces. There was no longer don't that Breckenridge was in the valley, and that he had detached four thousand men from his forees near Lewisburg. In possession of this information, General Sigel resolved to march to Mount Jackson. to await the approach of Breckenridge, and to give him battle.
RECONNOISANCE.
In the meantime the advance guard. with a strong force of cavalry. was sent forward to take possession of Mount Jackson, if possible, and to gain more correct information. This force met Imboden near Mount Jackson, drove him across the Shenandoah, took possession of the bridge, and, animated by this success, followed him as far as New Market.
General Sigel received information of this little exploit late at night on the 14th inst., at Woodstock, and ordered the cavalry to move at four o'clock, and the infantry at five o'clock, on the morning of the 15th. He tried by this movement to secure the bridge across the Shell- soloal and the important position of New Market, as it would give him control of the turapike to Laray and Culpepper, and the read by Broek's Gap, leading through Moorfield and Petersburg. From those explanations it is evident that theseral Sigel made his forward move- ment according to reason and in conformity with the general plan to be followed. It also shows that he did not move in the dark, but wa- well informed of the position and movements of Imboden and Breck- enridge, and even of their forces, with the exception of such reinforce- meat - as ha I joined Breckenridge from Lexingtonand Lynch burg, and from the country between New Market and Staunton. Why he marched to New Market instead of stopping this side of the She a death
THE BATTLE AND THE REPELSF
As to the battle itself and the reasons which led to a repulse, the fol- lowing information has been received : :
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1. The order of General Sigel for the troops to march precisely at four and five o'clock was not strictly complied with. The cavalry impeded the march of the infantry from Woodstock for more than an hour, which delay was so fatal in its consequences.
2. During the battle two regiments of infantry. of one thousand five hundred men, were halted one mile behind the line of battle, and did not come up, although repeatedly ordered to the front by several officers of General Sigel's staff. The gapoccasioned by this want of about one- third of the whole infantry force had to be filled up with cavalry and artillery, which were not able to resist alone the attacks of the enemy's infantry. The cavalry was dislodged, and the enemy advanced against the left flank and rear of the right wing, which stood bravely under the personal command of General Sigel, who resisted and repulsed. with four regiments and two batteries, the principal attack of the enemy. During this critical time the four regiments lost about six hundred men In killed and wounded-a strong proof of their resistance and the char- acter of the fight.
3. General Sigel. being numerically weaker, depende much on his artillery; but after the battle Lat commenced a dreaching rain made the ground really impassable and prevented the manuvering of the pieces on the field and their prompt advance or removal at the proper time.
4. The infantry (four companies) who were posted behind the two batteries on the right to protect them, and who were ordered to advance between the pieces to check the enemy's infantry in their charge. did not advance, and three pieces of this battery were lost after most of the horses were shot. General Siget himself, by his personal exertions, tried to get away one of these pieces, at the imminent peril of his life and of capture by the enemy's infantry.
5. 1 portion of the cavalry was not reliable: another portion was very good, but failed at the right and favorable moment to charge the enemy's right flank when he was repulsed and staggering. When the hottest of the fight was over, the cavalry covered the retreat very well. and gave the other troops an opportunity to form again into line.
6. It is an indisputable fact that the enemy made only weak efforts. between New Market and Mount Jackson, to follow up his - great" victory; and it is furthermore a fact that General Sigel had resolved and was fully prepared to fight another battle the next day, if he had had any troops to spare to take back and guard sufficiently his trains and all the wounded who had to be e corted to the rear.
i. It is unblushingly false that any of our hospital or other tents or wagons were burnet or otherwise destroyed by our troops.
". Our troops marched in perfect order to Edinburg, where the trains were stationed, and where they rested for the night. On the moth they marched to Woodstock and Cedar Creek, and on the Eth we occupied strasburg, and offreavaly advanced as far as Woodstock.
9. It must be added that one of the reasons of our retreat behind Cedar Creek. instead of remaining at Mount JJackson, was this : that
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the enemy, after our repulse, had advanced his cavalry on the road to Luray and Front Royal. which movement, if followed up, would have effectually eut our communications between Mount Jackson and Martinsburg-a distance of about seventy miles.
In view of these facts, and considering the condition of the depart- ment when General Sigel took command. the immense difficulties he had to contend with, the part he took in taking command of a small force to assist his inferior officer in his operations in the Kanawha Valley, and the part he took in the battle itself, sharing the dangers and risking the fate of the common soldier; and considering the fact that his little army was in perfect order and discipline and inexcellent spirits after its arrival at Cedar Creek-after considering all these things, it seems strange that the government should have taken this opportunity to depose him, and to take from him at least the chance of retrieving what might be regarded a misfortune, for which he could not personally nor as a conunander be hell accountable.
Part of our regiment, under Major Quinn, was de- tailed as body-guard to General Hunter.
Major Harkins, of ours, was appointed provost mar- shal of the forces. Captain Alexander, our quarter- master, was appointed chief quartermaster on the staff. and shortly afterwards, Captain Martindale, of ours, was placed in command of a body of pioneers, armed with the necessary tools for constructing. repairing, or destroying bridges, &c.
A number of our men were detailed as scouts at headquarters, and in this capacity had many adventures and hairbreadth escapes. Sergeant Valentine, of Com- pany B, and Sergeant Ed. Goubleman and Sergeant Forkey. of Company D, were the principal men among them : and a keener or braver trio would be hard to find. They were sent out by General Hunter to get infor- mation, and on the return they met five graybacks on the road just beyond Strasburg. Our boys were in Con- federate uniform, and to be captured was death. The " Johnnies " seemed to know the character of the boys, and a regular duel was fought, both sides emptying their revolvers at each other in rapid succession. Two
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of the "Johnnies " were wounded and captured, but the others escaped.
The next day, the scout, Valentine, went out with a detachment under Captain Martindale, and was in the woods some distance from the roal, when the enemy dashed at Martindale and drove him back. Some of them spied Valentine, and made for him, shouting, " kill that scout on the gray horse!" He was cut off from his party, and took to the woods, the whole pack of graybacks at his heels, shouting for his blood; and so closely was he pressed, that he had to abandon his horse in order to save his neck. Sergeant Forkey had cap- tured two prisoners, and displayed great daring in bring- ing them away during the charge of the enemy. These were matters of every day occurrence with us, and little note was made of them, so that the details of many ad- ventures and narrow escapes which occurred, have now been forgotten.
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CHAPTER XXIII.
Hunter's Advance-Capture of His Train-Newtown to be Burned- We Save the Town-Battle of Piedmont-Burning of Military Institute and Governor's House at Lexington-Capture of Colonel MeDonald-Attack upon Lynchburg-Hunter's Retreat-The Con- felerates again in Maryland.
0 N the 26th of May, 1861, General Hunter's army set out from Woodstock, en route for Lynchburg. On the 29th we moved up to Mt. Jackson. our regiment going as far as New Market, from which they drove a force of the enemy, and then bivouacked there for the night
The enemy, under Major Gilmore, having captured our wagon train near Newtown, in our rear, General Hunter determined to burn the town. and. on the 31st. Major Stearn's, of our regiment. with two hundred men. was sent to execute the order.
On arriving there, he found the inhabitants in a great state of excitement, the women and children erving and pleading that their homes should be spared, as they had no control over the Confederate forces that captured the train.
The burning of the town would only have aggravated the enemy instead of terrifying them, so Major Stearns and his officers, upon the advice of Colonel Adams, who was there. on his way to Martinsburg, with an escort of the regiment, concluded to administer the oath of al- legience to the inhabitants, spare the town. and brave the wrath of General Hunter.
On the 2d of June the army moved up to Harrison- burg. our regiment as advance guard driving the enemy
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ont. Major Stearns and party joined us that evening and reported their action at Newtown. General Hunter was savage, but he could not well spare any of the offi- cers at that particular juncture, so Stearns escaped with a " blowing up." instead of being dismissed the service for disobedience of orders.
We reached Port Republic at two o'clock a. m. of the 5th, and bivouacked in a wheat field, wet to the skin. At four a. m. we set out again, having only had time to prepare some coffee and dry our clothing at the fires. Our regiment was in front, and my company formed the advance guard.
At 5.30 a. m., while marching through woods, the scouts came galloping in, reporting the enemy in force in our immediate front. I sent word to Major Quinn, who came galloping up and ordered me to file into the woods on the right of the road and form line. He di- rected the next company, under Captain Jones, to file to the left and form line. The next company, under Cap- tain Martindale, came up in the centre, and Major Quinn ordered them to deploy, and charge up the road. My men were dismounted, taking down the fences in our front. so that we could advance in line, when we saw Martindale's men dash past. In less than a minute we heard the firing of carbines, and they came back at full speed with the enemy at their heels. They had run into Imboden's whole brigade, drawn up in line of battle, and had received their fire, which killed Lieutenant Vermy- lia, and severely wounded Lieutenant Stanton and twenty of the men; thus emptying twenty-two saddles at one discharge, besides killing and wounding a num- ber of the horses. The graybacks were yelling like fiends, and using their firearms as they advanced. Ser-
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eral of my men were struck with spent balls, but none were disabled. We had got the fences down, and had just got into our saddles as the enemy appeared in view. At that moment the Twenty-first New York Cavalry, Col- onel Tibbetts, came up, together with the balance of our regiment, and the two regiments charged together, with yells sufficient to wake the dead. The next instant we had met the enemy, and were sweeping them before us like leaves of the forest, shooting and sabring them right and left ; killing and woundling a great many, and cap- turing hundreds of prisoners. In this way we drove them over a mile, when we came upon their infantry and artillery, strongly fortified, near to the village of Piedmont. Their artillery opened on us with shell, kill- ing several of our horses, and we ceased the pursuit.
While stan ling in line, waiting for our infantry and ar- tillery to come up, the enemy kept shelling us in a lively manner. Major Quinn, Captains Bailey. Jones and my- self were standing in front of the line talking, when a shell passed between us, and right through one of the horses in the line, bursting some distance in our rear. In a short time we spiel the glimmer of muskets emerging from the woods in our rear, and our infantry lines soon hove in view. their front covered with a cloud of skirmishers.
In a moment the enemy spied them, and opened with all their artillery, firing very rapidly. The enemy occu- pied a ridge directly across our line of march, which they had fortified with fones rails and carth. There was a stream, with steep banks, on their left flank, protecting it effectually. and their right flink was protected by a strong barricade of rails. We fought all the forenoon. the artil- lery and infantry being very hotly engaged, and most of the cavalry taking part, dismounted.
CHARGE AT PIEDMONT, VA .- June 5, 1864.
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General Stahl, who commanded the cavalry, had been wounded in the early part of this action, and the chief com- mand of that arm devolved upon Colonel Me Reynolds.
About three p. m., our artillery opened a most furious fire upon the enemy's works, immediately in their front. while Colonel Me Reynolds sent part of his cavalry to the right and part to the left to charge them in flank and rear.
The moment the artillery ceased firing the infantry stormed the works in front, through the breaches made by the guns, and the cavalry charged simultaneously on the right and left, mingling their yells with those of the charging infantry, and in a few minutes we were masters of the field; the enemy fleeing in the direction of Waynesboro', leaving in our hands scores of dead and wounded, and fifteen hundred' prisoners ; besides three thousand stand of small arms, and all of their artillery. It was a most complete rout.
Among the killed were General Jones, who com- manded the enemy's forces, and his assistant adjutant- general.
Among the prisoners were three brigade commanders, and over one hundred other commissioned officers. Our loss was comparatively trifling, but I have no means of giving the precise number of killed and wounded in the whole command.
Lieutenant Vermylia, of our regiment, who was killed in the morning, was a brave and competent officer. He had been promoted from the ranks, for gallantry in the field. and his death was much regretted.
In the last charge the enemy received our regiment with a perfect shower of bullets, from behind a mail bar- ricade, the music of which was anything but pleasant.
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Captain Jones' horse was killed, and fell on the captain's leg, pinning him to the ground, while the bullets flew all around him. Finally he succeeded in extricating himself, leaving his boot and spur under the horse; but in so doing he sprained his ankle very badly. Sergeant Oliver Lumphry, of my company, was carrying the guidon, and his horse was shot and the colors pierced with half a dozen bullets. Many others were hit, but it seems almost miraculous how few were killed and wounded.
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