USA > New York > Wyoming County > History of Wyoming County, N.Y., with Illustrations, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Some Pioneers and Prominent Residents > Part 24
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The governor of New York, at the suggestion of General Mcclellan, appointed Alfred Gibbs colonel of this regiment. Colonel Gibbs was a classmate with General Mcclellan at West Point,and he had had the benefit of twenty years' experi- ence in the regular army. Thomas J. Thorpe and Rufus Scott, who were appointed respectively lieutenant-colonel and major, had fought side by side in the Peninsular cam- paign, and both had received wounds.
Companies A, C and D were from Wyoming county. In point of character and patriotism the men of this regimes: were not second to any in the service. Their record of
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HISTORY OF WYOMING COUNTY, NEW YORK.
brilliant achievements, untarnished by a single disaster, tells its own story.
September 6th, 1862, the regiment left its rendezvous at Portage for the seat of war, followed by the adieus, the cheers, and the "God speeds " of a throng of friends who had gathered from all parts of the senatorial district to wit- ness its departure. Its route was over the Northern Central railroad through Pennsylvania. It halted a single night at Washington, and was then pushed at once to the front south of the James river, at Suffolk, Va., where it arrived Septem- ber 13th. From this time till January 29th, 1863, the men were occupied with the usual duties of the soldier in an ad- vanced garrisoned position-picket duty, throwing up en- trenchments, building corduroy roads, burying the victims of swamp malaria, turning out at midnight for long roll alarm, usually without cause, and occasionally, to relieve the monot- ony, going on a reconnoisance to the Blackwater, with no other results than blistered feet and swollen limbs.
On the night of January 29th, 1863, this monotony was relieved by a genuine sensation; and the regiment received its "baptism of fire." At midnight a large force was turned out for an expedition. It consisted of 3,500 infantry; made up of Corcoran's brigade, the 130th, and two other regi- ments, 12 pieces of artillery and Spears's cavalry in advance. About 4 o'clock on the morning of the 30th, at Deserted Farm, midway between Suffolk and the Blackwater, this force encountered a rebel advance on Suffolk, under Gen. eral Roger A. Pryor. His force consisted of about 2,500 infantry, 14 pieces of artillery, and the proper ratio of cav- alry. Without halting the column, the Union cavalry by .a single dash drove the enemy's pickets back upon the main body, which was stationed on the far side of an open field one-quarter to one-half a mile in width. Into this open field on the near side the Union artillery at once debouched and opened fire, with the 130th and the other two regiments of infantry supporting and immediately behind it-Corco- ran's brigade being still further in the rear. For two hours, with the forces thus disposed, the action was made an artil- lery duel.
The cannonade was incessant and terrific. Shot and shell went plowing through the ranks of the infantry in rear of the artillery, with terrible effect. Colonel Gibbs, a veteran of the Mexican war, ventured to expostulate with Corcoran at the outset against this disposition, and to suggest that the infantry should be posted on the flanks of the artillery, where they would escape the raking fire, and where they could re- pel an assault upon it, if made. For his temerity in so doing he was put under arrest by Corcoran and his sword taken from him. But the wisdom of his suggestion was soon dem- onstrated. Corcoran's own brigade, unused to fire, broke in confusion and disorder, and began a precipitate retreat. He was himself obliged to leave the field and join in the effort to rally them. In this he only partially succeeded.
Meanwhile the fight in front went on without orders or direction. The day was just breaking. Everybody looked the puzzled astonishment that they felt. Were there orders to retreat? No one knew of any orders of any kind-and yet the last of the artillery was filing by. "This is a shame!" began some one. "This is a shame!" echoed all. " Let's go an without orders! let's charge them!" The key note had been struck. "Let's charge them! let's charge them!" went up as from one throat along the whole line.
Everybody knew now just what to do. Quicker than it can be told here, three regiments in line of battle moved out from the edge of the wood and charged across the open field. Who that was there can ever forget it? Who that witnessed it will not always remember the thrilling picture of brave Colonel Gibbs, under arrest as he was, swordless and horseless, seizing the colors and bearing them, like the hero that he was, in front of the regiment throughout the whole of that charge? From that hour his kingdom in the regiment was established. There had been doubts, almost murmurings, but now and henceforth every man in the regi- ment was willing to die for him.
The enemy broke and ran in confusion, leaving many of their dead on the field. The 130th was at once deployed as skirmishers, and pushed into the woods beyond, where they soon developed two pieces of artillery and a force of the enemy covering the retreat. They were forcing them steadily back amidst a shower of grape and canister, and were shooting the gunners at their guns, when General Corcoran arrived on the field and recalled them. After two hours' delay, in which were gathered up the remaining frag- ments of Corcoran's brigade, the pursuit was resumed, but without success, only a small rear guard being overtaken.
This engagement established on a firm footing that mutual confidence between officers and men so essential to success. Thereafter each felt that they could depend in any emer- gency upon the other. In this engagement the regiment lost Captain Taylor, Company C, killed, and about 30 men killed and wounded; among the latter E. M. Jennings, who lost an arm. Once afterward during the winter the reg- iment made a reconnoisance to the Blackwater, and en- gaged in a brisk skirmish across the river, in which it lost two men killed and several wounded.
April 3d, 1863, Longstreet in force invested the place. The 130th was stationed on the South Quay road, upon which he approached and upon which his main force oper- ated. April 17th a sortie was made by the 130th and two other regiments, for the purpose of developing the enemy's strength. The affair was brilliant and successful beyond expectation. The enemy were driven from their rifle pits and first line of earthworks and compelled to disclose the main body of their forces. The greatest difficulty was ex- perienced by the officers in getting the men to retreat. They were bound to have "another shot," and officers were actually compelled to draw their pistols to force some of them to retreat to save them from capture. In this sortie Major Scott was struck in his sword arm by a ball which sent his sabre flying some feet distant. Picking it up with his other hand he went on as though nothing had happened. The loss was only 8 or 10 killed and wounded. May Ist the siege was abandoned and the 130th regiment joined in the pursuit.
June 19th it embarked for the peninsula, and by way of Norfolk reached Yorktown, and at once joined Keyes's com- mand in the second peninsula advance upon Richmond. The regiment sustained its part in all the minor and insig- nificant engagements, and on being ordered to join the Army of the Potomac returned to Yorktown July 7th, and proceeded thence by transport to Washington, and thence by rail to Frederick City, Md., which it reached July 13th.
July 19th, by a forced night march, the Army of the Po- tomac was reached at Berlin, and the Pleasant valley trav-
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THE 130TH AS CAVALRY-ITS RECORD IN THE MINE RUN AND WILDERNESS BATTLES.
ersed to Warrenton, Va. At this point the regiment was changed to cavalry, given the title of Ist N.Y. Dragoons, and ordered into drilling camp at Manassas, Va. Drill was pros- ecuted incessantly until late in September, when the regiment was mounted, and after a few days' mounted drill resumed active duty.
This was at the time when Meade was falling back from the Rapidan, hotly pursued by Lee. The first duty of the regiment was a reconnoisance by three companies through Thoroughfare Gap into Pleasant valley, October 12th, to as- certain the truth of the report that a large force of the en- emy was advancing through it to repeat the tactics of fall- ing on the Union rear. The reconnoisance pushed through as far as Salem, demonstrating the fact that no force was there. At that point it was recalled and ordered to join the main army near Catlett's Station, the officer in command to report to General Meade. He was found leaning against a stump near Catlett's Station, weary, worn and haggard. When told by the officer, in answer to his inquiries, where he had been and that he found no enemy there, he heaved a sigh of relief, and said: "You don't know how much I am obliged to you; it's a great relief to me."
During the remainder of the retreat to Centreville the regiment was guarding the approaches on the left flank of the army, and between it and the enemy. After reaching Centreville it recrossed Bull Run, on the evening of October 16th, and engaged in a skirmish on its recent camp ground. On the evening of the 17th of October it again crossed, and on the plains of Manassas, single-handed, charged a rebel brigade of cavalry and drove them near to Bristoe Station, with considerable loss in killed and wounded. It was near sunset when the charge began, and night only. put a stop to the pursuit. The following day the pursuit was resumed, when the destruction of the Orange and Alexandria railroad was discovered, up to the point to which the enemy had been driven the night before.
The pursuit continued without further engagement to the Rappahannock. After picketing the line for some time. stationed at Morrisville and Bealton, the regiment, Novem- ber 8th, moved with the cavalry column rapidly to White Sulphur Springs, crossed the Rappahannock, and pushing rapidly forward attacked the enemy in flank as they were retreating through Culpepper on the 9th: In this engage- ment the regiment suffered no loss, though inflicting severe punishment upon the enemy. The following day Culpepper was occupied, some captures niade and the enemy followed across the Rapidan. Captain Knapp, of Company D, was in command of the squadron in this raid. Shortly after- ward the regiment went into camp beyond and near Cul- pepper, from which point it made several important recon- noisances, engaging the enemy, in one of which it captured a signal station on the top of Slaughter Mountain, and in another of which it pushed up to within sixty rods of the rebel works at Rapidan Station, and engaged the forces in them, developing their full strength.
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November 23d this regiment, with others, moved rapidly down the river, crossed at Ely's ford, occupied the heights beyond and raided the country to and beyond Chancellors- ville, covering the operations of Meade at Mine Run. This position was held until after the withdrawal of Meade. Re- turning to Culpepper the regiment soon afterward went into winter quarters near Mitchell's Station, and the follow-
ing winter was occupied in picketing the Rapidan, with occasional raids. In one of these, with 140 men of the regiment, to Sperryville, on the night of January 10th, 1864, two officers and six men of a Virginia regiment were cap- tured, and a barbarous practice of shooting pickets was broken up.
May 4th, 1864, the regiment started out on the campaign of the war. Pursuing its route of the previous autumn by Ely's ford to Chancellorsville, it passed thence to the left of Grant's army, engaged in the Wilderness fight, and on the afternoon of May 7th attacked the enemy's line on a small run beyond Todd's Tavern, maintaining the contest until far into the night against greatly superior numbers. Twice was the line broken by the desperate efforts of the enemy. Twice was the front changed and the enemy compelled to relinquish their temporary advantage. Night found them pushed, with great loss, far back into the woods towards Spottsylvania. All night long was spent in burying the dead. In the morning, while yet the fire from belching car- bines lit up the darkness, the contest was resumed. Steadily the enemy were forced back until the breastworks, lined with their infantry, were reached. Here the 5th corps re- lieved the cavalry, which at once prepared for new work; 104 empty saddles was the result of this engagement.
After remaining one day at Aldrich's Tavern to replenish supplies the Ist Dragoons, with Sheridan's cavalry, pushed for Lee's line of communications. On the evening of May 9th, which had been a sultry, dusty day, they were at Bea- ver Dam Station, where they burned Lee's supplies, captured several trains of cars, sent cannon balls through the loco- motives and destroyed the track. The next day the column marched towards Richmond.
The ist Dragoons had the rear. General Stuart, with his rebel cavalry, was hovering on the left flank and rear, and twice during the day he charged on the rear, but was re- pulsed with loss each time. The column encamped at night beyond Squirrel Bridge.
At early dawn the next morning an attack was made at the point where the ist Dragoons was encamped. Leaving horses to be saddled by every fourth man the balance seized their arms and charged the assailants. Although the charge was irresistible, the enemy were stubborn and yield- ed ground slowly. Major Scott was wounded in the thigh in this charge. After the enemy had been driven far enough to give the necessary time the regiment hastily re- turned to its horses, mounted and filed out after the main column just as the enemy again go: in range, and opened on them without effect. The casualties in these affairs were always slight.
In the afternoon Stuart's cavalry had reached a point so nearly in advance of the column that they commanded the junction of the old Brock road with that over which the column advanced, near Hungary, or Yellow Tavern. To. dislodge them, the line was formed with the Ist Dragoons supported on either side by regular regiments. The ar- tillery of the enemy had taken a commanding position, and the plan was formed to swing to the. left and envelope it. The 1st Dragoons made an impetuous charge on the enemy, and but for the want of support by the too cautious regu- lars, would have captured them. In this charge the rebel General Stuart was killed. The result of the fight was the opening of the road to Richmond; but twenty men of the
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Ist Dragoons did not take it. They had taken the one to eternity.
It was near night when the action ended, yet the troops moved on toward Richmond, crossed the Chickahominy by Russel's bridge, and the command was inside of the first line of the defenses of Richmond. The command turned to the left and moved down the river between the lines. As the day dawned torpedoes began to explode under the tread of the troops, and the advance was soon engaged with the second line of defenses. An effort to recross the river at Meadow Bridge disclosed Stuart's cavalry on the opposite side, disputing the passage. With the enemy in large force in front, and the enemy and the river in the rear, the situa- tion was critical. While the attack in front was kept up, a division was massed to force the passage at Meadow Bridge. A hot, dismounted fight for the control of the bridge ended with Sheridan's troops in possession and occupying the op- posite bank. The bridge was repaired, and the rst Dragoons crossed in advance of the mounted troops, and charged the enemy, who fled in every direction.
The road was thus opened to Mechanicsville, and the Ist Dragoons led in the march thither. At noon pickets were thrown out in all directions during the bivouac for dinner, after which the march in the direction of Cold Harbor was resumed, the brigade to which the Ist was attached taking the lead. The regiment itself was delayed in drawing in its pickets, but it pushed rapidly by the moving column to overtake the advance. The rattle of musketry was heard in front, and an orderly came in haste with orders for the Ist Dragoons to hurry up, which they did at a gallop. As they came abreast of the battery, which stood in column, they met the balance of the brigade retreating in wild confusion, closely pursued by the exultant foe. The bullets were fly- ing thickly, and the battery seemed to be doomed. As the head of the ist Dragoons came abreast of the battery, Colonel Thorpe, who was in command, shouted the order, " Forward into line ! Prepare to fight on foot !" They galloped forward into line, and each man numbered for fighting on foot leaped from his saddle as he reached the line, and ran forward, firing as he went. In ten minutes the enemy were in full flight, and fifty prisoners were taken -nearly all of them found behind entrenchments which were thrown up by the enemy during the Peninsula cam- paign of 1862. Not a man was lost.
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After various movements with Sheridan's command, the Ist Dragoons joined the Army of the Potomac, on its race with Lee to reach Richmond. The regiment wheeled about and took the advance again, and at daylight on the morning of the 26th dashed across the Pamunkey at Hanover Town, and during that and the next day drove the enemy some distance beyond Hawes's Shop. On the 28th a large rebel force attempted to dislodge this advance by such an im- petuous attack that the fight really opened from General Gregg's headquarters. Then ensued, during several hours, one of the most hotly contested. fights of the war. Flank- ing forces were sent to the right, in the advance of which marched the Ist Dragoons. They were met with a shower of grape and canister from a battery across a deep and seemingly impassable gulf. They at once turned it to their advantage by dismounting, sending their horses to the rear, and plunging into it out of harm's way. It was better than a breastwork, for the guns of the enemy could not be de-
pressed to reach them, and when they charged up the op- posite bank, under Captain Knapp, the rebels quickly took to flight. They then turned to the left and attacked the re- maining force, which fled precipitately, leaving their dead on the field.
On the 30th, at Old Church, a charge by Custer's brigade and the ist Dragoons drove the enemy back, with considera- ble loss, on Cold Harbor, before which the Union forces en- camped for the night.
The next day the contest was resumed for the possession of that point. During the night the enemy threw up formid- able lines of earthworks, and behind them awaited the at- tack. In the afternoon the assault was made directly in front, openly, boldly, and with full notice. The route of the Ist Dragoons was over an open field, billowed with swells and troughs. From cover to cover of these troughs they charged through showers of bullets, halting in each for a fresh start. In that way they reached the last trough, with- in five rods of the works. There they paused and made extra preparations for the final assault. Every carbine was charged, every muscle was ready for the word. With a shout they ran to the crest and rushed for the works. The contest was terrible. They pressed to within twenty feet of the rebel line, with ranks constantly becoming thinner. Soon one-third of the line officers had been wounded. It was more than poor human nature could bear. It became evi- dent that the rebel line could never be taken with that force, and doggedly the men fell back to their cover and opened a straggling fire. The general saw the need of the hour. At once was heard on the left the eternal bugle advance ot Custer. His line swept up with that of the Ist Dragoons; they rose the crest again together and charged. Another fierce but short conflict ensued. Custer had struck the weak point in the rebel line, and doubling it back, he sent a shower of bullets raking down the line in front of the Ist. The fire in front sluckened, and the men leaped upon the works as the enemy ran in confusion from them, and the day was won. They had driven Hoke's division of infantry from their breastworks, and they found that among their prisoners were 300 of the men who captured the 85th N. Y. at Plymouth; 60 of their brave comrades had fallen, but they had gained a victory.
During the next forenoon the Ist Dragoons held the ground against repeated and desperate assaults without the surrender of a foot. At about noon they were relieved by the 6th corps, and moved to near Bottom's Bridge, where they remained two days. They next went to Old Church, and then to Trevillian Station, where, on the 11th and 12th of June, they were again hotly engaged, and where, in the thick of the fight, Colonel Thorpe was wounded and taken prisoner. Returning, they recrossed the James with the main army, and had some rest until July 26th.
On the afternoon of that day, with other cavalry, the regi- ment crossed the Appomattox at Point of Rocks, marched all night and crossed the James early in the morning at Jones's Neck, passed around to the right of the infantry on. the afternoon of the 27th, and charged a force of the enemy at Darbytown, obtaining possession of the Newmarket road and driving the enemy back for miles. The following day the rebel division of Wilcox attempted to dislodge the Union force and recover the position. Hawes's shop was repeated. The enemy gained a temporary advantage, only
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ENGAGEMENTS AT WINCHESTER AND "FIVE FORKS."
to be repulsed in the end with terrible slaughter. A squad- ron of the Ist Dragoons made the charge on the first day, and General Wade Hampton and staff barely escaped cap- ture by them. On the second day the regiment maintained the only unbroken portion of the line, repulsing repeated as- saults. On the evening of the 28th it recrossed the James, and on the following evening returned to its position with the army at Petersburg.
On the Ist of August the regiment was ordered to the Shenandoah valley. On the 9th it moved, with other cav- alry, up the valley to aid in operations against Early. It turned to the left at Berryville, and on the 10th took part in an encounter with the enemy at White Post, where it charg- ed a rebel force from behind a stone wall in ' brilliant style, and with but little loss made important captures. On the 11th it was sent to reach Newtown, or demonstrate the pres- ence of Early's forces at that point. Half a mile from New- town and five miles from the main body of Union forces it encountered both his infantry and cavalry, and during an hour and a half it maintained without aid the fiercest and most desperate contest, never yielding an inch of ground, but gallantly maintaining its position until the arrival of the main force, though too late for operations on that day. In this engagement Sergeant Charles J. Gardner lost a leg, and the regiment suffered severely.
During the night the enemy withdrew, and the hospital records found in their abandoned camp contained a list of wounded men in the previous day's action from thirty-three different regiments. During the following two days the regiment took part in the pursuit to Strasburg, and returned down the valley when the pursuit ended. At Smithfield and Kearnstown on the 25th, 26th and 28th of August, the regiment was hotly engaged and lost heavily-brave Lieu- tenant Alfred being killed and many officers wounded.
On the 19th of September in the battle of Opequan, or Winchester, as it is sometimes called, the 1st Dragoons bore a conspicuous part, charging the enemy's infantry, after routing their cavalry, capturing twice its number of prison- ers and three battle flags. The gallant Captain Thorpe was killed in the charge on the enemy's cavalry. But few of this regiment were killed in this battle, and the bodies of these were found far to the front on the most hotly contested ground and buried there by those who followed for that purpose. During three days succeeding the battle of Ope- quan skirmishing and picketing in the pursuit occupied the troops. Early fled to Fisher's Hill, from which he was driven on the evening of the 22nd with the loss of 1,300 prisoners and 23 pieces of artillery. During the following night, in the thick darkness, the Ist had the advance in fol- lowing the retreat of Early.
In the morning of the 24th the enemy was found posted on the bluffs at Mt. Jackson, across the river and flats be- vond the town, with their cavalry occupying the open fields and hillside across the river to the left. The Ist Dragoons was sent against this cavalry. The regiment forded the river, and having gained the open country beyond they charged at once. The cavalry soon broke and retired by various roads through broken timber. The main flank of the force of the enemy which was thus exposed abandoned its position and retreated. On the 26th, with the Ist Dra- goons again in advance, an unsuccessful attack was made between Port Republic and Brown's Gap. On the 9th of
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