USA > New York > History of the Tenth regiment of cavalry New York state volunteers, August, 1861, to August, 1865, pt 1 > Part 16
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132
HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
1803
CHAPTER VII.
FALL CAMPAIGN, 1863 .- FROM HARPER'S FERRY TO WINTER QUARTERS AT TURKEY RUN, NEAR WARRENTON.
ARPER'S FERRY, romantic, pictur- esque, and historical, presented sufficient attractions to keep the boys of the Tenth busy during the short stay of the Regiment there. Maryland Heights, the Gibraltar of America, towering sublimely into the clouds on the opposite side of the river, the rushing waters of the two mighty streams, the Potomac and Shenandoah, which come together at its base, the ruins of the extensive United States Arsenal, the long bridge of the Balti- more and Ohio Railroad which crossed the Potomac at this point, and the broken nature of the surrounding country, all combined to render a scene at once beautiful and impressive. Ten months to a day before the arrival of Gregg's cavalry at Harper's Ferry, Colonel B. F. Davis, of the Eighth New York Cavalry, who was killed at Brandy Station on the 9th of June, 1863, refusing to comply with Colonel Ford's terms of surrender of Maryland Heights, marched out with fifteen hundred cavalry, under the cover of darkness, and not only succeeded in escaping from the beleaguered stronghold, but captured a part of General Longstreet's ammunition-train and took six hundred and seventy-five prisoners, while en route to join the Army of the Potomac.
The scene of old John Brown's imprisonment and brave defense in the engine-house, and the ruins of the vast United States Arsenal, were visited by the boys. It was here that Generals Lee and Stuart first came prominently before the country : the first as a colonel in the United States Army, sent to capture Brown and his associates ; and the latter as a lieutenant of cavalry in the same service, who held the parley with Brown, and gave the orders for the assault on the engine-house.
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MAJOR THEODORE H. WEED,
SURGEON LYMAN W. BLISS.
i. L
LIEUTENANT SYDENHAM GAIT.
CAPTAIN JOHN ORDNER.
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1863
" DINNERS FO' DE HANDS."
Boots and saddles came with the dawn of day on the 15th, and at six o'clock the march was taken up in a westerly direction. After pro- ceeding some distance, Major Avery espied a lone horseman, away off on the flank. Supposing him to be a rebel scout or bushwhacker, the Major ordered a detail to go out and bring him in. Before the detail started, however, Debold, the Major's orderly, suggested cantion in approaching him, as he knew him to be well armed-with quinine and powders. It was Dr. Clarke, the genial regimental surgeon, he of an investigating mind, whom Major Avery designated as "The Great American Flanker."
Just before reaching the village of Shepherdstown, two or three ambulances were captured, together with the drivers and small escorts. . These fellows assumed a very wise demeanor, winking and smiling as questions were asked them in regard to the rebel forces, etc. It was quite evident, however, that the Confederates were in force near by. Continuing through the town, Lieutenant King, the A. C. S. of the brigade, issued quantities of captured bacon to the men as they passed. To the disgust of the boys, both they and their horses became be- smeared with grease from the juicy meat, but they drew some conso- lation from the thought that perhaps the horses, like the wagons, needed greasing after so long a march.
Passing through the town the regiment turned into a meadow, where the horses were permitted to eat of the rank clover, while the men lay down to rest. Major Avery, with some other officers of the regiment, sought the shade of the stone wall which extended along the roadside. After remaining here a few moments, reclining on the grass, Major Avery arose, and looked over the wall into the road, as if expecting some one. Sure enough, there was at that moment passing an old negro on horseback. In his front and rear were im- mense bags dropping down on either side of his horse, stuffed full of something. " Hold on, there," said the Major ; " what have you got in those bags ?" " Dinners fo' de farm-hands," replied the fright- ened old man. " Bring them up here," was the next order. The poor old darkey was so perplexed he hardly knew what was said to him, but a second sharp order brought him to his senses, and the bags were thrown over the walls. Great loaves of bread, baked sweet potatoes, pickles, etc., gave evidence that the farm-hands were to have had a good dinner, both in quantity and quality. Major Avery had the food equally divided and distributed to the companies.
Nothing unusual occurred during the night. The following morning, the 16th, one battalion, under command of Major Waters,
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134 HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
consisting of Companies H and L, under Captains Peck and Vander- bilt, and C and G, under Lieutenants Sceva and McKevitt, respect- ively, were sent to picket the Winchester pike. At the same time Captain Pierce, with Companies K and M, was sent to picket the Dam No. 4 road; the balance of the Regiment, under Major Avery, picket- ing the Martinsburg road.
About noon the squadron under Captain Peck was furiously at- tacked, his outposts driven in, and the reserve thrown into confu- sion. Fortunately, the First Maine Cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, were just coming up, on their way out to obtain forage. Colonel Smith instantly took in the situation, and so disposed his regiment as to give the rebels a reminder of Brandy Station, Aldie, and Gettysburg. Lieutenant Sceva's post was first attacked, but the enemy were temporarily checked by his squadron, when he retired without loss. Captain Peck's squadron was then charged by an over- whelming force just as the First Maine came upon the scene, as stated.
Sergeant W. N. Harrison, of Company H, says :
Captain Peck told me to get back with my old horse. As I was going to the rear, I met General Gregg going toward the front. He inquired the condition of affairs out there. He was as cool and collected as if nothing unusual had occurred, sending his aides to different points, directing the movement of troops, etc. In the fight, Company H lost David C. Hubbell, taken prisoner ; Thomas Molineaux, shot through the neck, and left in the hospital at Shepherdstown, where he died a few days afterward; and Jonas Erway, shot in the forehead, losing an eye.
After this the companies all joined the regiment, and were directed to take position on the right of the line as dismounted skirmishers. The stone walls afforded good works, from behind which the skir- mishers kept up a brisk fire. From the position occupied by the Regiment long lines of troops were plainly visible behind the woods, which screened them from view from our troops in the center and on the left. The fighting was continued until late at night, when the Regiment was withdrawn from the right and placed in a grove in rear of the right center of our line. Here the men, although sup- posed to be " standing to horse," sank down upon the ground ex- hausted. The rebels appeared to have an especial spite against the location, sending shells with much rapidity and accuracy; but the men slept soundly while the shells tore through the trees and crashed and shrieked around them. Before daylight on the 17th, the men were quietly awakened, and as quietly stole away and joined the brigade in the streets of the village on its retrograde movement.
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1863
SERGEANT PECK'S EXPERIENCE.
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Commissary Preston was left at a street crossing to direct a detach- ment, which was expected in from picket, what road to follow. It was daylight before he left his position. He saw no rebel troops nor anything to indicate the presence of an enemy near.
In his report of the fight, General Stuart, commanding the Con- federate cavalry says :
Preparations were made to renew the attack vigorously next morning, but day- break revealed that the enemy had retired toward Harper's Ferry.
Sergeant M. D. Peck, of Company M, the regimental standard- bearer, was overlooked when the Regiment retired in the darkness, and did not awake till after daylight. Here is what he has to say :
934 F STREET, WASHINGTON, D. C., April 26. 1890.
, The occurrences of the battle of Shepherdstown, Va., July 16, 1863, and that which took place during the next twenty-four hours, are still very fresh in my memory, from the fact that at that time I saw visions of my early entry into Libby Prison that I never was before nor afterward possessed with.
After the battle on the day of the 16th, which it is unnecessary for me to de- tail, our regiment, at about nine o'clock in the evening, camped in a little grove, perhaps a quarter of a mile southwest of Shepherdstown, and we were placed so as to form two sides of a triangle, and there waited in suspense for orders until about eleven o'clock at night. Having the regimental colors, I was, with Colonel Avery and some of the staff-officers, between the two wings of the Regiment. The Colonel repeatedly sent to General Gregg for orders, but the General could not be found, or at any rate the Colonel could get no orders. About eleven o'clock at night General Gregg ordered the long roll beaten, as a ruse to indicate to the enemy that our troops were re-enforced by infantry. We all scemed to realize the fact that we were in close quarters, and that unless something could be done very soon we would be swallowed up. Between eleven and twelve o'clock everything became quiet. and the men lay down by the side of their horses and went to sleep for the night. I was lying not more than six feet from the Colonel, by the side of my horse.
The men had been ordered in the earlier part of the evening not to talk aloud nor to allow the clanking of the sabers, and to prevent all noise, as far as pos- sible.
From the time I lay down on my blanket, which I took from under the saddle, I did not awaken until the next morning at four o'clock, when I was aroused by the uneasy stamping of my horse. I at once looked around and discovered that the Regiment had moved, leaving my horse and myself alone. I rapidly placed my blanket under the saddle and mounted and rode a short distance, reaching the road, when a sergeant, whose name I do not now recollect, came in from off picket, with all speed, and stated that he had been left out there alone. He joined me, and as we started toward Shepherdstown we had gone but a few rods when we met an old white man, of whom I made inquiry of which way the Yankees had gone. He told me that they left their camp at one o'clock in
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HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
1863
the morning and marched toward Harper's Ferry, taking the river road, at the same time pointing in that direction. Being two hours behind our troops, and it then being daybreak, we felt assured that our retreat was cut off and thought our capture inevitable. Nothing, however, was left us but our own pluck in an effort to escape. I told the Sergeant to follow me, and I at once planned that, should our retreat be obstructed, we would exchange a few shots until we could gain ground enough toward some house to enable me to tear the beautiful silken banner that I carried from the staff and secrete it or consign it to the flames of some stove.
Our horses were fleet of foot, and as we dashed down the road toward town we soon went under the cover of the high banks on each side of the road, which contin- ued until we reached the cross-road. At this point, as we dashed across the road, I saw at the right coming down the cross-road, about fifteen or twenty rods distant, a half-dozen or more of the enemy. But, before they had time to raise their weap- ons, we were on the other side of the road and again under cover of the high banks, which protected us for some distance and until we were apparently out of danger. The rain was pouring down in torrents, and we continued our journey as rapidly as the strength of our, horses would admit of, and reached Harper's Ferry in time to dismount with our regiment, not having been missed by the Colonel nor any one else, so far as I know.
I have no recollection whatever of seeing any one of our troops on the morn- ing of the 17th of July at Shepherdstown after I started for Harper's Ferry, nor any one on the way except the Sergeant who accompanied me. So I think the man who came up to the commissary of the Regiment on that morning must have preceded me on his way to Harper's Ferry.
It is recorded, on pages 182, 183, of the History of the First Maine Cavalry, that-
A few of the men at the front, who had fallen asleep, did not hear the order to retire, and next morning they found that the field had been abandoned by the forces of both sides, and that the rebels had built a barricade across the road just in front of the one built by the Union forces.
Lieut. John T. MeKevitt, of Company G, was shot through the lungs, in this engagement, and left to the care of a family in the vil- lage. By the tender nursing of a young lady, Miss Maggie Chapline by name, the life that was despaired of was saved, and the gallant officer gave his hand and heart to the one who had watched over and cared for him in the dark hours of despair and suffering .*
In his report, dated August 22, 1863, covering the operations of the Second Cavalry Division during this time, General D. M.M. Gregg says : +
. . . With the view of getting in rear of and on the flank of the rebels, on the 15th I marched with the First and Third Brigades to Shepherdstown. . . .
* Both have since died.
t Official Records, Series I, vol. xxvii, Part I, p. 950.
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1863
RETURN TO HARPER'S FERRY.
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On the 16th, . . . at about noon, a few shots heard on the road leading to Win- chester announced an attack on our pickets. . .. The enemy attacked in large force, and . . . soon the engagement became very spirited. The Fourth and Six- teenth Pennsylvania and First Maine Regiments were principally engaged in my front, the Tenth New York on the right covering the road leading to Martins- burg. . . .
During the whole afternoon and until some time after dark the fight was maintained. ... Having discovered that the enemy had gained the roads leading to Harper's Ferry, and the river in rear of Shepherdstown being unfordable, and attacked thus by so largely a superior force, we dared not yield our position, and it was held heroically. At about dark, Colonel Huey, Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, arrived with the Second Brigade. His report that he had been attacked on the march from Harper's Ferry determined me to withdraw to that point. . . . At about 9 P. M. it was discovered that the enemy were withdrawing.
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The rear of my command left Shepherdstown at daylight on the 17th.
Colonel J. I. Gregg, in his report of the Shepherdstown engage- ment, says : *
The Tenth New York Cavalry was posted on the right on the Martinsburg road, on which the enemy made several demonstrations during the engagement, but were gallantly repulsed.
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Private C. C. Phelps, of Company L, who was at the time serving as an orderly to General Gregg, was sent to Harper's Ferry with dis- patches to Colonel Huey on the afternoon of the 16th, and was capt- ured by the enemy soon after leaving Shepherdstown.
The return march to Harper's Ferry was made on a road running along the river. The Regiment remained on Bolivar Heights until Sunday, the 19th of July, when it marched southward again, encamp- ing that night at Lovettsville, and the next day to Leesburg, where a halt was made to allow the men to cook their suppers. Then the march was resumed again, and they went into camp at Goose Creek at night. At 8 A. M. of the 21st the command was again on the move, marching in clouds of dust, and encamped on the field where the battle of Bull Run occurred just two years before this day. So dusty and begrimed were the men that it was difficult to distinguish comrades who chanced to become separated. John King, of Com- pany A, went for water after the Regiment had gone into camp, and, returning, inquired of the men in his own company where. Company A was located.
The Regiment marched through Manassas to Broad Run on the 22d and encamped ; thence to Catlett's Station on the 23d, and War-
* Official Records, Series I, vol. xxvii, Part I, p. 978.
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1863
HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
renton Junction-familiar ground-on the 24th. The next day it marched to Bealton Station and went on picket during a rain-storm. Here it remained picketing in the direction of Sulphur Springs until the 28th, when it was relieved and returned to Bealton in a heavy thunderstorm. It generally rained when the Regiment encamped around Bealton or Warrenton.
The brigade left Bealton and encamped two miles from Warren- ton, on the Front Royal road, on the 29th, in the midst of our in- fantry camps ; thence to Amissville on the 30th, where it encamped in the woods and remained several days.
Detachments from the Regiment were frequently sent out scout- ing. On one of these expeditions made by a squadron under the command of Lieutenant Sceva, on Monday, the 3d of August, a force of Confederate cavalry was encountered near Little Washington and driven through the village. As the little force under Lieutenant Sceva reached the top of a hill, commanding a view of the country for some distance ahead, with Little Washington in the distance, the sharp crack of several carbines was followed by the singing of bullets by their ears. The rebels had dismounted and taken posi- tion behind a high, winding stone wall that ran along the road, and could not be seen. Lieutenant Sceva immediately deployed a portion of his little command as skirmishers in the open field to the right, but before the formation had been completed the position of the enemy had been discovered and the skirmishers were called in. Lieutenant Sceva gave the command, "Draw sabers!" and then followed a bold and successful saber charge. The rebels broke from cover, mounted their horses, and sought safety in flight, our boys in close pursuit, down across a bridge, through the village, and out on the Sperryville road, making both the rebels and the dust fly. Finally, the boys came back with four prisoners as the result of the charge, and the command returned to the camp at Amissville in the evening. The number of the enemy was fully as great as Lieutenant Sceva's force. Our loss was none. This little adventure appeared to awaken the latent fire in the Lieutenant's bosom, and next day, the 4th, he led three companies to the same place, without encountering or observing any rebels. On the return, however, when a short distance from Little Washington, he found himself confronted by a force of rebel cavalry that had gained his rear and had torn up a bridge over the creek and stood ready to dis- pute his further progress. But the detachment was at once put in readiness for another charge, and went forward with a cheer. Again
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1863
139
COMPANIES M AND K ON DETACHED SERVICE.
the rebels broke and fled and were pursued for some distance. In this encounter we lost one man taken prisoner. George Hines, of Company A, had a queer experience in this skirmish. He encount- ered a Confederate in a personal struggle, each firing all the car- tridges from his revolver, when they grasped each other in a rough- and-tumble fight, at the termination of which Hines mounted his antagonist's horse and rode off, trading horses without guaranty. The command reached camp about 4 P. M.
Surgeon H. K. Clarke mentions the skirmishes in these words :
On the 3d of August, 1863, Lieutenant Sceva was sent to Little Washington on a scouting expedition. Sceva was a gallant fellow. Ilis great desire was to charge into Richmond with saber only. He disdained the revolver ; did not want one in the command. When near Little Washington his command was fired upon. Sceva gave the command to draw saber, and away he flew down the road, his long hair streaming back. He was closely followed by his little command with sabers gleaming in the sunlight. The enemy broke from concealment, mounted, and started toward the mountains. In the scrub race that followed we gathered in some prisoners, among the number one of those who fired the first shots, whose saber and spurs I took and still retain.
Next day Sceva went out again. Captain Blynn and I went out on the road for a distance after he had gone. We saw a detachment of rebs that had barri- caded the road and were awaiting Sceva's return. Sceva gave them a good fight, losing, however, one man taken prisoner, Charles Clifford, of Company E.
The Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry relieved the Tenth from picket on the 5th, and the latter returned to camp at Amissville. Then on the 4th the division left for Sulphur Springs, where it encamped until the 15th. While here, on the 13th of August, the brigade des- ignation was changed from the Third to the Second, and the Second and Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiments were added to it. The same day a detachment of one hundred and fifty men from the Regi- - ment went on a reconnaissance to Gaines Cross-roads encountering none of the enemy. (See Appendix for Major Avery's Report.)
Crossing the Rappahannock at 9 A. M. on the 15th, the division marched to Catlett's Station. Here the "Scotts Nine Hundred " Cavalry Regiment, that came to the division soon after the battle of Gettysburg, returned to Washington. The Tenth did picket duty in this vicinity for several days. On the 23d, details were made from Companies M and K for orderly service with the Second Corps, in accordance with special order No. 81, Cavalry Corps, dated August 23, 1863. Again the Regiment broke camp and marched with the division to the vicinity of Jeffersonton and Oak Shade on the 24th, and went on picket along the Hazel River.
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140
1863
HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
A detail of eighty men was made from the Regiment on the 4th of September to proceed to Washington for horses. This detach- ment, which was under command of Major Weed, returned to camp on the 10th, with fifteen hundred horses, which were distributed among the various regiments of the division. The command marched to the vicinity of Warrenton Junction, and went into camp on the 13th. It rained, as usual, when it approached Warrenton Junction. There were about eight hundred of the horses brought from Wash- ington by the detachment under Major Weed, and on the 18th the command, encumbered with these, marched to Culpeper, crossing the river at Rappahannock Station on a pontoon bridge. Next day a detail of one hundred and fifty men from the Regiment went to Cat- lett's Station for beeves. The Tenth was encamped south of Cul- peper from the 21st to the 24th. While here an issue of wormy hard-tack and rusty pork was made to the Regiment. The men busied themselves in taking a census of the inhabitants of their hard-tack, and investigating the oxidized pork, during the time that could be spared from eliminating the timothy-seeds from their nether garments. Then on the afternoon of the 24th they were again in the saddle and moving northward, encamping at night at Brandy Station, where they remained until the 1st of October, when they marched to Fay- etteville, and did picket duty along the Rappahannock River. Re- lieved by an infantry force on the 2d, the Regiment marched to Bealton in a heavy storm. Here it picketed the surrounding coun- try until the 9th, when a scouting expedition was ordered to War- renton. A few rebels were seen, but they retired rapidly before the invading host. On the return of the detachment to camp it was dispatched on another reconnaissance beyond Warrenton and Sulphur Springs, returning late at night, having encountered nothing of a hostile nature. Early on the 10th the division was on the move, going over well-trodden and familiar paths, to a point below Cul- peper Court-House. Next day the Second Division marched through Culpeper and halted on the hills to the west, from where Kilpatrick's troopers could be seen to the south of the town, falling back. The entire army had abandoned their camps and were moving northward.
Our signal officers on Pony Mountain had made out from the. enemy's signals General Lee's purpose of making an immediate march around the right flank of the Union army. General Meade, instead of disposing his army to meet this intended movement and give battle, at once began a retrograde march northward. After the Rap- pahannock had been crossed, General Meade, apparently confused as
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THE FIGHT AT SULPHUR SPRINGS.
141
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to General Lee's presence and purposes, directed General Sedgwick to recross and engage the Confederate army at Brandy Station, when in fact that army was already far to the west of that point, at Jeffer- sonton. General Sedgwick suggested an attack at Sulphur Springs, which was not approved, and the Army of the Potomac continued the march toward Washington. Resuming the march from Culpeper, the Second Cavalry Division crossed the Hazel River at Rixeyville, and passing through Jeffersonton, reached its old camps at Sulphur Springs at dusk, the Tenth settling down in the quarters vacated by it but a few days before. Here, all unconscious of the proximity of the enemy, a good night's rest was enjoyed. General Gregg had sent scouting parties in various directions, however, none of whom were heard from on the 11th. The First Maine Cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, had been ordered to Little Washington on a reconnaissance early on the morning of the 12th, and on their return late at night, found A. P. Hill's corps of the rebel army encamped about Amissville and Jeffersonton. Being thus cut off, Colonel Smith returned with the Regiment, and after a two days'. march, full of hardships and adventure, on one occasion marching into the sleeping camp of the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry late at night, the Regiment finally found the Army of the Potomac near Bristoe Station.
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