USA > New York > History of the Tenth regiment of cavalry New York state volunteers, August, 1861, to August, 1865, pt 1 > Part 17
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At an early hour the command was moved across to the east side of the river, leaving the Fourth and Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiments on picket in the direction of Jeffersonton. The Tenth halted about half a mile from the ford, on the south side of the road leading to Warrenton, and went into camp. Colonel Taylor's brigade had been sent to Warrenton before the Second Brigade had crossed the river. While the men were busy making preparations for future comfort, the sharp crack of carbines was heard across the river, and then the bugle summoned them to horse. The Regiment was quickly mounted and moved to the support of the battery posted near the ford. While this movement was being made, the Fourth and Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, which had stubbornly resisted the advance of the enemy, made by infantry and cavalry in overwhelming num- bers, were seen to break from the woods, and the Tenth was ordered to their assistance. While the rear of the Regiment was coming into line behind the battery, the right broke by fours and moved to the ford. 'After crossing, Major Avery deployed a part of the Regiment as skirmishers, which extended the line so that the right reached be- yond the woods in which the two regiments already named were
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HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
maintaining the unequal contest. From the right of the line a view could be had behind the woods. Infantry in solid columns were in plain view, while the open field swarmed with cavalry and artillery. Those on the cast side of the river, who witnessed the advance of the Regiment under a heavy fire on this occasion, spoke of it with great admiration. The alignment was perfect, and was maintained until the wood was entered. From the position here attained the large force in front of the Regiment was partially disclosed. After a brief resistance the Tenth was compelled to fall back, together with the Fourth and Thirteenth Pennsylvania, as the flanks were overlapped .* The organization of the Regiment became broken by its inability to resist the great numbers brought against it, and as the men broke from the timber the rebels followed with their characteristic yell. The right of the Regiment was thus cut off, but most of the men escaped, going directly to the river, and, plunging in, swam across. Meantime the battery was doing excellent service at the ford, and aided by the carbineers along the river's edge, compelled the enemy to retire to the cover of the wood again. General Gregg caused the dismounted men to be organized and placed along the river's bank during the quiet that followed the falling back of the enemy to the wood, knowing their services would soon be required. A staff-officer called for a report of the number of mounted men in the Regiment. This report showed seventy-eight men. Upon receipt of this, Major Avery was directed to take them to one of the fords up the river to prevent the crossing of the enemy. The command bad proceeded about a mile on its destination when the ominous silence was broken by the simultaneous discharge of several cannon in the wood on the hill opposite the ford. The guns were worked vigorously for a short time, and then loud and clear rang out the yell which invariably accompanied the rebel charge. With the first dis- charge of the rebel guns the Regiment had halted, and as the tumult of conflict was heard at the ford, Major Avery directed Commissary
* . . The Seventh Virginia Cavalry was sent to the left and the Twelfth Vir- ginia Cavalry to the right, with the intention of penetrating to the enemy's rear and cutting them off from the fords. Colonel Funsten, with the Twelfth Virginia, soon encountered the Tenth New York Cavalry, and after a brief but severe - struggle drove them back toward the river. . . .
Sending two regiments to cross the Rappahannock higher up, Stuart pro- ceeded to force the passage of the river at Warrenton Springs. Here the ford and bridge were commanded by rifle-pits, into which the enemy had thrown a considerable force of dismounted men .- (The Campaigns of Stuart's Cavalry, p. 085.)
WILLIAM HUTCHINGS. WILLIAM H. POTTER.
WILLIAM E. DAVIS. WILLIAM N. HARRISON.
The four comrades whose portraits appear in this picture form a group which has an interesting history. The first name of each is William, and they rode as numbers one, two, three, and four in the front rank, on the right of Company H. through the entire campaign of 1864. All are still living (1801), and met for the first time in twenty-seven years at the National En- emmamen! G. A. R .. in Detroit. Mich .. August. 1891. when the photograph. of which the above is a reproduction, was taken.
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Preston to proceed to that point and'ascertain the condition of affairs. It was then just dusk. Passing rapidly through the weeds surround- ing the ruins of the large Sulphur Springs House, Lieutenant Preston encountered a line of dismounted troops who were being pursued by mounted men. Supposing the pursuers to be officers and mounted troops trying to rally the dismounted men, the Lieutenant passed some of them. He suddenly discovered his mistake and found him- self inside the enemy's line, and a sharp summons to surrender was made by one of the rebels, who at the same time made an attempt to grasp the bridle of his horse. A quick jerk brought the horse's head around and a vigorous working of the spurs unlimbered his muscles. Over the rough ground the animal bounded with the Lieutenant bending forward on the pommel of the saddle, passing safely through a shower of bullets and reporting to Major Avery that the entire brigade had retired on the Fayetteville road, with the rebels in pos- session of the ford and advancing up the Warrenton pike. There was a cross-road leading from the one the Regiment was on to the . Warrenton road, a few rods back-that is, toward the advancing enemy. Major Avery's objective point was that road. If the rebels got possession of it, the Regiment would be cut off. Countermarch- ing the command, the march was rapidly taken up and the road gained ; but the rebels were already in the dense timber which flanked the road on the right, and they opened a rapid and well-directed fire on the moving column. A little disposition to unsteadiness in the ranks was checked by the prompt action of the Major, who brought the men into line and commenced an action that appeared almost hopeless. There seemed no way out of the predicament unless the command could gain the Warrenton pike, now so near at hand. Suddenly a dark column appeared on the pike directly across the Regiment's path ! But they were moving toward the ford ; and, sure enough, they were opposing the same force that the Tenth were " What regiment is that?" sang out one of the flankers. "First Jersey," always a welcome name, never was so welcome as at that moment. The cheer that followed the announcement must have sur- prised the Jerseymen, who could hardly have expected Union troops from that direction. The Regiment was hastily moved to the pike, which it reached just as the gallant young Colonel Janeway led a squadron of the First New Jersey in a charge down the road. Here was Colonel Taylor's brigade. The Tenth took the position assigned it, and as the regiments broke by fours into the road toward Warren- ton, it followed in its turn, taking the gallop as soon as the command
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144 HISTORY OF THE TENTHI REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
had all gained the road. About midway between Sulphur Springs and Warrenton a road led from the Warrenton pike to Fayette- ville. Turning upon this road, the march was continued until Fay- etteville was reached, about 3 A. M. on the 13th, where the balance of the Regiment and brigade was found in a pretty exhausted con- dition.
At the time that Major Avery proceeded up the river with the main body of the Regiment, as already narrated, another portion, consisting of about thirty men, was sent down the river some three miles to Fox's Ford, where they were attacked, but stubbornly held their position and kept possession of the ford until a portion of the First Massachusetts Cavalry relieved them, when the detachment from the Tenth retired to Fayetteville.
Still another portion, which had lost their horses and had served as dismounted carbineers after the Regiment fell back across the river in the early part of the day, had accompanied the small force under General Gregg, which were forced back from the river to Fayetteville in the final charge of the rebel hosts. These detach- ments were reunited at Fayetteville on the morning of the 13th of October, where the bronzed and bruised veterans gathered around the camp-fires and recounted the incidents of the previous day's operations and the heroic deeds of fallen comrades.
Of the engagement on the west side of the river early in the day, Sergeant W. N. Harrison, of Company H, writes :
I have no knowledge how others made their escape, but I remember that when I started to leave the place I had occupied I found I was alone and not more than five rods from me was a platoon of rebel infantry coming straight toward me. As I turned my horse I saw them raise their muskets, and bending forward, I plied the spurs vigorously and my horse fairly flew over the space. Upon reaching the river, the horse plunged in and bore me in safety to the opposite shore amid a shower of bullets.
Company HI suffered severely in the Sulphur Springs engagement, losing Sergeants Benjamin Bonnell, Guy Wynkoop, and Gideon Dud- ley, and Bugler Perry Cowls captured .*
Captain Bliss by his coolness and admirable conduct in this en- gagement won the admiration and respect of the men in his own com- pany as well as of all who saw him. Company D lost here Corporal Richard Oliver killed, Corporal E. S. White wounded and captured, and Corporal Joseph F. Ashtenaw severely and several others slightly
* See Appendix, for B. W. Bonnell's Prison and Escape Experiences.
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EXPERIENCE OF GUS ELDRIDGE.
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wounded. Elias Evans was struck by a bullet which felled him to the ground and rendered him insensible for a short time. The bullet, coming in contact with his handkerchief and a number of letters in his pocket, failed to penetrate them all, but left a black contusion on his left breast the size of a man's hand.
The horse ridden by Robert Evans, of Company D, in the Sul- phur Springs fight, was shot in one of its legs, throwing Evans some distance. Regaining his feet, the horse went to his master, who re- mounted and spurred for the river, closely followed by the enemy. The horse was urged into the river and carried his rider safely across. Halting in the edge of the stream, Evans fired twenty-one shots, all the ammunition he had, at his would-be captors. He afterward found the Regiment after a long and tedious march.
In General Gregg's report, dated October 13, 1863, 3.15 P. M., while at Fayetteville, he says :
One of my men came in this morning, he having remained. Scouted all night near Sulphur Springs. He reports that the enemy were moving all night on the road from the Springs toward Warrenton. He reports positively that the force moving during the night was infantry. At daylight this morning he saw more of the enemy at the Springs .*
The unnamed hero mentioned in General Gregg's report was Gus Eldridge, of Company D. His experience is given herewith. After recounting the crossing of the river and engaging the rebels in the woods, he says :
About this time a bullet struck me on the left breast; it was flattened out and lodged on my arm. Lieutenant Edson was by my side, and I called his at- tention to it. Ile has since the war reminded me of a remark I made at the time, to the effect that the rebels were shooting twenty-five-cent pieces at us. In our falling back my horse was shot, the bullet severing an artery, and he fell before reaching the river. Just then the saddle on Major Avery's horse turned, and Ser- geant Lennox. of Company D, was assisting him in readjusting it. I was about to start on foot, when my horse got up again, and I mounted and crossed the river. There were several men there without horses, whom I joined. We were ordered into some light breastworks near the ford. Soon after this the rebels opened on us with ten or fifteen pieces of artillery, silencing our battery, which retired, and we were left to hold the ford alone. The first force we drove back, waiting until they had reached the river, and then we opened on them a brisk fire with our re- peaters, and they retreated lively. Then they returned in greater force, in col- umn of fours. There appeared to be no end to the column. We reserved our fire again until they entered the river, and then repeated the tacties which had proved successful before, pouring a rapid fire into them. Twice we drove them back
* Official Records, Scries I, vol. xxix, Part I, p. 355.
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to the river's bank whence they came. Then they made a determined advance in overwhelming force and effected a crossing; but we remained in our little breastworks and kept up a rapid fire until they came swarming up the bank, then we started on the run and a terrible fire was opened on us. I think there were only two besides myself who reached the ditch across the road, which was from eight to ten feet wide and some five or six feet deep, which was full of rank weeds. These two were captured at this ditch. I have never heard of either of them since then. I remained concealed in the ditch within one hundred feet of the road, on which the cavalry, infantry, and artillery of the rebel army passed long into the night. They continued on the road to Warrenton. The night was very dark, and I determined to try and make my escape. I quietly arose from my wet hiding-place and started in the direction our troops had taken when they fell back. I had proceeded but a short distance when some one in front cried " Halt !" and I halted, for I dropped flat on the ground. The bushes concealed me, and I must have remained there fully fifteen minutes before I moved a muscle. I then crawled on my hands and knees to a safe distance and remained till daylight, when I arose, and. passing through a piece of woods, came to a house occupied by a family named Shumake. While the girls, who were mulattoes, were making me a hoe-cake, one of them said, "There comes two rebs." I looked out and saw two rebel cavalrymen approaching, one of them leading one of our horses, with an overcoat strapped on the back of the saddle. Then I felt the need of the carbine I had left in the ditch the night before. They rode up to the door and asked if their troops had passed that way. The girls replied no. Then they inquired whether the Yankees had, to which the girls replied yes. Asked if they had seen any straggling Yankees that morning, and were told that they had not. when they rode away. I ate the hoe-cake and gave the girls all the money I had, fifty cents, and resumed my journey. I had proceeded but a short distance when I reached the picket, and was again inside our lines and soon joined the Regiment at Fay- etteville. After hearing my story, Captain Bliss took me to Major Avery, and he in turn, took me to Generals Gregg and Kilpatrick and an infantry general whom I did not know. They all questioned me pretty closely. After I left them we broke camp and commenced marching northward.
No doubt the important information communicated by Eldridge caused a change in General Warren's plans. The Second Corps was started northward again, preceded by Kilpatrick's division of cavalry, the Second Division guarding the rear. The Tenth was formed for battle several times during the march to Auburn on the 13th, where they arrived about 9 P. M. The trains of the Second Corps were struggling all night in a ravine below the hillside, where the Second Cavalry Division went into camp.
As soon as the division came to a halt Captain Vanderbilt was instructed to take his squadron, composed of Companies Land H, out upon the road leading to Warrenton and picket the country. A guide was furnished, and Commissary Preston was sent with the detach- ment with instructions to return as soon as the Captain had estab-
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GALLANTRY OF CAPTAIN VANDERBILT AND HIS MEN. 147
lished his reserve, to acquaint himself with the route traveled in case Major Avery should desire to communicate with the Captain. The guide led the party through the darkness into a ravine, the first part of the march being made amid the wagon train of the Second Corps. The jaded horses and worn-out riders were marched a dis- tance of three or four miles, making a partial circuit of the camp of the Second Cavalry Division, and, trusting to the guide, Captain Van- derbilt supposed he was a long distance from camp ; but while estab- lishing his reserve the hum of many voices and driving of stakes was plainly heard, showing the presence of the division encamped, as it proved early next morning, quite near by. After establishing his reserve, Captain Vanderbilt proceeded out upon the road, through the dense wood, to locate a picket post. Lieutenant Preston accom- panied the party. While instructing the picket, the unmistakable presence of a large force of troops in his front was made known br the noise of the men and the commands of. the officers. The situa- tion was not a pleasant one for the Captain to contemplate. Lien- tenant Preston left to report to Major Avery the condition of affairs, but, getting mixed up in the confused wagon-trains en route, he did not reach the regiment until an early hour in the morning, just before the attack was made in force on Captain Vanderbilt's little command.
In a letter to the historian, several years ago, Captain Vanderbilt says, in making mention of this engagement :
Just before dawn (I need not tell you I did not sleep a wink that night after you left me) I posted my reserves, dismounted, behind the barricade, with Lieu- tenant Charley Pratt's and Lieutenant Woodruff's assistance, and gave Charley orders to have all the men ready. I started for the outpost, and waited for light. Just at gray dawn I could distinguish the road and fields full of men, a column of mounted men coming down the road. I formed my men obliquely by the side of the road in the woods, so that each man could fire up the road. I then sang out : " Halt ! who comes there !" No reply, but the advance seemed to be mixing up. I suppose the ones ahead wanted to change places with those in the rear. I waited but a moment, and then I shouted, " Fire !" Eight carbines rang out on the still morning air. After a moment of preparation they charged down upon us, mounted, and we took position behind the barricade. On they came right up to the barricade. Then brave Charley Pratt's voice rang out as he gave the orders to his men to "stand firm and give it to 'em !" Our boys just warmed them up in good style, and the rebels disappeared from our front. Then I received an order from Major Avery, through you, " For God's sake, Van, hold them for ten minutes longer, if possible !" He wanted time to get the Regiment together, to come to my help. Then I called for twelve volunteers to charge into the woods. I wanted to break them up before getting formed for another charge. Lieuten- ant Marsh Woodruff and a dozen men came into line quicker than I am recording
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148 HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
it, and, wasting no time in words, I gave the direction and command to charge, and down the road they went, yelling like demons. The rebels broke, and we chased them down the road, through the woods, until we ran up against a barri- cade, which they had erected with the same benevolent purpose I had built mine. Ilere we lost nine horses killed out of the twelve, and, strange to relate, not a man hit! Then, as we fell back, we found the Regiment advancing to our assist- ance. Major Avery exhibited his sterling qualities as a commander that morning in getting the Regiment, worn out and sleepy as the men were, in line and ready for action in so short a time.
It was unfortunate that the reserve under Captain Vanderbilt was so near the command, as it gave the division but little time for prepa- ration before the rebels, in overwhelming numbers, came down upon him and required the most desperate fighting by his few men to hold them in check. As soon as the Regiment came upon the ground, Ma- jor Avery ordered Lieutenant Thomas W. Johnson to charge, mounted, with his squadron. It was necessary that bold, determined action should be taken at once, as the division was not yet prepared for action, nor the batteries in position. Lieutenant Johnson went for- ward with something of the feeling which must have impelled the gallant Keenan, of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, as he charged Jackson's victorious corps at Chancellorsville. Johnson well knew the character of the undertaking. He knew, as Captain Vanderbilt had already demonstrated, that the force he was about to charge was infantry, and that their numbers were sufficiently great to give no hope of permanent success. But time was necessary, and it must be had, even at a sacrifice. Drawing his saber, Johnson rose in his stir- rups, gave the command to charge, and, plunging the spurs into his horse's flanks, sped onward, closely followed by his gallant command. Men and horses went down before the terrible fire that met them, Johnson being one of the first to fall. Over his prostrate form went the charging column, until its object was attained, when it fell back, leaving its gallant leader in the enemy's hands. Sergeants William Lennox and Jay Crocker, of Company D, were killed in this charge. Lieutenant H. E. Hayes, one of the foremost in this brilliant encoun- ter, was left in command of the squadron when Lieutenant Johnson fell, and he brought the command out in good order. Here is what he has to say of the fight :
The rebels were dogging our heels, and we had learned ere this that it was not a mere reconnoitring force that was harassing our rear, but that a part of Lec's whole army was bulging out against us. When we bivouacked that night on the wooded slope at Little Auburn, with only a picket-line between our squadron and the enemy, not a saddle was loosened nor a blanket unstrapped, The little
Co. I.
LIEUTENANT HENRY E. HAYES,
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149
STUART IN A TIGHT PLACE.
sleep we obtained was with bridles in hand. ready to mount at a word, well know- ing that a hot and bloody reveille was awaiting us at the coming dawn. With the first shimmer of the morning light came the expected signal. It was the crack of carbines from Captain Vanderbilt's pickets. In an instant every man was upon his horse and instinctively came into line at the edge of the grove, ready for the command. "Forward !" shouted the gallant Johnson. "Charge !" Sabers were drawn and the line dashed forward, By this time the rebel infantry were pouring out of the woods across the field, and bullets were singing through the air. The ground in our front was covered with stumps and scrub-oaks, and the line was soon broken, but the men pressed forward, driving back the rapidly advancing rebel skirmishers. When we reached the top of the slope we were in the face of a strong line of infantry that poured a murderous volley into our ranks. We returned their fire vigorously, but could advance no fur- ther. Lieutenant Johnson fell here, and was supposed to have been killed. We were now compelled to fall back with as much promptness as we went forward, and it was some hours before the shattered remnant of our squadron was re- formed.
This quick and fierce dash against the advancing columns of Lee's army served a good purpose by holding them in check until Gregg and Avery could so dispose their forces as to make our column safe.
General Gregg, always apparently coolest in exciting times, had his command well in hand in a few moments. The enemy were held aintil the trains had safely passed, when Gregg withdrew and followed in rear of the Second Corps.
Major McClellan states * that at 4 P. M., on the 13th of October, Stuart arrived with his cavalry at Auburn, where he left Lomax with his brigade, while he proceeded with the balance of his force toward Catlett's Station. When near the station he suddenly found himself in the presence of the Union wagon-trains and moving columns of infantry and artillery hurrying northward. Stuart sent Major Vena- ble of his staff to inform General Lee of the situation of affairs and suggest an attack; but when Venable reached Auburn he found it in possession of our troops and was compelled to make a détour to the north to reach Warrenton, first sending Stuart word of the condition of things at Auburn. As evening was coming on, Stuart moved toward Auburn, hoping to force a passage at that point ; but he found himself hemmed in on both sides by the columns of our infantry moving northward by parallel routes. He was compelled, therefore, to remain quiet in the fields with but the hills and darkness to con- ceal his presence from our troops. Posting his guns on the crest of the hill in his front, Stuart with his troopers remained during the
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