USA > New York > History of the Tenth regiment of cavalry New York state volunteers, August, 1861, to August, 1865, pt 1 > Part 20
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CAT SHATICHI.V
SALONICH
HARPIN
ROAD
MOCKETT'S MILL.
POTO
A FORD
BLACK & WHITE
CH COISAIn's Bto
BERMUDA
RAPPAHANNOCK STATION
1861
169
GOOD-BY TO TURKEY RUN.
23d to proceed with his command to Grove Church to strengthen the force there, as it was thought a concentration of rebel cavalry was going on at Fredericksburg for the purpose of capturing the force of two hundred Union troops at Grove Church. Major Weed reported with his detachment to Colonel Harhaus, Second New York Cavalry, in command at Grove Church, the next day.
Captain Snyder with fifty men made a reconnaissance to United States Ford on the morning of the 25th, and returned in the evening with four prisoners.
The detachment under Major Weed, numbering three hundred and four men, was relieved by the Second Pennsylvania Cavalry on the 26th and returned to Morrisville, and thence to camp at Turkey Run the following day. Lieutenant Brinkerhoff was assigned to duty with Company B on the 26th.
Friday, April 29th, the Second Division broke camp at Turkey Run and marched out, never to return. At 4 p. M. the Tenth crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford, and a little later encamped at ยท
Paoli Mills, near Brandy Station.
An inspection of the Regiment, numbering five hundred and twenty-four men, took place on the last day of April. The division was encamped in the midst of the army, the white tents covering the territory as far as the eye could reach to the south.
The Ist of May brought dismay to the officers of the cavalry in the form of order No. 177, which required all officers using Govern- ment horses to turn them over to the quartermaster. Some of the officers made applications for leaves of absence to visit Pennsylvania for the purpose of purchasing horses; but General Gregg consider- ately returned the applications and called the attention of the officers to recently issued orders to the effect that any officer making applica- tion for leave of absence, unless accompanied with a surgeon's certifi- cate of disability, would be liable to dismissal from service. It looked rather serious for the officers, who were thus suddenly deprived of their horses, with no opportunity for obtaining a remount; but on the evening of the following day the welcome order came permitting them to retain the Government horses until further orders, and they continued to use them to the end of the war.
While encamped at Paoli Mills on the 2d of May, the sacred soil rose in apparent rebellion at the Yankee soldiers' visit. The day had been quiet, with very little air stirring, up to about 6 p. M., at which time the attention of the men in camp was directed to the south- ward. Something was moving toward the camps, hiding from view
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1864
HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
the entire landscape in its passage. It was an awful spectacle. Men viewed the approaching curtain with blanched cheeks and palsied tongues. Presently its near approach revealed its true character. It was a cloud of dust-Virginia real estate on the rampage. As the hurricane struck the camps it leveled tents and trees, filling the hearts of the men with consternation and their eyes with dust. Rain fol- lowed in generous supply, and the dust was again transformed into its native element-mud.
" Boots and saddles " resounded through the camps on the morning of the 3d, and at 9 A. M. the march was taken up and Richardsville reached a little after noon. It was a chilly night, but no fires were permitted; the men were compelled to shiver, with only hard-tack to appease their hunger. A copy of General Meade's address to the army was placed in Major Avery's hands just as his folding-bed had been prepared for service. The address set at rest all doubts as to why the boys were shivering near the Rapidan that night-the Union army had its baggage checked for Richmond.
Leaving Richardsville at 2 A. M., the Second Brigade moved in the following order : Second Pennsylvania, Tenth New York, Bat- tery, First Maine, Fourth, Sixteenth and Eighth Pennsylvania. The First Brigade had the advance. The Second Brigade crossed at Ely's Ford at 7 A. M. and moved out on the road to Chancellorsville, where it arrived at 8 A. M. A further march of three or four miles brought the command to Aldrich's Cross-roads. Here the advance had some skirmishing and preparations were made for action, but beyond a few picket shots nothing of a warlike nature occurred, and the Regiment remained all night in readiness for action.
" To horse!" at 4 A. M. of the 5th, was caused by a few picket shots. At carly dawn the cannonading commenced on the infantry line. About noon General Sheridan passed along the front of the Regiment on his way to army headquarters, and a little later the Third Cavalry Division, under General Wilson, became heavily en- gaged on the Catharpin road, beyond Todd's Tavern. General Gregg hastened with the Second Division to Wilson's relief at 1 p. M. Al- though the day was warm, the horses were urged to the gallop, and as the command neared the scene of conflict it became evident that Gen- eral Wilson's command was having a hard struggle. A regiment was immediately sent down the road through the woods beyond Todd's Tavern on a mounted charge; while others, including the Tenth, were hastily dismounted and sent into the woods on either side of the road. The arrival of Gregg's division was most opportune, as Wil-
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CAPTAIN NORMAN W. TORREY, Co. D.
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1864 FIGHTING AT TODD'S TAVERN AND CATHARPIN ROAD. 171
son's men were hemmed in on every side, and fighting desperately to extricate themselves from their unpleasant position. The road was opened by General Gregg's prompt action and General Wilson's di- vision relieved. Later the Tenth was withdrawn from the line, mounted, and sent back a short distance to guard the approaches to the rear of the division from the left. While moving up a road through the woods, a voice in the immediate front suddenly called out : " Look out there, Yanks ; you'll get hit !" followed by the sharp crack of several carbines. It was unnecessary to repeat the admoni- tion. The Regiment was hastily dismounted, the horses sent back, and skirmishing commenced. So near were the two lines that the men bantered each other between shots for some time. Finally, some of General Custer's brigade came upon them from the rear and the enemy beat a hasty retreat. The Regiment remounted and joined the brigade near Todd's Tavern in the afternoon. Picket firing con- tinued during the night along the front.
At night, on this the first day's engagement under the new cav- alry commander, he sent a dispatch to General Meade recounting the attack on Wilson, and says, " General Gregg attacked the enemy and drove them back to Beech Grove, distance about four miles." In this dispatch he evinces that restlessness of spirit which soon made him a terror to his foes. Guarding wagons he evidently considered as much the province of infantry as cavalry, for he says, " Why can not in- fantry be sent to guard the trains, and let me take the offensive ? "
At daybreak on the 6th cannonading was resumed on the infantry line to the right. The day opened clear and warm, the woods burn- ing in every direction. The fighting commenced in Gregg's front at an early hour, and was continued briskly until about 9 A. M. The enemy were driven through the woods to the east of Todd's Tavern. The fighting was kept up during the day, the Second and Eighth Pennsylvania and Tenth New York being most actively engaged. General Humphreys, chief of staff of the Army of the Potomac, says, " Gregg met Fitzhugh Lee's division at Todd's Tavern, repulsing the enemy's attacks handsomely."* At about 4 P. M. the Regiment fell back beyond Piney Branch Church and encamped. At the same time the trains, which had been parked hear Chancellorsville, were moved back to Ely's Ford. Rations were issued to the Regiment after dark, and the men sought rest for the night in a field of mud.
As soon as the fog had risen on the morning of the 7th, the Tenth
* Campaigns of the Civil War, vol. xii, p. 51.
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1864
172 HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
advanced a line of skirmishers and encountered the enemy at Todd's Tavern behind barricades, from which they were driven after a brief resistance. Continuing, they yielded the ground of the preceding day's conflict and retired into the second piece of wood east of Todd's Tavern. Here a heavy force was encountered, and the fight- ing became very severe. Finally, as our line began to waver, Colonel Gregg appeared, urging the men to remain firm, and by his words and example succeeded in holding the line. About 3 r. M. the bri- gade fell back to Todd's Tavern, and the Tenth dismounted and took position behind light breastworks. The rebels in heavy force charged on the line at five o'clock and were handsomely repulsed. As they came on with the familiar yell, filling a deep cut where the road en- tered the opposite woods from Gregg's position, a section of our bat- tery opened on them at short range, and the concentrated fire of the carbines of the brigade added to the discomfiture of the enemy, who halted, and being pressed in the narrow defile by their comrades in the rear, presented more the appearance of a mob than a body of sol- diers. Their officers, however, displayed great heroism as they vainly urged the men forward. The charging force retired to the cover of the wood as soon as they could extricate themselves from the gorge in the road, and the opposing lines settled down to the use of the carbine, the firing across the open space being continued late into the night. The Tenth bivouacked on the battle-field with the rest of the brigade.
Then on the 8th the brigade again assumed the offensive, ad- vancing to the opposite wood in the morning and driving the enemy gradually back until a place was reached where the road forked. Here General Gregg, after taking a careful survey of the ground, pro- ceeded with the Tenth New York and the Eighth Pennsylvania up the left-hand or what appeared to be the main road, leaving Colonel Gregg with the balance of the Second Brigade at the junction of the two roads. The Tenth led the way on the road through the wood, which was hedged in by dense underbrush part of the way. As the advance-guard rounded a turn in the road, a little cannon loaded with grape and canister was discharged, point-blank, in their faces, the missiles whistling through the trees like hail, and although the discharge was made within five or six rods of them, strangely enough neither man nor horse was injured. The little gun went whirling up the road and out of sight instantly. On reaching the open, a few rods farther on, a beautiful panorama was spread out before the troops. In front was a valley, and on the opposite slope a few soldiers and
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1864
ACCOUNT BY LIEUTENANT VAN TUYL. 173
some baggage-wagons, looking much like a bait for drawing the Union troops on. A little break in the woods away off on the right disclosed a cohunn of mounted men moving toward our rear. Gen- eral Gregg directed the skirmishers to be called in, and the com- mand was hastily marched back to the junction of the roads, which was reached just in time to assist in repulsing the rebel force already mentioned. In the severe engagement which ensued, Private Cole- man, of Company G, was killed, Lieutenant Gait slightly, and Ser- geant Stebbins and Private Main, of the same company, severely wounded, the latter being taken prisoner. Private Drown, of Com- pany E, was also severely wounded.
Lieutenant (afterward Captain) Van Tuyl writes as follows re- garding this day's operations :
At Toda's Tavern, on the 8th of May, 1864, Lieutenant Charley Pratt with one battalion was on the left of the road, and I had charge of the one on the right. We advanced through the woods for a mile, driving the rebel skirmishers before us, but finally came to an open space, and a few rods from the woods was a steep descent. As we came out of the woods a whole brigade rose up and gave us a volley. They fired high and but few men were hit. I remember that but two of mine were shot-both tall men. One was a fellow named Coleman, who was six feet six inches in height ; the other one's name I do not recall. We returned somewhat faster than we went. Charley Pratt said afterward there were ten rebels reaching for his coat-tail for more than a mile.
During a lull in the fighting of this day, Elias Evans, of Company D, who had been watching for something on which to display his marksmanship, saw three or four of. the enemy emerge from cover. Evans called out, "Now, boys, just see me scatter those fellows!" He raised his carbine, took aim, and pressed the trigger; but he didn't observe the scattering, for just at that instant a Confederate sharpshooter who had drawn a bead on him fired, the bullet grazing Evans's neck and causing it to swell and burn as if a red-hot bar of iron had scared it.
The brigade fell back, contesting the ground to the position from which the advance was made in the morning, the rebels following and occupying the edge of the timber across the open space. The . commands of the Confederate officers could be plainly heard in mak- ing dispositions of their troops. The Tenth occupied a position on the left or south side of the road. The boys began a hasty collection of such material as would answer for breastworks, while a band on the rebel line struck up, playing the Bonnie Blue Flag and other Southern airs. When the band ceased playing our boys cheered.
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1864
174 HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
Presently one of the bands on the Union line, away to the left, began playing. About eight o'clock an aide came along the line with orders for the officers to move their commands back to Todd's Tavern. A few rods in rear of the position the men had just vacated a heavy line of earthworks had been thrown up by the infantry. Passing through these the Regiment soon reached Todd's Tavern, the men were mounted, and commenced a movement to the rear. The roads were blocked with the ambulance trains bearing the wounded from the front and the woods were on fire, so that the march was attended with some inconveniences, marching sometimes single file through the tangled underbrush by the roadside; but the boys had got used to all these things and took them quite philosophically. Finally, Al- drich's was reached and the command bivouacked late at night.
During the day Quartermaster Graves went to the front from near Ely's Ford with twenty wagons to assist in removing the wounded to Fredericksburg.
The hope of a short respite as the Regiment settled down at Al- drich's was dispelled by orders issued to the proper officers to draw and issue rations and forage the same night.
Monday, May 9th, came all too soon to the tired troopers of the Cavalry Corps. The rising sun looked like a ball of fire through the smoky atmosphere. The drowsy veterans were aroused from their slumbers by the bugles' blare; staff-officers were early astir, galloping hither and yon; the troopers were busily engaged in preparation to respond to the next call of the bugle-" Boots and saddles !" When the Tenth moved out into the broad, open field, an inspiring sight was presented. Many of the regiments had already arrived and taken position, while others were fast assembling. Ten thousand horsemen in solid columns were marshaled on the plain, their tattered and torn battle-flags hanging lazily from the staffs in the quiet morning air, telling the silent story of long and hard service by those who marched beneath their folds. Supply trains and ambulances had been reduced to the least possible number for the requirements of the movement about to take place ; a rigid inspection had relegated to the rear all men and horses of questionable physical ability. Every regiment of the Cavalry Corps was numbered in the solid mass; every individual was looking anxiously toward the Fredericksburg road, where a knot of officers and orderlies were assembled. These were General Sheri- dan with his staff and escort. Speculation as to the destination and purpose of the corps was freely indulged in, but few indeed judged either correctly.
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175
START ON THE RAID TO RICHMOND.
1864
Presently a movement of the troops on the right begins; the great mass of cavalry begins to' spin out in column of fours on the road to Fredericksburg, and gradually the grand pageant dissolves into a long line of moving horsemen, enveloped in the tale-bearing dust, by which the enemy later in the day are apprised of the move- ment.
The First Division, under General Merritt, had the advance, fol- lowed by the Third, commanded by General Wilson ; the Second, under General Gregg, being last in the order of march.
Marching toward Fredericksburg a few miles, the column changed direction to the south, crossing the river, and moved on the old Tele- graph road across the flank of the rebel army.
As the sound of the cannonading between the opposing armies grew more and more to the right and rear, the inspiration suddenly seized the men that they were on a raid. Then the Confederate cavalry, guided by the clouds of rising dust, sped to the attack. Wickham's brigade, being nearest, was precipitated upon the moving column, striking the Sixth Ohio Cavalry in flank near Jarrold's Mills. The attack was gallantly made, but was as gallantly met by the Buck- eye boys.
Major MeClellan says : *
The Sixth Ohio was now re-enforced by the First New Jersey, and the rear- guard, thus strengthened, made a determined stand near Mitchell's shop. Wick- ham attacked promptly. but made no impression.
Reaching Jarrold's Mills, the grain and flour stored in the mill were destroyed. At 9 r. M. the Regiment bivouacked at Hamilton's Crossing, on the North Anna River. Custer's brigade, of the First Division, was sent to Beaver Dam during the afternoon. There they captured two trains of cars with locomotives, and recaptured two hundred and seventy-eight Union soldiers en route to Richmond as prisoners of war.t A million and a half rations also fell into the
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* The Campaigns of Stuart's Cavalry, pp. 409, 410.
t The names of the officers recaptured here, as published in the New York Herald of May 17, 1864, are as follows :
Colonel Charles E. Phelps, Seventh Maryland ; Colonel Talley, First Pennsyl- vania Reserves : Lieutenant-Colonel Charles H. Tay, Tenth New Jersey ; Captain Henry A. Wiley, One Hundred and Fourth New York; Captain William H. Franklin, Tenth New Jersey; Captain Bradford R. Wood, Forty-fourth New York ; Lieutenant Charles Davis, Tenth Pennsylvania Reserves; Lieutenant G. F. Michaels, Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania ; Captain Bennett, Forty-fourth New York ; Lieutenant and Adjutant Jaekland, Sixteenth Michigan; Lieutenant Benjamin
176
1864
HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
hands of General Custer, which were burned, the flames lighting up . the country for miles around.
The morning of the 10th the men were rudely awakened by the sharp report of artillery near by and the screeching and bursting of shells in their midst. The enterprising enemy had brought a battery close upon the bivouac during the night, and taking position in the timber on the hills to the rear, opened a brisk fire on the camp at daybreak. The boys mounted and resumed the " on to Richmond " without breakfast or even waiting to perform their toilets. Fording the North Anna at Hamilton's Crossing, the Regiment took its place in the line of march and commenced the second day's tramp through the stifling dust. Skirmishing was kept up on the flanks during the greater part of the day. About three o'clock the Tenth was ordered out upon the right flank to do picket duty until the column had passed, with instructions to join the brigade at Ground Squirrel Bridge. After posting the pickets, Major Avery went to a house near by to learn the nearest way to Ground Squirrel Bridge. Two pretty girls responded to the knock at the door.
" Will you please inform me of the nearest route to Ground Squir- rel Bridge, ladies ?" said the Major, raising his hat.
"No, sir, we will not !" said the foremost one. "If we tell you, you will go and burn it; and I should hardly think you'd have the assurance to ask Southern people to guide you to the destruction of their own property." Before the Major could recover from this cold- water bath, the bright miss opened on a lecture about subjugation,
A. Pine, Tenth New Jersey ; Lieutenant Horn, Thirteenth Massachusetts, wounded and right arm amputated, left with the enemy; Captain E. F. Anderson, Seventh Maryland, wounded in three places, left with the enemy; Lieutenant William Patten, Tenth Pennsylvania Reserves; Lieutenant Taggart, First Pennsylvania Reserves ; Lieutenant Briggs, Sixth Pennsylvania Reserves; Lieutenant L. K. Plummer, Sixteenth Maine; Lieutenant Sylvester Crossley, One Hundred and Eighteenth Pennsylvania Reserves. The last-named officer, Lieutenant Sylvester Crossley, of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Pennsylvania Reserves, had been captured in a night charge on what was known as Laurel Hill. This officer had formerly been confined in the Columbia (S. C.) prison, and while there was a mess- mate of Captain David Getman, Jr., of Company I, of the Tenth New York Cav- alry, with whom he made his escape. On his recapture by Custer at Beaver Dam, he accompanied the cavalry to Haxall's Landing, from whence he was sent to Wash- ington, rejoining his regiment in about two weeks. He was again taken prisoner on the picket-line at Bethesda Church early in June, 1864, escaped February 14. 1865, and returned to his regiment just after Lee's surrender, about the time of President Lincoln's assassination.
1864
177
ENGAGEMENT AT GROUND SQUIRREL BRIDGE.
etc. "You Yankees mistake the character of the people you are try- ing to subjugate. Why, sir, we never knew what it was to work until the exhausted condition of our country by reason of this war made it necessary for us to do so. The gown I now wear was made by my own hands from the raw material; that's the way we ladies of the South will aid in the defense of our homes by working while the men are fighting," and she cast an admiring look upon her home made garment.
" Well," said the Major, " if the war has been the means of teach- . ing your people to work and to take a pride in it, as you appear to, it has been productive of some good."
After some further conversation the young lady softened in her demeanor and gave the desired information. A little later the Regi- ment left, and after they had reached and crossed the bridge it was burned. No doubt this bright little miss reproached herself for hav- ing given the information that she undoubtedly felt had resulted in the burning of the bridge, although the Tenth had no hand in it.
After crossing the South Anna at Ground Squirrel Bridge the men cooked supper, groomed their horses, and enjoyed a good night's rest. The reliable First Maine was picketing along the river, and a feeling of perfect security pervaded the command.
The boys were astir early on the morning of the 11th. Horses were groomed, breakfast hastily prepared and eaten, and the march was about to be resumed, when rapid firing and the familiar yell from the rear was followed by a sudden breaking in upon our camp and regiment of a torrent of wild horsemen. In an instant the Tenth, too, was thrown into confusion and carried along with the be- wildered mass. It was so sudden, so unexpected, that no one was prepared for resistance. The Tenth had been ordered to the support of the First Maine, and was just preparing to move forward when the cyclone came. None of the boys appear to have retained a very clear recollection of just how the thing occurred or where the Regiment was " when last seen " ; but all are agreed that the Regiment as a unit did not remain there long. They stood not " upon the order of go- ing." In point of fact there was not much order to stand upon. Some went ria the wood-road, while others sought the freedom of the broad fields to the right. For a few moments it was every man for himself and the rebels take the hindermost. The wood-road be- came blocked ; but a few of the men still remained cool in this bewil- dering rush and were doing good service with their carbines. . In the midst of the surging mass the tall form of the gallant Colonel Gregg
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HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
towered like a spire above a city as he vainly sought to stop the panic- stricken crowd. The men of the different regiments were blended in the rush. It was one of those unaccountable panics which sometimes seize bodies of men without cause. These were all excellent men, needing but a show of resistance to bring them to their senses and duty. A small clearing by the roadside gave opportunity for the formation of troops, and reining out his horse, Commissary Preston called for volunteers for a charge. A handful of men had responded to the call, and among others, Captain Charles Treichel, the di- vision mustering officer, swung into line .* Declining the command, which his rank entitled him to, he urged prompt action, and away went the party down the road with sabers drawn, meeting the rebels in a hand-to-hand fight. It was a brilliant and determined little charge, and caused a halt in the rebel advance that gave sufficient opportunity for the return of reason to the bewildered troops.
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