USA > New York > History of the Tenth regiment of cavalry New York state volunteers, August, 1861, to August, 1865, pt 1 > Part 9
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George W. Kennedy, Adjutant.
Roger W. Pease, Surgeon.
Henry K. Clarke, Assistant Surgeon.
William E. Graves, Quartermaster. Noble D. Preston, Commissary. Rev. Robert Day, Chaplain.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
COMPANY A. Captain, Henry S. Pratt. 1st Lieutenant, William C. Potter. 2d Lieutenant, Theodore H. Weed.
COMPANY B. Captain, Henry Field.
1st Lieutenant, John C. Hart. od Lieutenant, Thomas Jones.
COMPANY C. Captain, John Ordner.
1st Lieutenant, L. L. Barney. od Lieutenant, John Werrick.
COMPANY D. Captain, Aaron T. Bliss. 1st Lieutenant, William J. Robb. od Lieutenant, Joseph .A. Hatry.
COMPANY E. Captain, Layton S. Baldwin. 1st Lieutenant, William A. Snyder. od Lieutenant. Nelson P. Layton.
LIEUTENANT TRUMAN C. WHITE, Co. K. LIEUTENANT HORACE MOREY, Co. E.
CAPTAIN NORRIS MOREY, Co. E. SERGEANT FRANK PLACE, Co. B.
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GOOD-BY TO CAMP BAYARD.
1863
COMPANY F. Captain, Wilkinson W. Paige. 1st Lieutenant, Henry L. Barker. 2 2d Lieutenant, Edward S. Hawes.
COMPANY G. Captain, Delos Carpenter. 1st Lieutenant, John T. McKevitt. 2d Lieutenant, John B. King.
COMPANY H. Captain, William Peck. 1st Lieutenant, Francis G. Wynkoop. 2d Lieutenant, Charles E. Pratt.
COMPANY I. Captain, David Getman, Jr. Ist Lieutenant, Stephen Dennie. Od Lieutenant, Horatio H. Boyd.
COMPANY K. Captain, Wheaton Loomis. 1st Lieutenant, Benj. F. Lownsbury. 2d Lieutenant, L. D. Burdick.
COMPANY L. Captain, George Vanderbilt. 1st Lieutenant, Burton B. Porter .. 2d Lieutenant, Marshall R. Woodruff.
COMPANY M. Captain, John G. Pierce. 1st Lieutenant, Thomas W. Johnson. 2d Lieutenant, James Matthews.
Gregg's division bade adien to Camp Bayard after a stay of nearly four months. The time passed there and on the Northern Neck, if not always pleasant, had been varied. The hours of yawning and yearning, waiting and wishing, fretting and freezing, had been sand- wiched with others full of fun and frolic, shouting and scouting, picket and poker, so that, taken together, the boys of the Tenth no doubt felt something of regret at the parting with the old and famil- iar scenes.
The Regiment was formed in line on the morning of April 13th preparatory to leaving the camp. When the order came that set the command in motion there was many a glance toward the rough old camp, the little log-cabins, and the oft-trodden paths. If not audible, there nevertheless was felt in the hearts of many the sad " good-by," a faint echo of that farewell that had moistened the eye and loosened the tension of the heart-strings when they saw the dear old homes they had left away up North growing fainter in the distance months
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HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
1863
before They knew the spring campaign was about to open, and they would return no more to Camp Bayard.
At about 8 A. M. the Regiment, under command of Lieutenant- Colonel Irvine, broke into column of fours, preceded by the other regiments of the brigade, and after a march of about twenty miles went into camp. Next day, the 14th, it reached Bealton, and thence to the Rappahannock, with the apparent design of crossing; but, after " demonstrating," a portion of the First Maine Cavalry effected a crossing, driving off a force of rebels who were guarding the bridge, and recrossed to the north side during the afternoon. It rained hard the latter part of the day. The boys had more gloom than glory as they settled down in a heavy rain that night.
Again the men were in the saddle at eight o'clock the next morn- ing, the rain still falling. After changing base several times, the Regiment finally went into camp in the woods. The night was, if pos- sible, more dreary than the last, cold and raw, and the rain continuing.
The river had now become a mad torrent; crossing was impossi- ble. Meantime, like the fabled general who marched his army up the hill and then marched it down again, the cavalry corps was kept moving, breaking camp in the morning, marching a little, and going into camp again.
On the 16th a negro was brought into camp who reported that his master knew of the movement of our cavalry from the time it left camp at Belle Plain, and had gone to Richmond to inform the au- thorities.
Foraging parties brought in considerable corn on the 17th. A light mist hung over the camp on the 18th, when the Regiment was ordered out. Some cannonading occurred at the river. After marching a short distance, the Regiment went into camp near Beal- ton. Field report on the 19th showed five hundred and ninety-three effective men and horses.
Moving out in a rain-storm which set in the night before, the Regiment marched at 8 A. M. on the 20th, and passing through the village of Liberty, struck the road leading to Waterloo, south of War- renton, and encamped at 5.30 P. M. Here Lieutenant Preston was detailed as acting brigade commissary by Colonel Kilpatrick.
Breaking camp at 11 A. M. on the 22d, the Regiment marched to Warrenton Junction and settled down in a cold rain, which contin- ued during the night and most of next day. On the 24th it rained hard all day, and the boys were compelled to move the camp to higher ground.
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THE STONEMAN RAID.
1863
Lieutenant Sceva, who had been confined in rebel prisons for some time, returned to the Regiment on the 26th, but left for Wash- ington next day.
There was some rain on the 28th, but it cleared up in the after- noon. The entire command marched at 6 P. M. and bivouacked near Kelly's Ford about nine o'clock.
At 11 A. M. on the 29th of April the cavalry commenced crossing the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford on a pontoon bridge, the boats of which were composed of canvas. After crossing, the Tenth biv- ouacked about two miles from the river at 6 p. M. Some skirmish- ing after crossing, but the Tenth did not participate.
And now the start has been made on what has been gilded on the pages of history as the Stoneman raid. The delay in crossing his troops on the day of arrival at the place of crossing, when the river might have been easily forded, has caused General Stoneman to be severely criticised. His opportunity was lost by one day's delay. General Hooker, under date of April 15, 1863, sent him a dispatch, urging promptness in making the movement, in which he says :
As you stated in your communication of yesterday that you would be over the river with your command at daylight this morning, it was so communicated to Washington, and it was hoped the crossing had been made in advance of the rise of the river.
And the President sent the following to General Hooker on the same day, the 15th :
MAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER : It is now 10.15 p. M. An hour ago I received your letter of this morning, and a few moments later your dispatch of this evening. The letter gives me considerable uneasiness. The rain and mud, of course, were to be calculated upon. General S. is not moving rapidly enough to make the ex- pedition come to anything. He has now been out three days, two of which were unusually fair weather, and all three without hindrance from the enemy, and yet he is not twenty-five miles from where he started. To reach his point he still has sixty to go, another river (the Rapidan) to cross, and will be hindered by the enemy. By arithmetic, how many days will it take him to do it? I do not know that any better can be done, but I greatly fear it is another failure already. Write me often ; I am very anxious. Yours truly,
A. LINCOLN.
By the long-enforced delay in crossing and the manœuvring of the corps in the vicinity of the upper fords of the Rappahannock, the enemy were given timely notice of an intended movement, but were evidently deceived as to the point of General Stoneman's crossing.
The bivouac on the night of the 29th was without fires. A few
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HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY. 1863
hard-tack and a moiety of salt Jewish abomination was all the boys received to quiet their stomachs' demands.
The morning of the 30th the command moved silently away from its camp on the east bank of the Rapidan at six o'clock. The wagons, extra and sick horses, mules, etc., were sent from here to United States Ford under command of Commissary Preston and Lieutenant M. R. Woodruff Of this numerous host we shall have occasion to speak later.
After crossing the Rapidan, the Tenth marched in the direction of Louisa Court-House, going into camp at 9 P. M.
A very early start was made on the morning of Friday, May 1st, the same general direction being pursued. Some skirmishing oc- curred, but nothing sufficiently serious to impede the onward march. Reaching the vicinity of Louisa Court-House at night, the railroad was destroyed each side, and at 4 A. M. on the 2d the Tenth charged through the town. A considerable force of the enemy was encoun- tered. Some brisk fighting took place for a time, the Regiment los- ing three men wounded and three taken prisoners. Some Govern- ment supplies fell into the hands of the Regiment.
The Tenth left Louisa Court-House at 5 P. M., the rear of the col- umn, and arrived at Thompson's Cross roads at 10 P. M., the men pretty well worn out.
In his report, dated May 15, 1863, covering the operations of the Third Cavalry Division on the Stoneman raid, General D. McM. Gregg says :
Leaving Orange Springs at 6 P. M. (May 1st), the division arrived within three fourths of a mile of the Court-House at 3 A. M. on the following day. At once placing the two sections of artillery under command of Captain J. M. Robertson, Second Artillery, in a commanding position, and forming Colonel Wyndham's brigade as supports, I directed Colonel Kilpatrick to form his brigade into three columns of attack-one to strike the town, one the railroad one mile above, the third the railroad one mile below the town. These parties, commanded respect- ively by Colonel Kilpatrick, Lieutenant-Colonel Irvine, and Major Avery, Tenth New York, did the work handsomely.
Captain Lownsbury relates the following :
While at Louisa Court-House, Companies E and K were assigned a position just outside the village. Sergeant Pettis, of Company K, was anxious to secure a better horse than the one he was riding, and started out early in the morning in search of one. Passing through a piece of woods, he espied not far away an old farmer mounted on what appeared to be an excellent horse, and the Sergeant concluded he would trade with him. Putting spurs to his horse, Pettis started
1863
CAPTAIN LOWNSBURY'S ACCOUNT.
71
for his farmer friend, who also used the spurs with good effect on his steed. Chasing the farmer around a little hill, Pettis called on him to halt or he would shoot. Finally the old fellow was run into the corner of a fence, and Pettis was about to "surround " him, when the "farmer" wheeled on his horse, and, raising a revolver, fired, the ball making an uncomfortably close call to Pettis's head. The supposed farmer gave his fingshorse the rein, and, clearing a high rail fence, was away like the wind.
The command broke camp and the Sabbath at 3 A. M., May 3d, and moving eastward encamped at 5 P. M. near Hanover, to which place a detail of one hundred and ten men from the Tenth was sent to destroy the railroad bridge. The bridge was a strong one and the force of rebels guarding it still stronger, so the boys tore up the rail- road track and burned some warehouses and retired.
Captain Lownsbury also relates the following :
After leaving Louisa Court-House about sundown, Companies E and K were ordered from the position they had occupied in the order of march and assigned as rear-guard of the entire force with Captain Baldwin in command. Just as we were entering a piece of wood, we were met by a soldier of the Harris Light, . who excitedly exclaimed: "Officers, save your men! The woods are full of rebels!" Captain Baldwin and I held a short consultation, when it was decided to have the men in front draw sabers and the ones on the flank prepared to use their revolvers. We started on a brisk trot, which rapidly developed into a run in the haste to pass through the woods full of rebels, which were not there. The run became a stampede under the maudlin shouts of the drunken soldier. All the good things the boys had collected at and around Louisa Court-House were scattered along the road to accelerate the speed of the horses. The useful and the ornamental, the necessities and the Inxuries, were thrown to the winds. The bang of tin pails and dishes sent back an echo to the shouts of the inebriated genesis of the grand skedaddle. For nearly two miles the road was strewn with cooking utensils, provisions, and clothing, It was as if a store-house had been struck by a cyclone. We overtook the rest of the command near the North Anna River without even seeing a rebel. Some of the First Maine coming up with us joined in the stampede. While we were stopping at the North Anna River, the drunken soldier who had cansed the stampede came np and was promptly ar- rested and tied to a tree, which was the last I saw of him until I reached Libby Prison, three months later, when I saw this identical man in a squad drawn up to be exchanged. He left Libby the day I entered.
Thompson's Cross-roads was the objective on the 4th. A half- hour's halt for rest was made near a brick church at about 1.30 A. M. Here the detachment sent from the Regiment the day before to de- stroy the bridge at Hanover joined the command. The march was resumed at 5 A. M., and the Tenth bivouacked at Thompson's Cross- roads at 3 p. M. The forced marches and lack of sleep were begin-
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HISTORY OF THE TENTHI REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
1863
ning to tell on the men. They slept in the saddles while on the march.
The country afforded plenty of good things to eat, but there was little opportunity for getting them. George Hines, of Company A, had secured a fine chicken during the day. The thought of a nice sup- per when the Regiment should go into camp lightened his fatigue during the march. No sooner did the command go into bivouac than George began elaborate preparations for his feast. The chicken was prepared and put to boiling over a brisk fire, and George sat near by replenishing the fire with wood, and occasionally testing the tender- ness of the fowl. The camp was quiet-nearly all were enjoying
" Balmy Nature's sweet restorer,"
when the seductive aroma from George's boiling fowl was wafted to the sensitive nostrils of Tip McWethy and Lew Colburn, who were reclining near by. Looking up, Tip noticed Hines nodding by the fire, and suggested to Colburn a raid on the boiling chicken ! Creep- ing cautiously up they lifted the fowl from the pot and returned, feigning sleep, to await the dénoument. Soon Hines nearly lost his equilibrium, but recovering himself, awoke, sprang up, and seizing his long ladle swooped it around in the pot. Amazed at the result, he returned to the swooping process again ! But, finding nothing of a substantial nature in the pot, he turned his gaze slowly upward and ejaculated, " Gone up in smoke and steam, by thunder !" But, after a few moments' reflection, he concluded that the fowl must have re- ceived outside assistance to have got out, and he declared his ability to whip the man or combination of men who stole that chicken.
At 2 p. M. of the 5th the Regiment left camp, and crossed the South Anna River at 4.30 P. M., and the Pamunkey at 11 P. M. The marching was continued all night in the rain. It was intensely dark, and in some places the surroundings and soil were in perfect har- mony, being dressed in deep mourning. Halts were made from time to time, and during these short stops the men would fall asleep, the horses, with heads down, joining in the effort to relieve overburdened Nature. At such times the quiet that prevailed would have made a Shaker meeting seem like a pandemonium, until some luckless fellow. would lose his equipoise and fall to the ground, the rattling of saber and accoutrements waking those about, causing a general tender of choice adjectives, gilded with sulphur, as the only assistance to the unfortunate comrade. Or, perchance, some poor, exhausted fellow would give audible expression to his peaceful slumbers by snoring,
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CAPTAIN GETMAN'S ACCOUNT OF THE RAID.
1863
when his fellows would hurl at him such choice epithets as " Put a nose-bag on him !" "Buck and gag him !" etc.
Wednesday, the 6th, the march and sleep was continued. A brief halt was made at 9 A. M., on the 7th, the first since leaving camp the morning before, and, crossing the Rapidan, reached Kelly's Ford and encamped at 9 P. M?in a drenching rain.
It would, no doubt, have been considered impossible to cross the Rappahannock in its swollen condition, had the command been on the north side, but the troops were now in a position that admitted of no argument. They must cross, and they did. On the morning of the Sth the jaded animals were urged into the rushing torrent by their riders and compelled to swim, reaching the opposite shore wherever they could secure a foothold, the current carrying them swiftly down-stream. Although attended with great danger, the crossing was made with the loss of only one man in the Tenth, that of Private Tittsworth, of Company H.
The exhausted condition of the command, the two or three days preceding the crossing of the Rappahannock on the return march, . was such as to invite attack from an enterprising enemy ; but Stuart, the spirit of the Confederate cavalry, had been called to the com- mand of General Jackson's corps, on the wounding of that officer at the battle of Chancellorsville, on the 2d of May, and the esprit de corps of the rebel horse appeared at this time somewhat broken.
The following letter from Captain Getman, of Company I, to bia - father, written just after the return from the raid, furnishes a graphic picture of the great march :
BEALTON STATION, VA., May 15, 1863.
DEAR FATHER : I embrace this opportunity to write you. The details of the recent raid, from which we have just returned, you have undoubtedly collected from the different newspapers. You perhaps saw that a detail from General Gregg's command went to the extreme rear and burned a bridge. That detail was commanded by myself. Some of our brigade (Colonel Kilpatrick's) went within two miles of Richmond. "Myself and company went within seven iniles. After the charge into Louisa Court-House, and while we had possession of it, I was ordered to take my squadron and establish a picket-line toward Gordonsville. We had proceeded about two miles on our mission, when we were suddenly at- tacked by an advance-guard of the enemy. I immediately dispersed my men as skirmishers-after concentrating the enemy I rallied my command, charged, and drove them into their reserve. (They fired four volleys. One shot grazed my mare's ear and slightly touched my whiskers.) I then retired, without losing a man. A squadron of the First Maine then charged. I advised them to be on their guard, as I believed the fright exhibited by the enemy in retreating was assumed, as I saw smoke rising from behind the trees, which convinced mne that
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1863
HISTORY OF THE TENTH REGIMENT OF CAVALRY.
quite a force were lying in ambush. The result proved I was correct. The First Maine drove them, exultant at their success, beyond the reserve, which closed upon them, cutting off their retreat, killing two, wounding several, and taking twenty-five prisoners. I forgot to mention we placed one hors de combat.
My next adventure was near Thompson's Cross-roads. As our division was about moving from that place on our return, the Adjutant rode up to me, saying, "Captain Getman, you will immediately take your command at a gallop and picket the rear, as Colonel Wyndham has moved, leaving us entirely unprotected." I hastened and established my line. In a few moments an aide rode up and ordered me to remain until after dark, then cross the South Anna, burn the bridge, and join the division, which had already moved. About eleven o'clock we crossed the river, fired the bridge, guarding it against a small force of the enemy, who were on the opposite bank, evidently with the intention of extin- guishing the flames after we left. They saw, by our movement, we purposed to remain until it was so far consumed as to be useless, when one shot was fired and they retired. It was now about eleven o'clock, the night pitchy dark. We were surrounded by our enemies without knowing the direction taken by our brigade. I now, for the first time, sought assistance of negroes, whom we found truly valuable. By the way, they were the only gnides used by General Stoneman. One piloted me from the river to Louisa Court-House; he then furnished me with another, who told me where the rebel pickets were posted. He also informed me that Buford's brigade had passed through the town at ten o'clock (it was now 2 A. M.), going toward Gordonsville. I passed in the rear and very close to the rebel camp-fires, until within four miles of Gordonsville, when another negro told me that Buford's command had returned pell-mell during the night and taken the road toward Orange Court-House, and that we were close on the rebel pickets. I immediately ordered a countermarch, retracing my steps about two or three miles, then taking a secluded road toward Orange Court-House. We marched very rapidly, following Buford's trail all night and all the next day, when we came to a large stream, very much swollen by the heavy rains, the bridge having been destroyed by our forces to prevent pursuit by the enemy. We were truly in a fearful dilemma-a body of the enemy's cavalry were drawn up in line of battle about a quarter of a mile in the rear with infantry behind them, while in front a wild stream was rushing like a torrent. I set my men at work building rafts, and preparatory to building a bridge, the men evidently watching the moment we should enter the stream, with the intention of rushing down upon us and kill, capture, or drown the whole command.
Now again the negro was called into requisition. One told us that the founda- tion of a bridge was still standing, about two miles above, which he thought could be fixed. Sergeant Jacob C. Case, with a squad of men, was dispatched to examine and report with regard to it. In about an hour he reported all ready to cross. He swam his horse to the abutments, placed two planks side by side, and all was ready. I immediately mounted my men and hastened to the bridge. We swam the horses to the bridge, then dismounted, led them over the bridge, mounted again, and swam to the opposite shore, Jacob remaining behind and throwing the planks into the river. We had but just crossed over when the ene- my appeared on the opposite bank. We continued to march until we came to another stream, In the distance, on the opposite side, I saw a large encampment.
---- !
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1863 COLONEL KILPATRICK'S MARCH TO GLOUCESTER POINT.
I sent over a couple of scouts, who returned in due time, reporting "all right." As our forces had concentrated and were preparing to continue the march, we crossed the stream, took up our line of march with the whole command, crossed the Rapidan, and continued the march, crossing the Rappahannock, with a loss in my company of three men, Albert Hall, George W. Davis, and George W. Close, who were captured by the enemy, their horses having flagged. John Harve Richardson would have lost his life had he not been a good swimner. He was mounted on a mule; crossing the Rappahannock the mule in some way became entangled, throwing John into the current.
My men displayed the courage of veterans in the charge of which I spoke. After the unsuccessful charge of the First Maine I was ordered out to re-enforce them. My men were in line in an instant and started on our dangerous mission. About this time Colonel Kilpatrick rode up with the brigade, relieving me, as our horses were very much jaded, ordering me to take charge of and defend the bag- gage train. We had a severe time of it; we marched ninety miles in twenty- eight hours.
We are recruiting preparatory to another " grand raid," and perhaps you will not hear from me for some time to come, but remain assured that amid the mo- notonous routine of camp duty, or the variety of excitement incident to field serv- ice, my thoughts are ever of home and those I have left behind me, and a tear will course unbidden down my bronzed cheek as I think of the dear ones who repose beneath the sod, and whose spiritual presence, in the form of fond mem- ory, keeps me in the path of rectitude and aloof from the temptations that beset an army. And the only request I have to make is, should I fall in this struggle, if it is in your power, obtain my body and place it beside my mother and sister- there to molder back to that dust from whence it came. Trusting this will not be the case, I subscribe myself, in great haste,
Your affectionate son,
DAVID GETMAN, JR.
On the morning of the 3d, Colonel Kilpatrick, taking the Harris Light Cavalry, set out from Louisa Court-House for the Peninsula. A portion of this command entered the outer works surrounding Richmond, made some captures of prisoners and property, and finally reached Gloucester Point on the 7th. On the march Kilpatrick en- countered a portion of the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, which had be- come separated from the rest of the command, and took them along. During the absence of Kilpatrick the brigade-First Maine and Tenth New York-was commanded by Colonel Douty.
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